Tips to keep yourself motivated when self-employed

Tips to keep yourself motivated when self-employed

Being self-employed is great. You work hours to suit you and your family, set your own work, wear what you like – the list goes on. However, there is one major problem which faces people who are self-employed. Motivation. 

Many people who are self-employed say they struggle to get motivated to actually work and as such, their business suffers as a consequence. If you’re worried about your own motivation, there are some things that you can do in order to help you stay focused and on track. 

Regular breaks 

Working in a traditional job often means that you have structured breaks. This is good but a lot of the time you’re having more breaks than you realise. Think of all the times that you stop for a chat with your colleagues.

Being self-employed means you don’t have any of this. You don’t have co-workers that you can chat to and so often you end up working for longer periods of time. This can be incredibly de-motivational and so remember to take regular breaks, even if it’s just to make a cup of tea or go for a lap around the house. 

Have a dedicated work space

Obviously, when you work a traditional job you have a dedicated place where you go. Whether it’s a factory, shop or office – there is somewhere that you associate with work and working. Unfortunately, being self-employed often means working from home and this means that you end up working where you live.

Many people then struggle to differentiate between the two and work when they shouldn’t or relax when they should be working. Having a dedicated workspace that is used only for that will help you get into the right frame of mind and stay there for as long as you need. Over time you will come to associate that place with work and the rest of the house with living. 

Free up distractions 

When working at home, it can be incredibly tempting to switch on the TV or have a browse through Twitter or Facebook. This can often lead to not being very motivated and ultimately losing out on work. 

Try and make sure your workspace is free from distraction. For example, work in a place with no TV, and put your phone on silent so you’re not tempted to check when you get a notification. The less distraction you have, the less tempted you’ll be. 

Declutter

In the same way that TV’s and other electronic devices can be distracting, so can clutter. Having a messy workspace often plants the idea into your head that’s it’s not a place of focus, instead, it’s a place of chaos. 

So making sure your desk and the area around is clear from clutter and junk will help you stay motivated. They say that a clean desk means a clean mind and there is actually some truth in it. The less stuff, the less distractions and the more likely you are to stay motivated. 

Privacy 

Although working a traditional job often means dealing with colleagues who often need your help and attention, the benefit of working from home is that you won’t have anyone bothering you. Unless of course you live with family or friends. 

Having people constantly popping their head in the door to check you’re okay or to ask you something may seem nice but can actually be incredibly de-motivational. Explain to the people you live with that your workspace needs to be private whilst you’re using it and you can’t have too many people coming in or out. This is especially important if you have kids, as we all know how distracting they can be!