Of all the things I’ve done in my life, freelancing is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It’s not easy to make money working for yourself. There are a lot of factors involved and everything has to work well together if you want to reach your goals as a freelance worker. So here are some reasons why it is so difficult:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Freelancing is a challenging endeavor that comes with its own set of difficulties. |
| The challenges of freelancing can vary from person to person, but they often include financial uncertainty, client acquisition, and work-life balance. |
| Overcoming the challenges of freelancing requires resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning. |
| Building a support system and networking with other freelancers can provide valuable insights and assistance. |
| Despite its challenges, freelancing can also offer flexibility, independence, and the opportunity for personal and professional growth. |
As Freelancers, We Handle Our Own Business
The worst part of being a freelancer is that you have to do everything. You’re the boss, but you also work harder and longer than any employee.
You have to be your marketing director and accountant, salesperson, customer service representative, janitor, and human resources manager (and sometimes IT guy). But if you can handle it and I know many people who do there are some amazing benefits here:
Freelancing comes with its fair share of challenges, but it’s important to remember that it’s not impossible. Read our article on why freelancing is hard, but not for these reasons to gain a better understanding of the obstacles you may face and how to overcome them.
Our Time Is Valuable
You have to charge a high price. Freelancing is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but one of the most rewarding too. The reason why it’s so hard? Because you have to charge a high price for your work. If you are looking for an easy way in life, then freelancing isn’t for you! You need to be prepared to work hard and put in long hours.
You need to pay yourself a salary and ensure that your business can stand up on its own two feet without relying on anyone else (or any other source).
That means that every single month when all of your bills are paid and there’s nothing left over from what clients have paid into your account, it will still be enough money coming through each month so that all of those expenses get covered as well – including paying yourself a salary!
We Are A Startup Within Ourselves
You are your boss. In a traditional work environment, you have a boss who is also the CEO of your company. They are responsible for making sure that their company runs smoothly and efficiently.
In freelancing, YOU are both the CEO and employee at the same time. You don’t have anyone looking over your shoulder or to keep track of what you’re doing throughout the day. It can be quite overwhelming at first but it’s very rewarding once you’ve gotten used to it!
You have to find ways around problems yourself instead of relying on others for help because there isn’t anyone else around who will do anything about them anyway (except maybe another freelancer).
For example: if one client doesn’t pay their invoices on time then we need money coming in from somewhere else so I would try contacting another client who owes me money still but hasn’t paid yet either – hopefully they’ll pay soon so I won’t have any problems paying bills like rent next month!
Many people have misconceptions about freelancing, thinking it’s a scary endeavor. However, the reality is quite different. Discover why freelancing is not as scary as everyone makes it out to be by exploring the advantages and opportunities it offers.
Staying Motivated Is Not Easy
Motivation is a tricky thing. It’s easy to be motivated when you’re feeling inspired and excited, but what about when you’re feeling down? What about when you’re tired? What about when you’re lazy? And most importantly, how can I stay motivated when I’m frustrated and want to give up?
Staying motivated is one of the hardest parts of freelancing because there are so many factors outside your control. You might be working on something that doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere or maybe another gig fell through at the last minute so now you have no work for three months ahead of time.
Maybe someone else got their freelance gig before yours did, leaving more work for everyone else. Whatever it may be, the most important thing is staying positive and keeping your eye on the prize: financial freedom!
Once Every Day, We Have To Sell Something
We have to sell our services to clients. We have to sell our products to customers. We have to sell our ideas to investors or other people who might be interested in the same thing we are passionate about.
It can be scary and intimidating, but it’s also a huge opportunity for us as entrepreneurs because it forces us out of our comfort zones and teaches us how much we can stand on our own two feet without relying on anyone else (or anything else) for support.
We Are Our Managers And Employees
As a freelancer, we’re both managers and employees. We have to manage our time and make sure we are doing the right things to achieve our goals. We have to manage our finances so that we can pay our bills and keep food on the table. And this is all while working with clients, who expect us to be available at all times!
We also need to manage relationships with our team members, because they’re an important part of any business (whether it’s large or small). Without them, everything would fall apart – but managing those relationships can be tricky too!
Then there’s family…and friends…and sometimes even strangers if you decide to take on additional tasks outside of your usual freelance work. Managing these relationships takes time away from other projects which could delay deadlines for clients or cause issues with money flow during slow periods (which happens quite frequently).
If We Don’t Work, We Don’t Get Paid
A lot of people think that freelancing is the easiest job in the world. You work when you feel like it, and you don’t have to deal with annoying coworkers or bosses who make your life miserable. But if you want to make money as a freelancer, working hard and being creative are essential qualities that will help you get paid. Here’s why:
- If we don’t work, we don’t get paid. It sounds obvious but it’s important to know that no one will pay us if we aren’t doing our jobs properly!
- We need to be disciplined because there are times when projects take longer than expected or obstacles arise out of nowhere (i.e., client emergencies). That could mean putting less effort into other projects so they don’t fall back on our plate later down the road either which means less money for everyone involved.
Especially if some clients have deadlines approaching soon after their last project was completed successfully by another team member working closely together with them throughout the duration.”
Freelancing can be challenging, and it’s not uncommon to experience impostor syndrome along the way. Find out how to navigate this psychological hurdle in our article on why freelancing is hard, impostor syndrome is harder and gain insights into building confidence in your freelancing career.
Not having a good salesperson means no money for us.
If you don’t have a good salesperson, then the business isn’t going to make any money. If you don’t have someone who understands how to market and sell your product, then it’s likely that no one will ever know that your product even exists!
This is why it’s so important to have someone on the team who is skilled at selling themselves and their ideas. They should also be able to sell their services and products (and sometimes even themselves) to drum up a new business or attract clients.
It can be hard for freelancers just starting because they may not know how important this skill is yet; but once they get into their careers as freelancers, they’ll learn all about what goes into being a good salesperson and there are many different kinds of people who do this job well.
Salespeople with experience managing teams; self-motivated individuals who work by themselves; those who like interacting directly with clients face-to-face; etcetera ad nauseam!
We Have To Do More Than One Job At A Time (And Sometimes Three Or Four)
You’re not just a writer. You’re also a web designer and an editor and a marketer. You’re your accountant and social media manager. Your job is to juggle all of these roles at once because the only thing worse than doing too much work is doing too little.
And yet, somehow we manage to do it for years on end. We’ll have something published in one place, then copywriting for that same client elsewhere; we’ll be working on edits for one project while designing another person’s website; we may even be putting together spreadsheets for our business expenses (which is decidedly not fun).
It’s all part of the job: not just being able to do all these things but also being able to do them well enough so that our clients are happy with both their content and their websites or whatever else they’ve hired us to help create or market or manage online.
We Don’t Know What Is Going To Happen Next Month Or Next Year. No Stability At All
This is also a challenging aspect of freelancing. You don’t know what is going to happen next month or even next year. You have no stability at all and you need to be ready for that. When a client cancels the project and doesn’t pay (which happens more often than we’d like), you need to find new clients and try again.
When your potential client asks for changes in the contract, which can take days or weeks before it’s done, you need to accept the changes and move forward with your work on this project instead of looking for another one – because there are no other options at the moment.
When your current project finishes, but there aren’t any new ones available yet – maybe because it’s too early into the year or due to lack of money/funds from previous projects (or both), then maybe it’s time for some self-marketing?
For example: writing blog articles about topics related to our expertise or posting links on social media platforms like Twitter; this way we can reach out directly to those who might be interested in working with us on future projects without actually having them contact us first until its too late.
While freelancing offers many benefits, it’s essential to be aware of the major drawbacks it can entail. Explore our piece on major drawbacks to freelancing everyone talks about to make informed decisions and learn strategies to overcome or minimize these challenges.
Working Alone Is Difficult If You Don’t Like Working Alone
While some people can work in solitude and thrive, others need more social interaction. If you have a hard time getting into the groove when you’re alone, freelancing might be difficult for you. If you don’t like being alone, then freelance work may not be your first choice of career.
The flip side of this is that some people like me can’t stand working in an office or with other people around all the time either! It’s so much easier when I can do what I want without having to worry about anyone else’s schedule or expectations.
Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in running my business; if I didn’t have all this space (and quiet) around me right now, I think it would be overwhelming and stressful!
You Can Never Leave Work Behind And Go Home. It’s Always There With You
The truth is that you need to have a good routine. And this doesn’t come without lots of practice and time.
You need to fully understand the necessity of keeping your mind off work when you’re not in the office because it will be there with you at all times even if someone else is physically present. It’s not easy to go home after a long day and just relax when your mind still has unfinished tasks floating around in it.
You’ll probably find yourself doing things like checking emails one more time or replying to Slack messages as soon as they pop up on your phone’s screen, just so that you can feel better about leaving work behind for now and going out into the world again (or maybe even starting some new projects).
When You Live Where You Work It’s Very Hard To Separate Both Things In Your Mind (Work And Home)
When you live where you work it’s very hard to separate both things in your mind (work and home). At some point, the two collide and that can be very dangerous for someone who works on their own at home as a freelancer or entrepreneur.
It’s really easy to say “I am going to get up, go downstairs, sit down at my desk, turn on my computer and start working” but this is not what happens most of the time. There are so many other distractions that get in the way of our productivity as freelancers such as:
- The fridge calling out your name saying ‘I have something delicious just for you! Come eat me right now! I promise it will be worth your while (HINT: It won’t)’.
- Your dog begging for some attention because he hasn’t seen much of you lately when all he wants is some love from his owner which again isn’t getting done because there’s no time.
Not enough hours in a day…not enough days in the week….not enough weeks….or months….or years even.
Finding The Right Balance Between Not Too Much And Not Too Little Is Extremely Difficult And Requires Hard Work
Finding the right balance between not too much and not too little is extremely difficult and requires hard work on finding a routine that works perfectly for you… and that changes constantly! A lot of trial-and-error involved here!
In the beginning, when I was still trying to get my feet wet in freelancing, I often got caught up in what felt like an endless cycle of stress. As soon as I finished one project, another one would come along almost immediately afterward, so it was easy for me to feel overwhelmed by all the work going on around me.
At first, I tried to take on as many projects as possible just so that I could make ends meet and get some money flowing into my bank account once again. This lead me into a vicious circle of always feeling stressed out due to lack of sleep because there was just never enough time in the day.
If you’re considering freelancing as a career path, it’s important to understand why it might be the right choice for you. Discover the reasons why freelancing can be the career for you. Here’s why by exploring the advantages, flexibility, and potential for personal and professional growth it offers.
Final Thoughts
I want to make one thing clear here: I love what I do. The reason why I put this list together is to let aspiring freelancers know that being independent and working for yourself isn’t all peaches and cream.
It’s hard work, it takes a lot of time and there will be times when you want to give up because you feel like nothing is going well at all! But that doesn’t mean you should give up!
There are many different ways in which we can make money as an entrepreneur or freelancer and some things are easier than others, but they all have their upsides too.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources you may find helpful to explore the challenges and considerations related to freelancing:
The 5 Most Challenging Things I Faced While Freelancing: Gain insights into the personal experiences and challenges faced by a freelancer, offering valuable perspectives on the difficulties that can arise in the freelance journey.
Why Freelancing May Not Be Right for You: Delve into this article to understand the factors and considerations that may influence whether freelancing is a suitable career choice for you, helping you make an informed decision.
Why Freelancing Is Not What Everyone Makes It Out to Be: Explore the different aspects of freelancing that may not align with popular perceptions, providing a balanced view of the realities and misconceptions surrounding freelancing.
People Also Ask
What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing is working for yourself. It’s something that has been around for centuries, but now it’s become more mainstream than ever before. A freelancer is someone who works for themselves instead of being employed by a company.
You can be a freelancer in any industry you could be an accountant or a writer, or any other kind of professional who works independently.
Why Would You Want To Do This?
There are lots of reasons why people choose to freelance over working for someone else, but some of the most common ones are:
Freedom: You have more freedom when you’re working for yourself than when you’re working for someone else because full-time employees have very little flexibility in their schedules and may not be able to work from home at all times.
Higher Pay: While there are exceptions, generally speaking when you’re self-employed, you get paid more per hour than if you were working for someone else (and this goes double if your employer doesn’t offer benefits like health insurance).
How Did You Get Started Freelancing?
I started freelancing because I wanted more freedom in my life. I had been working as a corporate lawyer for years, and I knew that if I wanted to spend more time with my kids and pursue other interests like writing and travel, then it would be easier if I worked for myself.
Do You Have Any Tips For Getting Started?
My biggest tip is to start small don’t dive into full-time freelance work right away. Work part-time jobs or do odd jobs until you feel comfortable taking on bigger projects. Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, it will be easier for others to trust your skills.
Is Freelancing Hard?
Not if you know what you’re doing. Freelancing is hard, and it can be stressful at times. But it’s also rewarding and exciting, and there’s no better feeling than being your boss.
If you’re looking for a way to make extra money or an opportunity to change careers, freelancing might be the perfect fit for you. You just need to know what to expect when you start.
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.