When you’re self-employed and semi-retired, every day can feel like a Friday. Also, the Sunday night scaries and Monday morning blues never have to occur again. After spending the last 16+ years working for myself, I know this is true.
For most of my working life, I dreaded Monday mornings. A sick feeling would start in the pit of my stomach on Sunday evening. I would enjoy the weekend with my family and friends, but it would end all too soon. I knew the stress would begin again on Monday and crush my soul for the entire workweek.
To be fair, it wasn’t always like that. I had jobs in the past that were just “jobs.” I remember when I hadn’t started a “real career” yet that came with the stress of pursuing promotions, dealing with insane workloads, working under the pressure of unrealistic deadlines, and reporting to sociopathic leaders. That came later, when I began my professional career in the tech industry.
The early days of my Silicon Valley career weren’t so bad, either. As a low-level individual contributor working in old-school tech companies like IBM and Apple (before the internet boom), the demands weren’t crazy. We all knew and respected that we had real lives outside the office. Software delivery schedules were different back then, too. We had big releases about twice a year. Later, when the internet hit us, we started releasing monthly, then weekly, and then daily. Now it’s all continuous delivery. Yuck.
My life as a corporate employee was all about schedules, meetings, and time. But, my time was not my own, obviously. My employers controlled the definition of it.
When I had to start and end work every day.
The days of the weeks that I worked (hint: Sunday through Saturday).
How many hours I worked.
How I spent my time.
Who I spent my time with.
When I could vacation.
When I was allowed to be sick.
The perception of time
Growing up in the U.S., I guess I never really questioned the meaning of time, the hours in a day, days in a week, or months of the year. It all seemed fix and certain. I just accepted it. And I accepted when an employer got to control it.
However, a funny thing happens when you leave that world forever. When you stop letting an employer tell you when, where, and how you work. When you take control of your calendar and schedule.
You discover that the days of the week and the hours of each day are nothing more than a social construct. The only things that feel real are daylight hours, the darkness of night, the four seasons, and the weather.
It’s kind of primal and thrilling when that awakening really kicks in.
Since 2010, I have controlled my time and owned my calendar. With each passing year, I become less aware of the old structures that defined my school life and working life for so very long.
Now, I’m vaguely aware of what month it is. I often don’t know what day of the week it is until I check my phone. And, I rarely think about the time of day (unless I have a meeting or appointment).
I wake up when my body naturally wakes up.
I go to sleep when I feel tired.
I eat when I’m hungry (i.e., not at the usual set times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
I go into my little gym and work out when I feel like working out every day.
I work on my business the days I feel like working, regardless of what day of the week it is.
I take a day off when I feel like taking a day off. The concept of a “weekend” seems funny now.
I take time off, travel, and vacation when I feel like doing so (e.g., thanks to my business model and design, I can work from anywhere in the world.).
If this sounds like bragging, it’s not. I’m simply trying to describe it in a way that shows you what your life can be like if you choose self-employment and even semi-retirement. When you control your time, you decide what it all means to you. And you decide how you spend that time, and who deserves to be a part of it.
The freedom is like nothing you’ve experienced as an adult. Probably the closest you might remember is your childhood life before you entered school. But, even then, that’s not true for everyone.
Time freedom is an incredible gift. It’s one that self-employed people don’t talk about nearly often enough. But, I want you to be aware of it, so you can add it to the list of benefits that are waiting for you when you decide to start planning your independent business that will let you exit the world of employment.
If you want to chat more with me about all of this, you can always book a free call. Happy to discuss things with you!
From corporate exec to entrepreneur, Larry Cornett is a coach who helps you leverage your existing expertise to design a self-employment business that funds the life you want. Escape the 9-to-5 grind by creating your Exit Blueprint to freedom!
➡️ Ready to build your blueprint? Schedule a free call today to claim your spot.
