When you work for yourself, you’re the boss.
This has its perks. You set your schedule, you don’t have to ask anyone for vacation time, and you decide exactly how much work you want to do.
This also has corresponding downsides. There’s no one who has your back, helping you complete your tasks. It’s on you to set goals – and then hold yourself accountable to achieve them.
This freedom can be exhilarating. It can also be exhausting, especially when you’re always chasing clients, pitching projects, or trying to keep up with competitors.
Finding motivation as a self-employed person can be tricky. That’s why you might find these strategies for keeping on track from Workplace Strategies for Mental Health helpful.
- Schedule your week first, then your day.
- Prioritize in a way that works best for you by doing the most complex work when you feel most alert and saving easier or routine tasks for when you have less energy.
- Place every potential or actual commitment in your calendar and block time to meet your obligations. This may be paying tax installments, calling clients back, deadlines for project milestones or personal obligations like your family members’ birthdays.
- Organize every day using lists, reminders or alarms for tasks, phone calls and meetings to keep yourself on track, especially when work or life may cause distractions
- Update the next day’s “to do” list as you’re winding down each day.
- Focus on only one task at a time, and limit the amount of time you’ll spend on it. Consider using a timer on your phone to let you know when the time’s up to help optimize your efficiency.
- Create and comply with your own work policies to keep a reasonable schedule, such as the hours you’ll work each day, break times and holidays.
- Set up “out-of-office” notices when you won’t be available due to either personal or professional demands. It can help reduce your stress and manage clients’ expectations for a response.
- Try to avoid delaying decisions. Making difficult decisions is better than allowing them to stress you out for days or weeks.
- “Good enough” is often enough to get started – don’t wait for perfection.