So you’re sitting at home on a Friday night, flicking through your Instagram feed. Friends are out partying, catching up for dinner and drinks, and generally having FUN.
They’re travelling around the world and making new memories together. And here you are alone in your pajamas watching Netflix. You start to feel that all too familiar feeling creeping up on you FOMO or “Fear of Missing Out”.
That’s the thing with technology: it allows us to connect with people around the world 24/7 but we get to see only their highlights reel the nice clothes they wear, their exciting travel adventures, their fun parties and nights out on the town.
And as a result, we can end up feeling like life isn’t fair when our own lives aren’t as exciting or interesting as theirs seem to be (and often really are).
The truth is that most of us only show our high points because low ones tend to be depressing rather than inspirational. But what if there were ways to enjoy both without missing out? That’s where freelancing comes in. Here’s how it can help:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Freelancing provides a sense of control over work-life balance, reducing FOMO. |
| 2. Flexibility in freelancing allows individuals to participate in more activities. |
| 3. Freelancers can choose projects aligning with their interests, reducing anxiety. |
| 4. Embracing freelancing can alleviate the fear of missing out on personal growth. |
| 5. Networking opportunities in freelancing help create a sense of belonging. |
Definition Of FOMO
FOMO is an acronym for Fear of Missing Out, and it’s a problem that affects people in a variety of ways. You might know FOMO as social anxiety or even just plain old anxiety, but if you’ve never heard of it before today, you’re not alone.
The term was coined in 2004 by Dr. Guy Winch in his book Emotional First Aid: Practical Strategies for Treating Failure, Rejection, and Other Everyday Hurts. Since then, FOMO has become an increasingly important topic within academia and popular culture alike and with good reason!
FOMO can manifest itself in many ways: being afraid to try new things because someone else might already have done them; feeling anxious when you see your friends doing fun activities on Facebook while you’re stuck at home again; obsessively checking Instagram to see if anyone has commented on your last post yet (spoiler alert: no one ever will).
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “fear of missing out” happens when there’s a perceived gap between what other people have experienced or accomplished compared to what we have experienced or accomplished.”
In other words, FOMO is often driven by comparing ourselves against others rather than looking inwardly at what makes us uniquely awesome as individuals!
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Risks Of FOMO
FOMO is a powerful force in our lives and it can affect us in many ways. When we don’t have FOMO, we tend to be more relaxed and comfortable in our skin. We are more confident and we don’t worry about what other people think of us or whether they like us.
However, as soon as you experience FOMO, it’s not going to be easy for you to get rid of it. You will want to know why people are doing things that are out of your reach or why others can achieve things that others could not achieve at the same time?.
This will make you feel very uncomfortable because something is missing from your life and this leads to overwhelming feelings such as jealousy and envy which makes one feel anxious about what they are missing out on (and sometimes wishful thinking).
How Freelancing Helps In Reducing The Fear Of Missing Out
You may be working on a project and feeling the pressure of missing out. You are worried about what your friends are doing, or you feel like you should be at a party, but then realize it’s not worth the anxiety and depression that will come with it.
However, there is light at the end of this tunnel! Freelancing can help reduce the fear of missing out by allowing you to work on your schedule. If you want to go to an event or stay home and work on your latest project, that is entirely up to you.
You no longer have anyone telling when or where they want their work done which means less FOMO for everyone involved. If you’re interested in being your boss but don’t know where to start, here are reasons why freelancing can help people in reducing the fear of missing out.
Get Your Priorities Straight
Life as a freelancer can be great, but it’s also an easy way to get overwhelmed and worn down by the demands of others. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to let the people around you take advantage of your time because they know how hard it is for you to say no.
If this sounds like something that could be happening in your life right now, here are some tips on getting your priorities straight:
- Set priorities that align with what matters most to you.
- Say no when necessary (and even when it isn’t).
- Say yes only when appropriate.
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Say No To Unnecessary Commitments
If you’re a freelancer, it means that you have the freedom to decide what projects and assignments you want to take on. This is great! However, this can also be a bit overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. To maximize your time as a freelancer and avoid unnecessary stress, here are some tips:
- Say no more often. If something doesn’t align with your goals or make you happy, don’t take it on! You can always say “yes” later if things change or there are new opportunities available (which we hope will happen!).
- Get helpful feedback from others who have gone through similar experiences before so they know how they handled these situations in their own lives too it can help guide them towards the right decision even though there isn’t necessarily one answer since everyone has different needs/goals out there–but at least now they’ll feel less alone about it all!
The Ability To Choose Your Projects
One of the great things about freelancing is that you can choose your projects. This means that you can choose the projects that you are passionate about, good at, and make money with. But it doesn’t stop there.
Freelancers also can work on projects they know they can make a difference with. For example, if you love animals but don’t want to work in an animal shelter or rescue center because of how stressful it might be for you, then maybe creating content on social media about how cute animals are would be better suited for you.
Diversification Of Income Sources
While some people enjoy working in a single place, the rest of us like to have multiple sources of income. Freelancing helps in this aspect as well.
When you freelance, you can work for different clients or companies and work on different projects simultaneously. This is beneficial because it means that if one client does not pay up on time or does not pay at all, there will be other clients who will take care of your needs financially.
Ability To Choose Your Workspace And Working Hours
The freedom to choose your workspace and working hours is one of the best things about freelancing. You can work from anywhere you want, which means you can set up shop in any place that suits your needs.
If it’s nice out and there’s a park nearby, go for that instead of setting up shop at home or the library. Or if you like the energy of a coffee shop but hate having to buy an extra cup every day (or just don’t have time), try co-working spaces instead!
Ability To Choose Where You Want To Live
As a freelancer, you have the freedom to choose where you want to live. If you want to travel, then go ahead! You can move from place to place and work from anywhere in the world.
It’s not like being an employee who is stuck in one city for the rest of their lives. If living in a big city is your thing, then go for it!
You don’t have to worry about long commutes or having no space at all either because as a freelancer, your home office can be as small as half an office room or even just a corner of your house that looks like any other living room table (which is what I currently have).
On top of that, is living in a small town more appealing than living in a big city? Then great!
Because being able to choose where we live based on our personal preferences has been proven over time by many research studies including one done by Oxford University which concluded that people who reside in cities with less than 500k inhabitants are happier than those who don’t live there now.
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Ability To Take Control Of Your Own Life
Freelancing gives you the freedom to control your own life. You can set your own rules, and choose when and where you work, and what projects and clients you take on.
You have the power to choose how you work; whether that means working late into the night at home or getting up early to work in a coffee shop before heading out for a run after lunch.
If it’s important for you to have co-workers who share similar values, freelancing offers opportunities for both solo freelancers as well as teams who want to collaborate on projects together.
Ability To Stop Working On Projects You Don’t Like Anymore
If you are thinking of becoming a freelancer, this one is for you. You can stop working on projects that are no longer enjoyable. It’s not about getting paid for a job, but enjoying what you do and doing it well. This helps in reducing stress levels and increasing productivity.
You can choose what type of companies to work for or whether to work for an established company or start your venture. If you think that working with a particular company will give you more freedom than another one then go ahead with it!
It’s always better to work on projects which are close to your heart rather than having a job just because it pays well. Working on something which inspires us helps us become better at our jobs and makes us feel motivated as well
More Time For Family And Friends
When you’re working a full-time job, there’s not much time to spend with family and friends. When you’re freelancing, it’s a different story.
Suddenly, you have more time to spend with your family and friends. You can go out for lunch or dinner with them more often than before because you don’t have to take the whole day off just to meet up with them. You can also do things like go camping together or attend events together in your free time since they don’t interfere with work hours as much anymore!
Plus, if you manage to get an assignment that requires traveling or moving around then it won’t be such an inconvenience as compared to when you had a 9-5 job which required commuting back home every night after work
Get A Chance To Explore The World
The world is a big place and there are so many places to see. You can turn it into a reality if you want. With freelancing, you get to travel the world, visit new places and discover more about yourself and your interests.
You don’t have to spend too much money on your travels when you freelance because most of the time, all that is required from you is just an internet connection or a phone with a data plan for you to work on projects from wherever you are located in this world. You can even work while abroad!
No Worries About Office Politics
Office politics are inevitable. They exist in every workplace, even the ones that claim to be free of them. If you’re a freelancer, though, you don’t have to worry about office politics because there is no office and therefore no politics!
You can focus on your work without having to worry about who gets what projects or whose ideas are getting accepted more often than others. Freelancing means that you get all the work done yourself so there’s no one else to blame when things go wrong (or right).
Additionally, being able to work from anywhere means you can avoid most of the negative aspects of working in an office setting altogether (you can leave behind annoying coworkers or an overly competitive atmosphere).
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Choose Your Work Hours As Per Convenience
Being a freelancer means you have the freedom of setting your work schedule. You can work at your convenience and choose the hours of work that suit you best. This way, if you are someone who likes sleeping late at the night and working during weekends, then it is possible for you to take up projects at any time of the day.
You can also decide what projects are suitable for you based on your skills and experience level. The choice of clients is also up to you as well as deciding how much money should be charged for each project or job done by you. In addition to this, there will be many other benefits associated with being a freelancer such as tax deduction and flexible working hours which an employee doesn’t get in his/her job
Take Control Of Your Life And Income
You also have control over your income. If there are projects that pay well but aren’t necessarily worth your time, you can decline them. If a client keeps asking for additional services that aren’t included in the contract or project description, they are more likely to find someone else who would be willing to work on those terms without complaint.
Most importantly, freelancers have complete control over their careers by choosing which projects they take on and who they work with as clients.
This means less anxiety about missing out on opportunities because it’s no longer up to other people whether or not such opportunities exist; now it depends solely upon whether or not freelancers make themselves available for them!
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Final Thoughts
Freelancing isn’t for everyone, but for a few people, it provides an optimal way of working. If you’re someone who is looking to learn more about the world and themselves, then freelancing can be an excellent option to help you grow and explore.
The only thing that matters is that you enjoy what you’re doing and are happy with how your life is going.
Further Reading
Maintaining Freelance Mental Health: Learn effective strategies to maintain your mental well-being while freelancing, ensuring a healthy work-life balance.
Tackling Freelance Burnout: Discover valuable tips to combat burnout and stay resilient as a freelancer, achieving long-term success in your freelance career.
Overcoming Common Freelancing Fears: Address and conquer common fears associated with freelancing, empowering yourself to thrive in the freelance world.
People Also Ask
What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing is a form of self-employment where you are your boss. You work for yourself, set your hours, and can even work from home if you like. It’s a great way to work flexible hours and make money from home.
What Are The Benefits Of Freelancing?
Freelancing can be very rewarding as it gives you the freedom to set your schedule. You get to choose how much or how little you want to work each week and how many hours per day you want to dedicate to your business.
If you have any other commitments at home or elsewhere, then freelancing could be the perfect option for you because it allows you to fit around them rather than having them fit around your work schedule!
Why Do You Think Freelancing Is So Popular?
It’s a good way to make money, but it also helps people reduce the fear of missing out. A lot of people are afraid of being alone, and freelancing helps them feel connected even when they are alone.
Why Freelancing Is A Great Way To Earn Money?
It is a great way to earn money if you can work from home. You can work on your schedule, and you will not have to deal with the politics of an office environment.
You can be your boss, which means that you get to make decisions about how much time you want to devote to your business. If you decide that you want to take a break for a few weeks, that is perfectly fine!
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.