Unpopular Opinions on the Benefits of Freelancing for You: A Report from Upwork
Most reading this are still working 9-5 or similar hours from an office five days a week.
Or your employers may let you work from home once a week.
Perhaps they’ve even given you a few days a week from home or tried a four-day workweek.
These changes in recent years aside, the game is the same as it has always been.
When you are working for someone else, you are a cog in their business, and if the company starts to see hard times, you are just a number to be added or subtracted to future operations.
It doesn't matter how much time you have spent building that business.
If they need to cut you to keep costs down, that's what they will do.
I hate saying it, but business is business.
Never mind how their recruitment marketing will tell you they are like a family.
They may keep you on and fire your colleagues, and you may survive the firing range because you are just that good, but for how long?
Becoming a freelancer means you have accepted this as a reality.
You have decided to be a valuable cog to whatever business will pay for your services at a particular time.
Your time is now charged by the day or the hour, perhaps even by the project and as a result, you get some of your time back, and less is wasted under the guise of a reliable salary.
Living off a single salary is the most risky thing you can do for yourself and your family's future prosperity.
You need to develop multiple income streams to build wealth and have a life of abundance.
‘What is the benefit of working for myself as a freelancer, then you ask?’
‘Well, how much time do you have?’ would be my response…
Once you run your freelance business (digitally based), you can decide to work from anywhere you want, anytime you want, with anyone you want.
If you don't like the proposed project or the people you are working with, guess what?
You find another.
If the country/city you are in is too expensive, you can move and find a cheaper lifestyle elsewhere.
If you want to have more time to look after your family, take your kids to school or hit the gym during quieter hours when everyone else is at work, you can do that too.
The possibilities are endless, and with the beauty of the internet, you can continue to earn a high income whilst enjoying cheaper lifestyles abroad with hotter climates.
This new level of freedom gives you much choice to build the life you want.
Even better, most freelancers tend to earn more as freelancers than they would by doing the same job at their old employers; see below.
https://www.freelancermap.com/blog/freelancer-vs-employee/
Furthermore, they also report higher job satisfaction.
Essentially, they are happier. So why is everyone doing it?
One word: risk.
People overestimate the risk of working for themselves, so they stay where they think it's comfortable and not risky, as an employee.
However, freelancers can earn more and be happier and have better job satisfaction and work-life balance, see below.
https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2021