Do You Have What It Takes to Work for Yourself?

1. Get organized
Organization will be your saving grace. When you have to haggle with a client about payment, verify that you sent something or provide a copy of an important document, your immaculate filing system will be your best friend. Give yourself a head start by beginning your work-from-home journey on an organized note.

2. Set clear financial goals
You are no longer getting one check every two weeks for the exact same amount. You have to sit down and make a realistic budget for yourself. What are your basic expenses?  What are your “extra” expenses? How much work do you need to do in order to cover your bills and be comfortable?  How long will it take to get payment from your clients? These are all questions you must be able to answer with confidence before you decide to take the plunge into working  for yourself from home.

3. Get tax professional advice
Taxes can be a tricky thing as a freelancer. Don’t mess yourself up for tax time. Consult a professional who can tell you what you can write off and what you can’t.  You don’t want to end up with months or years worth of drawn out tax problems just because you  bought a crappy software program instead of ponying up the money for a real tax professional.

4. Be the boss (bawse, if you will)
Once you start the freelance life, you will find there is no big bad boss hovering over you, micromanaging your every move and generally getting on our nerves.  You will now take that role! You don’t have to be a jerk to yourself though, but you should have high expectations and work hard to meet them.

5. Set business hours
When you had a regular 9 to 5 job in an office, you probably didn’t actually work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but it was very clear when you were in the office and when you were not.  When you work from home, the line can get blurry.  You are kind of always at home and always at work. You might feel compelled to do chores or run errands because you’re at home. Resist it. If you were at an outside office, you would not stop doing work to vacuum, so don’t do it now either. Stick to your business hours. Be on the grind when you need to of course, but don’t feel pressure to do everything at the same time all the time.

6. Unplug the distractions
Turn off the television. Don’t get sucked into puttering around on Facebook or Twitter for hours. Time really is money for you now.  Get to work and pay your bills! Your checks are no longer guaranteed.  You can’t afford to procrastinate.

7. Put on real clothes
So tempting to just work in your jammies all day, but you should not do that. Put on some real clothes! You don’t necessarily have to put on a power suit, but you should put on some actual clothes that you can wear outdoors. You’ll feel more focused and ready to work.

8. Get out of the house
Change up the scenery every now and then. If the type of work you do allows it, settle in at a library, café or other computer-friendly place. Sometimes being at home all day, even if you’re working, can make you feel lazy, drained or caged.

9. Give yourself a break
Eat a real lunch. Take a walk. Catch up on personal e-mails on your lunch break. While being on the super duper grind is commendable, you still need a physical and mental break. You need fuel to function.

10. Reward yourself
Had a really great month? Write yourself a bonus check! Yes, sounds silly, but you’ll be surprised at how great it feels to have that extra little treat for yourself in print. Try it!

11. Stay vigilant about invoices
In the “sad but true things” category is the fact that some clients will do everything possible to not pay you. If you put in the work and delivered what you were obligated to provide in the agreed upon time frame, you are entitled to your fee.  Don’t worry about being “a pest.” It’s your money. Threaten to get a lawyer and then get a lawyer, if it comes to that point.

12. Network
Networking is important to pretty much any career, but it is especially important for freelancers. You have to know how to work a room and you have to be able to recognize an opportunity when you see it.