Read the whole article: How Batch Processing Made Me 10 Times More Productive

photo credit: CarbonNYC

On a serious note, here are some things you can do to avoid problem clients in the first place, no matter what kind of freelance work you do:

1. Don’t under-charge. People who are stingy with their money ironically want much more than they paid for. If you charge a fair price, you will attract fair clients. Don’t rip yourself off.
2. Set your boundaries at the beginning of the relationship. Clearly define what is included in your quote, and charge extra for anything extra. Know in advance what you’re prepared to do when the client wants revisions or changes to your agreement, and make that clear right up-front.
3. Divide the project into small steps, and charge the client step-by-step. You don’t move onto the next stage until the client signs off and pays for the previous stage. You won’t need to offer a money-back guarantee, you won’t have huge debts to collect, and it’s the least risky arrangement for both you and the client.

Kevin Boss wrote an article about what he learned from his early stages of being a freelance web designer. Thanks to him for including the Ashes of Problem Clients jar in his post.