Let me tell you something for nothing- working for myself is the bomb. I set my own hours, deadlines, income goals and Key Performance Indicators. I experience flexibility and freedom in work that I’ve never experienced as an employee. However, working for myself only works when I do, and between the washing needing to be done, the coffee date invitations, the potential of being sidetracked or distracted is always lurking in the sidelines.
I’ve been doing this long enough now to have some tried and tested tricks up my sleeve for getting sh*t done when motivation is lacking:
1- Set goals, then go forth and smash them.
I set goals constantly-daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly, to be specific. I set them, write them down, I review them and stay committed to them, and their achievement keeps the warm and fuzzy levels up high.
2- Embrace the to-do list.
Each week, I have a planning meeting where I set goals for the week (see above), and where I write down (in ye olde school notebook) everything that needs to be completed for the week ahead, which is then entered into my daily schedule. I aim for a mix of working on my business as well as in it, and I love that smug, self-satisfied feeling of ticking off an item.
3- Reenergise thyself frequently.
I like to work in blocks of time (pomodoro-esque as a nod to my Italian heritage), and after each block I take a break. I get away from my desk, and put on a load of the aforementioned washing, I call a friend and chat about anything non-work related, or I sit out in the sun with a coffee or a water and just chill. I also like to work from a cafe or a client’s office from time to time, just to mix it up a bit.
4- Maintain a beautiful workspace.
I’m naturally neat and organised, and clutter does my head in. Having a beautiful, well-organised workspace means my office is a space I want to be in.
5- Create external deadlines.
I’ve I’ve promised a delivery date, then I’ll bust my hump to deliver, motivation or no. It’s that simple.
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This is a post in my blog series about freelance life. Each month I share information, hacks and ideas about running a freelance business. If there’s something specific you’d like to know, please shoot me an email or give me a buzz, and I’ll do my best to help, or address it in an upcoming blog post or on my social media platforms- follow the links!