5 ways to be more Efficient as a Freelancer or Design Studio
My main goal in running our design studio is simple: spend less time on admin work and more time creating. When you take the freelance or small studio route, you don’t just become a designer, you’re also the accountant, project manager, assistant, and coffee runner. It’s a lot. If you’re not careful, it can drain your creative energy fast.
Over the years, I’ve built workflows and systems that help cut through the admin noise so I can focus on what I love: being creative. Here are five ways I’ve tackled daily pain points to streamline my workflow and quickly get back to being creative.
Quick note for younger designers: This post isn’t about designing faster—I’ll cover that in another post. This is all about making the business side of things more efficient so you have more time for creative work.
1. Keep your inbox organized
If I don’t respond to an email immediately, there’s a 99% chance I’ll forget about it. So I try to answer emails as quickly as possible. For non-urgent messages, I use Gmail’s scheduling feature to schedule sending responses at the same time each day, creating a predictable block of admin time.
Keeping my inbox organized is crucial. My main rule: Only active projects stay in my inbox. Everything else is labeled and archived.
Every client gets a Gmail Label (folder) where all their emails are stored.
I use Gmail Filters so emails from a client automatically get labeled.
Once I’ve responded and scheduled their request, I archive it.
This system keeps my inbox clean and stress-free.
2. Organize your projects, folders, and files
File organization is where I’ve invested the most time and it saves me hours every week.
Every project follows the same structure:
Organized by client, year/month of the project, and the specific date of the project.
Same naming convention for all folders and files.
At the end of each year, all projects are archived to both Dropbox and an external hard drive.
To make this process even faster, I use Mac Automator and Elgato Stream Deck.
I created a script that automatically generates my standard project folder structure.
With a hotkey press, a Mac Automator prompt opens, I drag the client’s folder in, name the project, and it’s instantly created in the right place.
The Stream Deck helps me open files, invoices, and project folders in seconds.
An example of this formula would be:
ClientFolder > Client_YYYY_MM > YYYMMDD Client_Project
What used to take minutes now takes seconds.
3. Use templates for repetitive tasks
Since most of our projects are apparel or consumer products, the same artboard size is used 90% of the time..
I have Mac Automator set up to open the right template based on the project type:
One design? It opens one artboard.
Eight concepts? It opens eight artboards.
Yes, I know Adobe has a “saved templates” feature, but I prefer my pre-styled files with all my layers, graphic styles, and settings ready to go. It’s all personal preference.
I also use Stream Deck shortcuts to automate exports:
When a client needs a transparent PNG, a simple hotkey click auto-saves the file in the correct format.
I have all mocks, artboards, invoices, pitch decks, etc programmed on here.
No extra clicks, no wasted time.
My stream deck is programed as follows:
Opens a PSD art board 16”x19” (size I design apparel and most products in)
Photoshop action to automatically save my art file as a transparent mid-res PNG to send to clients with mockups.
Photoshop action to resize art files to a specific width for production. Keeps the art board the same 16”x19” size for consistency.
Opens to a new Stream Deck page with all my apparel mockup files that I can open with the push of a button. Shirts, hoodies, hats, etc.
Opens an InDesign Invoice template.
Opens an InDesign Estimate template.
Starts a new Mac Automator action to setup new folders for new projects.
Opens an InDesign presentation deck for new projects.
Opens an InDesign presentation deck for a client who has a specific template.
Opens an Illustrator file with 1 art board (always sized 16”x19”)
Opens an Illustrator file with 2 art boards
Opens an Illustrator file with 3 art boards
Opens an Illustrator file with 4 art boards
Opens an Illustrator file with 8 art boards
*I have these illustrator artboards depending on how many designs I am doing for a collection including front and back concepts.
4. Track your admin tasks
I currently use Monday.com to track:
Client Projects
In House Projects
Social Posts
Invoices
You can see below our Monday board is color coded and very simple. Projects start in the Que and based on due dates and priority, we drag them down to Active Projects. We usually only have 1-2 per designer with a project in here. After that it’s more on me for tracking. Are we waiting to hear back from a client, do we need information for invoicing, etc. Once the project is completed and approved, we invoice for it and mark it Done so that it can go into our Completed archive.
I love Monday for its automation and color-coded labels. For example:
Marking a project “Done” automatically archives it.
Tracking invoices with a custom Pending / Paid / Overdue system makes it easier to track at-a-glance.
Since most invoicing tools don’t meet my needs, I built my own InDesign invoice template with scripts that handle:
Our company details
Client details
Net payment dates
Project descriptions, prices, totals, images (if required)
Total balance due
Project tracking is an area that we’re actively trying to improve. Monday isn’t my ideal system, but for now, it works. One day, I’d love to create a simple, affordable project management tool specifically for small studios.
5. The right tools make a difference
Here’s a quick list of the products and software that keep my workflow smooth and efficient.
Products I Rely On:
MacBook Pro – Powerful, lightweight, great for travel.
Mac Studio Display (x2) – Dual monitors = game changer.
iPad Pro – Replaced my Wacom (too many cords).
Logitech MX3 Mouse – Best mouse ever. Hotkeys for days.
Elgato Stream Deck – Runs my workflows at the push of a button.
Herman Miller Aeron Chair – Because back pain is real.
Custom Desk Setup – Butcher block + Ikea cabinets = massive workspace.
Software I Use:
G Suite – Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Calendar. Simple and effective.
Mac Automator – Automates repetitive tasks. If you’re on Mac, learn it.
Adobe CC – Industry standard, no getting around it.
Monday.com – Pricey, but works for project + invoice tracking.
Dropbox – Easiest way to save & share files.
That’s my system for staying efficient and getting back to what I love—design!
What Works for You?
Do you use any of these methods? Have a better solution? Or is there a pain point you’re struggling with? Let’s chat—I love problem-solving.
See you next time! 🚀
