4 Signs It’s Time to Leave Your 9-to-5 Job

Are you thinking of quitting your 9-to-5 job and starting your own business, but you just can’t decide if now is the right time?

I get it; it’s a HUGE decision to make. Leaving a full-time job as an employee means jumping into the unknown. As a business owner, you’ll be in charge of finding your own clients, paying for all your own expenses, and managing your own time.

So why would anyone leave the safety net of a 9-to-5 job to take on the risks of starting their own business?

I’ll tell you why. There are so many signs it’s time to leave your 9-to-5 job and start being your own boss. Here are just some of them…

1. You want to be your own boss

Raise your hand if you’re sick of answering to someone else…

Being your own boss is one of the best reasons to ditch your 9-to-5 job. When you are your own boss, you get to make the decisions on how things are done. You get to manage your own workload. And you don’t have anyone looking over your shoulder all the time.

FREEDOM!

2. You’re on the verge of exploding

Another sign it’s time to leave your 9-to-5 job is if you feel like you’re about to go postal. Some of us are just not cut out for office life. And that’s okay!

Working in an office or retail environment can be exhausting for introverts. Listening to people chatter all day and having to make small talk can drain all your energy when you’re an introvert. If this is you, then working from the comfort and quiet of your own home can be a godsend!

It’s also difficult to stay sane when you have annoying coworkers who don’t pull their weight. And sometimes these lazy so-and-sos get promoted above you. How is that fair?!

Are you working your ass off day after day and your hard work still isn’t getting recognized? Want to know how to make sure you get all the opportunities you deserve?

Be your own boss and never get overlooked again!

If you have your own business, then you are at the top. No one can get promoted above you!

Another thing that increases stress levels when you work outside the home is commuting. Spending hours of your day stuck in traffic or squeezing onto a packed commuter train can raise your blood pressure.

Imagine how relaxing it would be to roll out of bed when you’re ready instead of being awoken by loud beeping from your alarm clock.

Imagine drinking delicious coffee from a proper coffee cup instead of a travel mug.

And imagine starting work at a leisurely pace instead of as a sweaty mess after sprinting from the train station because you were running late.

3. You need more flexibility in your life

This is the big one for many people.

Working as an in-house employee for a company doesn’t usually allow for much flexibility. You’ve got to show up when they say you should. You’ve got to ask for permission to take a vacation or personal day. And you’ve got to follow all their rules and procedures, even if you think there’s a better way of doing things.

Having your own business means you get to set your own schedule. You decide when you’ll work, whether that’s starting work at 10 a.m. or 10 p.m. You can even still work from 9 to 5 if that’s what you choose. You’re the boss!

Being your own boss means you can fit your work around your schedule and responsibilities.

Want to travel more? You can do it! Just take your laptop or iPad with you and work on the road. PA grad Danielle has proofread in 16 countries and she’s not done traveling yet!

Yearning to be a stay-at-home mom? Or should I say work-at-home mom? Clara and Amy proofread so they can stay home with their kids but still earn enough money to provide for their families.

Illness preventing you from working outside the home? That doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t work at all. Former teacher Linda couldn’t return to the classroom due to illness, but she didn’t let that stop her from using her love of words to earn an income.

4. You’re ready to earn more money

With a traditional job, how much you can earn can be limited. You have to negotiate with your boss if you want an increase.

As a business owner, you set your own rates. You can also add more services to bring in additional income streams.

Your income depends solely on you. Services like proofreading aren’t typically get-rich-quick schemes. They’re usually learn-the-skills-and-reap-the-rewards opportunities. The more you know your craft and the harder you work at marketing and providing excellence, the more money you’ll make.

Of course, there’s always an upper limit to how much you can earn when you exchange your time for money, but investing in improving your speed, skill, and efficiency will push that limit.

And if you think outside the box, you can explode your earning potential. Take me, for example. I started as a part-time proofreader and earned a pretty decent income. Then I created this blog and started earning a bit of money from that. Then I used my skills and experience to create my courses and my income skyrocketed!

Don’t put limits on how much you can earn!

Your Turn

Ready to wave goodbye to your boss and start being the architect of your own success? Time to ditch your day job once and for all! If proofreading is your jam, let me help you get started. Check out my free Intro to Proofreading workshop to see if proofreading is the thing that will finally set you free.