When I was made redundant for the 2nd time a couple of years ago, I knew that I wanted to try something different. Having recently relocated to Hampshire I was in the perfect position to try a new venture and so I set myself up as a virtual assistant. Now a couple of years later I am a full-time content creator and virtual assistant and I love it – so I wanted to share with you the benefits of being your own boss.
Pick Your Own Hours
Although working random hours doesn’t work for everyone it is something I really enjoy. For example, if I have a weekend with very few plans I know I can work a few hours to make the next week easier & then take off a day in the week if I want to. This doesn’t work for every business, but my job generally isn’t one where I need to be around for set business hours so I can pick and choose my own hours and manage my own workload.
You’re in Control
Being your own boss means you get to choose what projects you take on, rather than being forced to work on projects that you aren’t enjoying or wish you could do differently. Of course, there are going to be times when financially it makes sense to take on a job that you don’t love, but knowing that you often have more of a choice than just having something thrust upon you is great.
Work/Life Balance
For me, I love the work/life balance it gives me. This can vary from industry to industry and even the time of year – however, if I stay on top of things like accounts and admin then i find my work/life balance is much better. Being organised when I am working definitely gives me more freedom to take time off and adjust my hours to suit, so I do things like keep on top of my accounts so that when it comes to filling in my self-assessment I know I am on top of things (this article by Markel Direct really helps with that too!)
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to consider when it comes to deciding to be your own boss. It isn’t always the easiest, especially in a freelance capacity where sometimes the money in varies from month to month. However, for me as long as I stay on top of all my admin and stay motivated I find that being my own boss is something I much prefer over working for someone else!
*Collaborative post
Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.
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