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What are the most important things in life? Most people would agree that health, family, friends, and self-respect should be everyone's priorities. All of these worthy goals can be accomplished sooner and in a more satisfactory manner when an individual works for an established employer.

Established companies provide employees with medical insurance, or at least share the cost of premiums. This will encourage earlier visits to the doctor when potential health problems can be caught before they develop into serious illnesses. Employees of larger companies will also have also have pension plans and unemployment insurance and safety standards. Workers usually benefit from membership in a labor union which looks after their interests.

Self-employed workers must worry about providing all these benefits for themselves. These extra concerns along with work-related duties, will add stress to the day-to-day routine and their emotional health may suffer.

The family unit, which should be given the highest priority, is best served when the adults work for an established employer. Parents are more likely to have regular working hours and family routines and special occasions can be planned accordingly. Friends too need time to share conversations and activities which are enriching and enjoyable.

When working hours follow a set routine, activities with families and friends can be scheduled ahead of time and carried out as planned. The employee whose lifestyle follows a regular routine is going to be more balanced and relaxed. Work life will follow a set pattern. It will maintain its normal position in the life mosaic of the worker. There will be few unpleasant surprises in the workplace.

Self-employed workers, in contrast, if they are to conduct a profitable business, must go wherever and whenever their clients require their services. Family and social life are bound to suffer, because there will be occasions when business concerns must take top priority.

Another component of a fulfilled and satisfying life is one's ability to develop and maintain a healthy self-respect. Holding a trusted position in an established company, accepting promotions and pay raises as they are merited, being loyal and always doing one's best to advance the welfare of one's employer and co-workers, will enhance the self-respect of every longtime employee in an established company.

The self-employed worker will survive in the world of business only by moving ahead and beating down the competition. Sometimes, the strategies used must be extreme, tricky, and/ or not strictly ethical. It's a dog-eat-dog world in the world of entrepreneurship. The usual norm is the survival of the fittest. The goal is to make greater than average profits. Often, the health, family life, friendships and self-respect of the self-employed individual become casualties. Is the monetary gain possible worth the cost incurred? For most of us, the answer would be, "No".

The secret to a successful life if to keep priorities in order. To those rare individuals who can manage self-employment and still keep the rest of their life in good order and balance, the best of luck!

Most of us prefer to direct our focus elsewhere, and leave the worrying and scheming, the wheeling and dealing of the business world to others. It depends on what each of us, as individuals, consider to be the most important things in life.

Learn more about this author, Carolyn Tytler.
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