Being self-employed can be rewarding, but also challenging. You have to manage your own time, projects, finances, and clients. Without a boss or a team to keep you on track, you need to develop your own systems and habits to stay organized and productive. In this article, we'll share some tips on how to do that.
One of the first steps to staying organized is to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and why. Set realistic and specific goals for your business, and break them down into smaller, measurable, and actionable steps. Then, prioritize your tasks according to their urgency and importance, and schedule them in your calendar. Review your goals and progress regularly, and adjust them as needed.
It is important t. 1. Define what drives you. Your Purpose. 2. Define what you want to achieve at a larger level 3. Define how you are going to achieve them..Break it down to the smallest of things you can think 4. Divide them into larger buckets. 5. Prioritise the buckets and the tasks in each bucket. 6. Make your own tracker and review yourself as if you were being reviewed by a board
setting goals help one to stay focused to the course, do self assessment periodically to determine where you are in terms of achieving the set goal, you can also get an accountability partner
You have to figure out your priorities based on your goals. I like to use time boxing to get things done. I put everything in my calendar - right down to date nights with my husband. If it's not in the calendar - it doesn't get done! I will set time for checking emails and responding to messages. This helps you improve on flow and minimize distractions.
Set clear goals that you value. Continuous learning and networking in your specialty. Be realistic of what you do. Work closely with peers.
There are many tools and apps that can help you organize your work and life as a self-employed professional. For example, you can use a project management tool like Trello or Asana to track your tasks, deadlines, and collaborations. You can use a cloud-based storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox to store and share your files. You can use a bookkeeping software like QuickBooks or FreshBooks to manage your invoices and expenses. You can use a time-tracking app like Toggl or Harvest to monitor your hours and productivity. Find the tools and apps that suit your needs and preferences, and use them consistently.
Apart from the above mentioned tools , use tools that will automate lot of repititive tasks. These tools help improve productivity and efficiency Keep experimenting when you get time , only trying out things will give exact idea what works for you and what doesn't.. Remember you wont know unless you try it out
Timeboxing is where it's at! Put the tasks you need to do in your calendar with a reasonable estimate of how long it'll take you to complete it. Prioritize appropriately. This will give you a sense of flow. Make sure to set aside time to deal with distractions - don't let distractions take away from your other tasks.
Another way to stay organized is to create a routine and boundaries that support your work and well-being. For example, you can set a regular working hours and stick to them, and avoid working late or on weekends. You can also create a dedicated workspace that is comfortable and free of distractions, and separate it from your personal space. You can also communicate your availability and expectations to your clients, family, and friends, and respect their boundaries as well.
*Divide your time for Work Personal life Self development *Keep a dedicated physical space for work and prepare to remove noise out
Make sure that what you value is supported by how much time you spend on it. I value processes and flowcharts, but I can get caught up in answering emails and questions. If I spent the time on documenting the process I wouldn’t need to answer so many questions and emails. So take a look at what you REALLY want to achieve and then create the routine that supports it, and just like a plane adjusting it’s course as you fly along, you too need to adjust towards your goal as you go along and have the discipline to keep in mind your original values. What you spend your time on defines what you actually value. Make sure it has the ROI you planned.
As a self-employed professional, you may be tempted to do everything yourself, but that can lead to burnout and inefficiency. To stay organized, you need to learn how to delegate and outsource some of the tasks that are not your core strengths or that take too much of your time. For example, you can hire a virtual assistant to handle your emails, appointments, and social media. You can also hire a graphic designer, a copywriter, or a web developer to help you with your marketing materials. You can use platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer to find and hire freelancers.
Remember you dont have to do everything on your own. There are some things that someone else may be able to do for much lesser time and effort. You can use that time for development, strategising, network and ideation
Finally, to stay organized, you need to review and improve your systems and habits regularly. You can use tools like Google Analytics, SurveyMonkey, or Feedbackify to collect and analyze data on your performance, customer satisfaction, and market trends. You can also ask for feedback from your clients, peers, and mentors, and learn from their insights and suggestions. You can also take courses, read books, or join communities to update your skills and knowledge. By reviewing and improving, you can optimize your organization and grow your business.
Remember what get measured gets reviewed and improved. Keep working on self development. The hunger to learn will help like nothing else can. Never be afraid to ask , take help , talk to people and ask for guidance.
Develop your own systems that suit you and your job the best. Then follow them & keep everything in order. As a private tutor working with very different students I have a top simple filing and student monitoring system, a super small but diary to carry around with a clear time management system where I also enter income. Simple, clear, efficient.
Self-discipline is the key of being an organized self-employed professional. Setting a certain schedule everyday during which you know it's your work time will help fight the procrastination which I think is the main struggle when you are self-employed. Also, creating a space that adds to your experience whether it is music, the physical setting, isolation, or the opposite, finding the working setting will increase the effectiveness.