How To Stay On Track When You’re Self Employed

Self discipline is key when you’re self employed. There’s no chance I’d ever be able to make it as an entrepreneur if I wasn’t the type A, meticulous worker I am 95% of the time.  There’s a certain type of work ethic required when you work for yourself. After 3 years working as a full-time blogger, I’ve found certain things that have helped boost productivity and nurture my career as a freelancer. One thing in particular that’s helped significantly since moving to NYC, is the WeWork x LIKEtoKNOW.it pop-up work space in the city.

The timing couldn’t have been better with the pop up opening here in New York. I moved into my apartment in September with nothing in my space but an air mattress – making it pretty impossible to work productively from home. I’m used to working in my home office in Chicago that significantly fueled my productivity, but with my NYC apartment under construction, I was in desperate need for a place to work.

WeWork is a company that provides shared workspaces and services for entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, and small businesses. They offer beautiful shared office spaces located in major cities across the world. They charge a monthly fee of $45 for access to a physical workspace and various business-related amenities like coffee, printers, private phone booths, mail handling, refreshments, and kitchen access. It’s a great space for like-minded creatives to work and network as they please. If you’re interested in find an office away from home where you can work on your side hustle, your full time job, a new project, or with a small team,  sign up here with my referral link! And be sure to follow @wework for the latest in entrepreneurial/design inspiration.

Outfit linked here:

Raspberry Top (xxs) | Jeans | Over-the-knee Boots

Office furniture linked here: 

5 tips to keep you on track when you’re self employed:

• Set alarms – I set alarms throughout the day to keep me on track and boost my productivity. When I put a time limit on things, I’m more likely to not procrastinate.
• Get out of the house – Leaving the house to go work at a coffee shop or WeWork forces me to get dressed and get out of the house to stay on a more ‘normal’ work schedule. It also takes me away from distractions around the house.
• Constantly search for inspiration – to keep creativity flowing, I like to read, scroll through Pinterest, and flip through old magazines to search for inspo.
• Pay attention to the competition – to keep yourself motivated. But don’t let it discourage you. You have to keep a healthy balance of being aware without being overwhelmed – it keeps you on your toes.
• Set up meetings – to stay connected and build relationships. Networking is so important when you work alone!

For those of you who work from home, what are your best tactics for staying on track and motivated? Would love to hear from you! Comment below or on this Instagram post tonight.