Work/Life Balance for Solopreneurs: What Does ‘Freedom and Flexibility’ Actually Mean?
What does having freedom and flexibility
in your schedule actually look like?
These days, I love waking up with a whole day ahead of me.
I get to choose my own schedule - when I work, when I rest, and how I work and rest.
When I talk about ‘Freedom and Flexibility’ as a solo business owner, this article is about what freedom and flexibility mean to me, from a practical and tactical every day level.
Note 1: These facets of freedom and flexibility that I’m sharing below are so important to me that I’ve consciously created my whole life around the ability to have the space for these.
I’ve turned down job offers, straight up quit jobs, and launched into the unknown more times than I can count.
Note 2: I’m not a ‘hustler’ by nature - I’d rather feel into when I want to work, than structure my day and be regimented about my schedule. Most of the business people I look up to (and most that I don’t look up to, too, tbh) work in a very structured way. And this makes sense! And works for them.
But part of what I love about working for myself is the ability to honor myself in any given moment and do what feels right.
So if I’m feeling sleepy at 10am, I’ll take a little brain break. If I’m feeling motivated at 10PM, I’ll work. This works for me, and I love it, but it may be too loosy-goosy for a lot of entrepreneurs and small business owners just starting out.
Or maybe you’re exactly like this and thinking Finally! I’ve found someone who also is chaotic like me! 😄👯 In which case, Welcome!!
Sub Note 2: This may change as I get busier and need more structure and time in my day, or if I need to bring anyone on to my team, but for now - it’s great!
OK enough notes, on with the showwww!
Some of what ‘Freedom and Flexibility’ means to me…
… on an everyday level
Wake up without an alarm ⏰
Wake up at 5:30 am when I’m jet-lagged and start working (after journaling and making a cup or four of ☕)
Rearrange my house for 45 minutes when I wake up, just because it feels like it’s time
Decide the times of day I work best
Volunteer (currently I read books with second graders every Tuesday through Oregon’s SMART program)
Take a work break between 10am and 12pm to nap, go for a run, or just sit and practice Duolingo
Set my meeting availability to times when I work best and am able to give my best
Work from home, bed, couch, coffee shop, floor, friend’s house, van in Iceland, coworking space in Lviv, my apartment lobby…. You get the picture!
Work late into the night until 10, 11, 12 on a project I’m excited about - or writing content for this here blog!
Work from anywhere I am in the world (this is a big one for me!)
Take off early on a Friday to go paddleboard with my boyfriend
Work my schedule around important events or trips
Be available when my mom asks me to do a favor, or just spending time with her and my brothers
Run errands during the week when businesses and roads aren’t as busy
Lunch dates with friends
Work fewer hours to honor myself if I’m feeling off
Work more hours if I’m jazzed up about a project
Work 7 days a week or work 1 day a week - or anywhere in between
Focus on my own priorities, my health and general well-being
What do other solopreneurs and freelancers do with ‘Freedom and Flexibility’ in their schedule:
Work on their Masters Degree
Spend time with their kids
Walk their dog/Play with their dog/Take 1000 photos of their dog
Continuing education
Exercise
Volunteer
Film YouTube videos, Insta Reels and TikToks when there’s great daylight outside
Watch movies
Chat with their friends or loved ones on the phone
Networking or coworking groups
Write articles
Write a book
Yoga retreat in Guatemala
These were all shared with me by friends and clients and loved ones.
However…
as every solopreneur knows, having freedom and flexibility in your schedule is not all a bed of roses.
There are some things I miss about working in mainstream corporate jobs, like:
Working with people. I miss having co-workers.
Health Insurance.
Ability to have a constant stream of income without having to worry about finding clients
Not having to pay self-employment taxes
I snack a lot more when I have tasty food in the house 😋
It can be harder to motivate to run or take care of household chores or errands when I’m head down in projects
… but what those can mean to me are:
Working with people. I miss having co-workers. | I’d like to find a community of like-minded people to co-work with.
Health Insurance. | Obviously I need to take care of my health, and it’s something that slips through the cracks when I don’t have employer-provided health insurance. This year my goal is to figure out how to have affordable and trustworthy access to maintain my health. (I haven’t been to a doctor since before Covid, and my last dentist visit was in Mexico City in 2022. Which was great!)
Ability to have a constant stream of income without having to worry about it | Honestly this is a big one I hear A LOT. But for me, I actually like the excitement and don’t mind the stress (usually).
Because I don't have any dependents, I don’t have to worry about supporting anyone else. And I (FINALLY) paid off my student loans a couple of years ago and bought an old used car in cash, so I don’t have a mountain of debt that I have to worry about.
Not having to pay self-employment taxes | this is annoying, but I account for this and set aside 25-30% of my income each year in order to have enough to pay taxes quarterly and each year. (though I didn’t realize I had to pay quarterly state taxes last year - WHOOPS!)
I snack a lot more when I have tasty food in the house 😋 | more tasty food in my mouth, not the worst thing in the world!
It can be harder to motivate to run or take care of household chores or errands when I’m head down in projects | This is something I actively need to work on and get better about!
Being in control of what each of my days looks like boosts my mood, reduces my stress, and lets me feel like I’m architecting my own life to create the life I love. It offers me the freedom to work from anywhere, which is a HUGE benefit to travel-obsessed me, and the flexibility to be in control of my schedule.
🤔 What do freedom and flexibility mean to you? Shoot me an email and let me know.
Can’t wait to hear!
