Managing Your Career: Work Tips for the Self-Employed

The government and career coaches encourage people to transition to becoming self-employed. It may first seem attractive for you if you have just quit your job or feel like your career isn’t growing anymore. But even if you get to have the privilege of being your own boss, you may still struggle with some challenges that you have to consider. These challenges may include not having a steady flow of income, working long hours, and paying for your own medical costs. Here are some tips that you could help: Planning your workweek. Make a to-do list. Whether on your iPad, your smart phone, or on a physical notepad, make sure to jot it down. Shannan Painter, a photographer who guest blogs for Rock the Shot, a forum for photographers, advises people to “take a look at their workweek before it even starts.” Plan all possible appointments and make a rough draft of your tasks and how much time you’d probably spending in them. “An incentive for an early start.” Husband and wife team Miranda and Roland Ballard likes to treat themselves to a cup of Starbucks coffee when they get to wake up real early for a Saturday farmers’ market run. “It sounds silly but it really helped us get out of bed and into to the car,” the couple said on their blog. Work in an office. Assign a dedicated office space in your home.  Make sure you work and only do work when you are at this zone. The Self Employed advises self-employed professionals to leave the space whenever they feel like doing something else such as surfing social media or making a personal phone call. “This will help you distinguish between your personal life and your professional life,” the website said. Taking a break. Give yourself a chance to recharge. As Greek poet once said, “Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” To stay more focused at work, and to be able to make most of your resting time, try the Pomodoro Technique—a time management technique created by Francesco Cirillo and was applied popularly by computer programmers in the late 80s. Here’s how it goes, according to Wikipedia:

1. Identify the task that needs to be done.
2. Set the timer to 25 minutes.
3. Work on the task until the time’s up; record an x or tally it up.
4. Take a quick break for about five minutes.
5. Take a longer break for about 15 to 20 minutes for every four “pomodoros.”

Getting career training before you embark on your journey to self-employment is one way of understanding several aspects of working-from-home. Browse more of our blog for more career tips and advice.