Right now, over 56.7 million people are working as freelancers in the U.S. That number will continue to grow as it had in the past decade. This figure increased by 3.7 million in the past five years alone. To put this into perspective, that number is roughly 34% of the entire U.S. workforce.
The majority of freelancers are millennials who choose this kind of industry because of flexibility, quality of life, and technology. Funny enough, most freelancers love the idea of never having to prepare in the morning to get to work. Some of them may miss having to wear corporate clothing in New Zealand or other countries. But that’s a small sacrifice considering the benefits of working at home or from any place they want. Besides, no one’s stopping you from dressing up even if you’re working from a coffee shop. You can be as formal or as casual as you want to be.
But what is it like working as a freelancer? Why are so many Americans leaving the stability of their good-paying jobs to work as a freelancer? Why are millennials choosing this lifestyle over building a career with one company as many baby boomers have done before?
Freedom to Choose Projects
With freelancing, you are not required to take on tasks and projects you’re not interested in. Boredom isn’t going to be a problem. You are in control over the projects you’re willing to do. It is very simple to choose only the types of projects you’re interested in. No one has power over you to control how you see these jobs.
Flexibility of Location
Imagine working from anywhere—from your bed, from a café in Paris, from the ruins of Rome, or from a beach house in the middle of nowhere. As long as there is an Internet connection, you can do your job. You have immense freedom to work anytime and from anywhere. For a freelancer, the most important thing is to meet deadlines, but they can do this from anywhere they choose to be in the world.
You can also choose to do fewer projects when you need to focus on personal matters. You don’t have to ask permission to take a leave of absence. You don’t need the human resource manager to sign your vacation leave papers. You are completely in control over how many projects to accept.
Opportunity to Earn More
Freelancers can work for anyone. They are not restricted by distance or different time zones. They can work for a UK-based company even if they’re living in Malaysia. It will allow freelancers in third-world countries to earn more because most Western countries pay better than their home countries.
They can better maximize their earning potential by taking on different projects at the same time. As long as they can manage their time well, freelancers can earn more because they don’t need to clock in and out of an office. This gives them the power to work for different employers.
Knowledge About Different Cultures
By working for different employers, freelancers can learn about different cultures and traditions. They can team up with other nationalities. They will learn about the work ethics of these other people. It’s a unique experience compared to when they work for one company their whole lives.
Working as a freelancer has many perks. The quality of life of freelancer workers is better because they can spend more time with their families and interests. They are less stressed about dealing with bosses and coworkers. They get to save more because they don’t have to spend on transportation and clothes. If you want to improve your lifestyle, you should look into becoming a freelancer.