Self-employment: The Jungle
“Self-employment is a jungle of distractions!”
This morning, I heard Natalie say that statement jokingly, on the phone, to a business owner.
Fact: I don’t know anyone who is better at navigating through the jungle than her. Natalie is the hardest working creative I know.
Her alarm goes off before mine. Once she has coffee made and the dog fed, she is at her Macbook, searching for stories and conducting interviews, for hours. She forgets lunchtime, regularly. Most nights when I return from a gig, Natalie will still be working, sitting on the couch writing and writing and writing.
Nat writes about 40-45 articles a month of various lengths and topics; yet somehow she made time to finish and self-publishing her first book. She’s already brainstorming her second book.
During a time where people incorrectly claim journalism is dying, Natalie has redefined the career in the new economy.
* * *
Natalie and I don’t count how many hours we work a week like one might for a 9-5 job. Honestly, it would be hard to calculate because work happens so often in different ways. Even a dog walk turns into a brainstorming session.
But I’ve learned four simple rules from Natalie about navigating the jungles of self-employment:
- List goals/deadlines for each day and month on a white board to stay focused
- Trust that you will overcome obstacles
- Maintain a positive attitude
- Schedule in time for yourself that is non-work oriented
* * * * * *
Last night, I texted Natalie that I would be home from my gig later than expected. My friend Dan was playing at a bar across the street, and I wanted to catch a song or two before heading home.
She texted back, “No big deal. I’m sitting the couch and reading for fun. I’M SITTING ON THE COUCH AND READING FOR FUN!”
I smiled, hoping that when I got home around midnight, I wouldn’t actually find her on the couch working.
Instead, I found her asleep on the couch with a book on her face and large dog on her lap.
The jungles of self-employment, it’s an exhausting journey.
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