Life is full of choices, and I’ve had to make a lot of them in the past few years. One of the big ones was whether I wanted to keep doing freelance work or go back to a full-time job. My career has taken a lot of twists and turns, but eventually, I decided that freelancing was the right path for me (at least for now). It’s not an easy life, but it does give me some things that working 9-to-5 can’t. Here are just a few:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Freelancing offers a unique blend of freedom and flexibility. |
| Freelancing allows for greater control over your work schedule and projects. |
| Freelancing can lead to higher earning potential based on your skills and expertise. |
| Freelancing requires self-discipline and effective time management. |
| Freelancing provides an opportunity to pursue your passions and interests. |
| Freelancing may require building a network and finding clients independently. |
| Full-time jobs offer stability in terms of a consistent income and benefits. |
| Full-time jobs may provide a structured work environment with clear career paths. |
| Full-time jobs often involve less administrative work and self-promotion. |
| Full-time jobs may offer more opportunities for professional development and growth. |
Flexible Work Schedule
One of the best things about freelancing is that you get to set your hours. You can choose to wake up early or later, start work at noon or 3 PM, take an hour-long lunch break instead of a 30-minute one, and go home once you’ve completed your task for the day.
You don’t have any fixed office hours either so you can set them according to what works for you. This also means that if it’s raining outside and there isn’t much work around then there’s no reason why you should be working late into the evening when all your colleagues are at home having dinner with their families, watching TV shows together after putting the kids to bed or perhaps even having sex with their spouses!
One thing that I learned from my mother who used to work as an attorney was not only how much she valued her free time but also how she made sure she maximized every second she had left before going to bed just so she could rest well during those few hours.”
Freelancing offers a unique blend of freedom and flexibility that is hard to find in a regular job. Discover the advantages and disadvantages of both options in our comprehensive guide on Freelancing vs Doing a Regular Job and make an informed decision based on your priorities and career goals.
Work From Anywhere
One of the main reasons people choose to freelance over having a full-time job is because they can work from anywhere in the world. If you travel often and want to take your business with you, freelancing is perfect for that! Whether it’s a beach or coffee shop or library, there are plenty of places where you can find free Wi-Fi and get some work done. You don’t even have to leave home!
You don’t need office space or equipment if everything is done online, so all the costs go down significantly. This gives us more freedom, allowing us to focus on our passion projects without having to worry about making money at all times (even though we should anyway).
Set Your Rates
The ability to set your rates is a huge advantage of freelancing. The amount you charge will depend on several factors, including how much work there is for your niche and the quality of your work.
You can charge what you are worth, what your competition charges, and how much the market will bear for that type of work. It’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean charging whatever the customer wants; it means charging based on how much your business needs to be successful.
Higher Earning Potential
You can work as much or as little as you want, and choose your hours. You can also choose your clients, projects, and rate. This is a refreshing change from the 9-5 grind of most full-time jobs where you are forced to work every day with no option to opt-out when necessary (like if you need a vacation).
You have more freedom than ever before to start businesses on your terms and make money in the way that suits you best whether that means working for yourself full time or taking small freelance gigs here and there when it works best for both parties involved.
In short: no one knows what’s best but YOU!
The rise of freelancing has reshaped the landscape of work, and it’s not just a passing trend. Explore why freelancing is not just the future but the present of work in our insightful article: Freelancing: Not the Future of Work, the Present. Stay ahead of the curve and embrace the opportunities this new paradigm brings.
Grow Your Own Online Business
Freelancing is the perfect way to grow your own online business. You can start a business from anywhere, and you don’t need a lot of money either.
You can use freelancing as a way to make extra money on the side or even work full time, it’s totally up to you. If you want to keep things simple, then it’s best if you only take on one client at a time because that will give all of your focus in one place where other people would have multiple clients and projects at once which could get overwhelming for them so that’s something else.
I wanted to mention here guys is that when it comes down to choosing between looking for jobs vs becoming freelance yourself I must say that the latter option has much more benefits than just not having any job whatsoever because again once again we’re talking about freedom here which means being able works wherever whenever so long as they got an internet connection!
No Bosses To Report To
No bosses to report to, no bosses to answer to and no bosses to share your ideas with! This is probably one of the best things about freelancing. You get complete freedom over what you want to do and how you want it done. You don’t have anyone saying “you can’t do that” or “you need approval from me before doing this minor task”. As long as your work is good enough, no one can stop you from doing anything at all!
Unlimited Growth Potential
There are countless ways to grow your business, and that’s part of what makes freelancing so enticing. You can hire other people to help you with new projects or handle more clients than you’d be able to manage on your own. You can even find other freelancers online and work together on projects, which is a great way to make sure everyone gets paid fairly.
The best part about unlimited growth is that it doesn’t have to happen immediately; if you don’t need any extra help today or tomorrow, that’s fine! You’re free from having a boss who will question every decision. However, if someday down the road you decide that it would be beneficial for your business (or even just fun!) then by all means go ahead and do it!
A Side Hustle With Real Income Potential
Since your side hustle is an actual business, it’s not just a fun hobby where you’re making money while sitting at home watching Netflix. You need to treat it like one to make sure that you can keep growing your side hustle and earning more income from it.
There are many ways that you can use your side hustle to earn more income:
- You could use the money from your side hustle to help pay for the expenses associated with your main job or business. For example, if you have an Etsy store where you make jewelry or other crafts, and some of these items sell well on Etsy (or elsewhere), then those earnings can be used as part of what’s called passive income money that comes in without any direct effort on someone’s part (in this case, yours).
This kind of passive income means that once an item sells on Etsy or wherever else online shops sell their goods/services/whatever-you’re-selling-to-the-publicly–it’s done! There isn’t anything else required except continuing the sales process by posting new products so more people can buy them 🙂
- Another way would be if one day down the road when they graduate high school/college etc., they decide they don’t want any other jobs besides freelancing because they enjoy being their boss so much 😉
Are you curious about how freelancing is revolutionizing the concept of work? Dive into our thought-provoking piece, The Job of Tomorrow: How Freelancing Is Changing Work, and gain a deeper understanding of the transformative impact freelancing is having on industries, organizations, and individuals.
Control Of Your Income
When you’re freelancing, you get to set your rates and the amount of money you make. You can increase your income by working more hours or taking on more projects. When I was working full-time at an agency and had a family, I would often only work during the day because I didn’t want my kids to be alone in the evenings/nights.
Now that I am a freelance writer, I have no such restrictions! If my kids are sick or otherwise occupied, then no problem just working late into the evening (or even all night!) until everything is finished!
When it comes down to it, as much freedom as possible is what makes freelancing so amazing for me. Not only do I have control over how much money comes in but also when that money comes in and what kind of schedule works best for me (and my clients).
More Time For Family & Friends
As a freelancer, you can spend more time with your family and friends. Time is more valuable than money. You can spend more time on things that are important to you and less time on things that aren’t.
More time for family and friends means:
- Spending more quality time with them (goodbye awkward dinner conversations about work)
- Being able to participate in their lives by helping out when needed
- Being available for birthdays, holidays, etc.
More Time For Yourself
A lot of people assume that freelancing means working more hours than they would at a full-time job, but this isn’t necessarily true.
I’ve found that I have more free time to do whatever I want—including taking more vacations! As a freelancer, you can take time off whenever you choose and there’s no one around to tell you otherwise. You can also work from home if that suits your lifestyle better or even in your pajamas if that makes sense for the project at hand!
You can even change the way you work depending on what’s going on in your life at any given moment. For example, if it’s summertime outside and my son has just gotten out of school for the day then we’ll often spend our lunch break together wandering around town so he doesn’t get too bored during those few hours when most other kids are away from school too (and thus don’t need as much supervision).
You Get What You Put In (Motivation)
I firmly believe that you will get out what you put in. If you want to make money, then you need to work hard at it and do the best job possible. If you want to be successful, then put in the effort and work on your business until it takes off. The same goes for anything else: if you want to be good at something (like writing or art), then practice!
Embrace the future of work with confidence by exploring the power of freelancing. Discover why freelancing leads the pack in shaping the way we work in our enlightening article: The Future of Work Is Here, and Freelancing Leads the Pack. Stay ahead of the curve and unleash your full potential in this dynamic and evolving landscape.
The Skills I Learn Are My Skills Forever (Knowledge)
One of the best things about freelancing is, that the skills you learn are your skills forever. You can take these skills and apply them to another job if freelancing doesn’t work for you. You can also use these skills in your personal life too!
For example: If I learned how to use Adobe Illustrator on my freelance project I might be able to use that same knowledge when creating some artwork for my kid’s birthday party invitations or even when redoing our kitchen cabinets!
A Tax Write-Offs (Money)
The biggest reason why freelancers are better off than employees is the tax benefits they receive. This includes both those who freelance full time and those who do it part-time in addition to a full-time job.
For example, if you’re working for yourself as an independent contractor for multiple clients (and not just one client at a time), you can claim things like “subcontractor” or “contractor” on your W2 form instead of an employee. That way, when it comes time to file your taxes with the IRS at the end of the year, they won’t consider you an employee!
You should also keep track of all related expenses throughout the year – so that when April 15th rolls around every year, this information will be easy for you to provide when filing your taxes with TurboTax or another online tax service provider.
Some great ways that freelancers can save money on their taxes include buying or renting office space; purchasing equipment such as laptops/phones/scanners/etc.; paying insurance premiums (healthcare premiums); hiring other people such as accountants/bookkeepers/etc.
Diversify Income Streams (Wealth)
As a freelancer, you have the opportunity to create multiple income streams. This means that you don’t just have one way of making money, but several.
You might be asking yourself “why is this important?” Well, let’s say something bad happens and your main source of income goes away. If you’ve only got one stream of revenue then it means that if the bottom falls out then everything else will follow suit and you’ll find yourself in a pretty dire situation. But with multiple streams of revenue, even if things do go south with one or two streams there are still other options left open to you! You can always pick up another freelance job or some other project on the side until things improve again!
All Year Around Income (Money)
You can work year-round. Many people do not realize that they can earn money in the winter when other people are not working. Also, you can earn money during summer when most people are on vacation or enjoying their time off with family and friends, and even earn money during holidays when most people are out of town spending time with their families.
There is no reason to worry about being sick and missing a day of work because you know that most jobs only require you to be at work for 8 hours (sometimes less) per week/month/year depending on what type of job it is.
No Office Politics (Stress)
Freelancing is a great way to escape the stress of office politics. In my experience, freelancing has been much less stressful than working in an office environment. As a freelancer, you have control over where you work and when you work something that can help take your mind off of any unpleasant situations that may be happening at your job.
If there’s some drama going on at work or if your boss isn’t treating you well, it’s easy to focus on something else when you’re not in the office.
Freedom Of Expression (Public Image)
One of the most common reasons for freelancers to leave their jobs is that they feel like they can’t be themselves. They’re told what to wear, how to act, and even what to say.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing employers need to have some control over their employees for them to run a successful business. However, it does take away from an employee’s freedom of expression and prevents them from being authentic or genuine in their work.
Freelancing may come with its challenges, but the rewards are worth the effort. Discover the secrets to navigating the freelancing journey successfully in our motivating article: Freelancing Is Hard, But It Will Be Worth It. Gain insights, tips, and inspiration to overcome obstacles and thrive in your freelancing career.
Final Thoughts
There has never been a better time to get started as a freelancer. With more and more people choosing this path, it’s easy to find support and information online which can help you succeed.
I hope this list of reasons why I choose to freelance over having a full-time job has helped you decide if you should go for it or not. If you are prepared to work hard and be your boss, then there is no reason why you cannot succeed in this ever-growing industry. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore the topic of freelancing versus full-time employment:
Freelance vs Full-Time: How to Decide Which Is Best for You: Discover key factors to consider when making the decision between freelancing and full-time employment, including financial stability, flexibility, and career growth.
10 Reasons Why Freelancing Is Better Than Any 9-5 Job: Explore the benefits of freelancing over a traditional 9-5 job, such as greater autonomy, work-life balance, and the opportunity to choose your clients and projects.
Choose Your Fighter: Full-Time vs Part-Time vs Freelance: Dive into a comprehensive comparison of full-time, part-time, and freelance work, and gain insights into the pros and cons of each option to help you make an informed decision.
People Also Ask
What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing is the practice of offering services to individuals, businesses, and organizations without a formal arrangement for compensation.
Do You Get More Work Done When You Work From Home?
Yes, freelancers that work from home have fewer distractions than those who work in an office setting. They can focus on their tasks without the interruptions from co-workers, phone calls, and emails that come with having a full-time job.
What Are The Benefits Of Working As A Freelancer?
The benefits of being a freelance writer include the ability to set your schedule, the flexibility to work from anywhere in the world, and the freedom to choose which projects you want to work on.
Also, if you’re already well-established in your field, it’s much easier to find work as a freelancer than it is if you’re just starting in your career. You also have more control over how much money you earn. You can charge higher rates or take on fewer projects if need be.
What’s The Difference Between Freelancing And Having A Full-Time Job?
When you work as a freelancer, you don’t need to worry about things like paying taxes or getting health insurance through your employer. You also get to be your boss! You can set your hours and work from wherever you want, as long as you have access to the internet.
In contrast, if you work for an employer, then they pay for your health care and taxes, so that’s one less thing for you to think about. However, there are some downsides to working for someone else:
You may not have much freedom in what projects you take on or when they’re done; they may not give as much recognition or respect as they do if they were hiring someone permanently; and if something goes wrong with your project or client relationship, it’s harder to walk away than if it were just between yourself and another freelancer.
How Do I Know If Freelancing Is Right For Me?
If you like working on your schedule and don’t mind the risk of not getting paid, freelancing might be right for you! If you want guaranteed paychecks every month and don’t mind working at a company office, then getting a full-time job might be a better choice for you.
What Are The Benefits Of Having A Full-Time Job Versus Being A Freelancer?
Having a regular income is great for security and stability, but it can also be less flexible than working as a freelancer. Freelancers can choose their hours, which gives them more flexibility in planning their lives.
They also have the option to take on more work if they need to earn extra money, and they don’t have to worry about paying taxes or insurance premiums like they would if they were employed by someone else.
What Are Some Drawbacks Of Working As A Freelancer?
You may miss out on benefits like health insurance, vacation time, and other perks that come with full-time employment. You also won’t have access to company resources like free office space or equipment loans if you’re not an employee. This means that you’ll need to pay for these things yourself unless your clients cover them for you.
How Do I Get Started As A Freelance Writer?
Start with small projects to build up your portfolio and experience before taking on bigger projects that require a lot more time commitment from you as well as from clients who may be willing to pay more per hour because they see how well your previous work turned out!
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.