Self Employment and a flexible schedule

Yesterday I took the time off from my business responsibilities to take care of some homeschool responsibilities.  My daughter as part of her homeschool co-op is part of a Frontier Girls troop.  I am not the founder or leader of this troop, but I have been helping out this year as an extra pair of hands and eyes.  Wednesday to Thursday was our yearly campout.  I was unable to attend the overnight part due to other family responsibilities and was called home early to help out with an older daughter who is having a very difficult 1st pregnancy and tri-mester.

The part of the campout I got to participate in was a nature hike in First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  We had 22 children on this hike with 4 adults to keep things under control.  We had purchased a guide so we got to learn all sorts of new things along this hike that I hadn't known before.  It was a good time.

This is the reason that I do not have a traditional job.  Being self employed in the direct marketing field allows me to have something to actively work on for my own well being while being available for my family whenever they may need me.

having a flexible schedule does not mean that I do not have a schedule.  I very much do.  I spend time daily doing things to promote my business, serve customers or work on developing mu business and leadership skills.

I learned many years ago that if your flexible schedule isn't planned out a bit then you will never do anything toward your business.  Sometimes that means that I plan things around my work schedule and sometimes that means that I plan work around my family schedule.

Setting aside planned office hours when you have your own business is imperative to success.  Those hours do not have to be at the same time everyday, but you do need to have them consistently on a weekly basis.

In direct sales I do have the flexibility of finding unexpected opportunities when I am out and about, but when you are in sales or owner of a company you are on the lookout for and take advantage of whatever opportunities you find.  My husband who is being groomed to rake over his father's industrial size pressure washer business is doing this all the time as well.

Being self employed does allow you to be flexible, but if you find your flexible being never, you are not running a business.