If you are working for yourself, your biggest challenge is going to be the lack of supervision. It is easy to slump back on the sofa and catch up on your favourite Netflix series and noticing that hours have passed. If you want to be the boss you always wanted to be, start with managing your own time and productivity first. Below you will find a few tips on getting started with monitoring your time and output.
Timers (Pomodoro)
If you spend most of your working day in front of the computer, you will need to install a timer that checks how much productive time you spend working and rewards you with regular breaks and intervals. You will be able to tell how far you have gone in the set period of time. There are great free apps available, such as Pomodoro, and you can set the timer according to how many hours you want to work in one sitting and how long your breaks should be.
Calculate Your Hourly Rate
Once you are in the routine of your work, you can start motivating yourself by working out your hourly rate. Work out how much you would like to earn each hour of productive time, and you will get a figure, If you are not there yet, you will need to make adjustments or install online productivity tools to shorten some of the manual tasks. Even a simple grammar checker can save you minutes at a time.
Invest In Training
It is also crucial to take responsibility for your personal and professional development. Whether you are a trader or a coach, you need to keep improving your knowledge. There are several resources available online that make learning about spreadbetting or search engine optimization easy and fast.
Reward Yourself
Once you have achieved the desired level of productivity in your business, you shouldn’t forget about rewarding yourself. Set clear and measurable goals and deadlines and once you hit your personal target or overachieve, make sure that you take a break, go away for the weekend, get a spa treatment, or a cake. After all, you know the best what motivates you the most.
Have a Set Schedule
Instead of waking up whenever and starting to work and finishing at random times, you might benefit from having a set schedule. A simple online to-do list will do, or you can have a Google Calendar to remind you of the upcoming tasks, the scheduled phone calls, or other things you must do. Make sure you clock out on time and leave the desk, taking a break after you are done with the day’s work.
Many solopreneurs find it hard to manage their own performance and keep themselves motivated. If you would like to make sure that you are working as hard as you can, you can take advantage of the latest technology and learning resources to maximize your productivity and reduce the time you dedicate to your business.
