With the changes happening all over the world, more and more people are going into self-employment or thinking of going into it. I have been self-employed for many years now, and although it has been a bumpy rollercoaster, I would get on the ride again if I had to start all over again. Being self-employed has given me so many opportunities regular employment would not have given me and for that, I am forever grateful.

If you are thinking of going self-employed, here are 3 tips that would help you start in the right way.

3 Tips for Self Employment

• Pretend you are in an office

Working from home can be fun but it can also be very distracting. The best way to get around it while working from home is to act like you are in an actual office. That means getting out of bed and your PJs and starting the day all dressed up. That puts you in the right state of mind and allows you to stay productive.

• Treat yourself well

This is another great tip for those who are new to self-employment because it is so easy to let yourself go and put your all into your job because you need it to bring in the money. I did this for many years and I had to learn the hard way. Nowadays, I am so gentle with myself. I work hard but I care for myself even harder, and this allows me to work successfully as a self-employed. I take days off work now; something I did in the early days. It is important to treat yourself as you would like a nice boss to treat you.

• Say No to what does not serve you

This is one area I never really struggled in. I have and always will say NO to offers that don’t serve me. It is important to ensure you only take on the kind of work you want and remain selective. Depending on the sort of business you run, it is likely you get all sorts of offers. Being able to say NO as often as you need is crucial. You don’t want certain folks to run you out of business.

Being a self-employed mother is a blessing. I won’t change any part of my journey and I am looking forward to the many years of self-employment ahead of me. Even if I go back to traditional work, I will still retain my self-employment as it serves as a creative outlet for me.

Are you self-employed? How are you finding the experience?