How to become self-employed within 6 months

Before taking the plunge and quitting your job to work for yourself, there are a couple of steps you should take beforehand to ensure the move is a successful one.

At this time of year, many Australians may be dreading the return to work and are thinking about resigning. But according to one professional, now is not the time to quit.

While research has found that more than half of Australians leave their job within weeks of taking a holiday, Dr Steve Enticott is encouraging Australians to hold on to their main gig – at least for now.

He said those who want to earn extra money and work for themselves in 2020 can be self-employed within six months – with patience, planning and persistence.

“I know a lot of people don’t like their jobs and would love to throw in the towel, but January is not the time to resign. It’s the time to recalibrate,” Dr Enticott said.

“Even if you can’t stand your boss, hate getting on the train every morning or are going crazy sitting in an open plan office doing work that no longer challenges you or pays well, don’t waste your precious holiday time writing a resignation letter.”

“We often hear stories of entrepreneurs who quit their jobs and appear to become overnight millionaires, but there are also many others who walk away from a stable job before making a single sale who end up struggling financially for a long time because they have rushed in too quickly,” he said.

Dr Enticott believes the biggest drawbacks to working for someone else are job insecurity, stagnant wages, a lack of flexibility, longer commutes, poor working conditions and fewer opportunities to climb the corporate ladder.

As such, before taking the plunge and quitting your job, he suggested doing the following:

Stop and reflect

Lock yourself away for a few days to relax without distraction, he said. This solo time is “soultitude”, he said, and it is something he does every January when he heads to the bush alone.

Write it down

While he is on his own, Dr Enticott writes down all of his thoughts on paper and doesn’t stop until it’s all out. He believes “this is a great way to clear your head and be honest about how you are feeling”.

Reassess your goals

“Look at what you have written and work out your vision and purpose for the future,” he said.

“Try to work out what you are good at and how you will use your time and talents to build a new career.”

Make a plan

The last step is to create a one-page plan, complete with specific goals and deadlines, that you can use to ensure you remain on track.

“Following these steps is a great way to ensure that you don’t let another year go by aimlessly and really forces you to focus on your purpose, skills and vision,” he said.

“If at the end of your ‘soultitude’ you still hate the idea of going back to work for your boss, then I recommend starting a side gig before returning to work,” Dr Enticott said.

“It’s a great low risk way to earn some extra money without having to give up your day job, and it will allow you to go back to work with a renewed purpose and options for the future,” he said.

“Start transiting now and, with the right plans in place, you’ll be your own boss before you know it.”