Returning to freelancing
Well, this is scary. Scary in a good way, but still scary. When I woke up this morning I didn’t have a regular job any more; from now on my only income is through freelancing.
I love freelancing though. Don’t get me wrong; the last 18 months of working in an office has been fantastic, helped by the brilliant people I’ve had the luck to work with and the fantastic clients they have; but it’s not for me. I’m currently sitting in a cafe in Cambridge working while I wait for my car to pass its MOT, working, thinking up schemes to get more work and wondering how I’m going to pay the rent from month to month. A load of people in business attire just walked in and appear to be having a meeting next to me and I’m feeling sorry for them.
Why? It’s not the fact that I’m sitting here in a comfy cardigan rather than a suit, or that I can work in my underpants whenever I want. It’s not that some mornings I can get up at 10am. It’s about choice.
As a freelancer I make all the choices I want. If I don’t like a client, I can make the choice to work with them or not. Sure, I need to pay the bills, and in most cases it would be stupid not to work with someone just because I’m unbearably arrogant sometimes, but the choice is there, and it’s a very liberating feeling. There’s a lot of pressure on me to work hard, and to get on well with all my clients, and I have to work long hours – but having that feeling of choice makes it worthwhile.
It’s the little things, as well. Being able to listen to 6Music (while it’s still there!) is fantastic. Being able to put AC/DC on really loud to do some coding, or being able to do some washing while I think about a difficult bit of writing – it makes the late nights and stress worth it.
Freelancing isn’t for everyone. Lots of people don’t like the uncertainty which comes with it, and I’ve had some real moments of panic in the past about how to pay the rent or what to do when the car breaks down or the cat is ill, but I’ve always come through it and always will. Challenges make life more fun. What’s the point of an easy ride? I’ll only fall asleep.