On average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a full-time freelancer works around 40 hours per week. The range is pretty broad though—they have some who clock in as many as 60 hours (though only around 7% do), and others who just work 25 or less.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Understanding the average number of hours freelancers work per week |
| Factors that influence a freelancer’s working hours |
| The importance of setting boundaries and managing workload |
| Flexibility in determining work hours as a freelancer |
| Balancing work-life and maintaining a healthy lifestyle |
| Considering project deadlines and client demands |
| The impact of industry trends on freelancers’ workload |
| Exploring the concept of work-life integration as a freelancer |
| Strategies for effective time management as a freelancer |
| Recognizing the benefits of freelancing in achieving work-life balance |
What Factors Influence Freelance Working Hours?
Hours in Your Industry
If you’re in an industry with high demand for certain skills, or one that requires a lot of extra training and education, you can expect to put in more hours than those working in industries that require fewer skills.
So if you’re an accountant or bookkeeper, for example, you tend to put in more time than someone who works as a customer service representative or trainer. And if you’re a writer or editor? You’ll probably log fewer than someone who is a computer programmer or software engineer.
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Number Of Billable Hours
This is the number of hours you’ve spent working for clients. You can calculate your billable hours by adding up the amount of time you spent on the project, minus any time that was spent on non-client tasks (like networking and bookkeeping). For example, if you worked a 40-hour week, but only 10 of those hours were dedicated to client projects, then your billable hours are 10.
Freelancing Skill Level
When you’re starting out, you’ll probably have to work more hours than a seasoned pro in order to make the same amount of money. If this sounds discouraging, don’t worry—it’s because it takes a little while to get used to freelancing and find your stride.
After a few months or years of freelancing, though, you’ll be able to take on more clients in less time because you’ll know how to manage your time more effectively.
Their Clients’ Needs And Wants
Some clients may need more from their freelancers than others. For example: if one client is looking for someone who can also do bookkeeping for their business, that might require more work than what was initially agreed upon. On the other hand, some clients might not need as much help as the first one.
Your Income Goal
If you want to earn $100,000 and you charge $50 per hour, you’ll have to work 2000 hours in a year. If you charge $100 per hour and want to earn the same amount, you’ll only have to work 1000 hours. This is a big one!
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Your Personal Schedule And Preferences
When you’re a freelancer, you’ll need to balance your personal schedule with the time that’s needed for work. You’ll also need to consider your personal preferences when it comes to how many hours per week you want to work. For example, if it’s important for you to spend time with family, that might factor into how many hours per week you’re willing to work.
Your Clients’ Schedules And Preferences
Do your clients prefer multiple drafts or revisions before they finalize their copy? If so, this may add more time to your process than if they require only one draft. Do they want their drafts returned quickly? If so, this may also add more time to your process than if they give you longer deadlines (or however much time it takes for them to respond with notes).
The Complexity Of The Project
Depending on what kind of project you’re working on, it may require more or less time than other projects. For example, if a client wants a website designed, but they don’t have any existing materials or branding guidelines—that can take more time than designing a website for a client who has existing materials.
The Cost Of Living In Your Area
The cost of living in my area, for example, is pretty high. I live in a big city, with a relatively small apartment and high rent. I’m also currently paying off my student loans, which means I have to work about forty hours a week on top of my full-time job to have enough money for everything.
Health Condition
If you have a seasonal affective disorder or other mental health issues that make it hard for you to leave the house during certain times of the year (or ever), then you might be stuck working from home for part or all of the year.
Considering a transition from a day job to freelancing requires careful thought and preparation. Discover the important factors to ponder before taking the leap in our comprehensive article on 13 things to consider before you quit your day job.
The Weather
if you’re like me and live in an area where it gets cold, snowy winters, you can’t just stroll out the door in leggings and a t-shirt. You need snow boots and a warm coat! And those things—especially warm coats—are expensive! So if you’re trying to save up money while freelancing, this might mean you have to work more hours than what seems reasonable.
Your Financial Situation
if you’re already making more than enough money, you might not need to do much freelancing at all—you can pick and choose your gigs based on what interests you the most. However, if you’re trying to make ends meet, you’ll probably have to take on more jobs and spend more hours working.
Deadlines
All projects have deadlines! Sometimes these are immovable (“if this doesn’t get done by Friday then the whole project is sunk and we’ll all die!”), sometimes they are flexible (“we’d like this by Friday, but it can also be turned in next week”). Make sure that you understand what kind of deadline you’re dealing with before agreeing to take on a project.
Vacations And Holidays
when it comes to your financial situation, there are two extremes. On one end, if money is no object, you can work as little as you want and buy whatever you want. But on the other end of the spectrum, if you need money right now and don’t have any savings or other sources of income to fall back on, then you probably need to put aside all other obligations and focus exclusively on doing freelance work until your situation improves.
Productivity Levels
For example, if you’re working as an independent contractor for a large client and you’ve agreed to deliver 10 articles per week, there are two ways to interpret that: you could take 4 days to complete all 10 articles, or you could take 3 days to complete them—and spend one of the other days on something else.
Obviously, that’s not sustainable in the long term, but it does give you some flexibility in how many hours you work each week—if you can handle the workload.
Your Level Of Enjoyment
Another factor is how much you enjoy your work! It’s well-known that people who love their jobs tend to work longer hours than those who hate their jobs because they’re just having so much fun playing around on the internet (just kidding). We’d like to suggest that finding a job that you love is also an incredibly effective way to make sure that your time spent working is actually fulfilling, and will add value to both your career and company.
How To Determine Your Rate Per Hour
So you’ve decided to become a freelancer. Maybe it’s your dream job. Maybe you just need to supplement your income with a little extra cash. Whatever the reason, here are some tips on how to determine your rate per hour as a freelancer:
1. First, look at your expenses. How much do things like rent, food, and utilities cost you? Try to figure out how much money you need just to survive each month. This is the minimum amount of money you’ll want to make each month.
2. Now take that number and multiply it by 12. This is the amount of money you’ll want to make in a year so that you can pay for rent, food, and other essentials for the whole year without having to work extra hours or get another job.
3. Divide that number by 52 weeks. This is how much money you’ll want to make in a week. If you want to work 40 hours per week, divide this number by 40 hours—and there’s your hourly rate!
4. But what if you decide you’d rather work 30 hours per week than 40? Just divide your weekly goal by 30 instead of 40, and there’s your hourly rate for working 30 hours per week!
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Freelancing Is The Perfect Job For:
People Who Love To Work From Home
If you want to work from home, you can start freelancing immediately. Not only can you work from home, but you can choose what kind of work environment you have. If you like to work on your couch with your pets around, that’s totally fine! If you prefer the structure of separate office space, then go for it! You get to decide how and where you want to get your work done.
People Who Want To Be Self-Employed
Freelancing offers that freedom and independence. If you’re looking for a way to make money without having someone telling you what to do every day, then this is the perfect option for you.
People Who Want To Make Their Own Rules
If you want to set your own hours and make your own rules, freelancing is also a great choice. You get to decide exactly what projects you take on; if an email offer comes in at 9 p.m., and it’s not something that interests you, then don’t reply! You don’t have any boss telling you when or what to do.
Tips To Be Productive As A Freelancer
Working from home can be a challenge, and it’s easy to get distracted by chores, errands, TV—you name it. So if you’re wondering how to stay productive when you’re a freelancer, keep reading.
Here are 12 tips for staying productive as a freelancer:
1. Get Up Early
You’ll have more time in the day to get things done, and you’ll be able to get through your daily list without getting distracted by the tempting world outside your window.
2. Prioritize
Schedule your most important tasks first thing in the morning. If you write that article first thing, it’ll still be fresh in your mind when you go back to work later in the day.
3. Exercise!
It’s hard to stay at home all day without moving around much, so take advantage of this opportunity to exercise as much as possible. You’ll feel better afterward and be able to focus more on your work because of it!
4. Health Snack
Eat some brain food to help you focus (dark chocolate, blueberries, walnuts, etc.)
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5. Go Outside And Get Some Fresh Air During Longer Breaks
This might sound like an obvious tip, but it can make a huge difference in your productivity. When you spend all day inside, your brain gets exhausted from lack of sunlight and fresh air, so getting outside for at least 20 minutes and breathing in something other than recycled office air can help clear your mind and power you through the rest of your work.
6. Break Your Work Into Manageable Chunks
When you’re self-employed, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the different things that need to be done—and they’re all on you! The best way to avoid this is to break down each task into actionable steps that are easy to accomplish—for instance, instead of “make a marketing plan,”
“write five Instagram captions,” and “look over next month’s schedule,” you might say “work on the marketing plan for 30 minutes,” “write one Instagram caption,” and “spend 30 minutes reviewing next month’s schedule.” Taking those steps will help keep you from feeling like there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it.
7. Drink Plenty Of Water Throughout The Day
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout your day (and coffee if that’s how you roll). It’ll help keep your brain running smoothly so you can tackle those little tasks like a pro!
8. Don’t Forget It’s Okay To Take Breaks When Needed!
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout your day (and coffee if that’s how you roll). It’ll help keep your brain running smoothly so you can tackle those little tasks like a pro!
7. Avoid Multitasking
If you try to do too many things at once, your brain might start to feel like it’s floating in a fish tank full of biting piranhas (which is not a great feeling). Focus on one thing at a time, and then move on to the next thing when you’re done with that.
8. Get To Know Your Body’s Internal Clock
When are you most alert? Most productive? Try different things out, and see what works best for you. The more information you have about yourself, the more likely it is that you can work in a way that works for you.
9. Learn To Say No
Be honest about how much time you have, and don’t take on more than you can handle. You’ll be happier and more productive if you do what you can manage, rather than overextend yourself by taking on too much and then doing it all badly.
10. Apply The 80/20 Rule
This means focusing on the 20% of tasks that will give you 80% of your results. In other words, spend most of your time doing things that really matter and have a high payoff.
For example, if you are a freelance graphic designer, spending hours designing social media posts probably won’t help you make more money than spending those same hours going after more lucrative opportunities like designing billboards or brand logos.
11. Consider Setting Up An Email Auto-Responder
One of the biggest productivity killers is getting distracted by emails throughout the workday as they come in. If you set up an auto-responder that tells people when they can expect a response from you, this will help them know not to expect an immediate reply and should help cut down on any unnecessary back-and-forths and distractions throughout your day.
12. Prioritize Self-Care
Finally, don’t forget that self-care is important! Take breaks, get outside for fresh air and sunlight, and take time for exercise and healthy eating. These things will help keep you refreshed and productive throughout the day!
Reasons Why Freelance Is More Effective Than Full-Time Employment
1. When you hire a full-time employee, you have to train them and onboard them. This takes time, money, and energy. On the other hand, when you hire someone to do freelance work, they are already trained and ready to go!
2. Full-time employees have to be paid year-round, even during slow seasons. Freelancers can be hired for just the busy seasons of your business and not paid for the rest of the year.
3. You never know how long a full-time employee will stay with your company until they leave and find a new job somewhere else. In contrast, freelancers stay with you as long as you pay them!
Final Thoughts
Looking forward to finding out how many hours a freelancer works and how much he earns? Please share this article with your friends if you are interested in freelancing and want to know more about it! Thanks for reading!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on the topic:
How Many Hours Do Freelancers Work Each Week?: Explore a comprehensive article discussing the typical work hours of freelancers and factors that influence their workload.
Why Freelancers Work Fewer Hours: Discover insights into why freelancers often work fewer hours compared to traditional employees and how it impacts their productivity and lifestyle.
All the Factors That Affect the Hourly Price of Freelancers: Gain a deeper understanding of the various factors that influence the hourly rates set by freelancers and how these factors can affect their pricing strategies.
People Also Ask
How many hours a week does one freelancer work?
Typically, freelancers will work 1-8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This schedule can vary depending on the type of project you’re working on and your current responsibilities in life.
What are the most common freelance jobs?
Freelance jobs can include any number of things, but some of the most common is writing, programming, app development e.t.c. These jobs usually pay well, and you can do them from anywhere, as long as you have access to technology like a computer or phone. You may even be able to find a job that will pay you in cryptocurrency.
How many hours a week do freelancers work?
This entirely depends on you. The beauty of freelancing is that YOU set your own hours. If you want to spend a whole Saturday watching Netflix, that’s totally fine! It’s up to you when and how much you work.
What factors influence payment?
There are several factors that come into play when determining what a freelancer should be paid, including experience level (how long they’ve worked in the field), their skillset (what they know how to do), their location (where they live), and their education level (how many schools they’ve completed).
Freelancers who have been in the industry for longer tend to make more money than those who are just starting out.
Are there any factors that influence how many hours I’ll be working?
Yes! The type of clients you’re working with and the type of work itself plays a big role in how much you’ll be working. For example, if you’re doing administrative/clerical tasks for small businesses, you’ll likely be spending more hours each week than if you were doing creative design work for large companies.
What time of day do you prefer to work?
Most freelancers have a sweet spot—a time of day when they’re most productive. If they’re a morning person, they’ll often get the bulk of their work done before noon. If they’re night owls, they might prefer to tackle their projects after dark.
How much do freelancers make?
The average annual income for a full-time freelancer is just over $50,000. That said, some people who freelance make millions of dollars per year (like actor Will Smith). So how much you make depends on how hard you work—and how much work you’re able to find!
How can freelancers get the most done in the least amount of time?
Focus on one task at a time: Distractions are the enemy. If you’re trying to work, turn your phone off and put it away. Get your workspace set up so that everything you’ll need is within arm’s reach, and don’t get up to go search for anything until you’ve finished a task.
Take breaks: It’s easy to burn out if you’re working all day and night, so take a break and go for a walk every few hours. This will help keep your mind sharp, and it will help you feel refreshed and ready to get back to work when you’re done.
Do the hard stuff first: If there’s something on your plate that seems particularly difficult or boring, tackle it first thing in the morning while your brain is fresh. That way you won’t have to worry about it while doing all of your other tasks later in the day when they might feel more pressing than whatever it was that seemed so daunting earlier on.
How do you balance work and life?
Keep your schedule under control: Block out chunks of time for your workdays so you know exactly what you’re doing and when.
Stay well-rested: Being tired all the time is bad for your health, so make sleep a priority!
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.