Working alone has its advantages, but it comes with plenty of challenges, too. If you were part of a larger recruitment agency and you’re now going solo from home, you might find that working alone can actually be quite tough.
Here are the nine biggest challenges of working alone, and how to overcome them.
1. Lack of targets and KPIs
Once you start working for yourself you realise that, actually, having someone above you setting your targets and KPIs isn’t such a bad thing. In fact, it’s those performance metrics and goals that keep you on the straight and narrow.
To give yourself boundaries and checkpoints, still set your own KPIs. Be realistic about what you think is achievable. It may be easier to break your KPIs down into daily targets, allocating enough time during the day to hit them.
2. Struggling to manage your time
The moment you start working for yourself, the idea of not having to set your 7am alarm feels fantastic. Clock on when you want, clock off when you want, take lunch when you want. However, without the structure of a normal working day, hours can be lost easily.
Structure your day more rigidly and strictly than you’ve been used to before. Make a list of the tasks you need to do each day and give them a timeframe to be done. Do this for the full day, each day, and you will soon find yourself being more productive.
3. Responsibility for everything
All of a sudden, when you start working for yourself, you realise there’s far more to do than the actual stuff you get paid for. A lot of this may be completely new to you and can be overwhelming.
Look for ways you can relieve the pressure on your shoulders. For example, New Millennia can handle all your back office functions, to leave you the time you need to grow your business.
4. Distractions
Procrastination is an unfortunate side effect of working alone. Without human interaction or the encouragement and support of a team around you, you can find your mind distracted.
Ensure your days are varied, and that you allow time for yourself to take a break throughout the day. Procrastination is normally what we do when there’s something we’re avoiding. Try and identify what it is you’re avoiding and get it done!
5. Blurred home/work life
You’ll quickly see when working for yourself that the line between your home and work life becomes blurred. This is particularly tricky if you’re running your recruitment agency from home.
Try and create some separation between your work and your home life by sticking to working hours as much as possible. If you can create a workspace that you can close the door on at the end of the day – even better!
6. Feeling disconnected
There will be days, sometimes weeks, where there is no need for you to leave your office. For some, that’s no problem; for others, you may very soon start to feel a little cut off from the working world.
Stay connected by picking up the phone and speaking to people wherever possible. You can also use LinkedIn to connect with other professionals working alone to help remove that feeling of isolation.
7. Staying motivated
It’s perfectly natural for even the most motivated person to lose a little momentum when they’re working alone, particularly in the early days of establishing a business.
Try and stick to a working routine as much as possible. Go to bed early, get plenty of sleep, and get dressed for work in the morning. This will set you up for the day and get you in the right frame of mind. You’ve got this.
