Working for yourself is brilliant… until you realise there’s nobody hovering over your shoulder asking, “Have you actually done that yet?” It’s just you, your laptop, and that drawer you keep tidying whenever real work appears or maybe it’s your social media that needs doing

Accountability isn’t about having someone bossing you about. It’s about setting things up so you don’t drift off for three hours and somehow end up watching videos of people pressure washing patios.

If you regularly hit 4pm thinking “What on earth have I done today?”, these tips are for you.

Get Yourself an Accountability Buddy

This one can help so much.

Pick someone who gets freelance life and won’t judge you for eating biscuits at your desk.
How to keep it simple:
• Have a weekly check-in (it doesn’t need to be long)
• Share three things you want to get done
• Report back on what you actually managed
It’s not about being told off. It’s about knowing someone’s expecting an update. You’d be surprised how motivating that tiny bit of pressure can be.
Choose someone who understands your world but isn’t doing the exact same work. No awkwardness, just support.

Make Your Goals Obvious and Clear

“I want to grow my business” sounds lovely, but it won’t get you moving. If you want accountability, you need goals you can actually act on.

Try this instead:
• Write goals that are specific and measurable
• Put them somewhere you can see them
• Break them down into smaller weekly steps

Swap “get more clients” for “send five personalised emails by Friday”. One is a vague headache. The other is a simple task you can tick off.

Personally, I use Asana so nothing gets lost in the “I’ll do that later” abyss, and I stay productive.

Time Block Like You Mean It

I used to think time blocking was for people who colour-code their fridges. But it turns out it’s for anyone who’s sick of feeling behind.

Here’s what helps:
• Give each bit of work its own slot
• Treat those slots like client meetings
• Add breaks because you’re not a robot

I work certain slots for specific clients who have regular tasks, which keeps me from faffing about. If it’s Wednesday morning, it’s their time — end of discussion.

Some days still go to pot, and that’s life. The aim is progress, not perfection.

Track Your Time (Yes, Even When You Don’t Want To)

I know it feels boring, but time tracking tells you the truth. Not the version in your head. The real one.
I use Toggl, and it’s been a shock at times. That “quick job” was *not* as quick as I thought.
Why it helps:
• You see where your time actually goes
• You notice habits that slow you down
• You learn how long things really take
Once you’ve seen the numbers, you can’t pretend you’re “too busy” when you’ve been sorting your inbox labels for 40 minutes. Not that I have ever done that….honest!

Give Yourself Consequences — The Nice and Not-So-Nice Kinds

When you’ve got no boss, things can slip, though we hate to admit that. So set up your own consequences.

The stricter options:
• Tell a friend you’ll send money to a cause you dislike if you don’t do the thing
• Make a public commitment, like saying a newsletter is going out on Tuesday
• Add a penalty for yourself if you don’t hit a deadline

The nicer options:
• Reward yourself when you stick to your weekly goals
• Share your wins online. People do like to hear it
• Save a “fun job” for after you’ve done the boring one

It only works if the consequence feels real, so don’t go too soft on yourself.

Accountability is our friend

Accountability isn’t about recreating an office environment or being harsh with yourself. It’s about giving yourself a bit of structure so you don’t end up drowning in half-finished tasks and lots of guilt.

You don’t need to start with all five of these, either; just pick one. Try it for a month. Watch what changes.

And if you’re thinking, “I can’t even find the time to set these up,” then that might be the moment you admit you need help.

So if tasks keep slipping through the cracks, or you're drowning in the bits of business life that drain you, that’s exactly where my services come in. I help creative freelancers and small business owners stay organised, stay accountable, and get back to the work that actually feels good.

If you’d like some support, just contact me and we can chat about what you need.

5 Accountability Strategies for Freelancers and Small Business Owners