Is Freelancing Better Than a Job? (7 Reasons & Questions)

Are you thinking about leaving your traditional 9-5 job to take up freelancing? It’s a big decision and one that shouldn’t be made lightly. Is Freelancing better than a job though?

Freelancing is better than a job when it comes to freedom and making your schedule. As long as you meet your deadlines, you could start working early in the morning or late at night, or even a combination of both!

This isn’t the only reason why freelancing is awesome though. Below we will go over more reasons in detail.

You’re Not Watched Over 24/7

A 9-5 job usually means that you’re working set hours in an office with someone always looking over your shoulder. This can be great for some people as it provides structure and support. For others, it can feel stifling and like they’re not trusted to get work done on their own. That leads us to our next point.

Creativity Can Flourish

In an office, there are usually set protocols and procedures that need to be followed. This can sometimes lead to a lack of creativity as people are afraid to step outside the box. When you’re freelancing, you have the freedom to be creative and try new things without having to worry about following set rules.

You Can Work From Anywhere

Most Freelancers work from home, but that doesn’t mean you have to. You could work from your local coffee shop, the library, or even on a beach if that’s what you’re into (although it’s pretty hard to see a laptop on the beach). This flexibility is one of the main reasons why people choose to freelance.

You’re Not Tied To One Skillset

When you work a 9-5 job, your responsibilities are usually pretty set in stone. You might have some room to grow within your role, but for the most part, you’re going to be doing the same thing day in and day out. As a freelancer, you can take on projects that allow you to learn new skills and stretch yourself in different ways.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer, that doesn’t mean you only have to take on design projects. You could also take on social media projects or even writing projects if you wanted to branch out.

You Can Take On Another Side Hustle

Working full time has a lot of empty hours. Within the hours you work, how many are you productive? If you’re like most people, it’s probably a small percentage. The rest of the time is spent on things like meetings, chatting with co-workers, and taking breaks.

As a freelancer, you can use that otherwise dead time to make more money by side hustling. For example, you could start a blog or an online course on the side to make some extra cash.

You Can Choose Your Clients

You can have a bad boss and you can have good bosses. But what if you could choose who you work with? When you’re freelancing, that’s exactly what you can do. You’re not stuck working with someone just because they’re the only ones who will hire you.

You can pick and choose who you want to work with, which means you can avoid working with people who are disrespectful, rude, or just plain difficult to work with.

You Can Build New Relationships

Let’s say you find a client you enjoy working for. You could end up building a great working relationship with them that lasts for years. Or, you might meet someone through a project and stay in touch even after the project is done.

When you’re freelancing, you have the opportunity to build new relationships with lots of different people. These relationships can be both professional and personal, and they can be very rewarding.

How Do Freelance Hours Work In Comparison To a Full Time Job?

This depends on your skill set, but in general, you can expect to work fewer hours as a freelancer. That’s because you’re not tied to a set schedule and deep work is a little bit more common when it comes to freelance work.

There are certainly exceptions to this rule, but in general, you can expect to work fewer hours and have more control over your time when you’re freelancing.

Which Careers Or Skills are best for freelancing?

There are a lot of different careers and skills that lend themselves well to freelancing. Here are a few examples:

Graphic design
Web design
Writing
Editing
Proofreading
Transcription
Accounting
Bookkeeping
Tax Preparation
Virtual Assistant
Customer service
Data entry
App development
Software development
Marketing

All of these careers can be done remotely, which is a huge benefit for freelancers. And, because there is so much demand for these services, you should be able to find plenty of work as a freelancer in any of these fields.

How can You start Freelancing with no experience?

If you like the sound of getting out of your 9-5 job to start freelancing, and you don’t have any of the skills mentioned, you may be wondering what to do. Gigs like virtual assistants, transcription, and customer service are all entry-level and don’t require any experience.

These are all viable options for people who want to freelance while they build more skills to higher their income potential.

What Are The Disadvantages of Freelancing?

Now that we’ve looked at some of the advantages of freelancing, let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages.

There is No Guaranteed Income

When you’re working a full-time job, you usually have a pretty good idea of how much money you’re going to make each month. That’s not the case with freelancing.

Your income as a freelancer can fluctuate a lot from month to month, which can be tough to manage if you’re not prepared for it.

You Don’t Get Benefits

Most full-time jobs come with some sort of benefits package, which usually includes things like health insurance, dental insurance, and paid vacation days. When you’re freelancing, you usually have to pay for these things yourself.

In Summary

Freelancing has a lot of advantages, but it’s not right for everyone. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons before you decide if freelancing is right for you.

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Is Freelancing Better Than a Job? (7 Reasons & Questions)