Running your own business can be one of the most rewarding things you can do. As entrepreneur Adam Ferrari explains, working for yourself can be a dream come true, but potential downfalls exist.
Among those downfalls is the fact that there is no one else to answer to. This freedom can be great, but it can also be easy not to remain on task and as committed as you need to.
Here are three tips for how you can stay focused when you’re working for yourself.
1. Create Separate Workspaces
Many people who work for themselves do so out of their homes if they’re able. This makes a lot of sense, as it reduces unnecessary costs for office space and the utilities you’d require at that space. In addition, working out of your home also provides the potential for tax deductions.
Not only that, but working from home cuts down on costs required to travel to an office, plus the time you lose commuting. Many people realized the immense benefits of working from home during the pandemic, and it’s something that many entrepreneurs have the freedom to do.
The downfall, though, is the home environment can easily become too comfortable and, as a result, not conducive to productivity. One way to combat this is to create a separate workspace in your home.
Ensure that you have a separate room you can close off and dedicate to work only. This isn’t to say you can’t lounge on the couch with a laptop from time to time, but it’s essential that you have a place where you can get away and concentrate, too.
2. Set a Schedule
Working for yourself allows entrepreneurs to work when they feel most productive or at a time that suits them best. For example, if it’s a sunny day outside, you might choose to hold off work until night to enjoy the weather.
While this is obviously a huge benefit of working yourself, staying focused can also be hard. Having a choppy work schedule makes it hard to create continuity in work, which is essential if you’re trying to build and grow a business.
To combat this, create a set work schedule for yourself. You don’t have to be rigid like a traditional 9-to-5 but setting aside a set number of hours for work every day will help you stay on task.
3. Take a Break
Working for yourself means being able to work at almost any time of the day, depending on what you do. As Adam Ferrari explains, this can make it very difficult to step away and take a break.
This is especially true in today’s ultra-connected world in which it’s hard to “power down.” So, make sure to step away from work every once in a while to refresh your brain and relax.
Setting break times is almost as important as setting a definitive work schedule. Your mind needs time to relax and decompress. When you step away from work, you’ll often find that you’re re-energized and refreshed when you pick up the work again, and, as a result, the work you do will be more efficient, effective, and productive.
Integrate multiple breaks into your workday, whether it be multiple hours away to spend time with your family or even 15 minutes to get outside or grab a cup of coffee.
Published on topdreamer.com