Deadlines are a Girl's Best Friend

I have to admit, one of the things I thought was fabulous when I first became self-employed was a lack of deadlines. No one needing this, that, or the other from me. I finished things on MY terms!

Of course, contact with clients, setting appointments, following up, etc...those were all a given, because they were fun AND they were the money-making activities. And of course, once hired for a marketing project, I was all over the deadlines! But everything else? I became like a Jamaican..."No Worries, Mon!"

Then I noticed a trend: all the fabulous ideas and projects that would take my business to the next level were never getting done. I chalked it up to the "not enough time in the day" theory, and was content to consider myself too busy. "Things will slow down, and THEN I'll get these important yet non-urgent items taken care of."

Last week, I had someone close to me encourage me to set a deadline for something I wanted to do, needed to do if I were to take my business to the next level. They even offered to hold me accountable for that deadline, which is exactly what I needed!

I'm proud to say that I met that deadline, and I felt great! So I started setting deadlines for other non-urgent yet important tasks. I'm suddenly finding that there actually IS enough time in the day. It just needed a deadline to reveal itself....and a third party accountability partner to hold me accountable!

If you're self-employed, an entrepreneur, an independent contractor, or a freelance professional...find someone that will hold you accountable to your deadlines, and watch your business take a leap forward!

5 Reasons to Love Self-Employment

1. If you need a power nap, you can take one....and you find it actually makes you more productive that afternoon.

2. When you've had an amazingly productive morning, you can reward yourself by taking the rest of the day off.

3. No unnecessary corporate meetings.

4. If a project isn't profitable, you can decide not to it.

5. The sky is the limit! Your success is a direct result of your dedication and effort. No glass ceilings, no waiting on the boss to decide if you deserve a raise, and no one else deciding your worth.

Self-Employment Rocks!

Self-Employment ROCKS!

If you are an entrepreneur, then I'm sure that you and I have this in common: we do what we do (self-employment) because we are intelligent enough to make alot of money in our respective businesses. But it's more than just money...it's about quality of life. We don't all care if we end up the richest people in the world (although it would be nice!) but we DO care that we have enough abundance to be able to enjoy our lives in the manner in which we choose.

Two weeks ago, my daughters were on spring break. So on Friday, I got up and did some computer work and made a few calls. Then we headed off to the movies to see Horton Hears a Who. (Which we are STILL quoting!) Then we had lunch together, just the three of us, before I dropped them off at my parents house and headed off to a coffee meeting and then two phone meetings. What a great day! And back in my Corporate America days, I would have never DREAMED of doing something like that! But now, the only person to tell me where I can and cannot be is me. I LOVE self-employment.

I've done gift account walk throughs (A SendOutCards system introduction) in my pajamas. I've set client appointments sitting on my back patio, still in my work-out clothes, sipping on a cup of coffee. I've made follow up calls in my car on the way to lunch with a friend. I've gone and previewed properties on my way to my dance class. I LOVE my life!

It's one of the many common threads that every entrepreneur shares. But in my opinion, it's by far the most important. After all, no matter how you earn the money, what good is it if you can't ENJOY it?

So drop me a comment or an email. I'd love to hear about some of your "perfect moments" in the world of self-employment.

Until Next Time,

Jacki