How to stay motivated when self employed?

Feeling demotivated with no boss to boss over you? Here’s how you can keep yourself going

Source: Mumbai Mirror

You have been employed your entire career, but have now decided to be by your own and start your own project/business. But being your own boss also means being highly-disciplined. There’s a chance that you may procrastinate over the smallest tasks. Here’s how you can find motivation when self-employed:

Set a Schedule:

If you do the kind of work that allows you to work at any time during the day, figure the hours that suit you best. Then allocate the number of work hours you will devote to that task each day. It’s a good idea to grab a weekly planner and highlight the hours you will work from Monday to Friday. This will help administer your day better at home and set your focus right.

Set a Deadline:

Establish a realistic deadline for the completion of a project. Then make sure that your client knows about the specified time when you are expected to deliver the assignment. This will create accountability and keep you motivated to complete the work. Make sure you do not let yourself down after locking on a specified time; else you will risk losing credibility.

Remind yourself Why You Quit:

This is especially true when you get caught up with chores and other household responsibilities, such as buying groceries and answering the door. Place it somewhere where it’s in your range of vision. After starting your own work, it becomes easy to forget what drove you to quit your job. Write it down on a big sheet of paper, like a mission statement, describing why you chose to be self-employed.

Take a Break:

The distinction between workplace and home dies the moment you decide to work from home. It is important that you give yourself some breathing space to think ahead. Occasionally, eat lunch away from the computer. It may be a good idea to meet an ex-colleague over lunch and discuss your progress and brainstorm ideas. Or take a walk in your neighbourhood to clear your mind. Or do some high-intensity workout. This will help you stay focused for long.

Don’t sell yourself short:

In case you have not been able to nail any good assignments of late, don’t get tempted to work for less than the industry standards or what you think you are worth. Undercutting on the money front will devalue your ability and hamper your motivation to find the next assignment. Set a minimum charge and stick to it. It will build your reputation in the industry. Besides, you have house rent and bills to pay.

Look for work consistently:

Once you have quit your job, there are no bosses to assign responsibilities. Also, without inter-office camaraderie, working alone can get lonely and demotivating. You must network and look for work consistently. Set up meetings and get out to network with clients. Try to attend small business networking functions or press conferences and make resourceful contacts.