Why Being Your Own Leader Can Be Healing

Have you ever wondered what mental wellbeing has to do with entrepreneurship or why being your own leader can be healing? Well, with 1 in 5 people in the United State are experiencing mental health issues every year, it is obvious that one needs to give top priority to his/her wellbeing, including mental health. And this can be done by looking at what you are doing at your workplace. In fact, people often take sick leave owing to their mental problems, some of them arising at the workplace. So, why should a person risk his/her health doing something that they do not enjoy doing?  

While most women continue to bear the burden of traditional employment and experience depression, some make the leap to entrepreneurship to find their own voice. Being your own boss is somewhat uncomfortable in the beginning and requires constant learning. At the same time, it helps them to have mental peace and work according to their convenience. Entrepreneurship also enables you to take a no-nonsense approach and put your energy towards things that are soul-nurturing not soul-sucking.   

Being your own boss is not only healing but also offers numerous other benefits. Some of them are listed below:   

Make your own schedule

Most people engaged in traditional employment work on a “9 to 5” schedule, which is inconvenient for new mothers, caregivers at home, and also non-morning persons, especially those suffering from depression. On the other hand, starting your own business helps you to save energy and focus on times when you are most productive. It helps you to remain mentally and emotionally well. Since you are the boss, you also decide your schedule and also, when to take personal time off. In fact, mental health issues can strike anytime and anywhere. On many occasions, employees are forced to push them to the point where they actually burn out. When you are your own boss, you can go anywhere and do anything when you feel like needing some space and return to working again only when you are ready. This way, you don’t have to sacrifice your mental strength.  

Do the work you like

When you are your own boss, you have the freedom to do what you most like to do or are passionate about. As a business owner, you also have greater control over the tasks you take on. While you will require focusing some time on issues like hiring, human resources, and finances, you actually do not have to deal with these tasks on a daily basis. As your business grows, you can even hire people to perform these management tasks, while you can spend time on other important areas of the business that you enjoy being involved in. You can spend some of your time reviewing others’ performance and seek reports in areas that don’t offer you too much personal satisfaction. This way, you remain in control even as you continue to boost your overall satisfaction with work. As an employee, you have little control over whom you work with or what projects you undertake. On the other hand, as your own boss, you can shift gears during the day to work on projects that match your energy. According to a report published by Forbes, micro-business owners are happiest at their work.  

Control over the work environment

To a great extent, the workplace environment affects the mental state of an employee. For instance, if the environment at your workplace is chock full of fluorescent lighting, minimal windows and involves fighting over desk space — it will only drain your energy. When you are a business owner, you are free to work anywhere your heart and brain desire. If your business is small, you can also operate from home, avoiding commuting. It will offer you pliantly of time to spend with your family. Being with your family is no doubt healing, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. A study by Harvard Business Review suggests that the real freedom to work is being able to work from anywhere. In fact, the study predicts that working from anywhere or remotely is the future workplace.    

Helps to avoid office politics

Office politics is among the worst things that an employee may experience at the workplace. A victim of office politics not only experiences depression but also loses productivity. A major advantage of being your own boss is to be able to avoid internal politics. In fact, your business as well as you will grow at a rate that is tied to your own goals and actions. As a result, you don't have to "impress the right people" or play office politics to get ahead. However, you need to impress your customers, so remember that diplomacy and other interpersonal skills are important.  That's why being your own leader can be healing. 

The bottom line

Being your own comes with some risks, but also offers some pretty terrific rewards. Many of us have dreamed about it, but few of us really take the leap. Isn’t it time you started your own company and controlled your own professional and personal destiny?