Freelance Writer Jobs: Pros And Cons Of Working From Home

Conventional jobs are unpopular right now. Nobody really aspires to work long hours in stuffy clothes for the possibility of one day getting a raise and a promotion. There’s a lot to like about freelancing but there are a few things to be aware of as well. Here are the pros and the cons.

Pros:

Freelancers have the MOST flexible hours in the world

If you’re good at arranging your schedule as a freelancer you could figure out a way to never work on Mondays ever in life again. It can be done.

You can start whenever you like

Most jobs require very specific qualifications to get started. With freelancing you can call yourself a graphic designer a couple weeks after you first try the software. As long as your service meets the client’s needs, that’s enough.

Every day is Casual Friday

Freelancers can dress however they like because there’s no office dress code or even an office. You can work in your underwear or dress up like a werewolf. No one will see, no one will care.

Cons:

You’ll spend most of your day alone at home

If you have lots of kids they may keep you company or frustrate you but in general the life of a freelancer is a solitary one. Every minor victory you turn to share with someone will remind you of this as you face an empty room. It may be a relief at first if you prefer your own company but after a while it wears you down.

Income can be just as flexible as the hours

Freelancers often have dry spells in which regular clients have emergencies and need less work done or none at all. You may see your income fall by thousands of dollars in one month and then quadruple in another. This makes it hard to save regularly or plan for major expenses.

People may think it’s okay to interrupt you

If you’re around other adults in your home office who misunderstand the nature of your work, they may assume you’re free to do other things because you’re not away at a conventional job. This gets especially difficult when you have a deadline closing in and you aren’t even sure you can make it.

There are enough pros and cons on freelancing to fill encyclopaedias but this should be a good starting point for people who aren’t sure if the industry is right for them.