The Benefits of Being a Freelancer

There are countless articles written about the “9-to-5 grind” and likewise, how to manage the psychological dissatisfaction and disillusionment people often feel traversing to work Monday morning. If you work as a freelancer, however, such complaints might very well sound like a foreign language to you. Yes, we have article deadlines and “bosses” in the forms of clients and editors, but the life of a freelancer can offer individuals more freedom, control and perhaps even happiness than the life of a “regular” worker bee.

On of the easiest ways to start is to sign up with a website like Fiverr. This site lets you advertise small freelance gigs for $5, and it can be a good way to break into the area of freelance you want in your spare time doing your chosen skill at its most basic form. All you need to do is take whatever freelance work you want to do, break it down into a simple service which you offer for $5 and then fulfil any requests you get in your spare time. Doing this will give you the opportunity to test out the market in the freelance area you’re interested in, let you get creative in your offerings, and it’s an easy way to get your freelance career started. Even if you aren’t completely sure what you would like to do in your spare time, you can get some great ideas here. Why do want to do this? Here are four specific benefits of being a freelancer.

Take as much (or as little) work as you desire

In the beginning, it might be difficult to find a steady gig, but if you scour the Craigslists of many cities, you might find that with a decent portfolio, you can assemble an array of clients. In this case, you can decide to take on more work at certain times, or decrease your workload at other times. This kind of flexibility is unheard of in a more traditional job because, in essence, as a freelancer, you’ve become your own boss.

Work when you want, where you want

One of the most unpleasant aspects of the “9-to-5 grind” is the commute, both to the workplace and back home. As a freelancer, you can choose to work from home and as such, can decide to work in the early morning or in the dead of night. Most importantly, not only can you decide when to work, you can also decide what to work in. Instead of stifling ties and too tight pencil skirts, as a freelancer you can choose to work in your pajamas avoiding the unnecessary drama (and discomfort) related to choosing an outfit or wearing it. .

Charge what you’re worth

At a more traditional job, you earn more when you are promoted and you are promoted when your boss or supervisor deems you “worthy.” Now, for some, the criteria for worthiness is clear, but at many other jobs the criteria can be more vague and seem strangely aligned to whomever a supervisor likes. As a freelancer, you set your own rates and can pocket the profits. You have flexiility with what you charge so what you make isn’t capped by an hourly rate or a salary.

Avoid office politics — and unpleasant people

Sometimes the worst part of working in a traditional setting is not necessarily the job, but the individuals you might be forced to work with. As a freelancer, you can work from the comfort of your dining room table and interact with those you choose to talk to. In this way, you avoid office politics and the unpleasantry of interacting with people you would rather never see again.

These are just some of the benefits of being a freelancing and a simple Google search will unearth many more (with a list of disadvantages as well). In general, the key to success in freelancing is to take on projects that interest you and with the many people interested in hiring others to perform a specific project for them, there is bound to be something (perhaps even many things) to pique your interest and sustain your checking account. Good luck!

The above post is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fiverr in partnership with Kasai Media. All opinions in the article are 100% mine.