8 Most Common Myths About Freelancing That Is False
A lot of people love the idea of freelancing. No boss, more freedom, better work environment, and many more common perceptions. At some point, the perception turns into myths that make people either want or hate the idea of freelancing. One thing that is sure about the work is that it is not always sunshine and flowers.
The most common myths stated are pretty much false. While some of them tell the concept of freelancing, sometimes it is not a real nature you can hold on to. Many people worship and glorify the idea. But some also lift the idea of a bad rep about the freelancing nature. So, what are the false idea you can find there?
There is a lot of common false idea that show people misconception about the work. If you are interested in trying freelancing, you need to ensure you debunk the myths. Again, to be a freelancing pro is not always sunshine and a rainbow. It can also turn into hazy, misty weather. So, here are some false figments you should be aware of.
1. Not The Real Business
There are enough people that consider the myth that says freelancing is not a real business. The thing is, many people still see office work as a real job. It means, everything that is not in the office does not deserve to be called business. However, the common myth is a false statement. It tells the opposite nature of the freelancing work itself.
It is a false detail since freelancing is also a real business like any other. It has the same responsibilities, work, and probably income. Some many details and works make freelancing more business-like than the office work one. How so? You can see how the common false fabrications relate the job responsibilities and needs as the magnitude.
The common misconception underlines the lack of daily work, offices, companies, and many others. It makes freelancing look like a joke. However, freelance workers also need to handle marketing, promotion, accounting, budgeting, and legal concerns. The line of responsibilities proves that the myth is false.
There is also the idea that most common myths arose due to the less needy work. People make a story that says freelancing did not ask tedious and time-consuming acts. It makes the false concept make people think twice about freelancing. You also got some instances where the freelancer takes one bigger step than the common false concept.
Freelancers can either work by themselves or set themselves up as an agency. It is not only and limited to solo freelancing. People can bond together to reach large audiences. It helps shed the false myth about the work itself. It helps add more exposure and name. The false common idea also enunciated that everyone needs to think further about the career.
2. No Boss No worries
The myth of working without a boss helps freelancing feel like a dream job. You can do a lot of things, anything, anywhere, and whatever. In the traditional sense and nature, freelancing does not have a boss. However, it does not mean that there is no equivalent. Most common myths believe the false concept and depict the fact that freelancing bosses are the client and the worker itself.
The common myth is debunked as false since you are not working for yourself. Freelancing has to work to answer the client's needs and wants. It makes the client the equivalent boss in the career. It is best to say that they are the ones that pay freelancers for their work. Thus, you need to meet deadlines, follow guidelines, have to be communicative and available.
If you see the force and the power of the client, it is safe to say that they are your real boss. The common myth of the client and worker relationship also proves why this idea is false. When one makes the client unhappy, cannot do the work, and makes a big blunder, they can fire you. The idea also says that clients can do worse than just withhold payment or fire.
However, the common false myth is also shattered because you are your boss. It is one of the real myths that has proven to be true. Freelancing means you are a one-man army. You take every common responsibility, such as administrative work, marketing, and bookkeeping. Since you are the boss, you need to ensure you can work along with the other superior, your client.
To grow as a successful freelancing worker, you need to debunk the common false myth. If you are working with five clients, it means you have five mini superiors to satisfy. You will need to play with different rules and ideas for each patron. Again, it helps to verify the false most common myths as freelancing has no boss and real business.
3. No Job Security
One of the common false myths of freelancing that make people wonder about the job is security. Many people ask about the work guarantee as a freelancer, especially with how the work is rather random and unstructured. However, you need to debunk the myth even further. The sense of security might differ from one to another.
You need to ask about what kind of security myth is mentioned in this part. Is it about the job, the income, or what? While it is true that freelancing relies on client projects, it is false to say it makes the work insecure. Underline the fact that freelancers did not work for one or two clients. They can work with more people, which makes the myth considered false.
It is also worth underlining that if one talks about losing a job, freelance offers a better solution. Most common myths make a false understanding about the freelancing nature. If they lose one client, it means that they only lose a small percent of their income. It helps prove that the idea is false.
The common idea also helps highlight that freelancing gives a better solution than working as an employee. The common false myth did not look further about the fact that replacing a single client is easier than looking for a new full-time job. It turns out to be a great example of how the job nature changes.
Another way to prove the common false myth is the ability to adapt to the current market. Freelancing is leading due to its flexibility to follow the current job market nature. Stiff competition and the company economy can affect the job market. It can be hard for companies to play around with the idea, which tends to turn into hiring freelancers for more employees.
4. Has Shorter Work Hours
If you have a myth that makes people hesitate to try freelancing, you also have some common false idea that tries to sugarcoat the job. One of them is the shorter work hours. The idea of shorter work hours comes because most freelancers work independently. They don't have an exact working time or deadline.
Thus, it helps create a sense of freelancing that only takes a few hours to make money. It is the biggest common myth that is found to be false. Freelance workers have to hustle to content with the client. It gets even more serious when one should juggle multiple clients and many of its managerial work.
The key point of freelancing is not only working fast but also prioritizing. However, to nail the idea, one needs to learn about time management techniques. It makes the shorter work hours concept quite doubtful. If the freelancer is good at management, then it is not possible to achieve the most common myth.
But when the workers are mainly missing the point and lose their management, freelancing can turn into such burdening work. Nothing is easy. At some point, it is better to say that the myth is not false but not for all people. So, keep learning to manage your time. Or else you are bound to work many 15-18 hours per day.
5. A More Stressful Job
Considering how freelancing can take 15-18 hours per day, many people will think that it is a stressful job. The idea turns into a myth that makes many workers think twice about the opportunity. However, the fact goes back to the one who took the work. It largely depends on the parts and also the process itself.
As said in the previous point, you also found a falsehood that says freelancing gives you shorter work. It can turn right or false based on the people themselves. With better management, freelancing can be a good and not stressful occupation. The work can make the most common myth true, depending on the person itself.
In this case, you can prove that the more stressful myth is false by preparing or arm yourself with an assistant. There is a lot of software that helps organize freelancing activities. It will be the best solution to prove it false. Most of the time, the stressful phase only happens in the beginning. It was when freelancers had to start everything.
They have to take care of the financial point, marketing, and looking for a client. However, as time goes, it can turn into a better condition. The common false myth is also denied by the fact that freelancing offers freedom. When you decide to take off, you can do that easily. You don't need to look for a new project to relieve stress.
However, it is the complete opposite for company workers. One needs to take the absence and permission. It helps one to avoid any burnout due to the company work. However, it goes back to the management. One needs to ensure the break time did not disturb the workflow, such as the deadline or contract.
Another point that helps prove the most common myth about stressful work is that freelancing did not turn into an income burden. You are not only bonded to a single contract. Losing one does not mean you are losing the only single source of income. You don't need to worry about the false myth and work more for the next round of the project.
6. Work Whenever, However, Whatever You Want
A big mistake and common false myth that people know about freelancing is freedom working. The false idea underlines the idea that you can do the work whatever and whenever you want. It is a misleading story that makes people lose their opportunity to optimize their job. Freelancing does offer flexibility, but not to the extent that you can do anything.
Like any other common office or regular job, everything has boundaries. They have work hours to follow, deadlines to conquer, and regulations to obey. The common idea is that freelancing allows you to choose your work hours, which later develop the routine to make client content. In other words, you are not 100% free.
You got some regulations and laws to work with. In this case, you need to consider the mini superiors (clients). The freelancing myth that you need to know is the fact that you are working for people. It means that you need to work with the client's schedule, calls, availability, and others. It is also a great myth to understand that freelancing is as structured as a normal business.
However, one point that makes freelancing different from the common job controls. You are also a boss, which means you have the right not to work with certain clients. If you find that you cannot work with the schedule and the client is at fault, then you can take control. You are either negotiating a compromise or looking for a new one.
7. Working From Home Are Always Better
One of the most common myths about freelancing that sound tempting is working from home. In the previous point, you can learn that the myth of working whenever and however is not truly true. In this case, the idea of WFH being better is also considered false. How could? Because you are not 100% working at home and the situation can turn dry in a given time.
The underline is that you can get more leeway in the morning and more comfortable clothes to wear. However, working from home is a common myth that is not 100% beneficial. The working condition also has its disadvantages from the inadequate working room, loneliness, boredom, and distractions. The common freelancing myth is not for everyone.
One of the worst reasons why the common myth is false is due to the possibility of feeling unmotivated. It is one of the disadvantages that you can barely find a proper working area, such as an office. Getting yourself back on track will be harder since you are working by yourself. It proves that the particular common idea is false.
However, when the condition cannot be put aside, your best solution is a change of atmosphere. The common answer for bored freelancing is going to different locations, such as coffee, library, or co-working space. The change of environment will help you overcome the false most common myths.
The good thing about the solution is that you have a lot of chances to meet with other people. The most common occasion is to encounter other freelancers. As you move outside, you can enlarge your connection. Visiting different places that you are not familiar with can also help you gain more freelancing skills, new abilities, or inspiration.
8. Only Work With The Preferred Project
One out of the common false myth that you need to stay away from is working with a preferred project. Many people want to work as freelancers since they can work with whatever they love. However, the myth is not true false. When you are an established worker, the myth is possible. You can focus on certain projects that you are passionate about or mastered.
However, the common myth is a full-blown falsehood for a new freelance career. Working on a preferred project means limiting the market. It is a common mistake made by a newbie. Not only limiting the market, but you are also bound to lose the competition. Freelance offers great flexibility in the job market. That means you need to be a competitive person.
Working with vast projects provides you a helping hand to spread your wings and increase your brand presence. It is solid proof why the most common myths are not a thing for newbies. Once established, you can focus on the same project to build a better portfolio. It also helps to work with freelancing platforms to help you gain more common or rare projects.
Final Words
Talking and decoding the facts is not the best way to understand the true meaning of freelancing. Working by themselves or being self-employed is not for everyone. One might feel better, enjoy the time and their living. But it can turn 180ᵒ for others. The common false myths tell general pros and cons that make the career path vary from others.
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