Welp MagazineHello everyone. The subject of our article today is freelancing, but not just freelancing as a side job, but freelancing as your primary activity. In the article, we’ll try to determine whether it’s right for you and whether becoming involved is even worthwhile. We will attempt to list all the benefits and disadvantages of this type of freelancing, evaluate the advantages against the drawbacks, and form an opinion on the issue.
Pros
1. You can work wherever you like, which is one of the key benefits of such an activity. This is so amazing that it’s really hard to realize the whole meaning of this statement the first time. However, it is very difficult to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity because, first, there are some social ties and, second, you need to be strong enough and an in-demand specialist to be able to afford working from wherever you want. You are free to pack a suitcase with items and eat wherever you want. But there is such an opportunity and this is certainly a big plus.
2. Free time and mode, you choose when and how much you will work, for you there is no longer life on call, get up, wash, eat, travel an hour to work, 8 hours at the office, an hour back from work, eat, go to bed, and so on for the rest of your life. To be honest, there is still a call, but you put it on when you need it, and it’s already very good. But there is a great danger in this freedom, by setting priorities incorrectly, you can sit in a puddle, so you need to approach your working time and leisure as responsibly as possible.
3. You can choose with whom and under what conditions you will work, but I repeat, you must be a fairly in-demand specialist, with your customer base. To go headlong into freelance, without serious experience and a strong portfolio, is a risky undertaking, I would even say a failure. You need to prepare for going freelance, and for this it is not bad to have a permanent source of income that does not depend on your successes or failures in the freelance niche. This is a very important plus, but you also need to be able to use them, you will have to learn to understand people, immediately see situations in which you do not need to get involved, and this comes only with experience and this experience is not always positive.
4. You have a little bit more independence now, which is quite significant in the modern world. The question is whether you can appreciate and benefit from it. We won’t enter the sacred wilderness, but now that you can take a vacation anytime you want, rather than waiting till they let you, how about taking two vacations? Or perhaps to be broadcast for a few weeks every three months? Perhaps a unique work schedule? Easy! The most important thing is that you consistently complete your assignment efficiently and on time; the rest is unimportant.
Cons
1. The lack of the opportunity to work in a team and an office as such, it has an incredibly detrimental effect on some people, they suffocate, wither and run wild. Communication and an active social life are vital for them. Socializing with friends and attending conferences is not an option for them, they need a daily social injection.
2. The lack of professional communication, it affects learning, for a number of people, the learning process is very much tied to communication in a group of like-minded people, there they find interests, an incentive for development, materials for training, etc. It is very difficult for them to develop effectively alone, if you are one of them, do not torment yourself, freelancing is not for you.
3. The lack of a daily routine, it is insanely relaxing for many and they no longer have the opportunity to work effectively, so you need some self-organization skills and the makings of willpower, but even in this case you should be ready for trials, we are used to working with a supervisor behind our back and when he is not there, you should take this function on yourself.
4. Lack of space for work can become an issue because you won’t be able to concentrate when working in the kitchen, stirring porridge with one hand, rocking the baby with the other while your wife is at work, or trying to work locked in the pantry, under the noise of a crowd of relatives running around the house. This is not freelancing; to do high-quality freelancing, you will need your own room, or at least, a place that will be entirely yours, free from noise, and where you can work for as long as you need to without worrying about interruptions from others.
5. Stable income. It is usually absent, at least at the initial stages, a few projects, then complete silence, then there are so many offers that you don’t know what to grab. This instability can be a big problem, of course, everything is solvable, you can get some savings, which you can spend only in moments of downtime, but nevertheless, this problem exists and it is especially strong at the beginning of the journey.
6. Chronic uncertainty about the future, what will happen when I finish the project? There is no longer any strength or desire to survive on small change, and suddenly no one else will write and I won’t be able to find a decent job. Even an experienced freelancer will occasionally experience such obsessive ideas, therefore my advise to you is to not worry because everything will be solved. Instead, focus on gaining clients by working on regular tasks or taking part in lengthy projects that last between one and two years.
7. Scammers. It’s difficult here, especially at the initial stage, but as soon as you reach a certain level, you will have reliable customers, and you will take an advance payment from the new ones and they will not go anywhere, they will pay. It’s an unpleasant experience, but it’s inevitable.
Outcome
One can say for sure that freelancing as the main place of work is not suitable for everyone, such earnings have serious advantages, but at the same time a decent list of disadvantages. But if you have always aspired to a certain freedom, this is a great solution, yes, there are risks, but where are they not.
