6 Lessons I Learnt as a Freelancer
Category: Health and Wellness, Financial Planning, Young Adult
This month marks my two-and-a-half years as a full-time freelance writer. I’ve always been freelancing while juggling my full-time job but turned it into a full-time job after a burnout episode in late 2020. It’s been a fun ride with many ups and a few downs, and here are some of my personal experiences:
1. Uncertainty isn’t a bad thing.
When you embrace it, it can bring you much happiness that you never expected. I was so exhausted from the 9-to-5 grind — while I had a stable income, at one point (I was also dipping into burnout at that point) I felt like I was just going through the motions and as I would dramatically tell my friends, “wondering why I was born”. But it made me happier, able to learn more, and happier.
And anyway, it was also the peak of the COVID-induced economic downturn, and people around me were losing jobs and getting pay cuts — a regular office job was also full of uncertainty. That got me thinking — a freelance job has its stability. And who knows? If I ever go back to full-time work, I’d have a safety net in space should the unforeseen happen again.
2. You don’t need anyone’s approval for your life choices.
10 years “in the grind” had me resigned to the fact that life would always be this stagnant, with small bursts of joy now and then — the occasional feast and yearly holiday was pretty much everything people looked forward to.
At first, I let comments like “Oh so you have no job?” and “But everyone should be doing….”, and “But… company benefits” get to me. When I learnt to ignore the (possibly well-meaning detractors) and just embrace doing what I love, I realised that there’s so much life has to offer.
3. Balance doesn’t always happen, and it’s ok.
When I first started, I had a bit of anxiety — mostly financial — whether or not I was busy. When I have a lot of work to do, I’ll get a bit frazzled. When I didn’t, I’d start worrying about my income for the month.
But I learnt that things eventually balance out — if I tabulate my monthly income from a yearly view (that is, to add everything together and divide it by 12), it looks quite good and I’ve got tons more free time.
I’ve since learnt to be excited about busy periods, and recharge during lull periods. Read more about financial security and managing financial anxiety in this article “Dealing With Financial Anxiety As A Freelancer”
4. Having a network is important.
I know — there are times the thought of “networking” seems pretentious — small talk, name card exchanges and the like. But when I first started freelancing full-time, it was my friends, ex-colleagues and ex-clients who made all the difference.
So, I was quite a hustler in my younger days, and I did freelance writing on the side. I stopped most of my jobs after a few years in my creative agency. I didn’t ask for help, but I somehow started getting messages from friends and ex-clients telling me that they knew people who were looking for a writer.
And my new clients introduced me to their friends and connections. And trust me when I say this, I’m no social butterfly, so I think anyone can do well when they show that you’ll do your best.
5. You’ll have to push boundaries as an introvert.
As a writer, it’s not just about sitting in front of a computer and typing my life away — there are meetings, negotiations (and the occasional semi-heated debates), discussions to straighten things out and more. And of course — the dreaded “can we jump into a quick call now” texts.
As a freelancer, I no longer had my project manager or boss to help me with things that I never really excelled in — digging information from clients, placating jumpy clients, chasing for payments and more. This pushed me to grow more as a person, and the sense of achievement is oh-so-satisfying.
6. You’ll need to plan your finances better.
Not having a steady income was a worry — it sometimes still is! However, I learnt to be realistic about what I needed as an income to have a fairly good quality of life, which meant that I had to plan my finances better.
Having someone, such as a financial advisor can help you gain a deeper understanding of your finances, manage your expenses, and develop a long-term strategy for financial stability. With a solid financial plan in place, you can focus on what you do best and enjoy the freedom that comes with freelancing.
That said, I do understand that not everyone has the luxury of being one and my experience won’t necessarily apply to everyone. I do, however, hope that my learning experience spurs some of you on to rise above uncertainties. I’m not sure if I’ll be a freelancer forever, but at this point, I’m enjoying every moment of it.
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