Learning the Rhythm of Self-Employed Life
Now that I’m a little over a year into life as a solopreneur, I’m starting to get used to my “schedule” — or lack thereof. There have been so many adjustments, lessons learned, and new things to adapt to with this lifestyle. Now that I’m finding my footing, I’m beginning to understand its rhythm and all of its caveats.
Two years ago today, I was working in a large corporate lab, diluting a solution of saline and drug product in various volumetric flasks — running a test I had performed countless times before. Today, I prepped and primed a 40-foot shipping container outside in the middle of nowhere, Illinois. In corporate, it often felt like every day was the same — running the same tests, facing similar problems, seeing the same people, and following a planned schedule. Since becoming a solopreneur, I have yet to live the same day twice. These days, I live at the mercy of my Google Calendar — one day it could be a new swim client, a mural project, work at the stadium, or a mix of all three. Each swim client is unique in their own way, and every mural is different. It’s exciting, and it keeps each day feeling new. I never really know how any given day will turn out — and while most of the time that’s fun, it can sometimes be a lot to keep up with!
There are a lot of phases or “tides” of work. In a 9–5 job, the workload may increase or decrease at times, but overall, it’s consistent. I’ve been adjusting to this new lifestyle, learning to go with the ever-changing state of flow and follow the natural rhythm of business. Some weeks, I have no mural projects, the gym is quiet, and I can sleep in every day, go on long walks, spend hours at the gym, and catch up on admin. That stretch can last two — sometimes even three — weeks. Then, just as I start getting a little stressed and desperate for work, I get a mural job, then another, plus five new swim client emails. For the next two months, I’m working from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for 18 days straight. I’m learning that when it’s slow, that’s my time to rest, recover, and enjoy the downtime, so that when the busy weeks come, I have the energy and mindset to handle them. It can be challenging to always trust that the work will come. The gaps can feel uncomfortable, and the long weeks can start to drag — but I’m learning to go with the natural flow and trust that both slow periods and busy ones always come to an end.
There are pretty much no days off. I worked almost every day of the year last year and have come to accept that weekends are a thing of the past. I’m so fortunate that I love what I do. My “work” is either swimming, painting, or teaching a workout class — and it’s so fun that I want to be doing it. I’d take any of those “jobs” over watching TV ten to one. But sometimes, I do want the one. While all my jobs are fun — and workdays are often only 4–5 hours of actual work — I seldom take a full day off.
I’m still adjusting to every day being different, and I’m realizing I may never fully get used to it. I’m working to find the right balance between taking on many exciting roles, managing the workload that comes with each, and carving out time to take care of myself and enjoy life. Overall, I think this lifestyle works well for me — for my energy levels — and I appreciate how it fuels my creativity and keeps me on my toes.