The Importance of Structure

Published
This article was published more than two years ago. Keep in mind that any information, opinions, or links could be outdated or incorrect.
sunrise over the Vancouver seawall.

I’ve been self-employed for just over a year, and in the beginning I really struggled to stay productive. But I found the secret: “be your own boss” should be taken literally; set expectations for yourself that a boss would expect.

This is what worked for me:

My days start at 8am. I block out time for walks, lunch, deep focus tasks, journalling… I’m not micro-managing my day or going into 5-minute increments, I’m just giving myself a light framework around my average workday.

This light structure was enough of a kick in the butt for me to fix my sleep schedule, start and end my days at a regular time, maintain a healthy level of productivity throughout the day, and crucially: all while maintain a work-life balance.

But it’s also not a prison. There are days where I needed 20 extra minutes, or took an early lunch to meet a friend… This is the goal with light structure — enough to give you stability, but not so much that you are suffocated by your calendar.

So, self-employed or not, if you find yourself feeling lost or distracted, or working all hours of the day, try adding a bit of structure. Hold yourself accountable to yourself.