When you work for yourself, it’s really easy to get lost in the work day. Many times you’ll try to get an edge on the day and start an hour or two before typical “office hours” for your large-company counterparts. You’ll often work late as well because there’s no one to tell you when to go home at the end of the day. When you work for yourself, it’s easy to lose track of time, work too much, and lose sight of why you do what you do in the first place.
A specific example would be my work life. There was a time when I would come home at the end of the day to spend time on my computer building websites for fun. Yes, I did it for fun. Web development was my hobby for a long time – I have always seen it as a form of art. After a while, people began to donate money for my work. After that, people refused to let me work with them unless I charged them. Later still, I was told my rates were too low and asked to raise them.
Very quickly, my “hobby” became a second job. It’s still fun, but not something I do solely for my own enjoyment. Having someone pay me for my work takes a little out of it, to be honest. As another consequence, my delicate balance between “work” and “play” has shifted heavily towards the former. Even I consider myself somewhat a work-a-holic.
So I’ve decided to pick up a new hobby. Years ago, I learned to play the guitar. I’ve wanted to take it back up for a while now, and I just bought a new instrument last week. I’ve been playing for a week now, and it’s amazing how fast it comes back. Thankfully, I’m far from having to worry about anyone wanting to pay me for my music, so there’s no danger of this new hobby becoming “work” any time soon.
Having a non-work-related hobby is important for anyone in the world of self-employment. You need to take a few hours now and then to refresh yourself and enjoy something not targetted at increasing your bottom line. Only by separating yourself from your work can you truly remember why it is you got started in the first place. Then you can go back to work with a rekindled passion.
So how do you balance your “work time” and your “play time?” Has the line become too blurred in your life as well?
