There’s a company called Boss As A Service (BAAS) where you can hire someone to be your boss. I learned about it from a random comment on Reddit (of course). I was 99% sure it was a troll but just in case, I had to look it up.
BAAS Is a real thing
Featured on Fast Company, Hacker News, and Product Hunt. 2000+ people have paid for someone to boss them around and loved it enough to leave a raving review.
At first, I was dumbfounded. “What? Why on earth would anyone pay for a boss?” I had to get the laughs and knee-jerk reaction out of my system.
But then, it clicked. As much as I hate to admit it, having a boss has benefits. In a traditional 9-to-5, a boss is like a built-in accountability buddy—okay, maybe not buddy. Soul eater? My point is, you’re much more likely to focus and do your work on time when you know someone is going to hound you.
Freedom is a double-edged sword
I’m not saying being your own boss isn’t awesome. I hate being told what to do. I love freedom and flexibility.
But, take me for example. I may not be self-employed, but I am my own boss with GradSimple. No one is telling me what to do. Sounds good and all but I also have to figure everything out by myself. Sometimes, I get lost in the weeds and spend too much time on low-impact tasks. I’ve repeatedly given in to scope creep. I don’t have someone to call me out and steer me back on track when I derail.
Many self-employed business owners, freelancers, and independent contractors don’t have the “privilege” of someone breathing down their necks to hold them accountable. Technically, they can take every day off. They can push deadlines in perpetuity if they choose.
Without a boss, you run the risk of treating deadlines like suggestions. Is it just me or is the concept of BAAS sounding less and less weird?
Imagine how many people struggle with procrastination. Whether it’s studying for an exam, applying for jobs, going to the gym, or taking the first steps to launch a side hustle. If you’re a chronic procrastinator, hiring a boss could be the solution.
So, next time you catch yourself spiraling into a YouTube rabbit hole or endlessly scrolling through TikTok, remember, you can always hire a boss to whip you into shape. It might just be the productivity hack you never knew you needed.
