The Moment When Freelancing Isn’t Hard At All

There are a lot of things I like about being a freelancer, but if you asked me to sum up my favorite part in one word, it would be this: Freedom.

As a freelancer, I feel free in the way that any employee does not truly feel free. It’s that feeling of owning the decisions made for your business and being able to say “yes” or “no” to whatever you want. However, not everything is perfect when it comes to being a freelancer.

The same freedom we cherish so much can be our downfall at times. If we don’t have good time management skills and discipline, our work life can easily fall apart and cause us more stress than an employee has to deal with.

In this article, I’m going to show you some of the most satisfying moments that come along with being a freelancer and some situations where it’s harder than ever before (including an example from my own life).

Takeaways
Freelancing can have moments of ease and success.
Effective strategies can make freelancing feel less challenging.
Building a strong client base and network can lead to smoother experiences.
Leveraging time management techniques can enhance productivity.
Embracing a positive mindset can help overcome obstacles.

When You First Start Freelancing

Being a new freelancer is scary. You don’t know what you are doing, how to price your services, or if you will be able to make enough money to pay for food and rent. It’s hard not to look at other people who have been doing this for years and think: “what am I doing?”

But don’t worry! Being new at something is normal. The fact that you are thinking about these things means that your business mind is working well enough for you to notice the little details about being a freelancer and that’s good.

The more questions that come up in your mind, the better off you’ll be when it comes time to solve those problems later on down the road (or even right away).

Understanding why US freelancers charge higher rates than others is crucial for navigating the competitive market. Explore our article on why do US freelancers charge higher than others to gain insights into pricing strategies and market dynamics.

When An Editor Says They Like Your Work

When an editor says they like your work, it’s a great feeling. You’ve just been validated as a good writer. But don’t get too excited. It’s important not to get too attached and fall into the trap of thinking that it always needs to be this way.

This is why it’s so important for you as a freelancer to keep working on your skills. If you are getting rejections because other people don’t like your writing, then maybe those people aren’t the right audience for your work (or maybe they’re just too stupid).

On the other hand, if someone does like your writing and offers up some constructive criticism, then take those suggestions with two hands and try them out!

The point of all this is: when someone compliments or criticizes something about the freelance life I try not to take it personally because I know that editors are busy people (like everyone else) who care about more than one thing at once…or something like that.

When You Can Pay Your Bills On Time

When you freelance, you’re your boss. You don’t have to worry about being late with rent or other bills. If a client is late paying, it’s not your problem. 

But if someone else is responsible for paying them and they miss the deadline, that can be stressful. Freelancers also have more control over their spending because they’re not enticed by the items in their office kitchen or the break room at work they’ve got what they need.

This allows freelancers to save money for rainy days (literally and figuratively). The ability to save means that freelancers are less likely than employees to go into debt over medical emergencies or other unexpected expenses (like a broken refrigerator). 

It allows them to invest in themselves no one says no when given an opportunity like $500/month for a year toward building out their business’ infrastructure! And it also makes vacationing possible without blowing through all of those hard-earned savings just so someone else will take care of us for once.

When You Spend All Day Working On A Piece And It Comes Together In The End

I have to admit that this one is my favorite moment because I love the feeling of accomplishment when I finish something. It’s very satisfying to see all your hard work come together and see someone else enjoy the fruits of your labor.

The first time I experienced this was when I made my first video for a client (see above), which may seem silly considering how long it took me to make that video. But still, it was really exciting because every single step felt like an accomplishment along the way:

Brainstorming ideas, researching how-to videos online, planning out shots using post-it notes and string on our living room floor…and then finally sitting down with my friend who helped me shoot and edit, working through 30+ hours over about two weeks until we finally finished!

Gen Z is embracing freelancing as a viable career option. Discover 13 exciting freelance job ideas for the younger generation and explore opportunities in emerging fields that cater to the skills and interests of this dynamic demographic.

When Someone Asks For Your Advice Or Help And You’re Happy To Give It

There’s nothing more rewarding than being able to help someone, whether they’re a friend or a stranger. You can see the relief on their face when they realize that they don’t have to learn something alone or research something themselves.

Instead, all they have to do is ask you! It’s so much easier knowing that someone else is on your side and wants the best for you and even better if this person has come across a situation before and knows how best to approach it with confidence.

As freelancers, we often feel isolated from our friends while we’re working hard on projects that take up most of our time and energy (not always intentionally). So when someone reaches out with their own needs and wants us in their life as well as theirs, there’s no way we won’t be happy about it!

When You Try Something New And It Works Out Well

When you’re working on a project that takes you outside your comfort zone, there’s nothing better than the moment when all of your hard work pays off. It doesn’t have to be monumental it could just be that one time where a client was impressed with your work or maybe even just happy with what they received from you. 

This feeling is especially rewarding if it’s been hard for you in the past (like taking an online course) or if it came out better than expected (like a piece of writing). Being able to achieve something unexpected is exhilarating.

When You See The Growth In Your Business From Year To Year, From Month To Month, From Week To Week, From Day To Day Any Kind Of Growth

Growth is a big deal. It means that you’re doing your job, which is to deliver value, and people are responding by paying you for it.

Growth shows that people like what you do or how you do it and they want more of it. This can be very motivating and inspiring because there will always be some level of resistance when starting on your own, especially if this is new territory for you.

The more growth comes from the hard work over time, the more momentum builds up until eventually, things start flowing naturally without any extra effort at all which makes all those early days seem worth it!

When You Finish Something Five Minutes Before It’s Due And You Want To Yell “Who Needs Sleep?” But Know That Actually, You Do Need Sleep Because Otherwise This Happens All The Time And That’s Not Ok

Sure, if you’re working on a project for yourself and only have one project at a time this isn’t too big of an issue but when you’re juggling multiple projects for various clients at once (as so many freelancers are), things get a little more complicated.

I’ve learned my lesson from years of being an insomniac: no matter how badly I want to stay awake until 2 AM working on a project for someone else, I always break down and go to bed by 10 PM because then I can wake up refreshed in the morning ready to tackle everything again.

When An Editor Has Suggestions On A Piece Of Yours That Is Helpful And Makes It Better Instead Of Making It Worse

I have had the fortune to work with many excellent editors, but even among them, some are more concerned with their writing than with yours.

If you’re lucky enough to find someone who wants your writing to be as strong as possible, treasure them dearly and remember that if your relationship goes sour at any point in time (because we all get sick and tired of each other sometimes), it doesn’t mean you can never work together again; only that this particular person isn’t the right fit for you.

Crafting a standout portfolio is essential for freelance success. Learn how to create a compelling portfolio that showcases your skills and lands you the job in our comprehensive guide on how to make a portfolio that gets you the job.

When You Found A Client You Like Working With

You may not have realized it at first, but when you’re in the midst of a project and things are going smoothly and efficiently, it can be difficult to see the bigger picture. After all, if everything is going well and why wouldn’t everything be going well? then why would there ever be cause for concern?

But as we know, freelancing isn’t always sunshine and rainbows (or at least sunshine). Because even though projects are great for us freelancers they give us regular income. Sometimes they’re also stressful and complicated.

And when we’re stressed out about something personal or professional or whatever else might be happening in our lives at any given time (like everyone else), it’s easy for that stress to bleed into our work relationships with clients.

That’s where this moment comes in: When your relationship with a client is so strong that no matter what happens during their project process (or outside of their project process).

Both parties remain calm and collected because they know each other so well by now that nothing either party does could surprise each other anymore…and therefore nothing will throw them off course from doing good work together again next time around!

When Your Business Partner Has Come Up With A Perfect Solution To The Obstacles That Have Been Slowing You Down

One of the most exciting moments in freelancing is when a business partner solves an obstacle that you’re facing. It means that you have someone on your side who has your back and can help you get past any hurdles that come up.

You are working as a team, and teams are made up of people who work together to achieve common goals. If one member of the team comes up with a solution to an obstacle, everyone else benefits from it because they aren’t facing that problem anymore!

It’s not enough though just having other people helping; they also need to want what’s best for both sides as well, which means being able to compromise sometimes so everyone gets what they want out of these situations (or at least close).

For example: If there’s only one way into our office building then maybe we should figure out which building entrance would be best based on our needs rather than theirs?

Quitting your day job to pursue freelancing requires careful consideration. Explore our list of 13 things to consider before you quit your day job to ensure a smooth transition and set yourself up for success in the freelance world.

When Someone Asks If They Can Pay You In Advance And Since They’ve Paid Everything Else On Time, You Say Yes

You trust your client. They haven’t paid anything late yet, and they’ve been pretty friendly. You trust that they will pay you on time, in full, and if they ask for an advance payment then that is fine too because they’ve been great so far.

When you are working with a client who has paid everything else on time and in full, then it makes sense that they’d want to pay you in advance as well.

When You’ve Finally Built-Up Enough Clientele That Your Schedule Is Full For The Next Three Months

You’ve finally built up enough clientele that your schedule is full for the next three months. The work is consistent and exciting, and you know where your money is coming from without having to worry about chasing projects.

You can relax a little bit now. You can take time off when you need it because there are no holes in your schedule. Your voice mail doesn’t have any messages on it, and every email in your inbox has been read at least once and responded to appropriately.

You feel good about yourself as a freelancer because of how well things are going for you right now, which makes it easier for other people to want to work with you again in the future!

Freelancing is not just a side gig for many individuals; it can be a full-fledged career path. Discover why freelancing isn’t a side gig and gain valuable insights into building a sustainable freelance business that meets your professional aspirations.

Final Thoughts

But, hey, you’re only human. You can only do so much. And there will always be times when freelance work is frustrating, overwhelming, and exhausting and that’s ok. There are plenty of upsides to this career path too.

Remember: don’t get discouraged when the going gets tough. Take a deep breath, take a break and give yourself some time to recharge. You’ll get through it and come back stronger than before!

Further Reading

Here are some additional articles that provide further insights into freelancing:

Reasons Why Freelancer Career May Not Be for You: Discover common challenges and factors to consider before pursuing a freelance career.

Why Is Freelancing So Hard?: Explore the difficulties and hurdles faced by freelancers and learn strategies to overcome them.

5 Lessons I Learned as a Freelancer: Gain valuable insights from a freelancer’s personal experiences and learn important lessons for navigating the freelance journey.

People Also Ask

How Do I Find Clients?

There are many ways to find clients, but the most important thing is to get out there and start talking to people. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, either.

Freelancers are always looking out for new opportunities and they’ll be happy to connect you with their clients if they think it’s a good fit.

How Do I Know If I’m Going To Make Enough Money?

This is one of the most common questions we hear from new freelancers. The truth is that no one can tell you exactly how much money you’ll make as a freelancer that depends on what type of work you want to do and how much time you’re willing to put in.

But rest assured that there are plenty of options out there for making good money as a freelancer, even if you only work part-time or on weekends.

What Is The Difference Between Freelancing And Being An Employee?

Employees are under contract, whereas freelancers are not. They can choose their hours and projects, and they have the freedom to take on other jobs as well.

How Do I Keep My Freelance Career Going?

The key is to stay organized from keeping track of invoices and budgets to scheduling time for your work and networking with potential clients. You’ll also want to make sure that your business looks professional, whether that means creating a website or buying an office chair (and we’re not just talking about looking good for clients!).

Is It Possible To Become Rich As A Freelancer?

Yes! There are many ways to make money as a freelancer from writing content for companies online to designing websites or even managing social media accounts for businesses. But first, you’ll need to find something you love doing so much that it doesn’t feel like work at all!

How Do I Know What To Charge?

The best way is to look at other people in your industry, and see what they’re charging. You don’t have to start with the same as them, but if you’re going to raise your price, later on, it’s better to do that once you’ve established a customer base, rather than right off the bat.

What If I Can’t Get Any Clients?

The most important thing is to keep trying! It may take a few weeks or even months before you find your first client, but once you do, it will be much easier for you to find more. 

To make sure that doesn’t happen again though, make sure that every time someone contacts you about hiring you as a freelancer (whether through email or social media), you respond within 24 hours and try not to send out too many “sorry” messages. People will remember those!