Business Tips & Tricks

2018 has been the year of change for me, and yes I know we're in October.

I started the year in a role I love, as a Sales and Marketing Manager, but I was ready for change, and I knew if I didn't take the leap, I may never. Fast forward ten months and Pocket Rocket Marketing is just about six months old. I'm not going to lie to you and pretend it's all been easy, going from full time employed to a full-time business owner, is an adjustment. You realise how you've taken for granted bouncing ideas off your co-workers, talking about the latest episode of Strictly (yes, I love it) etc. But it most definitely has its upsides. I love working with the range of different businesses I work with, every day is different!

Although I appreciate I'm still very much a novice at this self-employed malarky, I wanted to share with you some helpful tools, tips and tricks I've learnt along the way. Whether you are self-employed or not, these tips can be used during your working day, regardless.

Get organised

I've tested a few different project management tools, and for me, Asana is the best one yet. I only need the free version, which allows me to have unlimited tasks, projects and conversations with up to 15 team members. Based on how you prefer to work you can either use lists or a board layout for each project. If Asana isn't for you that's fine, but I would definitely recommend using a project management tool to keep on top of all your tasks, due dates and communication - you can also assign tasks to clients too.

Learn to switch off

Burning the candle at both ends, we all do it, when you've got a big workload or a deadline looming. It's become the norm for most to think by switching off you are failing, when actually by just doing that you can increase productivity and creativity.

Try putting down your phone 30 mins earlier each night and picking up a book, or taking a walk at lunch - find what works for you.

Embrace the bad days

It's completely normal, we all have them. When you're having a bad day we often pack on the pressure, produce a long list of to-dos, which don't get completed and you’re left feeling overwhelmed. On a day like this spend your time focusing on the small stuff, the small to-do's, such as posting that tweet, or organising that folder. Lower your expectations for the day and start the next one afresh.

We’d love to hear any tips and tricks you have, or how you switch off and embrace the bad days. Comment below or tweet us!