FREELANCING: Is it for you or not?

 Is becoming a freelancer the ultimate 'Introvert job?' 

It sounds pretty cool, doesn't it? You don't have to clock in and clock out at specific times. You can start and finish when you want. You can work wherever you want. You can go to the gym at 11am. Also, and this might be the most important to an introvert, you don't have a boss or co-workers pestering you every five minutes or wanting to have inane conversations about their weekend or the latest episode of The Kardashians. (Is that still running?)

Of course there are always some down sides to it, from an introvert's perspective anyway.  What are these downsides?:

1. You are going to have to sell yourself.

I know that some people have the gift of the gab. They can talk anyone into doing anything. Sell ice to the Eskimos I suppose you could say. If you are anything like me, you struggle to do that and you think that your work should say everything and there is no need for brash self-promotion. Well, unfortunately, life doesn't work like that. Sometimes you have to tell the other person what you are doing or have done. You have to remind them that you are around. I'm not saying to threat to walk although that might be the last resort. 

2. You are going to have to be flexible.

Sometimes you are going to have to do things that you might not be comfortable with. Your clients might throw you a couple of curve balls. Are you able to handle their unorthodox requests or are you going to run away from all the mayhem because you weren't given six weeks notice?

3. Are you organised?

Are you organised? Do you know what is going on from day to day? Or are you all over the place because of that flexibility that we talked about above? You get that unorthodox request for a different time and place, do you take it in your stride or do you get all bent out of shape? I've seen it happen. It's not pretty. 

4. What about if the shit hits the fan?

Are you good with that? Are you able to fight it out? The current world situation with the pandemic can be a little worrisome. As a freelancer with money not coming in as regularly as it used to, are you able to handle it? Some people can't. I remember a friend of mine was dating this woman and it was going well. They had been out several times and she seemed cool. Then she found out what he did for a living, or more specifically what his remuneration situation was (commission based) and she freaked out and he never saw her again. See, some people can handle it and others can't. 

Life as a freelancer can be fun. It can be stressful. It can be rewarding. Some people are up to the challenge, others are not.