Work productivity, time management, organization, tools and tips

You need to get into good working habits if you want to be able to make money while staying at home. Here are seven work habits of the self-employed that you should make note of as you start your self-employed odyssey to financial freedom.

1. Stick to a Corporate Mentality. The problem with many people who work at home or are self-employed is that they are hung up on the idea of being their own bosses and therefore forget that they need to work. They often fall out of the rigid, but still productive corporate structure by not keeping to a schedule, or by spending too much free time. If you are working at home, think as though you were still at the office. Success begins with the right mindset, so don’t scrimp on being a corporate person even if you are working in a home office.

2. Don’t be Afraid to Accept Help When It’s Offered – and Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for It When You Know You’re Out of Your League! Many people go into self employment because of problems or circumstances at home. For instance, many mothers still want to make money even while they are at home taking care of their children. They may not be going to the office every day, but they can still juggle family life and work without leaving their homes.

The problem with this is that it can be difficult for first-time moms or moms with many kids to keep on juggling family life and work without one of the two collapsing. If you area stay-at-home mom or dad with kids to take care of, and with a self-employment scheme that you still have to work out, don’t hesitate to hire a babysitter when you feel that you’re over your head and getting too much work on your hands already. The idea is that you should be happy in your home environment, not getting mad over both your accounts and Junior spilling his milk all over the kitchen floor.

3. Have a Schedule. True, this sounds very rigid and boring, but if you have a definite time for waking up, doing work, eating meals, and going to bed, you will not suffer from long hours of guiltily playing games, or overextended work hours. Remember, you need to have a corporate mentality, so don’t think that your time is all your own: you need to set boundaries on when you should work and when you should stop.

4. All the Same, Don’t Forget to Get Out and Smell the Flowers – Literally. Being self-employed can often mean long hours spent at your work desk, in the same way that being employed by a corporation can mean long hours spent in your cubicle. Don’t waste your life away: have Alone Time for yourself, and force yourself to get out of the house. Take a hike, drive to the grocery store, or just walk around your neighborhood. You need to clear your head once in a while, or you’ll go nuts with too much work.

5. Take Vacations, Too! The problem with diving into self-employment is that you can also fall into the temptation of working too much. Stick to a corporate mentality, but with some mercy: take a vacation sometimes, get a day off, and schedule not just your work days, but your entire year. This way, you have something to strive for and look forward to.

6. Set Realistic Goals. Many people will get into self-employment because they want to earn more money – but for what? Add purpose to your employment by setting goals: you want money to marry the girl of your dreams, buy a house, and get a car. These goals allow your work to have a purpose, and not just filling up an empty bank account.

7. Reward Yourself. Met that goal yet? Reinforce your good work habits by rewarding yourself. Rewards can be as simple as a cone of your favorite ice cream.