Working a 9-to-5 job is great. Okay, maybe not always great, but it’s definitely not as bad as some people make it out to be.
The reason I decided to write this short piece is the perception many people have about the 9-to-5 grind. I’ve recently started using social media to promote my blog (mainly Instagram and Threads). And in the time I’ve spent on these platforms, I’ve seen a ton of posts on this topic.
I get the impression that a lot of people dismiss, even condemn, the 9-to-5 life. All these posts kind of create this idea that you’re either a self-made business owner or you’re somehow unsuccessful.
For sure, this type of content resonates with a certain crowd. I guess a lot of people don’t like their 9-to-5 jobs, and seeing this kind of stuff just reinforces those feelings.
In this post, I’ll try to give you a balanced comparison between the two options, no emotions involved, so we can clearly see what we gain and lose with each. I’ve always believed there’s no perfect option, just the best option for you.
So, let’s not waste any more time and get right into our comparison!
Income
Let’s start with what most people are most interested in: income.
Here, it really depends on your perspective. If we’re talking about potential, then being a business owner definitely wins. When you’re growing your own business, the sky’s the limit for your earnings.
With a 9-to-5 job, that’s not the case. Usually, you get a fixed salary, meaning your income potential is limited.
Okay, that was the potential earnings view. Now, let’s look at income from a stability point of view.
In this category, I think working as an employee for someone else comes out on top. Despite the unlimited earning potential of owning a business, your income might not be stable. That’s because your earnings depend on how well your business is doing. It might be super successful one month and not so much the next.
With the 9-to-5 option, that’s not really an issue. To a large extent, even if you’re not at your peak and you’re performing, say, 10% below your best, you’ll still get your paycheck at the end of the day, week, or month.
Of course, there are risks here too. You could get laid off, the company could go bankrupt, etc., but in my opinion, the risk is lower compared to owning a business.
Based on this overview, I don’t think we can declare a clear winner. Both options have their pros and cons.
Let’s move on with our comparison.
Score: 1 – 1
Time Management
Now, let’s look at another aspect that’s super important to most people. I truly believe we all want more free time for the things we love to do.
Let’s see how choosing one of these paths might affect that. We’ll start with owning a business.
In theory, you have all the flexibility in the world. You can manage your tasks and projects however you want and do them whenever you want.
Working 9 to 5, that’s not the case. You have fixed working hours, and you need to be at your workplace during that time. Any other activities outside of work should be done outside that time frame.
Let’s stick with time management, but this time, we’ll look at the situation from a slightly different angle.
Having a fixed schedule can also be an advantage. Most of the time, when your workday ends, you know that the rest of your time is entirely yours. You can use it however you want. When you own a business, that’s often not the case. Issues can pop up that need to be resolved immediately, no matter what time of day it is. And since your income is tied to how successful your business is, these issues need to be resolved as quickly as possible.
Of course, these things depend a lot on the nature of the business. But you might find that as an entrepreneur, you have much less free time than you would as an employee. In my opinion, that’s often the case, especially in the beginning.
After looking at time management, I don’t think we can pick a clear winner here either. Both obviously have pros and cons. The key is to know what’s important to you.
Score: 2 – 2
Personal Responsibility
Personal responsibility, in my opinion, is an extremely important topic. I believe that the responsibility we carry is crucial for our mental and emotional well-being.
Let’s look at how things stand with each of the options.
We’ll start with the 9-to-5 job. It’s clear that when you work for an organization, you have responsibilities to that organization. These responsibilities usually involve performing your tasks diligently, with high quality, and on time. The organization itself usually has well-established processes, roles, and a hierarchy, which gives employees a sense of structure. The key here is that as employees, we’re responsible for specific tasks and processes, not the overall direction and performance of the company.
With your own business, the situation is a bit different. In addition to the responsibility you have for specific tasks and processes, you also have the responsibility for the overall development and direction of the business. In this case, you have to choose the right path. Plus, entrepreneurs need to have knowledge of finance, marketing, sales, customer service, etc., especially in the beginning before the business takes off and specialized teams can be built.
I think it’s obvious that the responsibility of business owners is significantly greater. This additional burden can have a serious impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
To sum up what we’ve covered so far, we could say that being an employee might be easier on our mental health than being a business owner.
Of course, this is just my theoretical concept. There are many exceptions. It’s entirely possible for someone who works 9 to 5 to feel extremely bad mentally. It’s clear that they don’t have direct responsibility for the overall performance of the business. But the social climate at their workplace can be much more damaging to their mental health than the additional responsibility they would have with their own business.
We’re all different, and there are no universal solutions. It’s crucial to be aware of ourselves and what would make us feel fulfilled.
Score: 3 – 2 (in favor of 9 to 5)
Development Opportunities
In my opinion, development opportunities are key. Humanity is in a constant state of evolution. So, it’s reasonable to ask ourselves: Why are we doing something if it’s not making us better?
Let’s look at our options.
We can work 9 to 5. This definitely comes with its advantages and limitations in terms of development. Many companies offer training, promotions, etc. Often, to a large extent, these opportunities are limited to the career path we’ve chosen. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. I’m a big fan of specialization, and I think there will always be a place for those kinds of professionals.
On the other hand, with your own business, the development opportunities, in my opinion, are significantly greater. This is because entrepreneurs have complete freedom to pursue their own ideas and passions, working on projects they believe are worthwhile. This can be inspiring. Often, a business starts in one direction, and once it’s developed enough, the owner, in their pursuit of growth, adds a new direction. This freedom of action, in my opinion, unlocks a significant set of additional development opportunities that are absent for employees.
Score: 3 – 3
Social Aspect
Working 9 to 5 gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in an already established community. In this sense, you can build friendships and professional contacts at your workplace. I think this is important because a sense of belonging is key for many people.
For business owners, the situation isn’t exactly the same. Especially in the beginning, when the business is just starting and there’s no established community yet, entrepreneurship can be a lonely endeavor. So, for people who value a sense of belonging, a 9-to-5 job might be more suitable.
Of course, being an employee also carries its risks in the social aspect. There’s a chance you might end up in a team where you don’t fit in, and that could be more damaging than being a lonely business owner.
Looking at it from another angle, some people feel better working alone. There’s nothing wrong with that, since we’re all different, and everyone should build their daily life in a way that makes them feel as fulfilled as possible. For those types of people who don’t need that sense of community at work, developing their own business might be more suitable.
Again, for me, there’s no clear winner here. Everyone is different and has their preferred option.
Score: 4 – 4
What’s My Situation?
I’m one of those 9-to-5 people. So far, I’ve been lucky enough to work in a field that I find interesting and feel passionate about. Since the beginning of my career, I’ve been involved in finance, specifically financial markets, and I love it. My friends have told me that I practically “live and breathe this stuff.”
On the other hand, besides my 9-to-5 job, I’ve always been involved in side activities. The so-called “side hustles.” For example, years ago, I created an online course on personal finance (a topic I’m deeply passionate about). This course generates some passive income for me, but I wouldn’t call it a business. If the income from it were enough to support me, I would call it that, but it’s not at the moment.
Currently, my focus in terms of side hustles is developing my investment portfolio. So far, it generates some passive income, but it’s not yet enough to be my main business that I could live off. I hope that at some point it might become that. I’m definitely doing everything I can to achieve that goal.
The other thing I’m doing right now is this blog you’re currently reading. I see it more as a hobby, a place where I can share my thoughts on investing and personal finance. Of course, at some point, the blog could be monetized and generate income, becoming my main business. But that’s in the uncertain future. For now, it’s a hobby and my own space.
From what I’ve written above, you can see that I’ve chosen a kind of mix for myself. First, I work a 9-to-5 job. Then, in my so-called free time, I work on building my investment portfolio and maintaining the blog. I’ll be completely honest with you, it’s quite tiring. But if you’re passionate about what you do, you manage to find the strength and motivation.
In Conclusion
Based on everything I’ve written above, I think it’s clear that we can’t say with absolute certainty which of the two options is better. One thing I’m sure of, though, is that I’m against completely dismissing either of them. Each has its own pros and cons.
At the end of the day, it’s up to each person to decide what matters most to them—what will make them feel inspired and happy. I genuinely believe we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just one path or the other.
As you can see from my story, I’m trying to combine the best of both worlds. You never know what might work out, or how far something can take you unless you give it a try.
So here’s my ask: don’t limit your thinking. Don’t underestimate your potential. Keep exploring, keep searching for what feels meaningful and sparks that sense of excitement within you.
I think Wayne Gretzky said it best:
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
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Keywords: 9-to-5 job, business, personal finance, income, time management, development opportunities, entrepreneur, career, investments, passive income
Disclaimer:
I am not a financial or investment advisor. The content of this post represents my personal views and is purely informational. It should not be taken as financial or investing advice. Please do your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Disclaimer on the use of AI: Some of the information may be generated by using AI. Always double check the information and do your own research.
