Your time is precious! Make it count with a career in contracting or freelancing
Are you giving up too much of your precious time to your job? Find out how you can make it count with a career in contracting or freelancing.
Time – it speeds up when you’re having fun and slows down when you’re bored, and there never seems to be enough. Time is important and even more so when it’s yours, so why do so many professionals give it away for free?
If you’re still in permanent employment, feeling a bit fed up and toying with the idea of contracting or freelancing, then this blog is for you.
How much time are YOU giving away for free?
Think about the time you freely give away to your permanent job everyday:
- The time you spend commuting.
- Getting into the office early and leaving late to miss the rush hour traffic.
- Checking work emails at the weekends and in the evenings.
- Working through your lunch… the list goes on!
When you stop and add it all up, it’s worrying to see what a large chunk of your life you’re giving away with no financial gain. It’s even scarier to think you’re giving away this time to help someone elses business and dream succeed – so what about yours?!
Reclaim your time
Imagine working hours that suit your lifestyle and free you up to enjoy more of your personal time. Now imagine a job that allows you to choose your clients, the type of work you do, the contracts you choose, and when you actually complete them. You could work from home, have little or no commute and charge for the exact time you spend working.
Sounds like bliss? Absolutely! It’s time to change the way you work.
Consider a career in contracting or freelancing
Taking the leap from permanent employment to a career in contracting or freelancing can be daunting, but the benefits can outweigh the cons:
- Be your own boss – you’re in charge of how, when, where and why you work.
- You earn more than permanent employment – you set your day and hourly rate.
- There’s no glass ceiling – you’re in charge of your own professional destiny.
- You can create your own working environment – if working from home it’s your space to design as you see fit.
- You can have a break when you like – walk the dog, run some errands, or take half an hour to do some yoga/chores/whatever you like.
- You career fits in around your life, rather than the other way around.
- You can gain more experience in a much shorter space of time than you would if you stayed in permanent employment.
Most importantly, you are able to regain control over your time. And if someone wants it, they’re going to have to pay for it!
Things to consider
Going it alone is a brave move, especially when you leave the security permanent employment provides behind, so it’s worth bearing in mind that whilst being a freelancer or contractor has its benefits, there’s also a few things to consider before taking the leap:
- You’ll need to make sure your skills are in demand.
- It’s up to you to find contracts, so make sure your next contract is lined up before you finish your current one.
- You aren’t entitled to sickness or holiday pay.
- Contracting and freelancing can become lonely, as you may not be in the same place long enough to establish working friends. Whilst this can be the case there are plenty of other self employed workers out there in the same boat, so you’re not alone! Also don’t forget there’s online resources (like TLC Team) dedicated to supporting professional women just like you, so be sure to use them for support, guidance and connecting with other self employed women.
- You’re in charge of your career, so whilst it can be hard work the rewards are also great.
How Intouch can help
Here at Intouch Accounting we help people realise their self employed dream everyday, by setting up their Limited Company and managing their accounts to keep them on the right side of the taxman. If that sounds like the type of support and advice you need at this stage of your contracting or freelancing career, then get in touch today.
Jenny Winslow works for Intouch Accounting, the expert contractor accountancy firm for Limited Company contractors.
Photo by Hey Beauti Magazine
