How about a plan C?
You have a deadline to meet and everything goes wrong, what do you do? Things are more or less in place, but due to glitches, you are unable to complete the task. The client is upset, he will not tolerate a lackadaisical attitude. Another problem: You have completed the task but cannot deliver the final product because your trip has not arrived. The taxi company has a big software problem: they can’t communicate with the drivers. How do you make sure you get to the meeting with a client who prefers face-to-face dialogue? Skype isn’t right up your alley, you want to discuss without any buffering and there’s no way you’ll accept an email. You brag, explain the situation, and request another meeting. Lucky for you, he wanted to reschedule too! Woo hoo you’re comfortable. If things went wrong, you may have been in a mess. That is why it is imperative to have a Plan B or even a Plan C.
Work at home troubleshooting
How about another scenario? You accept a task, but the Internet connection has been interrupted due to technical errors with the Internet service provider. Customer service apologetically advises you to wait until the problem is resolved. This is extremely annoying because you need to use the Internet and have to submit the work at the end of the day. Obviously, the only step is to go somewhere else and use the Internet in the hope that you can work in a strange environment. The point here is that you can’t expect the customer to understand your problem, you have to find the solution. If the time comes and you can’t get the job done, call the customer right away and explain the situation. If you work from home, there are likely to be many problems that you never imagined. Power outages, the maid hasn’t come, internet is absent or slow, kids and family are noisy, neighbors play loud music, etc. When you accept a job, you need to consider all of these criteria and make sure you turn it in on time. If there are problems, it is imperative to inform the customer about the situation and hope that he understands. However, no company wants excuses, they want a solution to the problem.
Time management or lack of discipline
What IS time management? It is the ability of an individual to manage their time effectively. Multitasking is the order of the day and everyone has to take it easy to get the job done. If you find that you cannot meet the deadline, let the customer know. The worst possible thing is to let the customer think you’ve got it all covered, but when it comes to the actual delivery and implementation, you’re looking for an escape route. Here is an example. There is a presentation scheduled at 11.00 on Monday. Knowing your penchant for poor time management, set your meeting alarm to 10:00 a.m. instead of 11:00 a.m. This gives you time to deal with any problems that may arise and you will arrive at your destination on time. Monday mornings are always very busy, traffic jams are a thing of the past, so it’s better to leave home earlier. Time is of the essence and one must always remember that everyone has a schedule. An unprofessional is a person who doesn’t give a damn about the customer’s time. When you take someone for granted, it can hurt your future career. So, if one has countless jobs to do, like making breakfast, dropping the kids off at school, taking a shower, getting dressed, etc. Get up an hour earlier and get the kids up well in advance. In this sense, you overcome traffic jams, go crazy and can be on time for the meeting and strike a chord with the client.
Independent Transparency
If you make a mistake, own up to the mistake and never do it again. Transparency always plays a fundamental role in any situation. If you are assigned a job that you may not be able to handle, ask for more time. If the client wants the job completed sooner, it’s best to stop assuming the high volume and making mistakes. Most of us believe that we are superhuman. Financial reasons also prompt us to take on extra work, but in the end, if we can’t get the job done, what’s the point? Most freelancers like me like to take work and expect to fulfill it. I make sure not to take volumes because it limits my concentration and the work is never constructive. Instead of increasing work pressure if you can’t deliver, it’s better to focus on the work you can. The bottom line is to provide quality work rather than take on volumes of business you can’t complete.
Why…
In conclusion, when it comes to balancing work and home, quality is much better than quantity. If you can’t do the job, don’t try it, because you may end up with more than one egg on your face. Bottom line: take on the work you can do, don’t try to imitate anyone else. You are your own person and you know your positive and negative qualities better than anyone: go ahead and do something you want and never something you think you can do, but you can’t.