I’ve worked remotely since 2006 (way before it was common). However, my days were filled with calls to colleagues and DMs to chat about everything from work to what we had planned for the weekend.
Now I’m a solopreneur. I have occasional calls with clients, but they’re rare. Most of my days are spent working alone. In many ways, this is great since I have the freedom to work however and whenever I want. But staying motivated when it’s just me requires being really thoughtful about how I work.
According to a 2025 report by Leapers, nearly half of self-employed professionals feel lonely occasionally or some of the time. One in five feels lonely or isolated often or always. It can be really hard to stay motivated when you’re working in isolation. You have to create your own structure and find ways to keep going without other people around.
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Design your own workday
Traditional 9-to-5 hours don’t always make sense when you work alone. You don’t have to start at 8 a.m. just because that’s when your clients start working. You can work when you’re most productive—but you have to make sure you actually get stuff done during that time.
For example, I still mostly follow a traditional workday schedule because I have kids, and that’s when they’re in school. However, I also find that I’m incredibly productive early in the morning, before anyone else is awake. I have the least energy in the evenings, so my day often ends at 3:30 or 4 p.m.
Time-blocking helps create structure, even when no one is holding you accountable. I block off chunks for deep work, admin tasks, and meetings. Seeing my calendar filled in is like making an appointment with myself—like I have somewhere to be (even if that somewhere is my home office).
If you’re not sure when you do your best work, track it for a week. Note when you feel focused versus when you’re dragging. Then build your schedule around when you have the most energy, not traditional working hours.
Create a “work mode” environment
When your home is also your office, it’s really easy to blur boundaries. The dishes and laundry are right there. Creating separation—even artificial separation—can help signal to your brain that it’s time to focus.
Small rituals work surprisingly well. For me, it’s making a cup of coffee, closing the door to my home office, and putting on a specific playlist to start my morning. These are my mental switches to get into “work mode.” I do work only at my desk (unless I’m traveling).
If you don’t have a dedicated workspace, find other ways to create that boundary. Some solopreneurs work in a specific corner of a shared room or use only certain apps during work hours. You can use headphones to block distractions. The ritual is the important part, not the specifics.
Work alongside other people
When you work for an employer, you have some outside accountability to get your tasks done. Whether it’s your manager or a teammate, you know that other people are “watching” you (either in an office or metaphorically).
When you work alone, you have to actively find ways to be around other people. Working with others can improve your focus, increase your motivation, and reduce procrastination (a concept known as “body doubling”). If you find it hard to stay on task while running your solo business, body doubling can make a huge difference.
Virtual coworking has become popular for this reason. Platforms like Flow Club or FLOWN let you work alongside other people on video for a specific period of time (one hour, two hours, etc.). I’ve also done casual video calls with fellow solopreneurs where we just work together silently. If you join a virtual coworking session, come with a specific project or task that you’d like to complete during the allotted time.
If virtual coworking isn’t your thing, try working from a coffee shop, library, or coworking space occasionally. Even once a week can break up the isolation and give you a change of scenery. You still get the benefit of body doubling when you’re in a room with other people, even if they’re not connected to you in any way.
Make working alone work for you
Working solo means you don’t have a lot of external cues. You don’t realize how much you rely on other people and your work environment to keep you motivated until you’re on your own. Suddenly, it’s a random Tuesday at 10 a.m. and you have no desire to work—even with a looming client deadline.
When you intentionally design your workday and find small ways to simulate accountability, motivation will follow. You’ll realize that you don’t need a boss, coworkers, or an office to stay on track. You just need systems that work for you.
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