Can you be your own boss?

It seems like an ideal situation.  You can set your own working hours and decide when you want to take a break. There are no unreasonable supervisors, nor do you have to answer to anyone restricting your movement. This is done all while you earn an income and enjoy the fruits of your hard work. Sounds too good to be true? Well for those who are self employed, it is a part of their reality.

Is this a feasible option for you? Well let’s consider the total picture before you decide.

Work and more work!

A factor that some might not realize at first is that if you are the boss, everything falls on your shoulders. Being your own boss can eliminate some stress, but it causes other types of problems. Many persons who are their own boss, work beyond the regular nine to five hours of an employee.  Even weekends and public holidays are not off limits, especially if the business is a fledgling one and there is much groundwork to be done.

The structure that ‘normal’ jobs offer is underappreciated, as most of us need structure in order to function and succeed. To ensure that you are working when you are the most productive, as the boss you should set your working hours. This will mean you can avoid over-working yourself, which tends to be a huge problem for the self-employed. Your working hours will be suited to you individually, but make sure to have a ‘switch off’ time.

This is perhaps one of the most challenging aspect of being your own boss. When you have eliminated a boss who breathes down your neck, you will need to source motivation elsewhere. This is not often easy but this is where your family or friends’ support will prove useful. It is also good to schedule time just to regroup and recover after a particular stressful period.

Your time is also a limited resource. No matter how much we wish it weren’t so, there are still only 24 hours in a day. As the boss, your time will also be in constant demand so manage your time so that you are not rushing around trying to complete projects before the deadline which can result in additional stress.

Getting your business off the ground can be a huge challenge. You will likely underestimate the difficulty of selling things until you try to do it yourself. You can create the perfect product but if you don’t market it well, it will likely fail. Therefore, you need to pay attention to marketing as it is essential part of selling a product or service.

Success does not come overnight so what happens when you have challenges? In that case you must have the dedication and motivation to make the right choices when the going gets tough or even mildly uncomfortable – which it will.

Keep your finger on the pulse of what motivated you to start your business in the first place.  Accept that it won’t be easy, and decide to keep your passion intact.

So what’s your take on the issue? Are you thinking of being your own boss? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner Online writer

Tags: boss, employer, manage, schedule, stress, time, work