Freelancing Part I: Working from home

 

There are a lot of misconceptions about working from home and freelancing.  For one thing, just because you are working from home, doesn't mean you are freelancing.  Working from home could mean you are still under a company's wing, with all the perks including salary and benefits involved, but doing your work remotely.  Freelancing however, your earnings are from the clients you provided service for and you don't have a company keeping track of you.  It may seem the same, but they are ultimately different.

You maybe at home but you are still working. I personally prefer working from home, whether under a company's wing or freelancing.  I like the solidarity and the comfort that working at home brings.  There are people who work productively in an office setting, I have nothing against them. 

I can enumerate several advantages of working a home.  They are:

• Less commute.  This is the number reason most of us prefer to work at home.  We spend a portion of our salary on public transportation or gas costs (which is ridiculously high).  Another way of saving money.
• Learning better time management.  We have to admit, when we work, there are downtimes, which we spend mostly on eating out or chatting with friends. These are times we can spend actually working.  Then afterwards, reap the benefits. You can watch TV, clean the house, cook dinner, etc.
• Less eating out.  Since you don't get out much, you spend less also on eating out. 
• No more day care.  I read somewhere that since you're at home everyday, you don't need to spend money on day care and get to look after your kids.
• Solidarity and comfort.  Comfortable because you feel less stress, solidarity because it's more quiet.
• Productivity.  You may choose to be productive at a certain time and less on the other.  In addition, you get to choose the clients - not the ones given to you.
• Fulfillment.  You feel fulfilled because you are doing what you love and earning from it.  It doesn't feel work at all.

The above are exactly the reasons I wanted to work at home.  My target is next year.  God-willing I will be working at home soon.


Next:  Disadvantages of Freelancing.


Pic from:  http://worknhire.com/resources/what-is-freelancing/ and http://workwithdrmarcus.com/advantages-disadvantages-working-home/