As a general, we all know what a “good boss” looks like, from our own perspective. Or, in any case, we all have a pretty decent idea of what sort of boss we would like to work with, and what sort of boss we would always want to state a million miles from.

With more and more people working remotely – and with many of those working as entirely self-employed entrepreneurs, or as autonomous freelancers and contractors – however, the real question now is often quite different.

Instead of “how can I find a company with good management to work for,” it becomes “how can I be a good boss to myself.” Or at least, that’s what the question should be. The reality is that when you are responsible for “being your own boss,” there is a good chance that you don’t really give it much thought at all.

In a conventional office setting, commercial beverage equipment is available for lunch-time bonding, an HR department is at hand to smooth out disputes, and many more mechanisms are in place to keep things running well.

Here are a few tips for being a good boss to yourself.

Negotiate with yourself, don’t tyrannise yourself

Many people, when working for themselves, suddenly become very tyrannical. Instead of figuring out how to smooth over (internal) disputes, ensure a harmonious working culture, and all those other things that are fundamental in a well-run business, they latch onto a radically different approach.

Working all day and all night. Skipping lunch. Being highly self-critical about everything.

Since we don’t have any distance from ourselves, it’s easy to miss the fact that the different parts of our consciousness and personality work more or less exactly like different members of a professional team. If you try to tyrannise yourself, you can expect some internal resistance, misery, procrastination, and more.

Instead of bullying yourself to get things done, negotiate with yourself instead. Set up incentives, a manageable schedule, and adequate personal time.

Set clear targets and expectations, and maintain a regular structure in your working life

One of the hallmarks of a good boss is clarity and coherence in communication, and the ability to establish clear targets and expectations, as well.

The same is, of course, true when you are your own boss.

If you want to remain motivated, to be consistent, and to avoid inefficiency and burnout, you need to have a clear sense of what you should be working on at any given time, and you have to stick to regular working hours and maintain a balanced structure in your professional life.

Remember to give yourself some perks

Everyone feels better about turning up to work when there are some decent employee perks to look forward to. But if you are your own boss, you may be tempted to “maximise efficiency” and “make some savings,” by radically reducing those “perks” in your own life.

Keep in mind, though, that if you set up a totally spartan working scenario for yourself, you will almost certainly quickly become as jaded and fed up with things as you would be if some external boss was treating you in the same way.

Give yourself some perks. Have things to look forward to doing on the weekend. Allow yourself a bit of extra spending money for special occasions. Treat yourself like an employee you’re trying to take care of.

© New To HR