How to fall back in love with freelancing

No one ever said freelancing was easy. It's one of the hardest things you could do. You've got to continually push to find more work, keep existing clients happy and ensure you can pay your bills every month.

It's easy to see why so many people fall out of love with freelancing. But before you give up and start looking for a full-time job, the following reasons will help you fall head over heels again.

You're your own boss

Don't like being told what to do? Prefer to have the freedom to make your own decisions? Freelancing allows you to be your own boss, which means you can decide how your business is run and no one else. It's a great feeling, knowing that you don't have to answer to anyone. Yes, you've still got clients – but you're more in control when you go it alone.

You don't have to worry about office politics

Hate the whole agency system where you have to kiss the right arses to get ahead? Sick of seeing people slack off and get promoted when you work harder? It's not your concern anymore – not when you freelance. You're free from all the silly nonsense that a full-time job can sometimes bring. You don't have to worry about office politics when you work for yourself.

You have more diversity

Being a freelancer means your working week is more varied, exciting and challenging. You're not working for anyone else and ticking off job lists. You're getting stuck in and doing a whole range of different things that make your career so rewarding. Plus you can choose to do as much or as little as you like. And no two days are ever the same.

You never look at the clock

When you freelance, you don't notice the time. It's not like being employed when you used to count down the hours until home time. You're enjoying the work and are surprised to see that it's 7 pm when you look up from your keyboard or drawing pad. You never look at the clock when you freelance and do something you love for a living.

You have a higher earning potential

As a freelancer, you are an escapee of 'wage slavery'. You're no longer stuck at a capped salary. You have unlimited earning potential. All it comes down to is how hard you work and how much time and effort you put in. It's entirely up to you how much you earn.

You pocket the profits

When you work for someone else, you're always lining their pockets, not your own. When you freelance, you get all the profit. The money is yours to keep! If you've been freelancing for a while – this is something that will stop you from going back into full-time employment because you'll always know that you could be earning so much more.

You've got a greater sense of achievement

If you run your own business and it's successful – i.e. you're making enough money to cover your bills – then you should be proud of yourself. And when you've completed a project, and it's helped your client enormously? That was all down to your hard work and should leave you with fantastic job satisfaction. Nothing beats that sense of achievement.

You can take more time off

Ok, so freelancing means you don't get paid when you go on holiday. And it might also mean that you find it difficult to 'switch off'. But you'll always enjoy more holidays than those who work in full-time jobs. Today's digital era also means you can take your office with you. So what's stopping you from booking a month's break in a lovely holiday cottage? Especially if you're still earning while you're away? You could work from 7 am until 12 pm and then enjoy the rest of your time doing beautiful 'holiday' things. Who's going to know!

You can work from anywhere

Which brings me onto my next point – when you freelance, you can work from virtually anywhere. You can set up your laptop in a lovely, cosy coffee shop if you need a break from home. Or you can take an extended working holiday abroad. There are so many services, tricks and tools to help you become 'mobile' and allow you to work from any location. All you have to do is keep clients happy by staying in touch over the phone and staging regular meetings.

You can learn and grow more

Stuck on something? Can't figure a specific problem out? Wondering how to make something better? When you freelance, you're continually learning and growing. You are always striving to learn new skills, keep up with technology and stay ahead of the industry you're working in. If you work for someone else, you don't tend to care as much. You want to do a good job and leave the office on time. But when you work for yourself, you make more of an effort to boost your skills. It is a fantastic way to work.

You can say no and choose what you do

Once you're established, and you've got good cash flow, you can have the freedom to say no. This means you can turn work away if you don't want to do it. You're in charge, so you decide what direction you take. You do have the freedom to make your own decisions, and that's one of the best things about freelancing.