How to Make Your Own Hours
Creating your own work schedule allows you the freedom and flexibility to manage all of your responsibilities. Students who have to focus on their academic responsibilities, parents who are busy with their children and people who simply want more time to spend doing the things that they love may all find benefit from creating their own schedules. Many people work more efficiently when they can choose their own hours because they are motivated to work when they schedule themselves in the office.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Define your strategies for working your own hours. For example, consider why you want to work your own hours. Think about what time of day you work best and whether or not you will have the discipline to work when you are feeling most focused. Write these ideas down.
-
2
Consider becoming self-employed. Freelance writing, photography or film-making are all great options for those who are interested in being self-employed. Freelance work is just one option, though. People who are interested in becoming self-employed can also work in sales or create their own start-up business.
-
-
3
Research jobs that typically allow employees to have more control over the hours that they work. Court reporters, medical transcriptionists, home health aides, recreational workers and medical equipment preparers are some professions that Yahoo! Education lists as having flexible schedules.
-
4
Determine whether or not your boss would allow you to create your own hours if you are already employed. Before you ask your boss about scheduling your own hours, consider things like how long you have worked for the company and how flexible your boss and work are.
-
5
Communicate with your current boss about your desire to define your own hours if you are already employed. It is important to tell your boss why you think making your own hours will benefit your company instead of highlighting the ways it will benefit you. Suggest a trial period to your boss. JobVision recommends that you provide your boss with "a guarantee to demonstrate the benefit to the company and if you fail to demonstrate that benefit you will return to normal hours."
-
6
Designate specific hours throughout the day that you can devote solely to working. Commit to these hours and make sure that you stick to them. You have to have excellent discipline if you are interested in creating your own hours.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you decide to become self-employed, understand that although the ability to make your own hours can be a definite advantage, there are also some disadvantages. For example, you probably won't have health insurance or paid vacation time if you are self-employed. Self-employment taxes must be paid on top of income taxes. Independent contractors risk not being paid for their work if they are hired by a dishonest person.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
