Being Productive as an Entrepreneur or Self-employed Person

As I return to working independently, I am reminded of the valuable lessons I learned while taking a break from corporate life to create my startup. Though my passion for creating and contributing keeps me motivated and productive on most days, in this first week on my own, I’ve already had a couple of reminders that discipline is critical.

Here’s a list of tips and tricks (as a reminder to myself as much as anyone else) that help me avoid distractions and brain fog, keep me moving forward, and make working on my own a rewarding and fulfilling experience:

Create a Routine

Without meetings and external pressures, a low-energy day can become unproductive, and these types of days add up fast. Make sure to get a good night’s sleep and stick to a consistent schedule as much as possible. Avoid late-night binge-watching or getting sucked into endless social or news feeds. I like to fit all my TV time at the gym (confession — that’s the only way I can get myself to do any cardio). Another trap I must watch out for is the kids dragging bedtime, consequently delaying mine. Waking up fresh is vital to keeping away the blues and being at the peak of my productivity.

Get Organized

When aiming for multiple big projects, it’s helpful to organize and allocate weightage and priority to each project. Depending on your style and kind of work, you may want to set weekly or daily goals and time slots on your calendar. I like broad goals and some idea of what percentage of my time each project warrants. I then plan weekly and start the day by identifying my daily goals. Compared to corporate life, one benefit of working on my own is that there are fewer disruptions and curveballs to disrupt plans.

For planning and prioritizing, you can try Steven Covey’s Big Rocks, David Allen’s GTD, or similar techniques. Don’t underestimate the value of doing little bits of work towards those less urgent or less important projects. Little incremental progress can add up to a lot in just weeks and provide a sense of accomplishment and momentum that will help you stay motivated.

I like to schedule time for the most challenging items on the calendar so I don’t keep procrastinating on them. I also prefer to handle them earlier in the day when my energy and focus are at their highest. This frees my mind from the stress or anticipation of difficulties and keeps me more productive and focused the rest of the day.

Set Boundaries

This applies to both physical space and time and managing others’ expectations.

Having a dedicated workspace or work mode can help train the mind to get into focus quickly and increase productivity. This can be as simple as a desk in your home, a coffee shop or library routine, or a co-working space or dedicated office if you can afford it. If you plan to work in a public space, remember to carry a cable lock to secure your laptop for those bathroom breaks.

Find your rhythm and define time boundaries for work vs. breaks. I like to stay in sync with a typical M-F schedule. With the kids at school and my mind already trained to be productive during regular business hours, I find it easiest to follow the same pattern. This also helps take breaks with the family in the evening and step away physically and mentally from work on weekends and holidays.

The part I find hardest is to set boundaries for friends and family wanting my time. It’s easy for me to fall into the trap of saying “yes” to every request for my time and energy. It’s rewarding to help so many people; however, setting boundaries and only committing to tasks when time allows is essential. When it gets overwhelming, I set a personal limit on pro bono work per week and balance requests based on priority and urgency.

Find Your Efficiencies

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things that do and don’t work for me to be efficient in my day.

Mental transitions and context switching are complex for my brain, so I like to batch similar items, like answering emails or making phone calls. Grouping similar tasks can help me reduce resistance and be more productive. This is the opposite of intense work like writing, where I prefer to spread them apart and get mental breaks.

For creative work like coding and writing that demand long uninterrupted chunks, I avoid fragmenting the day with meetings or errands. I block some days to have zero interruptions; on the other hand, there are days when I schedule meetings/lunches to get a break at about the right time and create natural transitions from one project to another.

Stay Connected and Reflect

Sometimes, it can get incredibly lonely working on your own. I like to schedule time for activities that are not directly related to work but are the key to energizing my work and finding inspiration. I pepper my weeks with time to volunteer, learn something new, and maintain social connections. Besides breaking the monotony and supporting mental health, these can spark new ideas and be excellent sources of motivation.

Most importantly, I like to reflect periodically and see what’s working vs. not, so I can continually develop and improve the process.

In summary, maintaining consistent motivation and accountability can be done without the structure of a traditional work environment. Having a routine, being organized and efficient, setting boundaries, and staying connected can assist. It’s important to remember that no technique fits all situations and people, and one should adapt these suggestions based on needs and preferences.