Escaping the traditional 9-5 comes with the promise of a flexible schedule and location independence. In a world with fast service, unlimited everything, and money-back guarantees, we demand a career without limitations. I encourage my friends and peers to take the leap of faith into self-employment but to prepare accordingly.
Business Hours
While time independence sounds enticing, business hours remain the traditional Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00. This has implications for winning new business and meeting with your clients. I schedule my appointments with prospects, partners, and clients in this 40-hour block.
Time Tracking
Tracking your time helps to hold you accountable. A time tracking tool like Toggl gives perspective on how you spend your days, weeks, and months. I track all business-related activity including business development, client work, writing, continuing education, and administration.
Continuing Education
Online communities and co-working spaces have made it easier to learn and continue to grow. Additional knowledge and perspectives will differentiate you from your competitors. General Assembly offers courses on coding, design, and marketing. With campuses around the world and expert instructors, I try to fit in a course whenever I travel. edX, an online education platform, hosts courses from elite universities such as MIT, Harvard University, and UC Berkeley. With self-paced instruction, you can learn to code, take a refresher course on business management, or drop in a humanities class.
Self-employment allows for greater autonomy and can lead to a better job satisfaction. Utilize my three tips to help launch your business. If you enjoyed this post and want to learn more, contact me here.