By Gina K.
One of the most critical organizational tools for freelance writers is a high-quality project management tool.
As a busy freelancer, it’s great to have a visual representation of your projects and tasks, and a way to split larger projects into smaller, more manageable pieces.
Asana is an ideal tool for this. It has a wide range of functionalities that can be beneficial to freelance workers.
But let me start with a quick wordplay first.
Did you know that “asana” is a yoga term that in direct translation means “seat”?
What is the link here?
Well, striking the correct pose in yoga means that you are in a position where you can stay comfortably and relaxed, however tricky that pose may be.
Here comes the common ground between the project management tool and the 1,000-year-old spiritual tradition.
I first heard of Asana in early 2016 and was super pumped about it, except I really didn’t know how to use it in a way that would help me get tasks done.
Now, though, everything from running my business to a reminder to bathe my dog is in my Asana to-do list.
What is Asana?
Asana is a task management tool that makes collaborating on team projects more streamlined than ever.
Created by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, Asana is a free app that provides real-time interaction through an easy-to-use interface.
Asana users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, add notes, attach files, create internal checklists, and communicate with others through comments. Once tasks are created, you can group them into projects and invite team members to brainstorm, assign subtasks, and work to achieve their goals.
What makes Asana the perfect tool for marketers is its ability to present conversations and projects in parallel, eliminating the hassle of scattered emails and lost messages.
Look no further in your inbox to find the file John sent you, and that set of images Bobby finished last week. Asana stores everything you need in one place.
What is Asana like to use?
Blog Ideas/Publishing Project:
This is where I discard all my ideas and things I want to write about.
As a content creator, I think a lot. This area allows me to get rid of all the ideas that occur to me while I’m doing the dishes, walking my dog, etc. or when I’m brainstorming content ideas.
When I’m ready to write a blog post, this is the first place I come to. This allows me to get an overview of what I have been thinking about lately.
It is a great area to store short but essential ideas.
Blog Editorial Board Project:
As I mentioned earlier, once I’m ready to write a blog post, I submit the blog idea from my Blog Post/Ideas Project to the Blog Editorial Board.
Asana offers the possibility of creating projects like lists or boards. I mainly use lists, but I find the dashboard look (known as kanban) to be incredibly useful for me to get my writing done due to visual nature.
Another couple of bonuses?
You can also have up to 5 people on your team for free.
This came in handy when I had a VA do a job for me; I was able to assign homework and avoid a lot of emails back and forth.
Verdict:
Asana is a game-changer for freelancers.
Since my business coach introduced me to the tool AND taught me how to use it, my productivity at home has skyrocketed.
I use it to plan my content for each of my platforms (Fiverr, Instagram and my Facebook group), as well as my daily to-do list and goals for each month and quarter.
Asana can be used to manage virtually all types of work: from creative teamwork to personal organization. It is packed with useful features and allows as many different uses as computers and individuals.
Price: Free with packages paid from $11.
What’s your favorite way to manage projects and stay on top of tasks with Asana? We can’t wait to hear about it in the comments!
