It kinda feels like the whole world is telling us we need to be entrepreneurs. Don’t get me wrong – I love the hustle. Loooooooove it. I used to be a freelance online marketer, and that entrepreneurial spirit never goes away.
However, it feels like you can’t swing a homemade Etsy tote bag without hearing temptation calling you to “be your own boss” and “find your happy”. And who doesn’t want more time with their kids?
This post isn’t to discourage working mothers who aspire to self-employment world domination (I stand by you and salute you!). However, this post is for the mommas who may be waffling and haven’t considered another option … having a full-time job and still being a total boss lady!
How can this be? Well, I’m glad you asked! Here’s why I’m totally okay with calling somebody else boss during the business hours so that I can be the boss of the rest of my world.
When I’m Off, I’m Off
Is freelancing a summer fling for you or are you ready to get married? It’s super exciting – that rush you get when a payment hits your PayPal account. The dream, the promise of being a boss lady on your own terms. But here’s the thing: Becoming a full-time freelancer means you never clock out. And when I think back to my freelance days, I know that if I were doing it now, my kid would be seeing a lot of laptop glow on my face. I’m not saying you can’t achieve a work-life balance when you’re self-employed, but for me it would be extremely difficult. When I’m playing with my kid, I love that I’m truly 100% off. My clients aren’t e-mailing me. I’m not hitting refresh on a sales page. That kid has all of me.
Health Insurance & Steady Income
Until we see some changes in the insurance market and in Washington, I would be terrified to take the leap unless I had a spouse with good health insurance. And unless you have a very healthy savings account, you’ll be sweating about more than insurance premiums. Just routine living expenses are going to be stressful unless you have some healthy savings or a spouse who’s bringing in a stable income. But who wants to just make it? It’d also be nice to buy my girl the best children’s kitchen playset for Christmas without breaking the bank. No matter how tight things get, there’s something to be said about knowing where your next paycheck is coming from and how much it’s going to be. And even when nothing’s for certain – even a full-time job – some things are more certain than others.
Socialization (With Adults!)
I’m not ashamed to say it: I’m totally cool with not being with my daughter 24/7. We’re together non-stop during the weekends and it is freaking hard (albeit wonderful, too). Going away to my 9-to-5 is bittersweet. I look at my warm, cuddly little munchkin watching cartoons on my way out and I feel a little pang every time. But I also know that when I get to work, I’m going to have some conversations that go beyond the latest gossip on Goldie & Bear. And while stay-at-home parenting is a wonderful thing, for me it’s not in the cards at this time. I’ve made peace with that.
Meanwhile, the times I do have with my daughter are even sweeter since we get regular breaks from each other. I always tuck her in, and we take long, lazy naps together on weekends. But during business hours, I’m Business Mama and I think I would miss out on that mental stimulation with other adults if it were to go away. Even if they may not want to talk about the best car seats for small cars. And this is coming from a bona fide introvert!
Me Time (Sorta)
As parents, our time really doesn’t belong to us anymore unless we fight for it. And I fight for: a half hour before my workday, my lunch break, my two 15-minute breaks, and the hour-and-a-half between when I get home and when my daughter does. Add that up and it’s about 3.5 hours a day. No matter where I’m at, I put on my headphones and for that little pocket of time, it’s all about me.
A LOT can be done in that time, whether you’re catching up on This Is Us or writing your memoirs. There’s a caveat to this: In the morning before work, I’m inevitably interrupted as coworkers start trickling in. After work, I’ve also gotta get dinner started (a breeze, thanks to the Instant Pot by the way). So it’s not a perfect system, but it works for now.
I’m Still A Boss Lady
That’s right. At the end of the day, I may be calling somebody boss from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays. But otherwise, I’m the boss of my life. I’m in charge of my career development, my continued education, my family life, my love life, my health, and my personal fulfillment. Whatever happened to my entrepreneur spirit, you ask? Like I said, a lot can be done in 3.5 hours.
About Sarah
Sarah is the mommy (and brains) behind Baby Brain, a blog for moms-to-be and new moms. When she isn’t working her 9-to-5, she’s all about baby cuddles, true crime podcasts and her Instant Pot. You can also find her on Pinterest and Twitter.