If You're Tired of the 'Montonous Rhythm' of Your Day-to-Day, Freelance Work May Be the Answer
According to a recent global survey by data aggregator Ipsos, 72 percent of people would prefer their life to change significantly. 57% of Americans agree. They want something different.
People are tired of the monotonous rhythm, the daily grind, the trading of the best hours of their lives working for someone else, for the salary that person decides.
Digging deeper, there are three aspects of life people most want to change.
Change Your Job, Change Your Life
Every year surveys look to find out what percentage of the workforce is unhappy with their work. Results range from 15% to 80%. But, it turns out, it matters who you ask—with management always having higher satisfaction levels at work.
It’s not only that people want more money, either. According to this 2018 study by Gallup, the three most significant issues employees have with their jobs, in order, are:
- Lack of power to change things
- Lack of career advancement opportunities
- Level of pay
Is there a lifestyle and career path change that would create a job with more power, opportunities, and control over our pay?
How to Change Your Life
If you are one of the millions who wish things were different, whether work, health, or location, take heart, you can make it all happen.
According to data supplied by Google Trends, searches for the term freelancing this year are double the previous five-year average. People are Googling “freelancing” more than ever before. Maybe you're one of them.
You no longer need to be tied down to a company or a boss and can work for yourself, gaining the work-life you've always wanted.
Freelancing means you decide your hours, your clients, and what to work on. And, sometimes even more importantly, what not to work on.
Freelancing offers you the opportunity to become location-independent. When no longer tied down to a job, you don’t need to live anywhere in particular. You become free to travel the country or world slowly as a digital nomad.
Expats tend to eat healthier and live more active lives than their stay-at-home counterparts. In addition, 67% of Expats feel that their physical and mental well-being is better abroad than in their home country.
If you dislike your job, wish you had more time for the gym, or want to see the world, becoming a freelancer might be the answer.
How to Become a Freelancer
For most people, becoming a freelancer, traveling the world, and feeling better will not come immediately or easily. Instead, it will take some work and time, but here is a roadmap to get you there.
Decide what you want to do.
It’s tempting to remain in the same industry because you already know you can do it, but resist that urge and think instead about what you want to do as a freelancer, even if you don’t have the skills or experience yet. Remember, the goal isn’t to find another job you don’t like.
- Think back to the dreams you had when you were younger.
- Consider the hobbies you enjoy now.
- Find out what other freelancers are doing; if they can do it, you can too.
Once you know what you want to do, it’s time to make a plan to get there.
Learn the skills, get the experience.
If you don’t have any skills or experience in the field you want to move into, you need to start gathering them now.
- Find a job that will gain you the skills and experience.
- Take a course. Platforms like Udemy and Teachable offer affordable training courses on almost anything you can imagine
- Set up a side hustle or passive income stream during your spare time.
Start small, start early.
Once you figure out what you want to do, don’t wait to finish learning skills before starting. Start today! Set up accounts on freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, and try to get your first client.
You may only have an hour or two to work a day to work at first alongside your day job. But as you realize your potential, the reality that you can quit your job will start to reveal itself.
Tips for beginner freelancers.
- Keep your fees lower than the competition. You won’t make much, but you will gain the necessary experience and reviews.
- Advertise yourself. Don’t wait for clients to find you on the freelancing marketplace you chose, promote yourself on social media and build yourself a website. These signal to clients that you are legitimate.
The final step: go all-in.
Once you have had some success finding clients, you have some excellent reviews and are making money. It’s time to make that final step — going full-time.
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This article originally appeared in Wealth of Geeks.
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