Self-employment comes with so much freedom it’s almost paralysing at times. I love options, I love freedom, I love going off-piste and following my latest obsession… but that only gets us so far.

I resist structure and routine so much that I literally wrote a book about skipping workouts - I am no stranger to seeing a well laid plan and saying “fuck it” and doing something else instead.

But having the right structures in the right place can help you to reach and exceed your goals - honestly! Here are a few things the right structure can do for your business.

#1 Prevents decision fatigue

You need to make important decisions in your business, and no structure means deciding how/what/when/where you work all over again every single day. If nothing else, some structure or routine will save you a boatload of energy.

#2 Lets you rebel where you make the biggest difference

You are an innovator - by choosing where you innovate within, rebel against, or entirely sack off structure, you can use your creativity and determination to create novel solutions in your area of expertise.

That means bigger differences for the clients who come to you because you are known for what you do, and more referrals along the way!

#3 Provides a consistent client experience - which means you can improve it!

Some structure means that you have checkpoints for certain actions; you may do assessments, before and afters, check-ins, or specific assignments at set times

That doesn’t mean you can’t innovate when needed, it means you know what to expect and can consistently deliver for your clients based on practice and rounds of improvement, reflection, and feedback!

#4 Reduces the likelihood of losing things

Ever found that rogue to-do list a week later and had your stomach drop through your pelvis like an anvil? I sure have!

That’s why I started using a system - to reduce the anxiety provoking nightmares of “what have I forgotten and when/how am I going to find out”. Some structure means you know where to look for certain things, and that means you are less likely to lose them!

#5 Allows for change

Structure =/= samey - instead you can deliberately and intentionally change as and when you need it.

I didn’t realise I had any really fixed routines until my mum came to visit for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic. I’d been accustomed to a slow and quiet morning with a cuppa on the decking before the day started… then my mother spoke to me before I had finished my tea.

I was horrified. Turns out that early morning cup of tea was the anchor holding my life in place, and I had no idea until it was slightly changed!

Structures allow us time to do what we do best, and without them we can get lost in decisions, searching, and re-inventing the wheel. Not all structure is a restriction, sometimes it’s a springboard!