2016 was quite a year. For me, it was filled with highs and lows and lots of emotional growth. In October, I made an unusual decision: I decided to leave my job. I didn’t have another job offer in hand, I had just reached a crossroads in my career, and I needed to take some time to reset, explore some other interests, and figure out what I wanted to do next. It was a difficult decision – probably one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make – but I’m glad I did it. It was also a risky decision: goodbye benefits and steady paychecks! But so far, it’s been working out well.

Since leaving my job, I’ve taken on some freelance work that gives me the flexibility to work from home and more or less create my own hours. It’s a nice change of pace, but it doesn’t come without its challenges. I thought that without the rigid work schedule I was used to, I’d have tons of time to do all the things I’d been wanting to do: write, network, take classes, look for new opportunities, etc. That has been true to a certain extent, but it definitely requires careful planning and a great deal of time management. This is where self-discipline comes into play. I am still working on finding a system that works for me, but here’s what I’ve learned so far:

 

Be Realistic

Shortly after my last day of work, I lined up two part-time freelance projects. Financially, I was in a pretty good place, but still, it was hard to turn down work knowing that I didn’t have the stability of a full-time job. However, I soon became overwhelmed with the amount of work on my plate. I was also trying to pack too many tasks into each day. I found myself working non-stop, which really defeated the purpose of leaving my full-time job. I had to take a step back, re-evaluate my priorities, and give up one of my new gigs (luckily it was short-term and flexible enough that this wasn’t an issue). I reminded myself that I made this decision so that I’d have time to explore new interests and gain some clarity, not so I could find myself up to my ears in work with no time for anything else.

 

Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself

Some days are more productive than others, and I’m learning to be okay with that. I used to beat myself up when I didn’t complete everything on my to-do list for the day. But I realized that being hard on myself wasn’t doing me any good. I’m learning to be more realistic with my schedule and recognize that things don’t always go according to plan, and that’s okay. Life is unpredictable; sometimes things come up unexpectedly. Every morning I take a look at my planner and try to set a realistic number of goals for the day. But if something more important or time-sensitive comes up, I’m learning to feel more comfortable pushing some things off of my schedule for the day and tackling them later in the week.

 

 

Consistency > Perfection

Ever since the big decision, I have been writing like crazy. I’ve been writing haikus. I’ve been writing free-verse poetry. I’ve been writing journal entries. I’ve been writing essays. I’ve been writing emails to senators. I’ve been writing tweets. I’ve been writing articles that I hope to have published. I’ve been writing, writing, writing. It’s rare that a day goes by that I don’t write something. So while I am still working on self-discipline and accountability, this is the one area of my life that I have been pretty consistent about. I think that’s a start.

 

A Change of Scenery Can Be Helpful

Working from home is great, especially during the cold winter months. I live off of an above-ground subway station and I have to say, I definitely don’t miss waiting in the freezing cold for my train every morning. But the comforts of home don’t always create an environment that’s conducive to productivity. It’s not impossible to be productive at home, but after doing it day after day, sometimes I benefit from a change of scenery. That’s why I spend a portion of my day out of the house, usually at a nearby coffee shop. I get my caffeine fix and I’m usually surrounded by other productive people. Plus, I don’t have to worry about my cat climbing all over my laptop. It’s an all-around win.

 

 

 

Create Incentives to Help Keep Yourself Motivated

I am a lot more productive if I plan something fun for myself as a reward. It can be something as simple as watching a movie before going to bed or spending the day going on a little adventure. If I have something fun to look forward to, I am a lot more motivated to get things done. During one of the most recent waves of spring-like weather, I planned a “fun day” for myself as motivation to get my work done faster. This resulted in a few longer days filled with work, but as a result, I was able to spend an entire Friday outside enjoying the beautiful weather. It was totally worth it.

 

So, while I’m still a work in progress, I am content knowing that with each week that passes, I am getting closer to that space between over-extending myself and not doing enough.  I’m also gaining more clarity around what I want out of life, which is priceless. Have you ever struggled with self-discipline? What have you found to be most helpful? Feel free to share in the comments 🙂

 

 

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