The Unique Plight of the Self-Employed

I've been self-employed for well over a decade and although I still zap resumes to interesting jobs, the truth is I can't imagine working for anyone else.

Self-employment has given me the freedom to set my own (albeit often long) hours, work at my pace and use every skill in my repertoire. It allows spontaneous decision making like "I would love to meet for a coffee today" or "of course I'll join you in Hawaii next month." These are the rewards reaped from discipline and dedication to self-guided hard work.

Still, there are challenges unique only to the self-employed experience. There are the big ones like finding affordable health coverage and sorting through itemized tax deductions. These factors are often enough deterrence for people to avoid self-employment.

There are other challenges that are harder on a day to day basis. Somehow the term self-employed gets equated with always available. Yes I have complete control over my schedule, but the fact remains that I still have to work.

I am, of course, happy to help out my friends who are in the 9-5 grind. I can pick up the kids if their work day goes late or wait for the cable guy with laptop in hand. These are the perks of a flexible schedule and I'm happy to share.

Too often though it feels that I struggle to keep my time to myself. Although I come from a stock of happy workaholics that thrive on entrepreneurialism, there are plenty of people in my life who have trouble seeing my time outside the norm of 9-5.

Friends and some family have difficulty separating their set schedules from my very unset life. I don't work every day but I also don't necessarily take off Saturdays, or Sundays for that matter.

I might escape to the sauna midweek when the crowds are low, knowing I can put some time in over the weekend. I plan to make all the big holidays celebrations but I don't take weeks off around them when every kid has been set free from school and the highways are clogged with traveling families.