Productivity Tips for the Newly Self Employed
Once you leave the 9-5 world, weekdays open up and you get the sense that time is an endless resource to finally drive your business to success. If you are not careful, your new found “free-time” will get swallowed up in minutiae and you’ll spend 20 hours a day in your home office without getting anything done. Here are some tips to keep you productive without working your tail off.
Defend Your Time
Many people who do not work from home have the mistaken assumption that those of us who do wake up at the crack of noon, sit out on our deck with a martini on Tuesday afternoons and get to play video games all day. The truth is that we often juggle an intense workload while working more hours for less pay than our employed peers. Some of your friends or family might think that because you work at home, you are always available.
Respect your time by defending it from interruptions. If you have a separate business phone, then you simply do not need to answer your home phone or even non-emergency calls to your cellphone while you are working. Try to avoid the temptation of checking personal E-Mail, stay off of Facebook and don’t fall into the time-wasting trap of running errands when you should be working. If you are that bored while running your business, then you made an unfortunate entrepreneurial choice and will hate your life in no time.
You wanted to leave the corporate world to experience the freedom of self employment, but in order to run a successful, solo venture, you should practice a solid business work ethic to make that happen. With that said…
…Take Time Off
The ability to pay rent and feed ourselves every month rests squarely on our shoulders. Especially when starting out, the crushing pressure of this fact is enough to instill a workaholic attitude where long, isolated days stretch into long, isolated nights toiling away in our home office.
A common habit for those of us who are doing something we truly love is to forget to take regular breaks. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve worked straight through lunch, spending an entire 10 hour day glued to my laptop. This is unhealthy and after just a short while, will affect productivity. Creativity and fresh ideas are not sustainable in a vacuum. You’re the boss. Get out there, enjoy life and allow yourself to be inspired with new ideas. Fresh ideas inspire productivity and provides new avenues for achieving success.
Always remember that your life is not your business, so be sure to take walks outside on sunny days. Meet a friend or lunch. Take 15-minute breaks throughout the day and get in a little physical exercise to keep the blood flowing. Take a half day. Take a day off. Take vacations. Quit every day at 5pm…or earlier!
Rediscover a Hobby
Launching a side business while employed full time usually means that you have to let go of enjoyable hobbies. There simply isn’t enough time in the day to do everything you want to do. Now that the day job is out of the way, be sure to rediscover an old hobby or start a new one. Give yourself a reason to quit at 5pm every day. Give yourself something fun to look forward to on the weekends, otherwise you’ll spend all day Saturday and Sunday toiling away in your home office…alone. What’s the point!
Enjoy the freedom of being your own boss. Give yourself permission to pursue activities outside of your business that spark your passion. Check off things from your life list. Actively engage yourself in living your dreams instead of simply running your business. How does this enhance productivity? You’ll be full of energy, passion and new ideas that will make you a better, well-rounded, more productive (profitable) person. You’ll also reduce the risk of burnout.
More Productivity Tips for the Newly Self Employed
Never agree to charge less than you are worth. If you don’t respect the value of your product or services, neither will your customers and clients. You will instead trap yourself in the cycle of working harder and longer hours for less pay.
Also, don’t undercut your competitors. Instead, find ways to outshine them on the value you provide. Starbucks launched a wildly successful business not by having the cheapest coffee, but by differentiating themselves from the competition through providing a product with higher value.
Don’t be afraid to outsource. Once you’ve got a steady cash flow coming in, focus your efforts on growing your business. Hire a housekeeper, find a personal assistant or outsource low-yield efforts that do not directly generate leads, products or revenue.
What is the best way to ensure you run your business in the most productive, profitable way without working 100 hours a week? Read these five tips for supercharging your productivity by becoming an early riser, batching tasks, limiting distraction and following the principles of a deceased Italian economist.
