Whenever someone asks me to fill a form in about my employment I delight in causing confusion.
“Are you employed, self-employed, or retired?” I am honestly able to reply, “All three!”
Although it confuses others, it is quite clear to me. I retired early from my career and receive a pension for 30 years of my labour. However, this small pension doesn’t keep my family in the style to which it has grown accustomed, so I continue to work. I have an office job in the mornings (07:30 - 12:30), doing routine clerical work, and in the afternoon and evenings I am a co-director of a small company. So, I am retired, employed, and self-employed.
It is this last bit (the self-employment) which is the source of greatest satisfaction, but also of increasing stress. It is the most satisfying for a variety of reasons:
- The work is creative and enables me to interact with individuals in depth. It occasionally produces very satisfying outcomes. It can stretch the mind and warm the heart.
- It also gives me freedom to select what I want to do and don’t want to do. I have a greater sense of agency and control.
- And quite frankly, it is financially rewarding too. Although the work-flow is unreliable and unpredictable (not regular enough yet to enable me to give up my office job), I can now earn about the same in one hour of being self-employed than I can take home from working all morning in my office job.
However, at times, it can feel very stressful. In the past fortnight, it has been very demanding. Several factors can contribute to the load:
- The nature of the human interactions can sometimes be stressful and tiring, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
- Liaison with external agencies, not only brings in extra work, but extra paperwork. Each new client comes with a rain forest of forms to complete and return. And each agency has a different procedure to follow. Claiming money can be a nightmare.
- Because the work rate is variable and unpredictable there is a temptation to say “Yes” to everything because you never know when the work is going to dry up completely (and it does occasionally - most noticeably in the weeks around Christmas).
- Although working from home does have advantages, when there is major disruption in the household (illness of a family member, for example), maintaining a reasonable work environment and routine can be difficult.
I’m not complaining. I am conscious that I am fortunate in being able to earn and generate income. I enjoy the variety. But I do need to work on drawing more boundaries, not feeling that I have to fill every free slot in the diary just because the demand is there at the present. It’s about developing my risk-taking muscle and saying “No” in order to stop working from 07:30 - 21:00. It’s about working to live. Perhaps I should see a therapist!
Interestingly, you never spoke of the tax return. Doesn’t it get complicated when you have several sources of income?
I totally abhor doing my taxes, so that’s why I don’t want to be self-employed. Having to keep track of so many small expenses sucks, in my opinion.
Ah, I know why you didn’t mention it. You have an accountant and he/she worries about all that.
In any case, it is encouraging to hear that someone is doing do well even after retirement. Now we know how you pay for your little, fancy electronic toys!
Yes, I am employed and self-employed (although not retired as yet). I am employed by two organisations one for a quarter time and one for a tenth time. I remain employed to retain some sort of pension entitlement and for security I suppose - I know that even if I have no other work I will be able to pay the bills.
But yes, it is the self-employment that gives me enjoyment. I can largely choose what I take on (although there is a balance - some of the things I am not SO interested in actually pay much better so I do some of those)
I love the fact that I can determine when (and from where) I work and also the fact that I do not have colleagues or any of that petty office/departmental politics. It is a scary decision to take to give up the security of a career - but it is one I have never regretted, not for a single instant.
Lorena is right re the tax situation though. And yes, I certainly do use an accountant despite being a mathematician.
Lorena
“fancy electronic toys” - They’re not toys, they’re essential items of expenditure that I need to conduct my business!
As for the tax return - the computer and accountancy software does the tracking (provided I remember to enter the details - part of the daily routine) and the accountant finds my mistakes and fills in the forms. I never thought I would ever say this, but accountants are wonderful. Each year mine costs hundreds, but actually saves me thousands - not to mention the saving on the hassle as well. Well worth it.
Relucs
I agree entirely with what you said. It was scary being out of the mainstream at first, though I can’t pretend it was a decision I courageously took. I had to retire early on health grounds. The freedom to be creative on my own terms is wonderful too. And yes, I wish I had done it years ago and not left it until the latter part of my working life.
I don’t think accountancy has much to do with mathematics. You need to be a certain kind of person to be an accountant, and I sense that you are not one of them
They’re not toys, they’re essential items of expenditure that I need to conduct my business!
Ha! Whatever you say, dear.
Just spotted this one. Come on onethoughtfulwoman, you have been missing the writing action.
I think this blog has been written because partly, you have had a combination of all those things you post about just recently.Plus, you busy week last week especially. It has made you think about your work/ life balance.
I used to have two part- time jobs. I know what it’s like to juggle both. It is harder to do than one full-time position. I suspect for you, because you work partly from home, you must feel sometimes are you ever off duty.
Ok, tonight I have brought admin work home but essentially my job means I can usually separate the two.
You know I think you still work far to hard but I know you too well now to know that would ever drastically change. it’s what makes you tick. You would hate to be idle and would soon find something else to fill your time.
I know the afternoon job is the most rewarding but you know there might come a time when you want to lay that to one side. I don’t see that for a very long time though, if ever.