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How
to Cope with the Stress of Self-Employment
We've all heard the
freelancer boast, "I went to work in my pajamas
today" or "Since I started working from home,
I'm able to spend more time with my family."
Just as these are all wonderful and
true, there are plenty of reasons for the self-employed
entrepreneur to encounter terrific amounts of stress.
Sometimes more than if they worked for a high-powered
company.
Aside from the stress of having to find
new clients and new jobs, freelances often experience
stress because jobs come in crazy, sporadic bursts.
One day your schedule is almost empty, and the next
day it seems like you can barely keep up.
Deadlines can be overwhelming, and when
one is overwhelmed, productivity plummets. The brain
is no longer focused on creativity and action, but is
scattered and reacting (not acting.)
When deadlines stack up, here's what
to do. First, reduce stress by... Stopping. Sounds a
bit radical, and it's really hard to do. But just stop.
Listen to a great song. Go outside. Do anything that
clears your mind for ten minutes.
Then Examine The Situation. There will
be items that need to be done pronto, tasks that can
be done later that day, and an exercise or two that
can be done later in the week.
Sometimes an assignment will have to
be delayed. It's hard to pick up the phone and make
the call to say "I'd like to get a little more
time on this job," but you'll be surprised to find
how pleasantly effective this can be. Many clients often
have no problem with a moderate delay. Give it a go,
and give yourself one less stress factor.
Next, physically arrange the tasks before
you in this manner. Yes, in stacks: Right Away, Later
Today, Tomorrow, Delay.
You've just begun to take control of
the situation. Even though the work ahead of you hasn't
changed - it is still daunting - you will have the means
and the organization to manage it.
If the nature of any of your tasks allow
it, call upon a colleague who can help you. If you've
never done this before, now is the perfect time to start.
This form of subcontracting will cost you part of your
profits, true... but in a pinch it allows you to get
the job done, which is your number one priority. The
nice thing about this sort of arrangement is your colleague
will most likely send jobs your way when he or she gets
overloaded.
It is easy to say that advanced scheduling
and personal time management can ward off the majority
of these problems. But the reality is... in the world
of self employment, deadlines can go from zero to mind-boggling
overnight.
The truth is, it's not a good idea on
many levels to turn jobs down; and so we tend to take
them all on. With a little resolve and these tricks
up your sleeve, you'll get the jobs done well.
1howto.com
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