Why I could never be an employee again

I’ve been a Work at Home Mum for about 7 years now. I took voluntary redundancy when I was on maternity leave with Girl Child and haven’t looked back. Before that I was working part time in libraries while my Mum looked after Boy Child. Having had a taste of working for myself, I am certain I never want to go back to being an employee. It’s a bit like I’ve been deinstitutionalised! Here the reason I don’t think I could ever be an employee again.

I don’t think I’d actually make it to work

Every morning, I leave the house at the last possible moment I need to. I’d love to blame the kids for this but they are up at 6.20 (Every bloody day) and aren’t allowed downstairs until they have brushed their teeth, showered/washed and got themselves dressed. This means they are basically ready for school by 7am. The problem is me. I just love sleep too much. Once I’ve managed to get myself up, I need at least half an hour with a cup of tea before I can even contemplate getting dressed and making breakfast. If I had to get myself to a point where I looked presentable enough for work, there would be no chance of me managing it before the kids needed to be in school.

I couldn’t deal with having a boss again

One of the main problems with the whole job thing, is the whole boss thing. I hate being told what to do. While some of my bosses have been fine (great even) there really is no guarantee. You might take a job where the boss is great but then they leave and you’re stuck with some insufferable idiot on a power trip who wants to time your bathroom breaks.

How would I do the “life admin”?

I spend a fair amount of my time dealing with life admin. Not just mine, but the kids too. As well as (all the) cleaning there is a constant stream of invites, permission slips, dates to remember, appointments to make and events to plan. I truly don’t know how parents who work out of the home cope. If I got a job, I suspect I’d very soon be “that Mum” who doesn’t reply to invitations and the school have to constantly chase for trip payments.

I wouldn’t be able to eat all day!

Eating what I want, when I want, is one of the great joys of being a work at home mum. Now that the kids are in school 9-3, I structure my day in such a way as I can fit in two snacks and a lunch and sometimes all of these meals consist of chocolate and crisps, particularly after the school holidays when I’ve had to eat properly for a week or two. I suspect that if I was a work, I wouldn’t afforded the freedom to eat on a two hourly basis.

The Politics would push me over the edge

I know from experience that I wouldn’t be able to stay out of things. Working in the public sector I saw a lot of decisions made they I knew were crazy. I was never able to stand back quietly and just watch the service users suffer. This meant that work was often a very stressful experience and I really would t want to go back to that.

I like to be in control

Just the idea of having to be at a certain place, at a certain time everyday makes me feel trapped. One of the things I love about working for myself is the freedom to choose how I spend my days. If I’m bored of something, I can do something else. If I’m not feeling great, I can work on something I find easier. If inspiration strikes, I can run with my idea without having to wait for anyone’s permission.

When I was employed I was pretty much always looking for the next job. I got bored very quickly and was always searching for a role that would keep me interested. Working for myself, in my own space, means that I’m free to choose my own direction so that I don’t get bored and that is really the main reason I don’t think I’ll ever be an employee again.

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