When you start a self employed job, especially if you work from home, it can be easy to fall into terrible habits from the get-go. Here are some top tips to make stuff that little bit easier.
Go To Work
You are at work. Be at work. So many people (your family included!) will think that you sit around at home all day, sending the occasional email in-between brewing up, making a phone call to a client whilst you squirt ketchup on your sausage butty, messing about on Fifa whilst you should be doing your tax return. If you don’t see yourself as being at work, not only will no one else, but you won’t actually get any productive work done. Put your work clothes on, have proper work hours, take a designated lunch break to recharge and also create a proper working space in the house – whether that’s your kitchen table or a specific home office.
Payments
Get paid. Getting clients can be hard but getting them to part with cash can be even harder. You’ve done the work, you’ve sent the invoice, you’ve chased the invoice, you still haven’t been paid, it’s the thing of nightmares. Put proper payment terms into place from the being, which you can then refer back to. Make sure you keep a note of everything you do and keep track of when you’ve been paid. There are invoicing systems you can pay for to make things easier, however, a simple spreadsheet can work just as well.
Break It Up
Take breaks. Whilst running your own self employed business can take time, don’t let it run you into the ground. Take coffee breaks, make sure you have days off, take holidays. Flexibility is one of the benefits of being self employed, so don’t let it tie you down.
Insurance
Get yourself business cover. Whilst some will say you don’t need it, the last thing you need is bringing down a client’s website and them suing you. Public Liability insurance will ensure you’re covered for people visiting us at home or if you’re doing a craft stall, for instance. Simply Business will compare quotes from a range of different insurers. Have you considered income protection?
Don’t Be Afraid To Say No
Say no. If there is something you’re not happy with, say no. Just because you need work, you don’t need bad work. There’s nothing worse than a client who expects you to reply to them in the middle of the night, or one who demands constant meetings. If it doesn’t work for you, say no. You’re stressed enough running your own business, you don’t need additional stress on top. Don’t be scared to fire a client.
There you go. Five top tips for starting your self employed journey. These should help you do your work easier, smarter and get paid quicker. Connect with me over on Twitter & Facebook for more top tips & great articles.
