There was a time when it was necessary for you to take an official leave from work to be able to travel and take a vacation.
With the emergence of the mobile worker and opportunities for freelancing work, it has now become possible to travel and still earn your keep.
Pros and cons
There are many pros and cons when it comes to freelancing. On one hand, you have control of the work hours that you want to render. You can also be selective of the projects you want to take on.
On the other hand, freelancing does not guarantee a steady income and does not provide other benefits that a full-time employment may bring.
For many however, the opportunity to do work while at home or anywhere as long as there is a decent Internet connection, is a viable career option.
Reasons to freelance
Here are 8 reasons why more and more people are going into freelancing.
1) We all like to work at home and spend more time with family.
It has probably become a cliche by now that people go into freelancing to have a better "work-life" balance.
2) The daily commute can be difficult.
Many people do not like traffic, which unfortunately, is a daily challenge if you live and work in the city. Commuting can be very draining and can zap that creativity even before you set foot in the office.
3) We are not fond of a fix, 9-to-5 routine.
I have nothing against people with regular jobs or a regular schedule. I once had several 9-to-5 jobs too, but for many people, nothing beats managing their own time and working at their own individual paces.
4) Many are into reading and research.
Reading and researching are very important for freelance work, particularly for freelance writing. Many people enjoy doing research and getting paid to write about these research topics.
5) We all love to travel.
This reason should probably be up there at the top. Many people, particularly the younger generation, love to travel. What a sweet deal it is if you can travel and still work at the same time.
6) Some people work best when alone.
Freelancer workers, particularly writers, are often thought of as these nerds curled up in a tiny corner typing away. While this might be an exaggeration, some are often very productive while working alone.
7) We can measure work based on actual outputs.
Many people like the idea of working on certain target or a certain quota. This means they can actually “quantify” their workload and anticipate their earnings. This output-based arrangement also gives people a sense of accomplishment.
8) Some people like juggling different projects.
The magic words for freelance workers is “time management.” Some are very good at time management and juggling a few gigs here and there is a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.
So there. And just a disclaimer, these 8 reasons were based on my own experiences and from what I heard from friends who are also into freelancing.
Sunrise photo
And by the way, I took the photo below while we were in in Dinadiawan in Aurora Province last summer.
I remember that I was working on a short editing project during this time and fortunately, the resort we stayed in had a decent Internet connection.
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