In honor of the 4th of July, I want to talk about the advantages of being a remote freelancer. While we all have our own career goals and needs, remote freelancing gave me my freedom back after a more traditional job left me feeling chained to a desk and the clock.
- Schedule: As a freelancer, I set my own schedule based on what work I need to do and when it needs to be done, but I also get to work at convenient times for me. I can work around my life instead of living around my work. Doctor appointment? School event? Family time? I have a flexible schedule that can accommodate both my professional and personal goals.
- Location: I hate fluorescent lights. I also despise the modern office cubicle setup (and have been packed in a small room like sardines). Now, the world is my office. I can work from home. I can work from the coffee shop or local remote working site. I can work from a hotel room (and have during PCS). I can choose the lighting, the scenery, etc.
- Time: Are you a night owl? Do you work better in the mornings? Maybe short bursts of productivity are more your thing. Day to day, I can work when I am most productive, not necessarily when a time card needs to be stamped. As long as I deliver the product and service, the client is happy.
- Vacation: Because I determine my schedule and the time I work, it’s become much easier to detach from the daily grind. My family and I can vacation together, and my spouse and I can enjoy our children’s youth with them. I can schedule my vacation during my husband’s leave, making us a more cohesive family unit.
- Work: Freelancers don’t have to accept all assignments that come to them. As a freelancer, I can choose the projects I devote my time to, and as a result, I feel more fulfilled by the work I do.
Happy Independence Day!
Story by Jamie Boyle
RSS Feed