| What is a freelancer? | | | | If you're still considering freelancing as an option, think |
| A freelancer is a self-employed person who does | | | | about how in your life you can replace the interaction |
| work in one or more of a number of professions. The | | | | you'd get from work. If you have a partner, don't rely |
| most common freelancer professions are writing, | | | | on them to be your entire social network when they |
| editing, photography, web design, graphic arts and | | | | come home from work every day - you'll have no |
| computer programming. Rather than being an | | | | experiences to share and little to talk about. Join a |
| employee for a business, freelancers sell or contract | | | | gym, a class or a group so you have the circle of |
| their work to their clients. This article considers the | | | | friends that you would have had as an employee. |
| challenges that freelancers face and helps you make | | | | Space |
| the decision as to whether freelancing is for you or | | | | Don't be fooled into thinking you can work at home in |
| not. | | | | the living room if you have two lively toddlers around |
| Working as a freelancer seems like the ideal | | | | you in the day. Neither is the cold garage, the |
| opportunity - flexible hours, good pay, the opportunity | | | | windowless attic or the cluttered box room a good |
| to fit your career in around your other commitments | | | | environment for home working. You need a |
| (rather than vice versa, as is often the case). But there | | | | comfortably heated, well-lit, tidy room that you can |
| are considerations that you should take into account | | | | organise your belongings in, free from (the majority of) |
| before making the decision to go freelance. | | | | interruptions. Granted that if you don't have that space, |
| Why work as a freelancer? | | | | you may have to improvise but the important thing is |
| Most of us have thought at some point that | | | | that you have some space to yourself that is |
| freelancing would be a great opportunity - usually on a | | | | comfortable, practical and sufficient to allow you to |
| cold, wet Monday morning. No travelling to work on a | | | | arrange your books, journals and notes without them |
| crowded bus or sitting in traffic; no boss shouting in | | | | being covered in coffee stains or used for drawing |
| your ear telling you what to do; in fact, no need to get | | | | paper. It is also highly advisable not to use a bedroom |
| off the couch until midday. | | | | or living room because you'll have nowhere to relax |
| Freelancing does come with a large number of | | | | when you're finished and you'll end up feeling like you're |
| benefits but it isn't an easy option. You need to | | | | at work every minute of the day. |
| consider why you want to be a freelancer. | | | | Time Management |
| Good reasons for freelancing include: | | | | One of the most difficult aspects of freelancing at |
| Family commitments - if you're caring for another | | | | home is time management. Freelancers often choose |
| person such as a child or elderly relatives which | | | | to work at home so they can fit their work around |
| makes it impossible to work regular hours, freelancing | | | | their life - but this very thing makes freelancing a |
| will save you the journey to and from part time work, | | | | challenge. It is necessary to draw a line between work |
| and allow you to be flexible with your time | | | | time and leisure time, setting aside certain parts of the |
| Extra income - if you've already got a job but it | | | | day for working and certain parts to deal with other |
| doesn't pay well and you have at least 3-4 hours a | | | | commitments. If no line is drawn, you'll find little errands: |
| week you could devote to earning extra money, | | | | 'making the kids a snack', 'running to the shops', |
| freelancing will allow you to earn that extra income | | | | 'checking your emails', take up a huge portion of the |
| whilst keeping your existing job. | | | | day. The answer is to create a routine for your |
| In addition to looking at your motives, you may want to | | | | freelance work: have the same portions of the day |
| consider the following issues: | | | | set aside for work, plan reasonable breaks and stick |
| Tax breaks | | | | to the planned finishing time. Turn off your mobile if you |
| As a freelancer you'll be self-employed and so | | | | can, or have a separate number for work and for |
| working from home means that you can claim a fair | | | | private calls. Don't forget that you do need to take |
| proportion of expenses against any tax liability. For | | | | regular breaks from your screen for the sake of your |
| example, if you use a room in your house you may be | | | | health. |
| able to claim a proportion of cleaning, mortgage | | | | Support Team |
| interest, council tax and home insurance costs against | | | | Whilst you may be considering freelancing so that you |
| your tax bill, provided that an area of the home is | | | | can support others, having your own support team is |
| solely in business use for a significant amount of time. | | | | vital to the success of your lifestyle choice. Firstly, |
| Flexible Working | | | | family and friends need to understand your decision |
| If you already have a job and you’re in the UK, | | | | and know that you aren't always available for a chat |
| your employer may be under an obligation to consider | | | | or to go for lunch. Secondly, you need to appreciate |
| allowing you to work flexitime (they do not have to | | | | that freelancing at home is still a job and if your children |
| grant this request, however). | | | | get sick and you don't have any help, you'll have to |
| Discipline | | | | sacrifice your work time for your other commitments. |
| Do you find it easy to concentrate on a project? Or | | | | Like any other job, if you don't work, you don't get paid. |
| are you quickly distracted by chatter, the television, | | | | So consider building in advance a 'support team' - |
| magazines, children or other things that surround you? | | | | people who can help when things go wrong. It's |
| Freelancing from home requires discipline - the ability to | | | | especially useful as a parent if you have back-up |
| shut out all distractions and concentrate on the job in | | | | people to collect children from school or nurse them |
| hand. If you're not particularly disciplined, you'll find that in | | | | when they're ill. The better your support team as a |
| the absence of your boss to keep an eye on you, | | | | working parent or carer, the more chance you have of |
| your attention is diverted by the constant stream of | | | | making this succeed. |
| chores and distractions that keep you away from the | | | | No work? |
| computer. | | | | One final, but vital, consideration for those considering |
| Solitude | | | | freelancing full time. Can you afford to sustain yourself |
| If you enjoy the company of your associates at work, | | | | if there's no work available? Many freelance |
| freelancing at home may come as a bit of a shock. | | | | opportunities are seasonal and you may find during the |
| Freelancers don't have the chatter and bustle of a | | | | off-peak times that work is thin on the ground. If you |
| busy office - which can be an advantage, in terms of | | | | need a regular, reliable income, you may be better off |
| concentration, but it can also make for a rather lonely | | | | freelancing part time and working part or full time. |
| existence during work hours. If you love the company | | | | If you're interested in writing for Academic Knowledge |
| you get at work and need to have people around you, | | | | from home as a freelance writer, click here to apply. |
| freelancing might not be for you. | | | | |