Maintaining your Sanity While Managing Yourself

The realities of the modern workforce and the advent of widespread freelancing work means that many more of us can be our own boss. While in theory this is an ideal situation, in reality many of us are just not really very good at managing ourselves. Those of us that consider clutter and discord old friends may have an especially difficult time keeping ourselves on track. Thankfully there are a few things all of us can do to try to maintain some semblance of order in the chaos and improve the chances of success.

Create a Real Office Space

Not all of us have the room to designate a whole room as office space. That doesn't mean you can't carve out a space that is all your own, to be used only for working. Even if all you can spare is a corner with a small desk, you can adapt it to meet your needs. Just be sure to keep it as clutter free as you are capable of and have everything you need to complete your tasks close at hand. If you share your living space with others, investing in a white noise machine may help to keep their activity separate from yours. If you’re in need of adequate office space with amenities, a shared workspace might be a good option for you.

Invest in Your Internet

Working remotely for yourself will put your internet connection to the test. It is absolutely vital that it be reliable and fast.  If you are not savvy as to which provider or plan will best suit your needs, do a bit of research and talk to others who work from home to see what they use. In order to succeed as your own boss you need to convince others that you are flexible and reliable. This is hard to do if your internet is neither of those two things.  A bit of extra money spent on your connection may save you countless anxiety induced panic attacks when your Zoom meeting freezes at the most inopportune time. 

Stick to a Routine

For many of us, time management is the most difficult part of working for ourselves. Under more traditional circumstances, when there was a clock to punch, it was easier to make yourself stick to a routine. Being your own boss may give you the opportunity to set your own schedule but that does not mean you should adapt a "I have plenty of time" mentality. Set the alarm clock, change your clothes, eat breakfast and sit down to work for a predetermined period of time. Take a break or eat lunch and right back to it until your work day is done. This helps to keep you focused on the task at hand and reminds both you and the folks you live with that work time is sacrosanct.

Working for yourself is a wonderful option for many.  The sense of accomplishment and self-worth may make tall the hard work worthwhile.  Even if organizational skills are not high on your list of personality traits, with a little preparation and a lot of focus, you can make it work for you.