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Page 1 of 2  Are you a good boss to yourself? Are you empowering?
One of the main attractions of going solo is that it lets you take charge and kiss off that nagging boss. But if you're not careful, you might find you're the worst boss you've ever had.
You can't manage yourself effectively if you don't know when to say "when." Self-employment can become just another hamster wheel of endless work and no play if you don't set limits.
"The rat race has to do with spending way too much time working, and dealing with office politics ..." says Lisa Roberts, author of How to Raise a Family and a Career Under One Roof. "Since the latter isn't relevant, all that's left is learning how to 'just say no' to working overtime."
The top warning signal of a self-employed management crisis, however, is that you don't enjoy your work.
You're unhappy, depressed or even turning to medications and other substances to try to perk yourself up. That's either a sign that it's time for change or you've lost sight of why you started your business in the first place.
You can't be a good boss to yourself if you don't have "the courage to switch focus or move on to more challenging roles in your own business or freelance service," says Roberts.
Also, if you're relying too much on yourself for ideas, opinions and performance, you're likely demanding far more than any corporate boss would ever think to.
"It's very hard to be your own judge," said Joseph Mancuso, author of Mid-Career Entrepreneur: How to Start a Business and Be Your Own Boss and more than a dozen other business books. One of the biggest mistakes new entrepreneurs make, he says, is trying to go it alone.
"We say, 'It's OK to be independent, but there's no reason to be alone.' You really want to get out and interact with others ... (or) you'll inbreed yourself."
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