Freelancing can be a dream come true. You get to work on your terms, earn a good living, take care of your health and well-being, and travel the world, all while being productive.
Freelancing is great because it gives you flexibility in how you live your life. But it also comes with some challenges and some things that make freelancing hard. Here are 11 of them:
| Takeaway |
|---|
| 1. Freelancing requires a dedicated and organized workspace to boost productivity. |
| 2. Maintaining client confidentiality is essential for building trust and professionalism. |
| 3. Coping with stress is vital in the freelancing world, explore effective stress management strategies. |
| 4. Productivity tips can help freelancers make the most of their working hours. |
| 5. Research high-paying freelance opportunities to maximize income potential. |
| 6. Learn from others’ mistakes and avoid common freelancing pitfalls. |
| 7. Successful freelancers and entrepreneurs share common characteristics. |
| 8. Building a strong personal brand and networking are crucial for freelance success. |
| 9. Prioritize work-life balance to prevent burnout and maintain well-being. |
| 10. Effective communication and clear contracts can help handle client disputes professionally. |
1. Having To Look For Your Work
As a freelancer, you need to find the work. It’s up to you to convince a client that your skills are worth paying for. Since there is no one else in the business of finding clients for you (not yet anyway!), it’s also up to you to negotiate the price, find time in your schedule and make sure that everything goes smoothly throughout the process.
This can be hard enough when working with companies that have existing systems in place for hiring freelancers, but it gets much more difficult when dealing directly with people.
The best way I’ve found for dealing with this problem is by trying my best not only at completing my tasks on time
But also by showing them how much I care about their projects by following through promptly whenever possible or offering solutions when something goes wrong like a broken website or missing content so they know they’re working with someone who cares about their business as much as they do theirs!
Working from home can be challenging, but having a dedicated workspace is essential. Our article on setting up a dedicated workspace for freelancing offers practical tips to boost your productivity and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
2. Cash Flow Management
You can’t manage your cash flow if you’re not getting paid on time. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t get paid on time, your business will suffer and eventually go under.
This is why it’s so important to understand how freelancers are paid and how they should be paid quickly and well. Here are some tips for managing your cash flow through the process of getting paid:
- Get contracts signed before work begins. This way, you have an agreement with the client about what will be delivered, when it will be delivered, and how much it’ll cost.
With this in place, there won’t be any confusion about what needs to happen next and when about to pay up once the project is complete (or even halfway through).
- Pay attention to milestones along the way instead of waiting until everything is finished before collecting payment from clients who aren’t paying on time or who don’t plan enough financially themselves (which means there might not be enough money left over after paying monthly bills).
Otherwise, you’ll end up waiting months before getting anything back into your account after receiving those first few checks from new clients who haven’t yet been established enough business-wise yet which leads us the right to another point.
Freelancer’s Guide“: Confidentiality is crucial in the freelance world. Learn about the 13 things freelancers should never reveal to clients to maintain trust and professionalism in your freelancing career.
3. Not Knowing What The Future Holds
One of the hardest parts of freelancing is simply not knowing what the future holds. For example, I have no idea if I’ll be able to find new clients tomorrow or next week, or next month. That uncertainty can make it hard to plan for your financial future meaning that you may need to keep your job until you feel more comfortable with your business.
There are things you can do to help alleviate some of this uncertainty:
- Have a contingency plan for when something goes wrong (for example, an emergency expense)
- Have a backup plan in case one thing doesn’t work out as expected (like getting sick and being unable to work)
- Build up a support network so that when things aren’t going well, there’s someone who understands what’s happening
4. Taking On Unqualified Work
When you’re starting, it’s tempting to take on any work you can get. But this is a mistake. You should take on projects that will help your career rather than ones that won’t.
If the project is relevant to your industry and skill set, and if it’s something that would look good on your resume, then by all means consider taking it on! If not, don’t waste your time or theirs you’ll just end up frustrated and unhappy with yourself when everything falls apart later down the line.
5. Clients Who Don’t Pay
If you’re like me, getting paid is probably one of the most important parts of your job. If a client doesn’t pay, it’s easy to get discouraged and call it quits. Luckily, there are steps you can take to avoid this problem in the first place:
- Never work for free. This seems obvious, but a lot of freelancers will do it anyway because they’re desperate for work or think that doing some kind of favor for a prospective client will make them more likely to hire that person later on down the road.
Don’t give in you’ll just end up wasting time and getting nothing in return.
- Always have contracts signed with clients before starting any work (including any kind of “test project”). This way, if something goes wrong and payment is delayed or denied altogether.
At least you have proof that both parties agreed on terms beforehand so that one party can’t blame another for not honoring their part of the deal without showing evidence proving otherwise (or else risk looking bad).
Freelancing can be stressful, but there are ways to cope and make it easier on yourself. Explore our guide on reducing stress while freelancing for effective strategies to manage stress and stay productive.
6. Inability To Be Creative (Unless You Have A Creative Job)
Your ability to think creatively is the foundation of your freelancing career. It’s what separates you from the rest of your fellow writers and designers, and it’s what will make you stand out in a crowded marketplace. If your work isn’t different enough, then why would anyone hire you?
If you can’t think creatively, then there are two ways that this can affect your business:
- You won’t be able to solve problems and come up with new ideas when they arise (which is bound to happen). This means that not only will clients be unhappy with the results they’re getting from working with you, but they might also stop hiring you altogether due to these issues!
- Your creativity problem may also prevent clients from wanting to work with you because there won’t be anything unique about how their brand looks or functions compared with other brands out there who’ve hired other freelancers for similar services.
Thus making it harder for people who do want something different in their branding or marketing strategy because none exists yet (and thus creating competition which leads us back around again.)
7. Unrelied On Income
When you are freelancing, it is important to be prepared for the fact that your income will not be consistent. You can’t rely on getting a certain amount of money every week or two, because clients can decide not to hire you at all.
To make sure that you always have enough money coming in, you must save up an emergency fund before starting freelancing full-time. This will help cover any periods where you aren’t working and need cash without having to get another job.
8. Living Location-Free And Being Able To Take On Projects From Anywhere
Living location-free and being able to take on projects from anywhere.
One of the biggest advantages of being a freelancer is the flexibility it offers. It gives you the ability to work from anywhere, which means you don’t have to live near an office or coworking space.
You can even work from home. If that sounds good to you, then this is something else that makes freelance life challenging: sometimes there won’t be any work available when your online presence goes quiet for a few days because you were enjoying some vacation time at home (or if there was no way around it).
If this sounds like something that could happen often in your freelance career, then try not to get too stressed out if it does the best way through these times is just patience and perseverance. If one project doesn’t pan out as expected, keep looking until another comes along!
9. Working Environment
It’s important to remember that working from home can be a great advantage, but it can also be a disadvantage. You’re less likely to get distracted by coworkers or people walking down the hall. You don’t have any commute time, which means you won’t waste your morning and afternoon hours driving in traffic.
However, it can be hard to concentrate on your work when there are so many distractions around you your pets begging for attention, dishes piled up in the sink, laundry waiting in the corner of your room, and staying motivated can be difficult when you don’t have anyone else around to keep you going.
Working from home also puts you in an uncomfortable position: whatever happens at work must happen in front of someone who knows and loves you well (i.e., family members).
This could lead to some awkward moments where they ask too many questions about what exactly “copywriting” entails or how much money freelancers make per year in general just trying their best not only not to know but also to forget about what their loved ones do all day long after leaving for school/work each day!
Time is money for freelancers. To make the most of your working hours, check out our comprehensive list of 18 productivity tips for freelancers and take your freelancing career to new heights.
10. Earnings Flexibly
The most important thing you can do to make your money work for you is to save some of it. This may seem counterintuitive, but the truth is that savings will help you weather the times when business isn’t going so well. If you don’t have money set aside for such emergencies, then it’s likely that your income will fluctuate wildly from month to month.
This can cause stress and make it harder for you to plan financially or even figure out how much money goes into each paycheck (or check). The bottom line: if anything unexpected happens like an illness or a car repair you’ll have enough saved up so as not to have to worry about paying rent or utilities while waiting on payments from clients.
Also key: developing some sort of system by which new invoices are sent every two weeks/fortnight/monthly/quarterly (to whatever interval works best for your business). This way, clients know exactly how much they owe and when payment is expected by which helps them stay on top of their finances as well.
11. Being More Productive
When it comes to productivity, freelancers have a lot of ground to cover. With no boss looking over their shoulder and no office walls to keep them in place, these workers have more freedom than most when it comes to scheduling their day and working on tasks.
Unfortunately, that also means there’s the potential for distraction. The best way to be more productive is by focusing on the things that matter and that means setting goals and milestones for yourself (which we’ll talk about later).
When you’re just starting as a freelancer, it can be easy to get sidetracked by things like going out with friends or even taking breaks from work altogether.
But remember: if you want your business to succeed long-term, then you’ll need to make sure your clientele stays happy with the results they’re seeing from you. And how do they know whether or not those results are satisfactory? By looking at the quality of your work.
So if you want clients who come back for more gigs year after year (or at least more than once), then make sure each project gets done quickly enough so that new ones don’t pile up before any old ones are done with. Good luck!
Wondering which freelance jobs pay the best hourly wages? Our article on what freelance jobs pay the highest hourly wages sheds light on lucrative opportunities and guides you towards a more financially rewarding freelancing path.
Final Thoughts
The truth is, freelancing comes with a lot of perks. You get to work from anywhere and at any time you want, you’re your boss, your earnings are flexible you can make as much as you want. But it also comes with a lot of challenges.
Challenges that would be relatively easy to overcome if you have the right mindset and know what to expect when you take on the job. The good news is there are lots of people out there that are happy to help those just starting in their freelance careers by sharing their experiences. There’s no need for trial and error if it’s already been done!
Further Reading
Freelance Writing Skills: Enhance your freelance writing prowess with valuable tips and techniques to excel in the competitive writing industry.
Characteristics of Successful Freelancers and Entrepreneurs: Discover the key traits shared by successful freelancers and entrepreneurs, providing insights into how to thrive in the world of self-employment.
11 Deadly Sins of Freelancing – Common Mistakes to Avoid: Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the pitfalls that can hinder your freelance career growth.
People Also Ask
What Are Some Benefits Of Freelancing?
Freelancing gives you the freedom to set your hours, choose your clients, and make your schedule which means more time for yourself! It’s also a great way to gain experience and build up your portfolio so that eventually you’ll be able to land full-time employment at an established company.
How Do I Find Work?
It’s not enough to just have a profile on a freelancing platform like Upwork or Fiverr. You need to make sure your profile is up-to-date, and that you can quickly respond to clients. It’s also helpful to create a website where you can showcase your portfolio and provide more information about yourself.
What If I Get Overwhelmed With The Amount Of Work I’m Getting?
This is a common issue for new freelancers especially when they’re starting with a very little experience under their belt. If this happens, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your friends and family might be willing to give you some guidance or even do some work for you in exchange for payment (this is called delegation).
You can also consider hiring an assistant who can help schedule appointments, manage your calendar, and take care of basic administrative tasks so that you have time for the more creative aspects of running your business (like writing).
I’m A Writer, But I Have No Idea How To Get Started Freelancing. Can You Help?
Yes! Here are some great tips for getting started:
Make sure that you have a portfolio of your work (if you’re a writer, that might be short stories or essays).
Check out websites like Upwork and Freelancer, which allow you to post your profile and bid on jobs. You can also research what other writers in your niche are charging for their work. If you’re not sure where to start with this, ask yourself what’s most important to you when deciding on a price point speed? Quality? and go from there.
Once you’ve decided how much to charge, set up an account on those sites so potential clients can see your profile and bid on your services.
Don’t forget to add links to any relevant samples of your previous work!
What Is The Most Challenging Part Of Freelancing?
Managing your time and energy. Freelancing is great because you can work whatever hours you want, but it’s also hard because you need to manage your time and energy carefully. If you don’t have a strict schedule, it can be easy to get caught up in things that don’t matter and not get your work done.
Finding new clients. It’s easier now than ever to find clients online, but it can still be a challenge to find new ones especially if you’re just starting out or if you’re trying to break into a niche market.
Managing your finances. Taxes are complicated, especially when working for yourself, so make sure you know what kind of tax deductions you’re entitled to before filing!
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
