Achieving work freedom is something that most people want. To not have to work for someone else and to be the CEO of your own life is the stuff dreams are made of. And if you’ve landed on this blog, it’s likely what you desire too. However, being your own boss isn’t a walk in the park. There are so many things that you need in order to be successful. Today, I am sharing 4 Things You Need To Be Your Own Boss. And it’s not what you think!
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4 Things You Need To Be Your Own Boss
Dedication
Diving in to work from home, whether you’re starting a business or taking a remote position, takes determination. From the moment your eyes open until the moment they close again at night, you are in charge of your day. With that, comes incredible freedom and relief. To be able to work from any spot in my home, snack whenever I want, and at any time I want is the BEST. But, there isn’t a team of dedicated people working all around me to keep me going. I don’t have a boss that checks in on me or who’s looking over my shoulder. And, I am really grateful for that!
However, when it’s all up to you, you truly have to be dedicated to get your work done. You have to be dedicated to your WHY, your vision and your workload. Prioritizing your day is of the utmost important and realizing that when you take a three hour lunch, your work still has to get done at some point that day. When you’re dedicated to this lifestyle, you have to stay focused on balancing it all.
Persistence
Another one of the 4 Things You Need To Be Your Own Boss, is persistence. There are so many things within your work day that just simply won’t get done unless you do them. Days will come when you don’t feel like working. Your comfy bed will be right down the hall and it will take all of you to not climb back into it! When you are persistent, you will stay the course and do the work that you might not feel like doing.
Same can be said about achieving your goals. Without a boss tracking your goals and making sure you hit your numbers, it will take persistence on your part. You will have to find ways to stay motivated because in all honesty? It IS easier to have a 9-5 job than it is to be your own boss. The perks far outweigh the cons BUT there are days where staying the course will be challenging. So, you have to decide to be persistent and to keep going.
Organization
Being organized, even somewhat, is absolutely essential. You don’t have to be a Type A personality in order to make this work. But, it will be life giving to make sure you have systems in place that work for you. Create a routine and stick to it daily. Plan time to get outside, exercise, socialize and clean the house. Get a planner and track all the things that help you get your work day accomplished.
I am not the most organized person. However, I have discovered planners like these, that I adore. Having a planner helps me to track so many things including gratitude and my water intake! How cool is that? Staying organized is helpful for your mind, your heart and your work day. You’ll feel more in control and less overwhelmed if you just take the time to get organized in the ways that work for you.
Focus
If you have a hard time focusing, you can still be your own boss. It is important to add this to the list because being focused really is so important if you’re going to work from home. But, everyone has a different way of focusing. If your dream is to work from home and to be your own boss, then it will be worth it to figure this one out.
When you work from home, there will be so many things that will vie for your attention. Your kids, the dishes, the laundry- it’s all there. And while doing the laundry might be something you think you have no problem ignoring, when the pile is in your home office, it can be challenging. To avoid distractions, I set a lot of times and I time block. It helps me to focus on one task at a time and nothing else until the timer goes off. Even if I am setting the timer in short increments, it still helps me to focuses within intervals in order to get everything done that I need to get done.
In conclusion:
There are no less than one hundred things that could be added to this list. Becoming your own boss is something that is SO life giving and also brings along a different amount of stress that you have to consider before stepping into it. Besides all the office equipment, computers, furniture, and the like, there are other things to consider that aren’t physical. When I became a stay at home working mom, I didn’t decide to have dedication, persistence, organization and focus. I HAD TO. It was trial by fire.
If I could do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. But, I would have loved to have someone walk me through the mental and emotional aspects of being your own boss. It’s absolutely worth it! But, the 4 Things You Need To Be Your Own Boss should be at the top of your consideration list!