Is anyone self-employed or wishes they were?

I own a couple of businesses and was just sitting here working, thinking about how grateful I am that I can work from home and don't have to worry about going into work each morning. I remember how hard it was, before I had my diagnosis and worked an 8-5 job. I had to stop to go to the bathroom on the way to work many times and had to make several trips during the day. Anyway, I was just wondering how many other business owners are out there and if you don't own one, do you think it would improve your quality of life to do so? I would love to hear from others. (Don't worry, I am not trying to sell anything. I am just curious!)

Yes, that is definitely a perk! Insurance is always the biggest issue when making a decision about employment, when it comes to chronic diseases. I am glad you are able to have great insurance!

That will be nice! Even though your reasons for looking forward to retirement aren't UC related, I am sure it will be nice to be at home when you want/need to be.

I am so glad that I''m not self-employed. If I were, I'd probably be broke, because I'm inherently kind of lazy.

I am glad that I have a salaried job, at a large company that allows flexibility in start/stop times.

I like getting paid the same whether I have a non-productive day or a productive day at work.

I like being able to stop thinking about work as soon as I leave it.

I like that there are other people who will keep the place rolling if I am out sick or at an appointment or taking a vacation.

I like the medical, dental, vision coverage, the vacation, sick leave, short & long term disability leave, and the 401k matches and the pension.

I'm just curious, do you have insurance, klm?
I'd love to work from home. Get to work in my PJs! My sister has the option to work from home but she's nice and social and would miss the people. Me, I don't think I'd miss people too much, as I'm quieter.

I am retired from self-employment and happy that owning my business with a partner gave me flexibility to stay near a bathroom when UC was raging. Downside to self-employment was paying for health insurance but upside was I could never be fired haha.

Retirement came after 24 years because landlord presented a lease we couldn't sign due to terms in it and we were planning to semi-retire in 1-2 years.

Self-employment is not for everyone. It's very hard in early years, overworked, underpaid, stressful, insecure in all ways, but if you love what you do you don't even consider anything else.

If I had gotten UC at an earlier age my plans may have changed to getting a job with benefits and disability-friendly working conditions.

I wish you lots of success, klm. I work as a salaried employee in a stressful job. I tried my hand at "moonlighting" with a small contracting business on the side. I think entrepreneurship needs to be in your blood...it wasn't in mine. Once UC hit, I gave up the side business. I didn't find owning my own business to be all that much fun, especially on top of another full time job. Too much stress. I'm lucky that I can take time off from work without a lot of hastle

Most small business owners I know end up working 7 days a week and can never relax. Even on vacation, they are worrying about their businesses. I'm sure the payoff comes when the business is established with systems in place and good employees, but the work it takes to get there comes with a price to quality of life that I was not willing to sacrifice. I give small business owners a lot of credit, it takes an incredible amount of work and ambition.

Desperately wish I was but work in an open-plan office instead! It's not too bad, the bathrooms aren't too busy, and if they are there's always a disabled toilet downstairs. That being said, it's hard keeping this illness secret from workmates, like they often want to go out for lunch, and sometimes I'm right in the middle of a flare and feel awful, but I have to go. If have "the conversation" but I just hate the awkwardness that follows