How Much Time Do Freelancers Actually Spend on Project Management and Admin Tasks

by summerwilliam on May 22nd, 2025 12:28 PM

When people think of freelancing, they usually picture someone working from a coffee shop, laptop open, living the dream. The freedom is real, sure, but what most people don’t see is how much time freelancers spend not working on the actual work. For every hour spent designing a logo, writing an article, or editing a video, there’s another chunk of time eaten up by follow-ups, emails, invoicing, scheduling, and task juggling. Freelancers often wear every hat in the business, whether they like it or not.

That’s a significant chunk of the workweek going toward things that don’t directly bring in revenue. So if you’ve ever felt like your creative output is being buried under a mountain of logistics, you're not alone.

This is where freelance project management becomes both a pain point and a necessary evil. The more clients and deadlines you’re juggling, the more structure you need. But adding structure also means adding more tasks. It’s a tricky balance.

The Admin Trap
Let’s break down what actually counts as admin work. Most freelancers would agree it includes things like:

- Sending and responding to emails
- Writing up proposals or contracts
- Tracking time
- Creating and sending invoices
- Following up on late payments
- Managing calendars
- Filing expenses
- Updating portfolios or resumes

On top of that, if you’re managing subcontractors or collaborators, you can toss in scheduling meetings and delegating tasks. And if you use multiple tools, like a spreadsheet for finances, Trello for task management, and Gmail for client communication, that fragmentation only adds more time to the equation.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’re being productive because you’re busy. But not all busy is billable. And not all busy moves the needle on your bottom line.

Billable vs. Non-Billable Time
Here’s a simple way to think about your hours: if it’s something a client is paying you to do, it’s billable. If it’s something you have to do to keep the business running, it’s non-billable. The trick is figuring out how to minimize the second category without letting things fall apart.

Some freelancers track their hours religiously, and when they do, they’re often shocked at how much of their week disappears into admin and project wrangling. If you work 40 hours a week and only 25 are billable, that means 15 are spent on running the business. Multiply that across the year and you’re looking at hundreds of hours of unpaid effort.

The Cost of Context Switching
One of the more invisible drains on a freelancer’s time is context switching. That’s the mental effort it takes to shift from one kind of task to another. Going from deep client work to chasing an unpaid invoice doesn’t just take time. It takes energy. The mental reset required for administrative work can throw off your momentum and eat into your focus.

Studies have shown that switching between tasks can cost as much as 40 percent of your productive time. It’s not just about the minutes on the clock. It’s about the mental toll. You may only spend 10 minutes sending a contract, but regaining your creative focus afterward can take another 15.

Systems Make the Difference
Freelancers who have strong systems in place tend to spend less time in admin quicksand. Automating invoice reminders, using scheduling apps like Calendly, or setting up client intake forms can free up hours every week. The initial setup takes a bit of effort. But the time savings stack up quickly.

Some freelancers even batch their admin tasks into specific blocks of time during the week. Monday mornings for invoicing. Friday afternoons for updating the portfolio. Grouping similar tasks together reduces context switching and keeps the rest of the week open for focused work.

Here’s a short list of strategies that help:

- Automate repetitive tasks (invoices, follow-ups, scheduling)
- Use templates for emails, proposals, and contracts
- Batch your admin hours to minimize context switching
- Track your time for at least a week to identify hidden time drains
- Use integrated tools that consolidate tasks instead of juggling five apps

When to Hire Help
Eventually, many freelancers hit a point where doing it all becomes unsustainable. That’s when it might be time to outsource. Hiring a virtual assistant, bookkeeper, or project manager, even for just a few hours a week, can free up more time for billable work and creative output.

The hesitation is usually cost. But if you’re spending 10 hours a week on admin and could hire someone for a fraction of your hourly rate, you’re not losing money. You’re buying back your time. And time is your most valuable resource.

Tracking Your Actual Time
If you’ve never tracked your time before, it’s worth doing for one week. Use a simple time-tracking app or even a notebook, and be brutally honest. Include time spent emailing, planning, researching, and cleaning up your inbox. Most freelancers are surprised by how little of their day goes to the thing they’re actually being paid to do.

According to a survey by Freelancer Map, 43% of freelancers spend around 10–20% (approximately 5 hours per week) of their time on tasks such as client acquisition, accounting, and customer care.

The Bottom Line
Freelancing is often sold as freedom, but freedom doesn’t mean chaos. Without systems, boundaries, and a clear sense of where your time is going, it’s easy to end up working more and earning less. The more structure you create, the more room you have for creative flow and actual work.

The reality is, most freelancers spend anywhere from 25 to 40 percent of their time on project management and admin tasks. It’s not glamorous, and it’s rarely what gets you hired, but it’s part of the job. The trick is to be intentional about it. Track it, streamline it, and offload what you can.

Because the less time you spend chasing invoices and fixing calendar conflicts, the more time you have for the work you actually love.