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Expert Answers to Biz Questions

Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.

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How to Stay on Top of Your Tasks as a Solo Developer

 

Working on software projects alone can be a daunting prospect, but it can also be quite rewarding if you’re careful about it. You just need to have the right approach from the start, and have a well-structured system for assigning tasks to yourself. As long as you don’t lose track of the big picture, you should find that you’re able to progress at a steady pace. Maybe a bit more slowly than you would with other people, but on the other hand, with a finer degree of control over what you’re doing.

Keep It Small

Depending on what specific field you’re working in, you might already have some huge ideas for your project on your mind and you’re itching to get started. Our advice would be to take a step back and re-evaluate things. Are you really capable of pushing through a massive project like that to the end? Chances are, if it’s your first one, you’re going to get stuck somewhere along the way, and the sheer scale of things might make you give up before you’ve gotten too far. Starting out on a smaller scale is definitely the right way to go if you want to avoid getting burned out.

Track Your Tasks

You must also always maintain a realistic overview of your current tasks and their completion rate. It’s okay to fall behind the line a bit, as long as you’re actually aware that this is happening, and you also have a solid plan of action for recovering. Finding the best software for someone in your situation is one of the best ways to approach this, as it can allow you to easily assign tasks to yourself in a realistic manner, while also tracking how fast you’re completing each one of them. There are many software options out there, one example can be seen through Kanban Workflow Software where the main feature is the Kanban board which gives you a visual on your workflow  and the option to set up reminders and follow ups for certain tasks.

Avoid Repetition

It’s inevitable that you’ll have to go back and undo some parts of your work as a software developer, but it can be a bit messier when you’re working solo. In a team, this responsibility is usually spread around more evenly, while when working alone, every time you have to take a step back, you’re killing your own specific progress. And that can quickly take its toll on your mentality and start to make you feel like you’re not getting anywhere. Having a more organized approach towards your development and verifying the viability of each task before getting started with it is critical.

Many people have successfully pulled off large, impressive projects on their own, completely without external help. It doesn’t have to be a complicated task if you approach it the right way, and maintaining an objective overview of your current resources – time included – is one of the best ways to ensure that you’ll always be moving in the right direction and won’t have to undo any critical parts of your work, as is common in these situations.

  • Is the company able to pay debts?

  • How efficient is the company?

  • What is the projected cash flow over the next period?

  • How much can the company invest in expansion?

By utilizing relevant accounting information, you can make logical judgment calls that improve the efficiency of your business operations.


Legality

Good accounting practice that aligns with all the lawful regulations will help you avoid legal trouble. Tax considerations are important for large corporations, and incredibly complex. By engaging in proper accounting practices, you can steer clear of problems with the IRS. Accountants are relied on to provide accurate accounts, because filing with inaccurate accounting can be a legal disaster.

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