How to Cut Wasted Time (and Money) as an Independent Contractor

As a remote worker, you have to learn what is necessary and what is unnecessary. Learning to discard unnecessary tasks is an important part of doing remote work, whether running your own business or doing freelance work.

From cutting down on extra tasks to simplifying commutes and cutting unnecessary expenses, we will go through several ways remote workers can carve out a productive life by removing excess drains on their time and money. We’ll also look at the benefits of eliminating unnecessary tasks and saving on auto insurance as an independent contractor.

How to Be Productive as an Independent Contractor

Having a productive life is what all independent contractors strive for, but how do you get there exactly? Below, we will look at four ways to carve out a productive life for yourself. 

#1 – Use S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) goals are perfect ways to help you achieve productivity in your life. 

An example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal for your business would be using Sunday evenings around 6:30 p.m. to plan out your week using a planning app like Todoist or Trello. 

Using S.M.A.R.T. helps you commit to carrying out your goals and makes it easy to stay on a schedule for your goals.  

#2 – Change Your Ineffective Habits

Ineffective habits can include procrastination, complaining about your business, and losing patience easily. These habits will get you nowhere with your business. 

To change and develop effective habits, you will need to change your mindset about yourself and your business. Practical activities include persevering through the monotony of specific tasks, using memory hacks, practicing gratitude, and being proactive. 

The best way to start developing effective habits is to begin with a mind change and start small. Think about the person you want to be and what you need to change to become that person. 

#3 – Automate as Much as Possible

Automation is a great way to carve out a productive life. The more you can automate, the better off you will be. Use a virtual bookkeeper to automate your processes or use applications that make it easier to automate. Whatever you decide to do, you will find that automation can really change your life for the better. 

#4 – Have a Team to Help You Do Tasks

If your business is mature and strong enough, hiring a team to delegate tasks increases productivity. Having a team opens you up to do more things and helps reduce the stresses of running a business. 

Make sure you take the time to build your team and help them grow themselves. If you do these things, your team will be more productive and eager to do the work you’ve assigned them.  

Using these four methods to create a productive work environment can be used interchangeably. There’s no particular order they need to be in as long as you do them to the best of your ability. 

The Benefits of Removing Unnecessary Tasks

Removing unnecessary tasks from your day-to-day life has so many different benefits. Let’s look at some of the benefits below.

#1 – Increased Productivity

When you clear up tasks that are not needed day to day, your productivity increases. No one likes to work and feel like they’re not getting anything done. It’s discouraging, but when you remove tasks that are not essential to your business, you will find that you can get a lot done. You are more organized, and your productivity increases tenfold.  

#2 – Reduced Pressure on You

Removing unnecessary tasks reduces pressure on you as well. Often, as an owner of a business, there’s a lot that you carry on your shoulders. Using the tools we’ve looked over, you can alleviate some of that pressure and allow others to carry the burden of running your business. 

#3 – Opens You Up to Be More Creative

One of the greatest benefits of removing excess drains is that you are open to being more creative. Creativity is very effective when running a business of any kind. You need it to think of new products or services. Having fewer stressors in your life can really help you do more with your business.

Saving on Auto Insurance as an Independent Contractor

Cutting out unnecessary tasks from your business can help you be more creative about saving on auto insurance. Auto insurance can be a vital part of running your business. Below, we will look at some of the ways you can save on car insurance so that you can focus on what’s more important: establishing yourself as a reputable remote worker.

#1 – Avoid Moving Violations on Your Driving Record

Moving violations can put a damper on your record, which can ultimately affect your insurance rates. Do non-moving violations affect insurance as well? Not usually, but adhering to the rules of the road is in your best interest. Make sure you’re familiar with the traffic laws wherever you go so that you don’t end up getting pulled over or in an accident. 

If you keep a spotless record and avoid getting into accidents, you can save up to 40% on your monthly insurance payments. 

#2 – Find Discounts

Low mileage, multi-car, and bundling are all discounts that you can apply for through your insurance provider. They can save you between 5% and 25% on your monthly premiums. Discounts add up over time, so check with your provider or agent to see if you are eligible for any of them.  

#3 – Shop Around for the Best Insurance Rates

Many factors go into determining your premium for auto insurance. As an independent contractor, it’s always good to shop around and see which provider is offering the cheapest rates. Don’t just go with a provider just because they’re popular. Take the time to investigate multiple providers. 

The Life of an Independent Contractor

Running your own business is no easy task. There’s so much vying for your attention and resources. But, with what we’ve discussed, you should be able to cut down on unnecessary tasks and carve out a productive life for yourself.

Don’t hesitate to share what you’ve learned with other business owners. It’s a good thing for independent contractors to help each other, especially during these unpredictable times.

Peyton Leonard writes and researches for the car insurance site, CarInsuranceComparison.com. Peyton strives to help independent contractors like herself grow and succeed regardless of their field.