Freelancing

I was thinking recently, I’m glad I’m not working in an office at the moment, not managing a team, not feeling oppressed by constant work demands,  working when I feel most productive (there are peeks and trough’s), of course you take your blows when you freelance full time; folk don’t pay you on time, converging deadlines keeping you up at all hours, anxiety about working regularly, no paid holidays or sick pay. the Tax man  relentless pursuit of taxes from you………  But you know what, I value my head space far more.  The head space to  think more creatively is far more important to me.  The space to give my son the support he needs right now as he enter University.  The space to spend time with family during the summer as I organised my work around them as far as possible.  It’s my preferred way of working with all it’s ups and downs.

4 Responses to Freelancing

  1. Thank you so much for writing this. I have been looking at jobs over the last two days but you know what you are so very right. Despite the fact that I could easily earn £30-50k doing what I do online there is so much more freedom available being freelance and I value my freedom.

    The ups and downs drive me crazy and more training would probably help me to stablise it a little – I have been a little lazy about running training sessions.

    Nothing beats being able to take time off when I want to and work around the kids and family but it does take a lot of strength to keep going – especially when the pot begins to empty and there is no work in sight!

    A little faith goes a long way. I had just finished telling a friend how I had no work but i was going to stand in faith and the phone rang. Someone with some work and trainnig for me :)

    Keep the faith and stand strong – work will come in. I have a policy of 60% up front and the rest on successful completion of the work. The helps to stop the non payment thing. Don’t think like an employee and believe you have to do the work then get paid. I got stung too many times doing it that way.

    • Thanks Diane for your words of wisdom and encouragement! Another issue which also springs to mind is the potential isolation one can feel as a freelancer if you don’t step outside yourself and ‘share’, so thanks again for sharing!

      • Support groups are essential – try meetup.com – you might find a freelancer group in your area or start your own support/mastermind group with other people in your area that can help. I get my food shopping delivered online, I pay my bills online/via direct debit, I work from home and I do my clothes shopping online. It could very easily get to a stage where I never leave the house and during the winter sometimes it gets like that. At one stage the thought of going out freaked me out a little and thats when I knew I had to make a change!

        Working at home is a blessing but the isolation is a killer – always remember I will always meet you for lunch :)

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