Freelance Designer Perks
Some people just like a different type of lifestyle. I know for me, the thought of someone making me drive across town every morning made me cringe. Being chained to a desk and being told what to do and how to do it made me shudder. More and more people are adopting the life of freedom and flexibility. I’m one of them, and I would like to share 7 freelance designer perks that make the career path worth it.
Flexible Schedule
This one is a big one for me. I have 2 children. I couldn’t imagine being chained to a desk and having to ask permission to leave early to pick them up when they are sick. Also, if I need to do something for the house, like call a repair man, it’s tough to get them to come after hours. Being able to shift my work time around makes it much easier to handle life. I can have a better work-life balance with the extra flexibility. Flexible work time is one of the biggest pros, that a lot of designers desire. David Airey, a well know designer mentions this and the next couple of items in this post.
No Salary Cap
When you work for yourself, the sky is the limit at how much money you can make. You can work a little harder when you need more money, or work a little less when you don’t feel like working that much. You can create products and courses to sell to generate additional revenue. You don’t have to grovel at someone’s feet for a raise. The thought of that makes my entire body seize up.
Expand into Whatever Area You Want
This is a biggie for some. Sometimes you tire of doing the same type of project over and over again. If you’ve been doing a lot of print projects, you can switch to picking up more website projects. Maybe you’d like to do more logo design work. You can choose to keep things fresh. If you don’t know how to do something, you can expand your skill set into any area you wish.
You have more control over your work environment
You can work from home. You can also rent an office anywhere in the city. This is great when you need a change of scenery. Maybe you’d like an office by the river, or one with a mountain view. Maybe it’s cold and you don’t want to make the commute, so you work from your own cozy home office.
You also have control over your own workstation. You can work in a small nook in your house. You could build a custom desk for yourself. You could purchase an adjustable height desk and switch between sitting and standing. You don’t have to fit into someone else’s vision of an office. You can create your own space, made just for you.
You Don’t have to Work With Horrible People
I try my best to see the good in everyone. However, there are some people that are just detestable, deplorable human beings. Being forced to work with them drains the life force from your very soul. One of the best freelance designer perks is being able to choose who you work with. Some people will put up with anything for enough money, but that can be at your discretion.
You Have More Control Over Projects
When I work with clients, I create solutions based on their needs and their taste, vision, and their goals. Working for a company, you have to go along with whatever the group decides, which isn’t always the best. When flying solo, I feel like I can deliver a much better project for the client, that delivers everything they wanted and needed.
Clients do have opinions, and some of them want things a certain way. However, if you educate them and walk them through the process, it can go a long way in terms of keeping a project from becoming a disaster.
It’s easier to take on or create side projects
Working for yourself means more revenue, and a more flexible schedule. For me, this has enabled me to launch different side projects. The additional revenue from being able to control my own level of income also helped me to fund them. The business connections from being self employed were also a great benefit. You never know when a side project can blow up and be a huge success.
Conclusion
If you read my previous post: Drawbacks of being a freelance designer you might have gotten discouraged about being a freelance designer. I couldn’t imagine my life any other way. My life is balanced, I make more money, and overall I am much happier. What’s holding you back from taking advantage of all of the freelance designer perks that are available? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
