I’ll be the first to admit it: as a freelancer, I’m not a first-hand witness to the evils of corporate America. I’ve never even been a part of the workforce!
My observations are based on research and word-of-mouth accounts from my friends and family who have had jobs. That said, I am incredibly grateful for my freedom as a freelancer, and here’s why:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Flexibility in work schedule |
| Increased control over projects and clients |
| Potential for higher income |
| Opportunity for personal and professional growth |
| Ability to pursue passion and work-life balance |
| Independence and autonomy in decision-making |
| Diverse and varied work experiences |
| Overcoming limitations of traditional employment |
| Embracing the future of work |
| Creating a fulfilling and rewarding career path |
1) I Can Work In Pajamas
I’m a big believer in the power of the pajama-clad workday. When you’re freelancing, you can wear whatever you want! You don’t have to worry about looking good for your coworkers or making sure that no one sees your PJs. You can be as comfortable as possible during those long days at home (or wherever else you choose to work).
This also extends to what kind of food I eat while working. While some people might worry about smelling like garlic or having crumbs all over their keyboard, I feel less self-conscious when eating in front of a computer screen than when eating at an actual desk surrounded by other people.
I also love being able to decide exactly how much time I want to spend working each day something many people find difficult with full-time jobs.
For example, sometimes I’ll take half a day off from writing articles or answering emails simply because I need some time alone without any distractions for creative thinking or brainstorming purposes.
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2) I Don’t Get Multiple Emails Per Day Asking Me To Work Late
This is a biggie. I don’t get multiple emails per day asking me to work late, stay late at the office, or work on weekends. With freelancing, I can decide what hours I want to work and when I want to take breaks. The best part? It’s all up to me!
I don’t have any more meetings with my boss where he tells me how important my project is (but not urgent) and then asks if we can stay late tonight so we can finish it up. No more hiding out in conference rooms or restrooms until 6 pm just so I can go home on time and see my family before the 10 pm dinner rush starts at home.
3) When I Need A Break, I Can Take One
While getting a job, I would always be worried about asking for a break. What if I need to use the bathroom or am hungry? What if my boss is in a bad mood and doesn’t want me to take a break?
This is why freelance work is so liberating: when you’re freelancing, there’s no one telling you what to do or where to be you get to determine those things yourself! If you need a snack, take it! Need some time alone with your thoughts? Take that too!
Taking breaks isn’t just nice; it’s essential for maintaining focus and mental health. And as far as mental health goes…
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4) When I Am Sick, I Don’t Have To Go To The Office
If you are self-employed, you don’t have to worry about getting a doctor’s note or taking time off when you’re sick. You can work from home and use your laptop or desktop computer (or whichever one is less likely to make other people in the house sick).
When I was in the corporate world, if I got a cold or the flu during the winter months, this meant that I had to go to work despite feeling like hell on Earth. I would try my best not to cough on anyone or spread germs by sneezing directly into someone’s face.
But if you’re freelancing? You can sit at home in your pajamas with your cat purring next to you while still getting paid!
5) Vacations? No Worries
I can take vacations whenever I want. Sure, you might get a few vacation days per year but then again, maybe not. Even if your company does give you some time off, there’s no guarantee that they won’t mind if you take it early or request an extra day.
Similarly, the boss doesn’t have much say in when you take your vacation time. If he or she does have a suggestion about when to leave for your trip and come back from it (or even where), it’s usually because they’re worried about their schedule getting disrupted by yours.
And why would they be? It’s not like they’ve got anything better to do with their time than make sure things run smoothly while someone else takes a break from work!
Vacations aren’t just nice; they’re important for maintaining health and well-being both mentally and physically.#ENDWRITE
6) I Can Schedule My Life Around My Kids’ Schedules, Not Vice Versa
As a freelancer, you have the flexibility to work around your kids’ schedules. You can take them to school on time without having to rush out the door. You can take them to the doctor, dentist, orthodontist, and even movies (if they are old enough).
This might sound insignificant but it isn’t! It means that I don’t have to miss school plays or any other event that I would normally not be able to attend due to job commitments or meetings that need attending in person. It also means that I don’t feel like a bad parent when I cannot be there for some illnesses or emergencies because of work commitments.
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7) When I Work, I Work Hard And Get Paid For That Effort
It’s not easy to be a freelancer. You have to work hard and prove yourself every day to make ends meet.
But there are perks, too. If you’re an employee, your boss is likely going to tell you what steps and procedures need to be taken for the job or project at hand to succeed but if you’re a freelancer? You’ll get paid based on how well you do your job and how much effort you put into it.
There’s nothing wrong with working hard for other people all day long; however, when I’m being paid by someone else instead of myself, my motivation tends toward mediocrity rather than excellence (for example: “I don’t want them thinking I’m too pushy”).
Being self-employed means that I am always striving my hardest because my livelihood depends on it and that kind of pressure can go a long way toward making one’s work better!
8) No More Pointless Meetings That Mean Nothing And Go Nowhere
Let’s be honest: you hate them. They’re a waste of time, money, energy, and brain cells. They’re also a waste of oxygen and space.
I’m not saying I don’t attend meetings occasionally just that I would consider myself pretty selective about which ones I bother to go to.
If there’s an opportunity for me to get more done on my own without being distracted by other people’s pointless conversations or meandering tangents from the subject at hand (which is usually just another “meeting”), then I’ll take it in a heartbeat!
9) Other Employees Don’t Make Me Do Their Work When They Don’t Feel Like It Anymore
As a freelancer, you have the power to choose when you want to work and how much (or little) of it you do. You are not beholden to anyone else’s schedule but your own. I love this about freelancing because it allows me to pick and choose the projects that I think will be most fulfilling for me at any given time.
As a freelancer, if someone asks me for help on their project and I don’t feel like doing that anymore, then guess what? It’s an easy “no.” They won’t take over my job duties for me because they know that no one else is going to step up (except maybe another freelancer).
In addition, as a freelancer there are no office politics involved in getting your foot in the door: if someone wants to hire me but doesn’t know what they need or why they need it yet which happens all too often they can still hire me without having any idea what kind of work I’ll end up doing once we start working together!
This makes things easier both ways since neither party has many risks involved with hiring each other; it also means we can avoid potentially awkward situations where one person feels like they’re being taken advantage of by someone else who isn’t interested in disclosing everything upfront before getting started.”
10) No Office Politics To Worry About
Working within a company, there’s always going to be politics. You can’t escape it.
They are everywhere and come in many different flavors from the territorialism of your co-workers to the office politics that are inherent in any hierarchical organization, to even the subtle distinctions between what you say at work and what you say outside of it (if you’re like me and are always saying something inappropriate).
But as an independent contractor, none of this applies to me. I don’t have colleagues; I have clients whom I work for. This means that all my business relationships are straightforward ones: either they pay me or they don’t!
And if no one wants my services, well then that’s fine too because there will always be other clients out there who do want them (as long as I’m good at what I do).
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11) My Dogs Are Better Behaved Than Most Of My Coworkers Used To Be
One of the best things about working from home is that it allows you to take your dogs with you. This isn’t a new trend, either it’s been going on for years! Take this quote from an 1892 edition of The Saturday Evening Post (which was then called The American Weekly):
“It is nothing new for men and women who work in offices to bring their dogs with them and set them at work on their feet.”
Today, freelancers can make sure their dogs are always with them by bringing their furry friends into the office with them.
And while it may seem like a gimmick at first glance, there are plenty of benefits to having a dog in the workplace:
Dogs don’t care about office politics or what you wear or your weight or race or religion; they just love being around you. And if one person doesn’t like it? Well, you can leave him at home next time!
12) My College Degree Is Appreciated Much More Now Than It Was In My Past Jobs As A Secretary/Receptionist/Data Entry Clerk/Accounts Payable Clerk/Accounts Receivable Clerk/Etc, Etc…
I’m earning more as a freelancer than I ever did in my past jobs. I’ve been promoted more often as a freelancer than as an employee!
I get to work with people who are smarter than me and on projects that are much more interesting than my previous ones.
This makes me feel like I’m making good use of my education, which was hard to do when I was doing data entry all day long or spending hours on the phone with a customer service line trying to resolve issues related to one of our department’s policies (which were never even written down).
13) I’ve Been Promoted More Often As A Freelancer Than As An Employee!
If you’re a freelancer, your job comes from the client and it is no one else’s business what you do with that work. You can work on the projects that interest you and choose to take on only those that are a true fit for your skillset.
You also have more control over when you work and where. Because my clients are spread across different time zones, I decide when I want to work based on their schedules instead of having someone else tell me when I need to be at their office from 9-5 Monday through Friday (or 8-4 if it’s an hour later in my city).
And while some companies may offer flexible hours, they often require employees to stay onsite or at least remain within reach of coworkers at all times during standard business hours unless explicitly granted permission otherwise (i.e., telecommuting).
Working For Yourself Is Better Than Corporate America In So Many Ways!
You get to decide when you work and when you don’t. No more 9-5, no more mandatory overtime, and no more weekend shifts. If I want to take off on a Friday evening or come in extra early on Monday morning, I can do that without having to ask permission from anyone else.
You get to decide who you work with. No more being forced into collaborative projects with people who aren’t as smart or talented as your team members, simply because they were hired before you were (and therefore have seniority).
When choosing customers or clients, it’s all about finding those who are interested in the same things as us – not just those who are willing to pay us the most money for our services and products!
You get to decide what projects we work on next! Instead of waiting around until someone tells us what needs doing next week or month – we get control over which jobs should be done first at any given time (or not at all): depending on how long it takes before getting paid again becomes futile (which may happen only once every few months).
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Conclusion
So, if you’re thinking about freelancing, I’d say go for it. It can be scary at first, but with a little research and the right mindset, you can make it work to your advantage. You’ll have to give up some security and some certainty, but that is nothing compared to the freedom you get in return.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on the topic of freelancing and its benefits:
10 Reasons Why Freelancing Is Better Than Any 9-5 Job: Explore ten compelling reasons why freelancing can offer advantages over traditional employment, including flexibility, autonomy, and increased earning potential.
Why Freelancing Is a Smarter Option Than Traditional Employment Today: Discover the current landscape of employment and how freelancing can be a smarter choice in today’s market, with insights into job security, work-life balance, and skill development.
Employment vs. Freelancing: Which Is Right for You?: Delve into the key differences between employment and freelancing, weighing factors such as income stability, job satisfaction, career growth, and personal freedom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What If Something Goes Wrong? How Do You Deal With Customers Who Aren’t Happy?
When something goes wrong, it’s my responsibility to fix it and that’s what makes freelancing so great! When you’re self-employed, you know that every decision you make has an impact on your bottom line.
This means that if there’s an issue with your client or their project, it is up to YOU to solve it instead of having someone else tell you what needs fixing or how they think the issue should be resolved.
It also means that if your client is upset about something, they will be talking directly to YOU about how they want things resolved instead of being shuffled around from department to department until someone finally takes responsibility for fixing whatever went wrong (or doesn’t).
What Does Your Typical Day Look Like?
It depends on the contract I’m working on, but most days start with checking my email and reviewing the latest changes from my client. Then I’ll get started on writing the content for their project, which usually involves research and typing until lunchtime or so.
After lunch, I might take a break to run errands or grab coffee with friends or family it depends on how much time I have left in the day. If there are still tasks to do after dinner, then they’ll keep me up late into the evening! But that’s okay because waking up fresh in the morning is one of my favorite parts of freelancing: no alarm clock!
How Do I Get Started?
Sign up at [website name] and start browsing jobs! Once you’ve found one that meets your needs, apply!
How Do I Know If A Job Is Right For Me?
Just read through the description if it sounds like something you’d like to do and feel comfortable doing, then apply! If not, keep looking for other jobs until you find one that does sound like something you’d like to do and feel comfortable doing.
What Should I Charge Per Hour?
It depends on what kind of work you want to do and how much experience you have doing it. If this is your first time freelancing, we recommend charging less than $15/hour at first so that clients can see how well their projects are being done before deciding whether or not they want to pay more for future projects with
I am a content writer, and I love what I do! Writing makes me feel like the words are flowing through my fingers, and then onto the keyboard, like magic. My experience as a writer has taught me that writing makes me feel good, as well as helps others to feel better too!