An Argument: Being Employed vs Working On Your Own

I was just sitting and discussing with a friend of mine about work, the fragile economy, and life as a whole. It got interesting when we started about work, because unlike me (well, the present me), this friend here is self-employed.

He started off telling me he was finishing his work soon, and heading home in a few. So I asked him "So John, what do you do after work?", and he says "Spend time with my whole family, meet up with neighbours and friends, walk around and shop around.".

That's a beautiful life, I told him. It's always pleasant to have enough time to enjoy life. And unlike most of us, he doesn't have to ask for permission to leave earlier, or come later for work. He IS his own dictator. That's what I feel is the ideal way of life.

It is of no use having a good job title, earning a high salary, and being the darling of the office if you have to sacrifice your good life - and by that I mean losing your time to enjoy life, lacking time to enjoy the company of your friends and family, and not having the time to even enjoy the high salary that you earn from the hours you spend in the office.

To me, working life is the same as selling yourself for a price. The price being the salary that is being paid to you. And once you are paid the price, you are automatically under the company's ownership.

I have always found the debate on working for a company versus being self-employed interesting. On one side, people assume the stability of being employed by others is what makes a day job ideal. On the other half (of which I have always been on), I find the chance to enjoy a better quality life is far more precious than whatever price you are paid for your salary.

Now, I'm not saying I don't want to work hard. But think about this - if you are given a chance to get both a relatively good income PLUS the ability to enjoy it, would you think twice? And here's another notion - stability in a job? You must be living in the pre-2k era if you think so. These days, employees can switch from being an asset to becoming a liability in just a flash.

So if you are employed now, earning a high salary, but are not happy with the quality of your life, don't you think it's time you reassess your life plan? The new year is just 2 months away. It is time we make our move towards a better life :)