The Perils of a Self-Employed Day Off: A Cautionary Tale of Freedom

Frances Gallagher Gallagher Author

Aug 31, 2024 |

As a self-employed person, you have decided to take a day off work!

The Perils of a Self-Employed Day Off: A Cautionary Tale of Freedom

Ah, the elusive day off—a mythical creature in the world of the self-employed. For those of us who run our own show, a day off isn’t just a break from work; it’s an existential crisis wrapped in a cosy blanket of guilt. After all, when you're your own boss, every moment not spent working feels like a moment wasted. So, what happens when a self-employed person dares to take a day off? Let me walk you through the rollercoaster ride.

7:00 AM - The Alarm Clock Conundrum

You’ve decided. Today is the day. The alarm goes off, and you groggily remember your bold declaration from last night: “I’m taking a day off!” The bed feels unusually comfortable, allowing you to sink back into the pillows. But wait! Isn’t this the perfect time to get a jumpstart on the Lir Trainer Membership site? No, no, no—today is a day of rest. But wouldn’t it be nice to check emails at least?

And so it begins. The first pangs of guilt creep in, like unwelcome house guests. You stare at the ceiling, wondering if your clients are thinking, “Where are they? Why aren’t they working?”

9:00 AM - The Guilt-Trip Breakfast

You drag yourself to the kitchen, determined to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Maybe you’ll cook something fancy, just because you can. But as you slice your avocado and scramble your eggs, your brain is already churning with ideas. “What if I launched a new marketing campaign?” “I could write a blog post about this.” You shake your head—this is your time to relax!

But that little voice in your head isn’t so easily silenced. Instead of savouring your food, you find yourself scrolling through social media, feeling envious of everyone else’s productivity. Are they all working? Should you be working too?

11:00 AM - The Battle of the Books/Kindle

After breakfast, you decide to indulge in a good book. You decide to avoid Kindle – too work-related. You deserve this, right? You scan your bookshelf, only to realise that all your reading material is—surprise, surprise—work-related.

“Hmm, maybe I should read that new marketing book. Or that guide on productivity hacks.” You plop down on the couch, book in hand, ready to dive into some relaxing… business strategies.

A few pages in, with should I turn on the telly swirling around in your head, you realise you’re not relaxing at all. In fact, you’re taking notes, ideas firing off in your head like a malfunctioning popcorn machine. This isn’t leisure reading—this is work in disguise. Arrgghh, I should be working on my latest course design, my Trainer Membership site, and promoting and selling the benefits of this to trainers … my head is buzzing!

1:00 PM - The Great Outdoors (Sort Of)

Desperate to escape the workaholic in your brain, you decide to go for a walk. Fresh air, nature, and no screens—this will do the trick! You lace up your runners and head out, determined to clear your mind.

But as you stroll through the park, you can’t help but notice the people around you, all seemingly with somewhere important to be. You feel under-dressed. “They’re probably on their lunch breaks,” you think. “I wonder how they balance work and life. Maybe I should write a blog about work-life balance…”

You shake your head, trying to push work out of your thoughts. You’re supposed to enjoy the birds, the trees, the… wait, isn’t this the perfect spot for a new client meeting? You mentally jot down the location for future reference. So much for clearing your mind.

3:00 PM - The Tech-Free Struggle

Determined to embrace your day off fully, you decide to go tech-free for the afternoon. No phone, no laptop, no emails. You turn off your devices and take a deep breath. Freedom!

But what now? You sit in silence for all of five minutes before your mind starts racing. “Did I miss an important call? What if there’s an urgent email? Should I just check real quick?” The temptation is unbearable. You reach for your phone, only to remember that it’s supposed to be off. The guilt swirls as you wonder if the world is crumbling without your immediate input.

5:00 PM - The Lonely Realisation

By now, you’ve made it through most of the day, and you’re starting to feel the weight of your self-imposed solitude. You didn’t arrange to meet anyone because, well, everyone else is working. The irony isn’t lost on you. Here you are, finally taking a break, only to find that you’re all alone in your downtime. “Maybe I should’ve scheduled a meeting or arranged to have a cuppa—at least then I’d have someone to talk to.”

You glance at your phone again, hoping for a message, an invitation, something to justify breaking the silence. But alas, everyone else is being productive. Should you be too?

7:00 PM - The Reluctant Surrender

As the day winds down, you’re torn between relief that it’s almost over and dread at the thought of returning to your usual grind. You’ve spent the whole day trying to avoid work, only to find that your brain wouldn’t let you escape it. You know that you will do better the next time.

But here’s the thing: you took a day off. You tried. Maybe it wasn’t the perfect, blissful escape you envisioned, but you took the time. And tomorrow, when you dive back into work, you might find that the ideas that buzzed around all day have turned into something brilliant.

So, here’s to the self-employed warriors who dare to take a day off, even if it’s just a little bit of a mess. We may not know how to relax fully, but at least we can laugh at ourselves along the way. 

Cheers to the never-ending, guilt-ridden, idea-filled day off—we’ve earned it… sort of.

Categories: : entrepreneur, self-employed