Many people need to live their whole lives according to plan. They get up at a specific time and eat what they should eat following the latest trends. They sit at the computer at a set time and check emails for 15 minutes, and another 15 look for news on the topic they're working on...
I honestly envy these people.
Why? Because I have never been able to organize myself so perfectly. I like systems and plans. They allow you to do much more and much more effectively. But personally, I am a woman who follows winds of inspiration. Strangely enough, however, I also have some rules that allow me to live my life with much more pleasure.
I have noticed that my students and acquaintances often pair my system. Even today one of my new students told me that he does it too. So, I decided to tell you about it.
My first rule is to always get up at the same time (unfortunately I can't go to bed at 10pm which could help me sleep better but at least I do not sleep half a day).
When I got married, there was no work in the area where I went to live with my husband. I started working at 17 years old and so at 34 (I had when married) I felt very happy that I could finally sleep as much as I wanted and do what I wanted. The first months. Then I realized that it's not good to go on like this because the whole day then goes wrong.
So I created the first rule: I always have to get up at 8. It doesn't matter what happened yesterday (there was a party or working late at night), but the next day I have to get up at 8.
Normally I'm not someone who can live at 5 in the morning although I would like to, believe me. Well, if it is necessary to wake me up early for some reason - of course I wake up. But I'm not capable of doing it every day, all my life. So, the rule I created was made according to my body's capabilities.
Later I started looking for clients online, doing work as a freelancer. Self-employed teacher of foreign languages first, translator and export office later.
Working like this I noticed that customers try to make the most of you. If you don't have your own rules but want to help without thinking about your own life, I believe they instinctively allow themselves to demand more and more.
Once I sent the goods to Russia by courier. I remember they were huge ceramic vases. Since I'm a translator, the courier allowed himself to call me whenever he wanted if he didn't understand something. Even if in the middle of the night.
Another time a client was looking for his girlfriend in Italy and I helped him since he didn't understand Italian. In love, the young man called me even at three in the morning to tell me about his suffering.
This was already too much. And I created a rule: my cell phone is turned off from 10pm to 9am. I'm a self-employed worker but I have my working hours as all normal persons do.
Another rule of mine is not to make appointments for every day of the week. I work with students online and offline, but only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday are dedicated to other jobs and tasks I have. At my age, I have to walk regularly so I try to organize my walks for Tuesday and Thursday. Obviously, I don't tell the students this but I don't accept appointments unless it's absolutely necessary.
People also appreciate you more when they understand that you have your own rules and that they have to respect them. The more you try to please others, the more they treat you like a rag, like a doormat.
The funny thing is, after they understand how MY rules work, the more they try to create the rules for their own lives. And then they tell me how they do it, too.
I have a weekly planner that is on my table for my clients and students to see. I can make them happy to have flexible hours according to their needs as long as they respect my rules. So they tell me to book their next appointment and write it in my planner.
With this article, I want to say that in life it is good to be organized especially if you are a self-employed worker. If you respect yourself and have your rules, your clients will respect you, too. If he/she doesn't want to respect you, it's not your client. Forget about him/her.
Do you have your rules as a self-employed worker? I'm very curious.
