Working 9 to 5. Banker's Hours. Regular hours. I've been thinking about this subject a lot lately as my husband and I have been trying to develop some sort of schedule in our lives now that he is retired. Since taking early retirement from a fast-paced Fortune 500 corporation myself almost two years ago, I have spent that time deciding to strike out on my own, starting my own Virtual Real Estate Assistant company. The first year after retirement was a wild and happy combination of trying to handle the myriad of details of starting my company and working on our new home. I then began to be extremely busy as I focused more on my business, developing my marketing strategy, building my website, deciding how and when to advertise, focusing on a niche (real estate agents and their needs), and all the details starting a new business entails. I began to sub-contract out to get my work known, and then began to get my own clients.

Fast forward now to the time two months ago when my husband decided to go ahead and retire. I suppose it should be  mentioned that during this time, his mother was diagnosed with metastatic cancer, and has spent almost the entire past year in hospitals, rehabilitation, and now in an assisted living facility. Needless to say, there were numerous times when I was available to take her to the Dr appointments, run errands, etc. while my husband and his sister were at work. That is a value beyond calculation when you are self-employed - to be able to attend to personal and family matters when it is important. He is now home, and able to assist his mother with those same appointments - another priceless opportunity to spend more time with her.

Let's get back now, to the logistics of running a successful business from home when neither spouse works outside the home. First, I was pleasantly surprised when after hearing horror stories about newly retired husbands driving the wife crazy, that it has not been bad at all!  There are a few things, I admit - when he was working full time "outside the home" I made it a point to do all of the housework, shopping, bill-paying, and cook and clean up every meal. Don't get me wrong - he's an enlightened male - he was willing to help - I just felt that since I was "home all day", it was the least I could do. I have since come to recognize that as a previously corporate mentality struggling to justify staying at home.

Now that he has been home, it took him a few days to realize that this dynamic might just change. He has taken over a few of "my" (admittedly self-imposed) chores - running errands, doing laundry, and occasionally preparing dinner, though more often it is us preparing together, which is nice in itself. We now both clean up from dinner, than back I go to work.

I've gone from the socially acceptable supervisory position, to being "unemployed", to being "self employed". Now that I've become successful with my business, I'm being told that I "work too hard" since I often work into the evening. Every real estate agent, broker, mortgage broker, and virtual assistant here can probably relate. When you are in charge of your own business, you do not work 9-5. You do not keep regular hours at all.You work your business around your family and your family around your business. Have laptop - will travel - that has become my motto.

The need to work outside of 9-5 is two-fold - first, I have commitments to my clients. I will get the work completed on time, even early if possible, so if it means more hours, so be it. Second, I enjoy my work and have discovered that it's just as fun to work as it is to sit and watch TV. Go figure!

I'd love to hear from other real estate professionals, mortgage brokers, virtual assistants, or anyone else who has discovered the many trials and tribulations, and wonderful rewards of being self employed............How do YOU plan the 24 hours each of us is alloted in one day?