any self employed old stylers out there? How about a tip thread!

cheel

Hello!
I dont think I can be the only self employed person here, or maybe there are people considering it?

So here are things that have helped me, and id love to hear yours! I've not put any actual business advice, will leave that to the professionals, this is more about how i organise my time and motivate myself.

Dont switch on the tv!!!!

Let you mum know what times you are 'at work' those phone calls because you are at home eat time like nothing else (8 calls yesterday!!)

Make a packed lunch and take a true break instead of nipping to the kitchen all the time.

Allow extra time for everything. Nothing is more stressful than being behind.

Some days when I'm really struggling I create an imaginary 'boss' keeping an eye on me! Sometimes my sister does this for me and I text her every hour or two with a goal and then when I've completed it ect!

I probably sound as mad as a box of frogs now, but it helps me!! :rotfl:

Cheel xx

Pollycat

I'm assuming you're working from home.

I think you have to be very clear about work times.

My husband worked from home several days a week and we developed a routine so that he wasn't interrupted.
He got up and started work at the same time each day.
The study door (he worked in IT) was firmly closed.

I'd knock around elevenses to see if he wanted a coffee and the same for lunch.
Depending on workload, he'd finish work around the same time each day

I knew some colleagues who used to run the wife to the shops when they were 'working from home'.

Floss

My DH works from home regularly, generally at least 1 day a week.

He gets up with me at 6.15 (but waits til I've been in the bathroom so he doesn't delay me leaving) and has his breakfast then disappears into his office with the cat until 10.30. After a quick leg stretch and brew he goes back again until 1pm, has his lunch and a walk around our local park before settling in again at 1.45pm, until I get home between 5-5.30pm. Then the laptop is switched off and he comes downstairs to do the dishes and make tea (if its his turn).

He leaves his personal mobile on the bed away from him, and only answers his work phone in working hours.

He doesn't put on the washing, do the dishes, start tea, go shopping, play guitar etc during his working day, and I don't expect him to as he is paid to be working, not doing the housework.

cheel

Hi floss and polly,

Thanks for your replies!

Yes I work from him, but am self employed. I work my time around my son, hes about to go to bed, so its tidy up dishes and another hours work for me, then an hours housework or it never gets done. Then I work while hes at school, I'm a morning person so its not unusual for me to get up st five and quietly get on with it.

I think once he is at secondary school in three years or so, I can be more nine to five about it. ( its just me and my son) Although I do need to have evening and weekend appointments for my customers.

Cheel. Xx

Mr.Generous

I have a business partner who had problems with this but we don't work from home. Things like picking his sister in law up because her car is being serviced, then taking her back to pick it up. Why? because she doesn't want to wait around for a couple of hours or pay for a taxi. So he just stops working to do free taxi service. Various family members phone up for a chat or advice when they are off work or during lunch hour, its ok to phone him because he is self employed. Leaving early to pick up / drop off sister in laws daughter at dance class / any other activity. Things came to a head when sister in law suggested her daughter could be left with us on inset days so she didn't have to take a day off work. (She would not be able to help, it would be a day spent checking if she needed a drink, was ok, and fielding calls from his wife / sister in law to see how little brat (14 going on 9) was getting on. At this point I had to have a conversation about work. Its not ok to ring someone at work for pointless chat that could wait until the evening, we cannot stop working every time sister in law needs anything etc. He listened and started letting his phone go to message then ringing back later. Guess what? they couldn't talk because they were at work!! I suggested he tell his sister in law we can stop working to do stuff for her but we have to charge. What really got me was sister in law is well off, nice house, car, job, expensive holidays but basically wanting us to subsidise her lifestyle. She sees things like a taxi to the airport as a waste of money when she can tell her sister to get my partner (her husband) to stop work and take her / pick her up etc. I do stuff for family btw, but after work or weekends. Most people understand when you are at work, the one's that don't are a pain. It took about 2 years of being self employed and several arguments before he started saying no, or not right now to people.