It’s a Monday morning, the early rush hour has begun and to top it all off, it’s raining. But the rigorous weekly hustle and bustle and abrasive early morning alarm doesn’t have to concern you anymore.

With freelancing you are allowed the freedom to go at your own pace, choosing who you want to work for and when. Often it can feel like work is taking up too much of your time and that your work-life balance is completely lost. With the long hours and effort you put in, it seems the only way you can find that perfect balance is to either to clone yourself or hire a very compliant PA. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Over the last few years more and more people have taken to the freelance lifestyle.

For individuals who are looking for more freedom and better management of their work-life balance, freelancing is proving to be an increasing choice amongst many in the UK. The flexibility that comes with freelancing allows freelancers to spend time on the things and people that are important to them.

Keeping work interesting and diverse

Staying monogamous to one company or firm can get a bit repetitive after a while and can suck the fun and enjoyment out of work, making those long hours feel even longer. If you’ve ever been at work and caught yourself staring blankly from your office desk, mindlessly re-reading the first paragraph of the project you’re due to complete, then you know what I’m talking about!

Freelancing can suit the desires of those who like to multitask as it offers the choice to work with different clients on multiple projects at any one time. The more projects you take up, the more opportunity you have to bring in a very satisfying income. Key statistics show that freelance workers collaboratively brought in £95 billion in 2013 alone. It has been known that for people who have made the jump from working for a company to freelance/contractor have made double than what they were being paid before. As an independent professional it really does depend on you.

Working on a permanent basis for a company can take certain freedoms and choices away from you and more often than not it is tempting to cut the puppeteer strings to have some time out! Many who take a career break or wish to change the way they work are able to work as much or as little as they want depending on how many projects they take up. Freelancing makes it possible to take some time out and still have that much needed revenue stream.

Often people are concerned that as a freelancer they may not be valued, however research has shown that Executives in 83% of SME’s and 77% in large firms feel that freelance brings value to their business. Freelancing makes it possible to fulfil a lifelong passion and still be able to keep a strong skill set, a good client base and effective time management all at once. Choosing how many projects you want to work on permits you to go at your own pace so in essence, take as long as you can afford.

Parents Can Work From Home

Being able to manage your working hours can make freelancing adaptable to most lifestyles. In the last year recorded statistics show in 2013 there has been a 24% increase of mothers choosing a freelance working life and it is easy to see why. Parent freelancers are able to work from home making them more available to their families. School runs are made easier too by removing the stress of having to rush to or from work.

With more time at home, parents who choose freelancing are able to reduce expensive childcare costs and reap more of the dual income that is coming in! For parents who commit to freelancing/contracting, the balance that is often a struggle to make between work and home life can now be more easily found. Parents can often miss out on parts of their children’s lives when working long hours, which is why more and more mothers are drawn in by the flexibility of freelance work!

Career Contractors to Successful Business Owners

Setting your own rates as a career contractor marks the beginnings of starting your own company and developing your own brand. The skills gained from freelancing can be applicable to the skills you need in order to run a successful business.

Freelancing/contracting shows you are a self-starter, reliable, independent and creative. They are able to gain a broader sense of responsibility and share with the other 1.72 million freelancers in the UK the perks of being in charge of your work.