A Freelance Lifestyle - The Cons that Should Be Considered

By Chris King

If you are dissatisfied with your current career, you may be considering pursuing a freelance lifestyle. I love my life of a free agent and independent professional, but I would be remiss if I didn’t share some of the cons.

Taking the Risk. There is always risk involved when we work for ourselves. Will we get enough work to sustain us and our bank account? Will we choose and/or find clients that are agreeable to work with? Will we do the level of work that our clients will be pleased with? I could go on for pages listing questions filled with doubt. My recommendation is to have faith in your abilities, realizing that if you love what you are doing, you have a strong chance that you will succeed. Risk comes with everything we do and can make what we do that much more exciting.

Change Coupled with a Lack of Stability and a Regular Routine. If you have trouble dealing with change and a lack of stability, I suggest that the lifestyle of a free agent or freelancer is not for you. If just setting up a whole new routine and dealing with not having a regular nine to five job really threatens your peace of mind, you might want to ease into freelance living by taking on an extra part-time job while keeping your full-time job until you are established and comfortable in your new career.

Can Be Overwhelming when Deadlines Overlap. Living the freelance life can vary from having too much free time in between projects to being overwhelmed by too many projects all coming due at the same time. We have some control over this if we have the "guts" to be up front with our clients about our time schedules. I usually sit down and map out my timeline for a project and then add on more time for the unforeseen and interruptions. Once I see it all on paper, I know that I can produce by the deadlines. We are sometimes so anxious to have projects, it is easy to overload ourselves with pressures that only work against us and rob us of our energy.

Lack of Company and Lack of Company Benefits. Most freelancers lament the lack of contact with others on a regular basis, more than the lack of company benefits and receiving a regular paycheck. It is easy to get so involved with a project that you sit at your desk or computer all day, so it is important to set up dates with friends and former co-workers. I teach several group fitness classes, so have constant interaction with others. I also attend networking events, programs and meetings put on by organizations specializing in my areas of expertise. Concerning benefits, there are associations and organizations that offer benefits packages to the small business owner who is a member.

Chris King is a free agent, professional speaker, storyteller, writer, website creator / designer, and fitness instructor. Chris has what she calls a "Portfolio Career" --many careers at the same time. If you wonder if you could handle and love having a "Portfolio Career" you will find a free assessment to take at http://www.creativekeys.net/portfoliocareertest.htm Sign up for her eclectic E-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, at http://www.freelanceliving.com You will find Chris’ business website at http://www.creativekeys.biz

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