I own my own business. I can do whatever I want. Oh crap, I really can do whatever I want because I am the boss.

Being your own boss sounds really great until you’re in the middle of it and realize everything is on you. You are the one who makes sure everything gets done. It sounds so simple and yet it’s HARD sometimes. When you’re the support system for the business, how can you be the support system for yourself?

We’re all different, so no system is going to work for everyone. But I thought I’d share my own systems in case something might work for you.

Never delegate the work you’re passionate about

I categorize all of the work I do. There are the tasks that take me forever to do because they’re not that interesting to me. And there are the tasks that I can’t stop doing because I’m fascinated by them. Most fall somewhere between the two extremes.

The one thing you won’t find me doing is ever delegating something I’m excited about doing. So, for example, I really love co-creating and working directly with clients. So even when I had people working with me, I never let go of those kinds of tasks. In fact, I let go of other tasks so I could do more of that.

Although there are always exceptions to the rule, the best way to make sure you on target is to do the work that calls to you and leave behind what doesn’t.

Get a buddy

So many people focus on getting a mentor or paying for a coach. None of that has worked for me. I don’t know if it’s because my brain works differently. Or maybe it’s because my business is just too different for what those two courses of action are designed for. It’s probably both if we’re being perfectly honest.

What has worked for me is having buddies who are in the exact same position with their business as I am. We figure things out together, keep each other up-to-date on the latest news in our industries and hold each other accountable. And because it’s a symbiotic relationship, it’s free. The only cost is finding the right person, which can cost you in time. Because building a relationship with someone who ends up not being the right person is obviously not really free. So there will be some trial and error. But once you find the right person, it’s worth it. The support alone can keep you going and the advice can keep you on the right track.

Keep boundaries

When I started my business, all I did was work. There are times when that’s necessary. But the difference is recognizing when it is the time to do that and when you’re simply overworking.

Most of the time, keep regular working hours and don’t break them unless it’s absolutely necessary. I had a friend who once said she never worked over the weekend which made her more efficient during her regular weekday schedule. I don’t want to have that strictness. Different industries and different lifestyles require different schedules. Just write that schedule in stone and don’t stray from it unless something comes up that requires working outside of those times. But if you regularly have something that comes up outside of those hours, you have the wrong schedule and you need to adjust it.

Overworking will only burn you out. On the other hand, if you have set boundaries and only work during certain hours, you will get a lot more done without the burn out.

Gamify

Did you know you can make a game out of pretty much anything? When I’m struggling, that’s exactly what I do. I see how much I can get done in ten minutes (a shocking amount if I’m perfectly honest). I give myself little treats when I get a particularly challenging task done. And I use whatever will motivate me to get things done. For example, I really wanted to read a book recently when I was less motivated than normal. So I used it as a carrot to get things done, and it worked. I was quickly back on track with all of my tasks.

Going through rough periods is normal. And it’s normal to not be able to get everything done. It’s not normal to just go go go. What makes the difference between someone who can be their own boss and someone who can’t is how they ride out their lows and get themselves back on track. You don’t have to be bulletproof. You just have to keep going. Eventually you’ll get to where you need to be.

What do you do to be your own boss? How has it worked?