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Stay Organized, Stay Self Employed

Create a Balanced Workload

Feb 19, 2008 KC Morgan

Self employment is a very up-and-down lifestyle. Sometimes, there seem to be no jobs or projects at all. Other times, it's overwhelming. Create a balanced workload.

Stay organized to stay self employed, and don’t let projects fall through the cracks. When the work day seems a little thin and the projects are all completed, it’s time to start looking for new jobs and opportunities. But what happens when all those job applications come back at once, and everyone has work? Create a balanced workload, and mange work time to avoid missing deadlines.

Stay Organized

It’s important to be flexible when self employed, to always be open (and ready) for changes to the schedule. Things come up, and sometimes the work has to be put off. Then, of course, the work has to be caught back up again. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with projects, to miss an email, to forget about a deadline. What’s not easy is gaining an employer’s respect once it’s lost. Use wise time management to stay organized and on track.

Keep a list of emails sent out to possible employers. This will create a very long and extensive document, and adds an extra step to the workday. The result, however, is well worth the effort. When one of these employers responds, it’s very simple to keep track of which employer responded when, and what the nature of that reply was. This information can be very simply kept on a text-based document and stored right on the home office computer.

It’s also a good idea to make a to-do list or maintain a schedule that’s easy to follow. Be sure to clearly mark when projects are due and write down daily work which must be completed. This way, nothing falls through the cracks.

Create a Balanced Workload

Maintain focus when working at home. It’s easy to get distracted, to put work off, to move on to another project. It’s just as easy for the employer to find another self employed professional to do the work they need - remember this. Deliver the work, and do so on time, but be sure not to get burnt out in the process. It’s important to take breaks and to enjoy down time as well. Self employed professionals aren’t robots, after all. Create a balance workload by taking breaks and spreading larger projects out over a few days. Be sure to take a whole day off from work every once in a while. It’s important to get work done, but it’s also important to take time just to enjoy life as well.

The copyright of the article Stay Organized, Stay Self Employed in Self-Employment is owned by KC Morgan. Permission to republish Stay Organized, Stay Self Employed in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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