There are moments when I think “I just want to have a job that feels easy and where I know what I’ve done at the end of the day”. I know that after a week max I would miss the challenges, but when I have these moments, I remind myself of two things:
What feels harder (learning opportunity!) as a business owner and what is easier (and what I don’t want to give up!) compared to working in a corporate job.
I share this list with you because I’m sure everyone who has a demanding job sometimes longs for days of doing something simpler with immediate, visible results.
Here is what feels harder:
I don’t have colleagues anymore. It’s me, sharing the office with Andy. I have peers but no colleagues. If I have questions, I can’t swivel my chair around and ask the person behind me to give me input or feedback. So I usually either have to figure it out myself or pay for professional help and advice. That’s ok but it is very different and sometimes I really miss being part of a team.
To surround myself with other professionals I usually end up attending events, because there isn’t even a co-working space near me. Events are fun, but sometimes not the best use of my time, especially as I work limited hours.
If there are tasks or projects I need to do but don’t have the skills, knowledge or time to tackle, I can’t ask a colleague for help. Delegation costs money or isn’t possible.
So far I’ve been able to manage these things well, but I still notice them when they pop up.
There are also a bunch of things that feel much easier now:
I have a lot of flexibility. I don’t need to ask for permission to attend an event or change my plans. As long as I plan in advance, I can do my work anywhere I want and I can also choose my working hours to suit me, while still being available for my clients in their time zones.
This means my work fits with our family life. Yes, I often work in the evening because when I’m with my daughter, I want to hang out with her and not think about other stuff.
I get to do work I love. Helping others build careers they enjoy and that allow them to use their skills and talents is my life’s purpose. I get to do that and it makes me happy. I also don’t have to spend time on things that feel unnecessary.
I only have the kind of meetings I want to have: client calls, discovery calls, market research calls, presentations.
And last but certainly not least: Whatever I achieve is down to me and the support I enlist. I set my own goals and define what success means to me. That feels like a massive benefit.