As with most of my posts, this is something that has been in my mind recently and something I have very recent experience of too.
I have recently had a few days away from the 9-5 and had been looking forward to it for ages. It co-incided with the Royal Wedding and Easter and that meant I got eleven days away from London for just three days holiday. Brilliant eh?
My Royal Wedding Invite Had Been Lost, So…
I had lots of plans for both personal and own business related activities, and even went as far as writing the individual dates down and noting next to them what I planned to do on each day.
And yet on going through the notes I made and what I actually did during those 11 days, I found I did much less than I planned. I mean, I did the important stuff, but I didn’t write as many posts, or get as far as I wanted with my niche sites, or even manage to clear out the spare room (which has been on the list since Christmas at least)
Where’s the Problem?
So why was that? Why did I fall so far short?
This was due to the fact that I had a lack of consequences. If I didn’t do my own stuff, what would happen?
In the short term, nothing. There is no boss to yell at you, or punish you. If you leave something all week, it will just sit there.
However this got me to thinking how important consequences and structure are to the self employed, particularly solopreneurs, as they have been christened.
Who’s Your Boss?
In self employment, there are serious longer term consequences to a lack of discipline. No discipline means no business, no business means no income, and no income eventually equals bankruptcy.
The taxman will also not see the funny side, although I suppose that if you’ve got no income, you’ve got no tax problems either.
I know which I’d rather have…
Structure is Good…
In contrast, my current full time job in London has a ton of short term consequences if I don’t perform. So that keeps me on my toes and stops short term issues becoming long term problems.
This is the mindset I will take back with me when I go back to being self employed and running my businesses full time, and is a good lesson for anyone self employed, whether you work from home or not.
Routine Is Death
Actually it is not. Routine can help to get done what needs to be done. Create one for yourself. The beauty of being self employed is that it can be whatever you want it to be.
Work better in the mornings? Get up and start working whenever you like. A night owl? Work as late as you want. Work Saturday to meet a deadline? Take Tuesday off instead.
One of the positive images I have about being self employed, from my time as a mortgage broker, is the chance to go food shopping at 3pm on a Tuesday, when no-one else is there.
I know, it takes all sorts…
Get Off Your Arse
Brad Burton says in his first book Get Off Your Arse (very good advice, by the way) that being self employed is like every day being a bank holiday, and you should work when you want and not when you don’t.
I agree with that up to a point – just make sure that when you are working, you make sure you’re well organised and get through what you need to get done.
If you’ve done your homework and chosen your business based on something you enjoy and are passionate about, the chances are it won’t even feel like work, and you’ll find yourself flying along without even realising it.
My new marketing tips series will be launching soon (as soon as I have written them actually) so sign up to my list in the box next to this page, and I will make sure you get those as soon as they are ready, whenever you sign up.
In the meantime, leave me a comment below and let me know what you think?
