There are valid reasons for and against working for yourself or an employer, and the main thing is that you can provide a roof over your head and a meal on the table, whether it be through employed, self-employed, part or full-time work.
It is nobodies business really how you do it, but hold your head high that in these times, you are surviving. Employers do expect a lot now, and employees now have to work like it is their own business that they are running, putting in the long hours, staff meetings in your own time etc to stay in the game. It really isn't right and not often appreciated and work goes unnoticed.
In these hard times, no job is stable and my wife and I are blessed that we were fortunate and lucky enough to have purchased a house years ago. We were able to strike whilst the iron was hot, and snag a bargain, but I feel for and understand those today that need at least $350k to buy or pay ludicrous rental prices. It is really unfair. We have family with children trying to get into their first home, working hard long hours, but with jobs that don't pay enough to get into the market. And sadly borrowing money off family members at times to meet a car payment or pay the rent when an unexpected catastrophe occurs, even moving back home with the parents to make ends meet
No longer is the goal to “buy a house”, but to pay the bills at the end of the week.
I worked from the age of 16 with my father building, and was able to start saving and buying and swapping from a young age to get where I am now. My father who passed away of cancer recently worked 2 jobs most of his life to try to provide the best for his family. In the end, working his guts out to die of cancer early in retirement seemed very unfair to us. He said” you don't need flash cars and houses, who cares what you do for a job as long as you have family, can eat and somewhere to sleep”. Seeing him work so hard and watch everyone else enjoy the fruits of his labour has really hit home.
My wife has always had a regular income, works for an employer, and goes through all the long hours, meetings, extra study, extra work in her own time, and at the end of the financial year, tax figures show that I spend more than I earn, and we just plod along. We don't have a flash house at all, nor do we want to, and there are no plans ahead to upgrade. We could not afford it. And I would hate to have to “live to work”. We don't have children yet, just 2 dogs, and guess we just make it by each week. It is our choice.
This is not a gloating reply, but an understanding from both sides having worked for employers and worked for myself. No one has an easy journey to get where they are now, nobody can compare occupations and incomes, we all have our own stories, missed opportunities and some “golden handshakes”.
I am thankful today that I worked hard with my father and that he taught me many things which I will carry on through life and be able to pass to my children. He was the best employer I have ever had.
Congrats on all of those 625hrs extra hours paying off. You would be any employers dream employee. Respect man! Remember that Good things come to those who wait
. The bad part, in terms of workload diminishing, there is no light at the end of my time. I think it will get worse. 
At least I have been spending the last 9 months preparing to start my own design firm and do it my way—the right way. No better time than now, right? 
