How Working As A Freelancer Opened My Eyes

Freelance life has its ups and downs, but it is incredibly rewarding. It’s an experience that changes you as a person, and you walk away from it with some serious life lessons.

Based on my personal experience of being a freelancer, here are things I learned from my freelance life:

How to Get Ahead of 99% Freelancers [5 Untold Tips]
Takeaways
Working as a freelancer provides unique insights and perspectives.
Freelancing can lead to personal and professional growth.
Embracing the freelance lifestyle may offer newfound independence.
Freelancing exposes individuals to diverse work opportunities.
Being a freelancer can change one’s perception of traditional employment.
Freelancing requires adaptability and self-motivation.
Freelancers may discover untapped skills and talents.
Building a strong network is crucial for freelance success.
Freelancing can open doors to a global work environment.
Balancing work and life is essential for sustainable freelancing.

The Freelance Life Isn’t All About Making Money

As a freelancer, you get to decide how much money you want to make. And yes, money is important. We all want to earn enough to live comfortably and be able to save up for retirement. 

But in my experience working as a freelancer for the past year, I’ve learned that there’s more than just making dough involved in this gig: it’s about flexibility and freedom (both of which are extremely valuable).

Plus, it’s also an opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills and those things can’t be bought with cash!

Building a successful freelance career requires understanding the unique dynamics of the freelance world. Explore 13 Ways We Are Different in the Freelance World to gain insights into the key factors that set freelancing apart.

Connecting With People Is A Great Motivator

One of the biggest benefits of working on your own is that you have a lot more time to connect with people. And connecting with others can be an excellent motivator for getting work done.

When you’re working as a freelancer, you have the opportunity to meet many new people and reconnect with old friends in a way that wouldn’t be possible if you worked for someone else. You also get the chance to connect with people from all walks of life, which is something I’ve found very valuable throughout my career. 

Whether it’s making connections at a conference or getting feedback from clients via email, talking directly with other people has been instrumental in my growth as an entrepreneur.

You Learn A Lot Of New Skills

There are so many other benefits that come with freelancing. You learn new skills, improve your career prospects, meet new people and feel more confident in yourself.

Being a freelancer can also help you feel more fulfilled in your work because it allows you to do what is most important to you on a day-to-day basis.

There Are Some Great Networking Opportunities

When I started freelancing full-time, the one thing that most surprised me was how many networking opportunities I encountered. Even if you don’t want to find a full-time job anymore, you’ll still meet people who are looking for a freelancer like you.

Also, You can work with companies and people who hire freelancers all the time. If you’re just starting as a freelancer, it’s important to find connections in your industry so that other people know what kind of work you do and value your expertise.

People who are hiring full-time employees often have connections with other businesses that might need help getting things done on the side (this also works well if they’re just looking for more remote workers), so it’s worth going out there and connecting with them if this is what appeals most to you right now!

Wondering if freelancing on the internet can lead to a fulfilling career? Discover the answer and valuable tips in our article on Can People Have a Career by Freelancing on the Internet?.

You Become More Organized

Being a freelancer forces you to become more organized than you ever were as an employee. You will need to keep track of all of your tasks, make sure they’re done on time, and remember to file your tax returns.

You’ll find that the more organized you are, the better off you will be. This is especially true if you have a lot going on at once and have multiple clients working with different deadlines!

Freelance Life Makes You Live In The Moment

When you work as a freelancer, you can’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. It’s just not possible. You have to live in the now\ and learn how to appreciate what’s right in front of you.

You’ll have to let go of things more easily than before because there won’t be anyone else around who will do it for us. We have no one but ourselves when it comes down to making decisions and accepting consequences (or even rewards).

We also need to learn to let go of those things that don’t matter anymore; those things we should’ve let go of earlier but didn’t; those people who don’t deserve our time or energy anymore but somehow still get it from us.

You Meet Some Amazing New People In The Process

You’re going to be working with clients from all over the world, and you’ll be getting to know them on a personal level (if they choose). You may even form friendships that last forever.

You don’t have time for friends who are more worried about their own lives than they are about yours, so don’t waste your time with anyone like that.

If someone is rude or mean towards you, then they’re not worth it. Be kind and respectful of others you’ll always get back what you put out there in life.

You Get To Work With Some Of Your Favorite Companies

Working as a freelancer is a great way to meet new people. It allows you to work with companies that you admire and have always wanted to work with. You can also get the opportunity to work directly with people who run those companies or at least be in contact with them regularly.

I started working as a freelancer in 2014 and since then I’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing brands like Buffer, 99U & Fast Company.

Crafting an impressive Upwork profile is essential for freelance success. Learn from the best with our feature on The Best Upwork Profiles for Freelance Success and optimize your own profile for better opportunities.

Your Confidence Levels Skyrocket

Being a freelancer also gives you confidence. You learn to trust your abilities and believe in yourself, your potential, and your skills. You learn to believe in the choices you make.

Freelancing has allowed me to work on some pretty awesome projects and with some amazing people, so I’ve had more opportunities than ever before to stretch myself creatively and professionally.

I’ve worked as an editor for large companies such as Business Insider UK (and even got nominated for a BAFTA for one of my pieces), contributed articles for The Guardian, written book reviews for The Financial Times, and helped launch several businesses including this website…the list goes on!

You Learn To Appreciate Every Minute Of Free Time You Get, No Matter How Small It Is

As a freelancer, you learn to appreciate every minute of free time you get, no matter how small it is. Your clients are paying for your time and you need to make sure that they’re getting their money’s worth out of it.

I’ve had many conversations with my friends who work traditional jobs about the importance of taking breaks and having fun outside of work. Most people don’t realize how much this can help them achieve success in their careers.

When I first started working as a freelancer, I didn’t have any idea what to do with my free time (I was too busy working). Now I know better!

It Teaches You That You Can Achieve Anything, As Long As You Set Your Mind To It

If there’s one thing I learned during my freelance career, it’s that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. If you want something bad enough, if you want it badly enough, and if you work hard enough you can get it.

I used to think that success happened by chance or luck but now I know better. Success is earned through hard work and dedication (and sometimes a bit of luck). But more importantly: no matter what anyone else might tell you about how “impossible” it is for women over 50 to land jobs in tech (or any other industry), don’t listen.

You have the power within yourself to go after what makes your heart sing; even if hiring managers aren’t ready for what’s coming their way because of their own biases against older women in tech careers.

You Learn To Value Family And Friends More Than Ever

It’s easy to take your family and friends for granted when you have a 9-5 job, but as a freelancer, you must make the most of your contacts.

You might think that they are only good for helping out when things get tough and they will be there for you if things get tough but having them around is also an essential part of ensuring that work doesn’t consume all of your life.

When I was freelancing full-time in 2014, I had no idea how much my friends would be able to help me through difficult times. They were always there providing support or just listening while I talked about what was going on at work (or not going on).

The same goes for my parents, who supported me emotionally during those difficult first few months as well as financially by letting me stay with them during the week so I could focus on finding new clients instead of having late-night train rides back home every day!

Transitioning to freelance work in specialized fields requires careful planning and determination. Follow the inspiring journey of How I Became Freelance in My Engineering Field and gather valuable insights to apply in your own niche.

Freelance Life Gives You Flexibility And Freedom, But That Doesn’t Mean It Is Easy

Freelance life gives you flexibility and freedom, but that doesn’t mean it is easy. There are many highs and lows, especially when you’re starting as a freelancer. You can feel like giving up at times, but if you work hard and learn from your mistakes, the rewards are great!

Freelance work can be taxing you have to deal with the stress of managing your money well and not having much safety net if things go wrong (as opposed to being an employee). 

However, if this appeals to you then it might just be worth trying out for at least a year or two so that you can experience some amazing opportunities for personal growth and self-improvement along with meeting some amazing people along the way.

There Are Some Serious Highs, But Also A Fair Share Of Lows

Working as a freelancer is not all sunshine and rainbows. There are some serious highs, but also a fair share of lows. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • You will have good days and bad days. Some days you’ll be able to knock out all your projects, while others may be slower due to client requests or family obligations, etc.
  • You will have days when you are so busy that you don’t know what to do next or how much time it takes for certain tasks (like invoices). I’ve had clients call me at midnight asking for an invoice because they just realized that they needed one! 

This can be stressful especially if the client wants their project completed by tomorrow morning (which unfortunately happens often). Don’t let this stress get the better of you; take a deep breath and remember that everything will turn out fine and hopefully better than expected 😉

  • On the flip side of being too busy though, there may come a point where things slow down enough where it feels like progress has halted altogether…or even worse…you feel like you aren’t making enough money! Remember: It’s not about how much money comes in it’s about how much value goes out into the world around us!

Freelancing Helps You Realize Just How Important It Is To Properly Manage Your Finances

As a freelancer, you’ll need to make sure that your finances are in order. Your business depends on it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after years of working as a freelancer, it’s that proper money management is key when running your own business.

As a self-employed person, you might find yourself tempted to spend money on things that aren’t necessary and could even be harmful.

When you’re working at home all day without anyone else around except for maybe your cat or dog (or both!), it’s easy to get caught up in the monotony and lose yourself in distractions like Netflix binges or online shopping sprees.

But don’t let this happen. This kind of behavior will only hurt your bottom line down the line -and who wants that?

Taking the leap from a full-time job to freelancing can be life-changing. Gain valuable perspective and advice from our article on Why I Quit My Full-Time Job to Start Freelancing to help you make informed decisions for your career path.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. If you’re thinking about becoming a freelancer, make sure that you’re prepared for the highs and lows before leaping. In my experience, I wouldn’t trade the freedom of working when I want to and choosing my hours for anything!

Further Reading

10 Essential Tips for Freelancers: Learn valuable tips and strategies to succeed as a freelancer in the competitive market.

How to Find Work as a Freelancer: A Comprehensive Guide: Explore this comprehensive guide on finding freelance work and building a sustainable career as a freelancer.

The Pros and Cons of Freelancing: Is It Right for You?: Understand the advantages and challenges of freelancing to make an informed decision about pursuing this career path.

People Also Ask

What Are The Benefits Of Freelancing?

Freelancing is one of the best ways to earn money as a writer. However, there are many other benefits that you can enjoy. These include:

Freedom: You can work from home or anywhere else in the world. You don’t have to commute to an office and you don’t need to worry about office politics.

The ability to set your schedule: You can work whenever it suits you best. If you want to work in the morning, then start working in the morning. If you want to take a break for lunch and then start again at 2 pm, that’s up to you!

Control over what projects you take on: Freelancers decide which projects they want to work on and which ones they don’t want to do (if any). This means that if there is a project that isn’t quite right for them, they won’t have to take it just because they need the money

How Did You Get Started As A Freelancer?

I had been working for a company for about 3 years when I realized that I was becoming more and more unhappy with where I was in my career.

After some research, I realized that there were plenty of other people out there who felt like I did: they wanted to work remotely, travel more often, and have more flexible hours. That’s when I decided to try being a freelance writer. It was scary at first and still is but it has also been one of the best decisions of my life.

What Was The Best Part Of Working As A Freelancer?

The best part was that I could work on my schedule and at my own pace. It was really easy to get started and get running, but sometimes it did take me longer than expected to finish an article or piece of content, which is why I made sure to set aside some time every day to work on my freelance business.

I’m A Freelance Writer, But I’m Also A Full-Time Employee At A Tech Company. How Do I Balance These Two Different Jobs?

When it comes to balancing freelance work and full-time employment, it all depends on your lifestyle. If you’re able to work from home and have a flexible schedule, then it’s easy to do both.

But if you need to be in an office every day for your job, then you might find it difficult. In this case, my advice would be to try to schedule your freelancing work around your work hours so that you can fit everything in without having too much overlap.

How Do I Get Started As A Freelance Writer?

The first step is creating an account on Upwork or Fiverr and listing your skillset so that potential clients can see what types of jobs they should hire you for.

Once they’ve seen your profile, they’ll reach out with details about their project(s). If you’re interested in working on it together, ask questions about the scope of work involved so that there aren’t any surprises later down the line (like “now we need this too”).

Leave a Comment