Pros and cons of working online

The advantages of freelancing are many: the ability to choose your working hours and clients, a better work-life balance, and your income is not limited by anything. But the transition from full-time to freelance requires careful planning and preparation. Above all, you need to be aware of the pitfalls of self-employment.

Before deciding which path to take, you should weigh up the pros and cons to see which scenario is right for you. If you are fed up with the current circumstances of a routine job and are planning to jump on the freelance train, but you are not sure what will happen to it, I suggest you read on.

The benefits of freelancing:

Still, what opportunities unfold when you switch to online employment and what's behind it.

Flexibility.

When you work remotely, you set your own rules. You have a free schedule, you can start work at any time and finish it the same way. You can go out and have a coffee or lie down and no one will control it and tell you off for it. You have a totally flexible and ever-changing life which is up to you. Breaking away and going on a trip, grabbing your laptop and going to work in a coffee shop makes you a free and flexible person. You are your own boss!

Creative flow

Sometimes when we work in an office we have to deal with things that are beyond our control such as phones ringing, staff talking, doors opening and closing, meetings etc. But when you are your own boss, you can better control your environment by disconnecting phone calls and you will not be distracted.

You can choose who you work with

It is up to you who you work with, what price to set and on what conditions to work with clients. Sometimes it happens that a client can dictate their terms of cooperation, but if you search well, you may find a worthy customer with whom it will be convenient and comfortable to work.

Time for your projects

Finally, you'll have the opportunity and time to deal with your long-awaited projects that have been hovering in your mind for so long. Now there will be more time to work on the things you've been so fired up about. You can work on your own projects or freelance for an educational service like https://essaywritinghelp.pro/. But the main thing that you choose that on your own.

Workwear

As you've already realised, there are absolutely no rules about clothing and your style. Except for some meetings, where you will have to wear something eye-catching if you don't want to screw up your plans.

Disadvantages of freelancing:

Now let's talk about the disadvantages of online professions, what pitfalls may await you and what to be prepared for.

An unstable workload and monthly budget

Being your own boss is a much tougher job than it may seem. Answering to no one but your clients is certainly appealing, but you also need to make your freelance career work as a business.

The first and most significant challenge that many freelancers face, especially at the beginning of their career, is securing a steady monthly income and a steady workload . Applying for projects on your own can make you feel like a new graduate, pitching your CV to everyone just to get a chance at an opening call. In those months when there are no guaranteed jobs, you need to make sure that you do your own marketing, apply for gigs and convince potential clients that you are a good fit for them. Your monthly financial commitments will not accept excuses, and you must plan your funds accordingly.

Constantly switching between work and personal life

It's much harder to switch between work and personal time. Typically, it is the demands of the project and the constant pursuit of optimum performance that fit into the stress-reducing part of the day that we should have set aside for personal activities. However, digital connectivity and near-constant Wi-Fi access make it even more difficult for freelancers to ignore client messages after hours, during off-hours and at the last minute. Ideally, both client and freelancer should know their obligations and responsibilities and work accordingly. But it happens all too often when a client imagines that your personal time comes with a free package.

You may feel lonely working alone at home

If you don't like being alone, at least sometimes, freelancing is not for you. However, many freelancers are not stuck at home all day. There are meetings with current clients, interviews with potential clients and meetings with other freelancers you might be working with. Many freelancers don't work from home anyway. There are many co-working spaces where there is a desk and they can treat the environment as if it were their own private office. A co-working space is great for socialising, learning from other successful freelancers about how they work and making friends. A cafe is also an option. It's good to try a few different places and see what works best for you.

Some of your clients may be late payers

Clients who are perpetually late with payments are an inevitability of a freelancer's working life. But there are things you can do to minimise the possibility of people having to pay late before you've even committed to working with them. Prevention is better than cure, and clarifying your position from the start can save a lot of chases later. So make sure your payment policy is clearly spelt out in your initial contract with the client, and then both parties know where they stand from the start. Try to accept as many different forms of payment as possible so that the client has no reason not to pay. If you can include credit card transactions in this list of possible payment methods, do so. Then the customer can pay you even if they don't have the funds at the moment. You can also ask for a part of your payment before you start working for the client; for example, 30% when the contract is signed, 30% after the agreed time and 30% after the project is completed. In this way, you get a steady income for yourself throughout the time it takes to complete the project, as well as afterwards. It is also possible to suspend the project until you receive your final payment.

Constant distractions

When you freelance, you need to be really disciplined. For some people who have children or live with others, this may mean that other members of your family need to know what time of day you will be working (so they can be attentive). If you are the kind of person who is easily distracted by your own surroundings (e.g. fridge, TV, etc.), you may just need to pack your bags and head to the nearest library or café.