A growing number of employees across the world are frustrated about their jobs. The most common reasons are lower salaries than expectations, longer work schedules, no work-life balance, and freedom to do what they prefer. On the other end of the spectrum are freelancers. Many of them earn handsome incomes. They work according to their schedules. They have an enviable balance of work and life. They have a choice of doing what they love to do. In short, they are a happier lot.

The common perception is that people start freelancing for the money it offers. However, there is much more to freelancing than what meets the eye.

Freelancers make more money!

There is no doubt that freelancers make more money than an employee with the same skills. Freelancing does offer a doorway to higher incomes. Most freelancing work is done online. Hence, freelancers are not limited to their geographic location. Work is available online from different states within the country. It extends beyond national boundaries to countries all over the world.

Moreover, freelancers develop and master communication skills to get maximum leverage. They also spend time, money, and effort to develop their professional skills. Being on their own, freelancers must move out from the comfort of their fields to give their clients a complete experience. Exposure to problems helps their ability to solve problems to a higher degree. Their growth is faster compared to employees as they become more multi-dimensional.

With a higher degree of expertise, freelancers demand higher pay and get it too. However, if you ask them why they started freelancing, money is the last on the list. They will cite other reasons like security, freedom, flexibility, and lifestyle as the top reasons.

What does freelancing offer apart from money?

Each freelancer will be able to give multiple advantages depending on their experiences. We will attempt to list the most common.

1. Freelancer does not have a boss

Every employee has a dream of having no boss to report to. Freelancers live this dream. They do not have a superior to dictate to them what to do. Instead, they know what is required for the job on hand. They rely on their abilities and skills to deliver results. They do make mistakes while being a boss. But they quickly learn from it and use that experience to their advantage. In short, they are the captain of their ship.

2. No longer a slave to time

Every freelancer is aware of their most productive hours. Due to this, they always choose to work between these hours. They are free from reporting to work at a particular time every day. Some may wake up as early as 4 am and complete a day's work in a few hours. Some prefer to catch a few extra winks and start work at noon to finish before sundown. This fact leaves the rest of the day pursuing other activities that define them as individuals. This kind of flexibility attracts people to freelancing.

3. Freedom from confinement

The human mind works best when it is not confined to limited space. Unfortunately, a small office cubicle or cabin can be defined as confinement. One's mental abilities diminish when one stares at the same walls every day. Freelancing offers a way out of confined spaces. Freelancers also get freedom from the confinement of dress codes. They are free to wear what they are most comfortable in.

4. No gossipers and backstabbers

One of the biggest reasons for dissatisfaction among employees is office politics. Freelancers are free from this misery. They are on their own. There are no colleagues to gossip and backstab. No one can sabotage their growth. Their progress is in their own hands.

5. The thrill of being in charge

To be successful, freelancers must be good decision-makers. They cannot afford to depend on others to tell them what to do. Over time, they develop a keen sense of arriving at appropriate decisions. They must always be in charge of what to do, when, and how to do it. Being in charge also means owning up for any lapses. With no one else to blame, failures teach valuable lessons to learn from.

6. Choice of clients and projects

Unlike employees, freelancers can choose the type of client they want to work with. Working as a freelancer for a few years gives valuable insights into the clients they deal with. They are free to say yes to only those clients with whom they share a typical wavelength. Likewise, they can opt for projects they are sure of being the best at. In a few years as freelancers, they earn an excellent reputation for attracting clients and projects. They can afford to say yes to some and no to others. One also gets the freedom to walk out of an assignment if things go north.

7. Work from anywhere

Work from home is a concept that became popular during pandemic lockdown restrictions. Employers gave this option to employees out of helplessness rather than a choice. Freelancers were following this concept much before the pandemic. All they need is good internet connectivity to work. The place can be anywhere, like shopping malls, cafes, hotel rooms, and even bedrooms. They can be at a holiday destination like a hill station or a beach while they work. This approach is one of the most exciting parts of being a freelancer.

8. Explore new avenues and skills

Freelancing gives an opportunity to experiment, explore and develop new skills. In the beginning, they work with the skills they excel in. As they work on more projects, they soon realize they must explore other areas related to their proficiency. Since they work independently, delivering the complete job is a primary requirement. It becomes essential to gain knowledge of these additional areas of work too. Because of this, they become multi-dimensional professionals. Being multi-faceted allows them to service other job skills besides their own. Employees stagnate while freelancers are in a constant effort to evolve.

9. No commute

Other than the job, travel to and from work is the second most stressful agony of being an employee. On average, employees spend at least 2 hours of their day in commuting. Using their car means dealing with traffic and rising fuel costs, among other things. Using public transport is no less stressful with the increasing crowd and erratic schedules. Freelancers do not have to deal with this at all.

10. Opportunity to give prominence to other roles

Being a full-time employee leaves no room for the family. Freelancing allows a person to be a full-time parent. More available time on hand means quality time for the spouse. Elderly loved ones can be cared for in a better way. These roles are essential to the joy of being a human being.

11. No retirement

A freelancer in the market can continue to earn as long as they want. Age is no longer a constraint. An expert is always in demand regardless of age.

12. Financial security

People say that a job is more secure. The pandemic busted this myth. The thousands handed out pink slips. The so-called job security became outdated. Freelancing, on the other hand, is more secure. Not only does it offer more money, but it also offers a ton of work assignments to choose from. One look at any portal offering freelance gigs is enough to prove the point. If you are good at what you do, clients will search for you.

13. Freelancers always offer more than expected

Freelancers strive to bring their best to the client's table. Their multi-tasking abilities give more advantages to the client. They always look at the bigger picture. Being multi-dimensional, they do things beyond the job's requirements. Lasting bonds are created between the client and the freelancer.

They also give the benefit of lowering the cost to the client. They get freedom from the cost of utilities, salary payments, office rentals, and others.

14. Bring out the best in you

Freelancing can transform someone into a better human being. A freelancer views life very differently compared to an employee. For them, life is not just about getting a job done or client satisfaction. One learns and continues to evolve as a person along the way. Often, freelancers come to the aid of other freelancers. This aspect is a rare trait in employees.

Conclusion

The dynamics of running a business are evolving. Clients are more comfortable hiring a freelancer to get some jobs done. Even a large corporation like Google hires about 54% freelancers. A rising number of professionals are opting to freelance for various reasons. For freelancers, money is secondary. Flexibility, job security, and lifestyle are the primary reasons to get into freelancing.