Coming in to work today – a Friday of all days made me somewhat excited that the week is over. Even though I have a great job, I can’t help but look forward to the end of the week where I can finally relax and have 2 days all to myself. This wasn’t always the case.
While self-employed I realized that weekdays blended together, where the beginning of work week and the end were such a blur that it was impossible to distinguish workdays from weekends.
Thinking about the past and how it was too trivial to wait for weekends made me think about other things as well, like the completely different world that self-employed people live in compared to those who are gone during the day.
No More Lines
Having the freedom of choosing when to take time off during the day creates many opportunities to enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
Have you ever walked around town during work hours? It’s empty!
Now, empty might not mean anything to those living in the Midwest, but out here in Southern California it means a load of difference.
Places that are typically crowded are now accessible. Where wait lines exist by night, dissipate by day. Shopping places are crowd-less and stocked with fresh produce and newly arrived products. The street noise in suburbia is almost non-existent to the point where it is enjoyable to go outside and do things.
The overall quality of life improves when you are running on a different time.
Granted I am ignoring many other important aspects that actually contribute to your life’s enjoyment such as being healthy, having friends and spending time with family, but there is something to be said about existing in the same society as everyone else yet functioning on a completely different time.
There is a sense of freedom and peace when you can enjoy a good movie during the typical work day – without any annoyance from the crowds that gather at night.
The chores of shopping for the week become enjoyable when you don’t have to stick to a tight schedule of the workweek.
Visiting the park or nearby botanical gardens brings a sense of serenity when you have to share the entire place with only a handful of others.
Where service is meager in restaurants by night, you suddenly enjoy a mountain of focused pampering from the overwhelmingly friendly staff.
The list can go on and on. However, the benefits are only there when you have someone to share them with – a partner, a friend or family, anyone who can keep you great company to avoid an otherwise lonely existence.
Have You Tried This Lifestyle?
Every person should experience the freedom of being loose during the typical work hours. The only way to do that is to get out of the 9-5 job and pave your way to financial success through diligent work as a self-employed crusader of sorts.
Or win the lottery.
I’ll put my bets on achieving personal success through hard work over the odds of winning the lottery! Also, I’m not sure the quality of life would remain anything as enjoyable if a load of money was suddenly bestowed upon one.
I definitely agree that shifting your work hours can help you save money and have a higher quality of life. Most people WANT the 9-5 hours, which is totally understandable for various reasons. If you can shift the times that you run errands, work out, and even travel there is money to be saved and a LOT less crowds.
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The crowds are a bigger concern for us on the west coast, probably more so than central or mid-western states.
Nice post! This is one of the main reasons why I love being my own boss and running our own business. Sure, taking time off can be difficult and everything rests on you. But, you also get to set your own schedule, which I LOVE. Because of that I could take our three year old to see Finding Nemo (in 3-D) for his birthday last week and we were the only ones in the theatre. He loved it, and it’s a memory that was priceless.
I love having the freedom to do the work when I want to do it andf dnot when someone else is telling me to do it. It does take discipline, and is not always easy as it might sound, but is definitely worth it in my opinion.
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I’m curious what it is you do. I noticed you said you’ll be writing more on that, so I’m looking forward to reading about it
Some of my best work is reflected through the freedom and flexibility of setting my own hours, because I KNOW when I will be most useful and productive. For example, I tend to go into a crazed, inspirational mode during the wee hours of the night, and I can just run with that creativity.
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I know what you mean. I’m most productive in the morning. Come late afternoon and all I want to do is take a nap. However, some of the better writing (in my opinion) that I’ve done was late at night. Somehow night makes me more passionate about writing.
I love my freedom and you are right that it is blissful to shop and go out when most people are working. I would like to be more effective with my time though! too much freedom!
(PS typo in your title)
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That’s a huge typo I overlooked, hahaha. Must have been half asleep!
I love freedom. I however am not self-employed so I have not experienced the freedom of walking the streets when everyone is working (except when on vacation). I think this would be really enjoyable and is something I hope for one day.
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Self-employed, unemployed, all works. LOL. Well preferably not unemployed – then its extremely depressing to be out while everyone’s working!
Even just shifting hours in the day can make a world of difference. Working 7-4 means I get good parking and everything is still open when I leave.
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Oh, I know it. I get home around 6 and can’t catch anyone on the phone. Cable company has been overcharging me for the internet and I can’t get a hold of them unless I call during the day. Who wants to argue cable bills from work? Heh…
I worked the night shift last night…got home at 5:30 this morning. After getting a few hours of sleep, my wife and I went to a double feature. In the first movie, we appeared to be the only ones under 60!
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Hahahaha! We used to go to indie movie theater nearby during the day when I was self-employed. Same situation, all elderly.
My normal shift is 6:30 am – 2:30 pm, (the odd times I don’t work overtime) and although it is a HUGE pain to wake up much earlier than my body wants to, it is nice not to have any traffic and get in a few errands done before the after work rush comes. I can even squeeze in a nap before going to my part -time job in the evening.
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I’m curious, what time do you wake up?
I am a freelancer and I am reaping the benefits of it everytime I get to have a date whenever I want. My time is very flexible and I get to spend it with people I love.
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How about your schedule… does it work out well with your family and friends? I mean, aren’t they working when you have time off? I found this to be the biggest challenge of being self-employed – while I’m free, everyone’s working.
I usually get out of work around 1 or 2 and there is so much less traffic. If I get out of work at 3 then it takes me about twice as long to get home as it does at 2. Plus I can take a shorter route since the streets I prefer to take aren’t dangerously blocked by traffic at lights.
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1 or 2 .. during the day?
Freelancing is not easy at first, especially if you are still in the process of building up yourself online. But once you get yourself stable, that’s when you start to really enjoy life. Nothing beats being your own boss and still earn a lot of money (sometimes more than what people earn when they work 8 hours a day 5 days a week). Freelancing is awesome!
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This is exactly why I’m aiming for an early retirement – at my current pace, I’ll get there in 8 years. I can’t wait to shop in the middle of the day while my contemporaries are slaving away in the office!
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I dream of this! I feel like I’m being ‘bad’ like skipping school if I’m out during a workday! I’m on mat leave right now so I do what I want (when baby allows and hubby is home w/ car) makes me want to stay home with her even more! I do like the structure and schedule at the same time though, sort of torn.
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