| I'll admit, working from home
is awesome, I wouldnt have it any other way. Just the thought
of having to commute to work every day, being stuck in traffic,
sitting through boring meetings, and having to listen to office
gossip makes me shudder.
I’ve had so many people say to me, "You're so
lucky!" And you know what? I am! Because I'm doing something
that I love - web design from home. I remember years ago,
when I was stuck in a boring job, just dreaming about being
able to do this, and now I am! And what's best of all is that
I'm getting paid to do it!
But is doing web design from home, all that its cracked up
to be?
Being a freelancer is great, there are lots of things I love
about it. But I always recommend
that anyone considering becoming a freelance web designer
think about the all the factors
involved before taking the plunge. Just like being a web designer
as an employee for a large
organisation, there are both the positives and the negatives.
Make sure that the advantages
outweigh the disadvantages ahead of starting your business.
Let's take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages
of doing web design from home.
Advantages to Being a Freelance Web Designer
Set Your Own Working Hours
This is undoubtably one of the most popular reasons for
becoming a freelance web designer. If you’ve had enough
in your 9-5 desk job, this can be quite an inviting prospect.
Having to work set hours can become tedious, however as
a freelancer you can work whenever you feel like it. This
is perfect for parents who need to coordinate their work
around the schedule of their family. It also means that
you can work for people in other time zones or work at home
after you've returned from your regular day job.
You can be your own BOSS.
As a freelancer you will only ever have to answer to one
person, yourself. Never again will you have to worry about
annoying managers or unreasonable expectations from a boss.
Sounds great doesn’t it? In some ways, your clients
are your boss, and they can be unreasonable and demanding,
but that leads to the next advantage. You can be selective
about what projects you take on, instead of being told what
to do.
Disadvantages to Being a Freelance Web Designer
Not Knowing When The Next Paycheck Is Coming
Financial stability is not something most freelancers enjoy.
You might make a fortune one week and barely be able to
cover enough to pay for food the next. This is one reason
I say that freelancers should not overspend when first starting
out on unnecessary items and equipment. I also woudln’t
recommend starting out as a full-time freelancer until you
have sufficient funds and at least 1 or 2 projects. In other
words, don't quit your day job until there is some form
of direction and you can get
through the initial stages of establishment.
Working alone can become very lonely
You'll spend a lot of time on your own. If you're lucky
enough to live with another freelancer, you can talk with
them, but most freelancers can get a little stir-crazy because
they're trapped in their house all day long every day. If
you like to be around people, this could make the job unbearable.
At times I’ve spent days, if not weeks where I've
barely left the house. If you have a laptop, I suggest getting
out occasionally to a local café and working there.
You have to be disciplined and self-motivated.
While you are your own boss, you have to remember that you
are your own boss. If you decide not to work today or for
the next month, no one is going to get after you. This means
that whilst its great to take it easy – it also means
that while you’re not working, you’re not earning.
Sure, work at your own pace, but don’t get lazy. It's
all up to you.
So there you have it. Whilst it is great to do web design
from home as a self employed freelance web designer, you must
consider all factors before throwing your full time job. Looking
back, I didn't, and I've had to make some pretty big adjustments
along the way, but overall the outcome and end result has
been very satisfying.
Best of luck to you.
John
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