This year I took the amazing opportunity to go full-time freelance. While it was scary to give up that safe full-time job, it’s something that I needed to do.
Lucky for me, I have a regular contract in place which gives me a safety blanket. A lot of freelancers don’t have that which makes everything a lot more difficult. However, I am fully aware that nothing is permanent. My plan is to expand my earnings into different revenue streams as this will make me feel more secure.
What freelancing freedom means to me?
A few people might think you’re mad for wanting to go freelance. But the benefits are totally worth it. I’ve listed my reasons for wanting to go full-time freelance below.
When more time has passed, I’m sure the novelty will wear off. But for now, I’ve got the following to enjoy:
Time to spend on personal projects
I’ve been putting this blog to the back of the queue for a long time, simply because I didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. Now I can set my own hours and fit my personal projects around my working life how I please.
I can’t tell you how liberating it is to sit down and get some writing done whenever you feel a flash of inspiration. You don’t have to make a quick note and get to it after work finishes, when all your creative energy has fizzled out.
If you want to write a scene in your novel, or you’ve just come up with a brand new idea you want to research – you simply can.
Freedom to travel
Travel can be tricky when you don’t get holiday pay but the upside is you don’t have to ask for time off. You don’t have to co-ordinate with other employees. You can literally take off whenever you wish, providing it’s practical.
If you’re a remote worker, there’s nothing stopping you from going full digital-nomad and working on the move. WiFi access is pretty easy to come by these days. So, you can theoretically work from whatever country you want if all your work is online and you don’t need a physical office.
Healthier living
One of the key draws to this lifestyle is that I have the freedom to plan my own day, and fit in cooking and exercising. This means I’ve got no excuse to not get some exercise done. I’m also no longer tempted by the snack basket in my old job.
I can make a fresh salad when I want and not just rely on the soggy one I made the night before in a hurry.
This, however, depends on you. If you’ve got a fridge full of cakes then that’s a problem. But it’s on you and you alone to change that.
Choose your working environment
The great thing about a home office is that you’re in total control of your environment. You can choose the music playing, you can light a candle or some incense. You can work in total silence if that helps you concentrate.
You’ve also got control over how your office looks. You can paint it a fun shade, add some plants or posters. Personalising your space makes you more likely to enjoy being in there and trust me, you’ve got to enjoy being there at least a little.
I’m a big fan of working from home but even that gets a bit samey. As a remote worker, you can choose to swap your working environment whenever you want. You can choose to work from a coffee shop, pub, park, garden or library – whatever suits you best.
I would absolutely recommend trying the freelance lifestyle if you can. Of course, it would be pretty difficult for many industries/professions so this may not apply to you. But if you’re reading it, and are researching freelancing, then the chances are there’s a small possibility it could become a reality. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth pursuing at all, I can only recommend it based on my experience so far.
I hope this post has helped you, in some way, to realise the benefits of freelancing. It offers a lot of opportunities to take control over your time, your life and the way you have fun. There are downsides of course, lack of a stable income and loneliness, but if you can bear them it’s totally worth it.
Have you gone freelance or are you considering freelancing opportunities? What’s your main reason why? Please share your thoughts below!
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