5 Lessons I Learned From My Proofreading Business in 2018
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday! Are you looking forward to the new year?
The week after Christmas is sometimes slow for my proofreading business. Many of my clients are on vacation, and the workflow slows down quite a bit compared to the hectic pace prior to the holidays. To be honest, I’m thankful for a little break. I look forward to this week each year because it gives me an opportunity to reflect on the past year and think about the lessons I learned from my business.
During my reflection time this year, I realized that I’ve learned some valuable lessons during 2018. I’m finishing out the year more experienced, faster, and more excited than ever about the opportunities that this profession provides.
Today, I’m sharing with you some of the lessons I learned in 2018, in hopes that they will be as helpful to you as they were to me.
Here we go.
5 lessons I learned from my proofreading business in 2018
1. I proofread faster when I track my time.
In early 2019, I’ll be writing a blog post about the process I use to track my time, but I’ll take this opportunity to say that this is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my business. Tracking my time helps me know how long it will take to proofread a file for a client because I know the average speed that I proofread for that person. For example, if a client asks me how long it would take me to proofread 100 pages, I can tell her with confidence because I’ve been tracking my speed for months.
Tracking my time also helps me stay hyper-focused. Knowing that I’m being timed keeps me from getting distracted by “Squirrel!” moments.
2. Communicating with my clients prior to a major life event is important.
My home state of North Carolina experienced several major weather events in 2018, but Hurricane Florence had the biggest impact by far. Since I live about an hour and a half from where the massive hurricane made landfall, I was nervous about how our town and our family would be affected.
Prior to the storm, I contacted all of my clients to let them know that I would likely be without electricity for a few days (which happened), but that my family and I were safe. They were so appreciative of the heads-up, and many of them sent kind words of concern and encouragement. Our town did have some major damage (flooding, severe wind damage, power outages), but thankfully, our home was spared.
Of course, we don’t have to wait until a major weather event is approaching to communicate with our clients. They are busy people, but they like to be informed about anything that could potentially affect our quality of work. Keeping them in the loop is just good customer service.
3. Even wealthy, famous people have problems.
Many of the files that I proofread are heart-breaking, to be honest. So many people are dealing with physical, financial, and mental anguish because of other people’s actions. One poignant file that I read this year involved the heart-breaking child custody case of a famous person whose name you would recognize. I was reminded that even people who are famous and seem to have all the money in the world sometimes have problems. Maybe not the same kinds of problems that you and I have, but problems nonetheless. Be thankful for your blessings and be kind to people. You never know what a person is going through.
4. Procrastination can be costly.
In 2018, I learned to work ahead on my proofreading jobs, even if I have a few days before a deadline. I learned this lesson the hard way when I procrastinated on a transcript that wasn't due for a couple days, but then the client needed it sooner than expected (and I hadn't even started it yet). She ended up having to proofread that one herself. I lost money there!
5. Waking up early allows me to get SO much more done each day!
I’ve wanted to be an early riser for many years. I can’t tell you how many times my New Year’s resolution has been “wake up early.”
In 2018, I decided to break my “snoozing” pattern once and for all. I still struggle at times, but I have been waking up between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. for months now. And I get so much more done! My family is still asleep, the house is quiet, and I have the opportunity to work interrupted.
I do have to go to bed earlier at night in order to wake up early in the morning, but the morning productivity has been worth it. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a way to find some uninterrupted time for your business!
What lessons did you learn this year? Please share them in the comments below. Here’s to an even more prosperous, productive 2019!
About Julie Corbett
A veteran proofreader of over 25 years, Julie is passionate about the English language and teaching others to use it correctly. When she’s not proofreading court transcripts, she’s writing blog content, reading about productivity, or spending time with her family. Contact Julie here.