It’s no secret that freelancing can be a rewarding career. From being your own boss while controlling your rate and schedule, to doing what you love with the clients you choose, becoming a freelancer can seem a dream for many, and for the most part, it is.

However, just like with every job, there are a few downsides to working as a freelancer – some unexpected.

1) Being Your Own Boss Can Be Hard

While it’s nice to choose how and when you work, freelancing can be difficult unless you have the self-control and personal introspection to schedule your time accordingly.

With no boss or set working hours keeping you on track, fighting against procrastination can be a daily struggle for some. For others, as a freelancer only gets a return on the amount of work they put in, while the opportunities for business and client expansion are endless, working too much can become a problem – easily losing track of the days behind their laptops, or feeling guilty over time spent relaxing.

Bottom line: unless a freelancer is especially careful, “freedom of schedule” can end up hurting them and their business in the end.

2) Finding That Balance Between Work and Life isn’t Always Easy

It’s true that freelancing helps lend flexibility to your week, but that flexibility comes with a few cons.

For one, as many freelancers work from home, they lack that “off switch” your brain gets when clocking out of a typical J-O-B to go enjoy evening plans. For a freelancer, weekends become synonymous with weekdays, while they’re constantly jumping in and out of work and life – just going to further that “relax guilt” mentioned earlier.

Similarly, as a freelancer’s client pool is constantly in flux, it’s common to experience seasons where their week is suddenly wide open, while others are reminiscent of cramming for final exams all over again – working well into the night, day after day.

Sometimes to achieve balance, you have to learn how to say “no” to new clients you can’t serve with your all, power off that laptop for a well-deserved rest day, or schedule your week around deadlines just as you would with a typical job.

3) Smart Spending is Essential

Because a freelancer’s client base is consistently fluctuating, often so is their income, which can put a freelancer’s business in trouble if they’re not careful with their money and how it’s spent.

Because there’s no such thing as sick days or paid leave for a freelancer, even something as simple as taking a couple days off for vacation or due to health reasons can cause a significant drop in earnings, which is exactly why budgeting, saving, and proper bookkeeping is so important.

Another good way to keep that cash-flow coming steady, even during periods with smaller workloads? Building passive income through fixed services like workshop memberships, template packages, or other sold goods compatible with your brand.

Without a doubt, freelancing can be a very rewarding experience for the person brave enough to make the leap – it just takes a little extra work and love.

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