17.12.13

Freelancing: Safe or Slave?

The ongoing worldwide recession has brought about a general reduction of remunerations and a consistent underestimation of wages. However, this has not stopped many enthusiasts and entrepreneurs from thriving, especially within the freelancing community. Skilled and talented professionals have found new ways to uphold their previous standard of living.  The number of people working from home has increased in the last few years and this working pattern has proven to be a tested way to generate new cash flows, especially in tough times like these. Here we should consider more carefully the pros and cons of working from home on both full-time and part-time base.

For some people, being stuck in an office chair is more like a nightmare. They simply prefer working at their own time schedule than adjusting to the classic 9-5 work model. Freelancing offers freedom like no office job does; freedom in managing and organising your free time and setting up your working hours according to the deadlines given. For those who are night-owls, freelancing offers the flexibility and convenience they need to work into the early hours. Of course, all professional freelancers should be reachable when needed, since they have to liaise with customers in different time zones. But, what's more important than time management is the comfort one enjoys working in a more personalised environment. You never know when inspiration may strike!

If you are just starting out as a freelancer you might find yourself scampering to meet deadlines and working more hours than before. However, this won’t last long. By the time you get accustomed to the way the freelancing industry operates, you will manage to improve your problem solving skills and sharpen your time management skills. Working alone can be both time consuming and frustrating. Deadlines can be deadly enough to discourage you from taking the plunge into full-time freelancing. In case you manage to survive in this competitive world, you 'll have to face another common problem: the savings buffer. As a new freelancer, your cash flow is everything. That’s why you should not go full-time until you begin to build a decent savings buffer for any financially challenging times ahead. Although working from the comfort of your couch allows you to expand or lighten your daily/monthly workload and to boost or reduce your daily/monthly income, budget estimations cannot be 100% accurate.
 
Most of the times, freelancers resemble those lonely walkers. They work secluded in their homes, even for weeks. So, think about it! Freelancing is not that easy as it is often thought to be, let alone working full-time. Advantages and disadvantages get always in the way, though it highly depends upon perspective.

Copywriter: Vasiliki Bountri

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