If you trudge off to work each morning, dreading the hours ahead of you as if you have been sentenced to prison, opting for self-employment may be your only option to true happiness. Many people dream of self-employment, but they lack the courage to step out on their own. Some people make the leap, but they do so without the right plans and preparations, and they soon find themselves faltering. If your workday feels like a prison sentence and you have the skills, talents and self-discipline needed for working on your own, it may be time to make the change. Remember, you need to do a lot of things in order to be successful. You need to understand you will not be entitled to group benefits from a company. You will need to secure your own no exam life insurance or no medical term life policies. The same is true for health options so you have doctor and emergency coverage. This is one expense you will now need to budget for out of your income.

In addition to coverage, you should understand you will no longer be paid for vacations. When you work for a company, you earn time off and the company rewards you with pay for your hard work. When you are self-employed, if you do not work, you do not earn any money. You may be able to structure your work in a way that enables you to still earn even when you are not actively working, but this requires effort. You will no longer be accumulating paid time when you truly get to leave your responsibilities behind.

If you decide to work from home, you will need to have a space that is dedicated to working. Even if this is not an entire office, you still need a place that is free of distractions and can be organized in an efficient manner. Be sure you have all of the supplies you need, as well as a computer, printer, phone and fax. Also make sure you surround yourself with things you enjoy seeing. Just like you would put a picture of your family on your desk at an office, do so in your home office, to remind you of a few of the reasons you are working so hard.

Even if you have a spaced dedicated to working, you may still have a hard time focusing on work. If you are working from home and you are not alone, especially if you are looking after children, you may experience interruptions. Do your best to plan your workday around expected distractions. If you know your children or spouse will need you during certain times of the day, adjust your work schedule to fit around your family’s needs. Keep in mind flexibility is one of the main reasons you chose self-employment in the first place.

The most important thing to remember if you are planning to enjoy the benefits of self-employment is that you must be motivated. You must truly want the rewards of self-employment in order to make the sacrifices. Being self-employed may seem like a dream come true, but it takes a lot of hard work.