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7 February 2025
5 Habits That Make Your JDG Live Shorter Than Your Vacation Budget
You run a one-person business business activity? Congratulations, you've just joined the elite club of people who are their own boss, accountant, marketer, and office cleaner. Sound like a dream come true? Sure! Until you realize no one taught you how to do it right.
If you feel that your business resembles a speeding scooter without brakes, it may be time to take a closer look at the bad habits that are sabotaging your business. Here are 5 things that are effectively shortening the life of your JDG – and how to avoid them.
The "I'll Do It All Myself" Syndrome - a Fast Track to Burnout
Symptoms:
- You spend hours doing something an accountant could do in 15 minutes.
- You create graphics for social media, even though your artistic talent ends at stick figures.
- Instead of delegating, you stay up until 2am fixing the website because "who can do it better than me?"
Diagnosis:
Perfectionism and the desire to save money lead to an endless to-do list that you can't handle alone. The result? Burnout, frustration, and no time to develop your business.
Treatment:
Delegate. Seriously. Even if you think you can do something faster and cheaper on your own, in the long run you are wasting valuable time and energy. Find an accountant, use ready-made templates and delegate things that do not require your unique knowledge.
Procrastination – or “I’ll make an invoice soon… but first I’ll check the memes about JDG”
Symptoms:
- You create the perfect working conditions: coffee, a tidy desk, a social media review… and suddenly it's 5 p.m.
- You start your day with a "short" break and end it when it's time for sleep.
- Your motto in life is "I'll do it tomorrow."
Diagnosis:
Procrastination often stems from fear of difficult tasks or too many of them. The result? You suddenly remember that the payment is due VAT passes at midnight and your accountant she went to bed a long time ago.
Treatment:
Start your day with your most difficult task (the “eat that frog” method).
Set a timer and work in time blocks (e.g. Pomodoro method – 25 minutes of work, 5 minutes of break).
Use to-do lists – there’s nothing quite like crossing things off a list!
Filing tax returns at the last minute – a skydiving-level adrenaline rush
Symptoms:
- You ignore VAT and ZUS reminders until the last day.
- On the day you file your return, you have a sudden boost of energy and 17 tabs open with tax regulations.
- You send everything randomly and then wait for a letter from the tax office.
Diagnosis:
Tax aversion is normal, but last-minute action increases the risk of mistakes and unnecessary stress.
Treatment:
Set fixed day of the month to manage taxes (e.g. every 5th day of the month).
Use invoicing apps and automatic reminders.
If you have an accountant, listen to her instead of delivering documents five minutes before the deadline.
Accidentally clicking "Send" in the ZUS system – what could go wrong?
Symptoms:
- You log into the system not really knowing what you are doing.
- You fill out the declaration and send it without checking it – because of the deadline!
- After a while you start googling "how to withdraw sent documents to ZUS?".
Diagnosis:
Running a business requires a certain amount of control, especially over official matters. One wrong click can mean a financial penalty or unnecessary confusion.
Treatment:
Don't act under time pressure - it's better to do something well than quickly.
Use the checklist before sending important documents.
If you are not sure what you are doing, consult your accountant or advisor.
Ignoring rest – “the entrepreneur does not sleep, the entrepreneur is awake”
Symptoms:
- Your diet is coffee and anything you can eat at the computer.
- You wake up and think about invoices. You go to bed and… think about invoices.
- Your friend asks when you last had a weekend off, and you can't remember.
Diagnosis:
Lack of rest leads to a decrease in creativity, efficiency and ultimately to burnout. Working 24/7 will not make you earn more - it will rather lead to you dropping everything and moving to the Bieszczady Mountains.
Treatment:
- Plan days off and stick to them like tax deadlines.
- Introduce a rule that says “I don’t check email after 6pm” (and try to stick to it!).
- Play sports, go for a walk, find a hobby – JDG is not your whole life (although sometimes it seems that way).
How to make your JDG live long and happily?
- Delegate tasks, because you're not a cyborg.
- Do the most important things early in the day, before you get sucked into TikTok.
- Don't leave your taxes until the last minute, because adrenaline is not a business strategy.
- Take care of your health, because the company does not exist without you.
And remember – JDG is a marathon, not a sprint. Thoughtful action and avoiding bad habits will make your business survive longer than the next tax reform.
And what bad habits do you see in yourself? Share in the comments!
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