1. Get a part-time or flexible full time job “on the side”. It will keep you plugged into the industry or act as a distraction when needed.
2. Keep it a one person show. Outsource everything you can’t do (or do not want to do).
3. Be exclusive! – Don’t take every project that comes your way. Raise your rates a little and say “no” more often. Focus on the projects you like, one at a time.
4. Take on no more than two product offerings at a time. Make sure they are complimentary or alternate seasonally. When in doubt, see rule 3 again.
5. Work on a quasi-schedule. Change your environment from time to time, reminding yourself of the freedoms you enjoy that most 9-to-5′ers can only dream of!
6. Eat healthy & workout – It is proven that when you eat healthy and workout, you feel much better about yourself — mentally and physically — which makes you much more productive.
7. Forward your phones to an answering service and turn off your voicemail. When your callers are greeted by an answering service, they get more “to the point” and that helps you prioritize who needs to be called back right away (and who can wait).
8. Check your e-mail only 2-3 times a day. First after an hour of work in the morning, then after lunch, and again an hour before you leave the office.
9. Use a project-management software service, allowing you to quickly organize, delegate, and review tasks. Even if, start-to-finish involves no one but yourself, starting the practice of time management now will make it easier to get help and grow/scale later!
10. Transition your “customer service” over to an online ticket-based customer support (and instruct the answering service to use it with callers too). This system is connected to your e-mail, prioritize customer needs, and reminds you when you’ve forgotten to follow-up!
