Pros & Cons of Freelancing

Freelance is still the wild west of the working world! While it can be totally freeing to be your own boss, it's also a little scary to take all of the burden of the office onto your shoulders. Some days (like today) it's hard to get motivated, difficult to prioritize and unappealing to step out of your pajamas but the good far outweighs the bad...

CONS:

+ motivation

When you're constantly creating it can be hard to keep the momentum going. Sometimes things get a little overwhelming and it can become difficult to think of fresh ideas and new content. Luckily, seasons of motivation come and go. I find the best way to reignite the spark is to step away, disconnect and revisit.

+ taking on too much

A lot of the time it seems like there should be few more hours in the day, doesn't it? I often find myself writing long to-dos but after coffee, playtime and getting ready for the day, it's 11 and I'm making no progress. Managing your time is an ongoing battle!

+ isolation

Aside from the awesomeness that is rolling out of bed, throwing your hair up in a messy bun and going to town on your laptop in bed, it can be rough not to work in an office setting. It's nice to bounce ideas off of someone else and you'd be amazed at what getting dressed up does for your productivity!

+ taxes

Just. Taxes.

PROS:

+ flexibility

When you're working for yourself you're free to prioritize as you see fit. If I need to run an errand or make it to an appointment during the day, I'm totally free to do that. Since I'm a momma first, being able to be home (and engaging) with Lorelai is one of the biggest reasons I love working for myself.

+ mobility

I love that I'm not confined to a cubicle. Most days I work from the couch (even though I have a perfectly good desk) but I like that I can pick up and pop into a local cafe or get things done while we're on vacation.

+ the sky's the limit

As a creative, it's awesome for me to be able to explore different ideas. Being my own boss makes it possible to work on things I'm truly passionate about... hooray!

I want to know, are you your own boss? Do you work a 9-5 in an office? What are the ups and downs?