The opportunity to work remotely depends greatly on the nature of your freelance business, your clientele, and, among other factors, your location and availability of remote working facilities (such as a home office), a good internet connection, and the appropriate tools for your trade.
Some freelancers love remote work, which may be the only type of work they are used to, whereas others prefer to work as part of a team at their client’s premises, at a co-working space, or something similar.
With that said, here are some of the more typical pros and cons of remote working for freelancers.
PROS
You can work while in the flow
For some freelance creatives, such as artists, writers, and musicians, working within the rigid framework of a typical 9-to-5 can prove problematic, especially if their output heavily relies on them getting ‘into the flow’.
The muse might strike at midnight or when out on a walk. It could be that they work at their best in the small hours or feel constrained in the office, so they have to be somewhere artsy, inspiring, and creative to work at their best.
If this sounds like you, remote work probably suits you better, or at least a hybrid option.
It can be convenient (and cheaper)
Working from home can definitely slash expensive commuting bills.
On top of that, in some jurisdictions, you can claim tax deductions for working from home if you are self-employed. And there’s not just the travel expenses, time saved, and potential tax benefits to think about, but also, when you work from home, you’re not tempted to drop into the local coffee shop on the way to work for a Caramel Macchiato and Danish. And that’s before we even talk about lunch and post-work drinks. Instead, you can save money (and your waistline) by preparing healthy home-cooked food and beverages. From these perspectives, working from home is convenient, time-saving (and healthier).
The key is ensuring you have all the right tools and resources to hand so you can work remotely with ease.
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It can boost productivity
Assuming there are no distractions at home or your desired place of work, you can probably be a lot more productive. Working to your own schedule and having increased flexibility to work when it suits you can skyrocket productivity.
Also, there is less risk of having to attend unnecessary meetings that can suck up your time. This, in turn, can result in much more job satisfaction.
Working remotely doesn’t necessarily mean working from home, either. You could be anywhere: a coffee shop, a co-working space, a library or an exotic beach! You work when and where you feel best.
CONS
Can result in a lack of team bonding
While there’s no reason why teams can’t get along great remotely, in-person meetings are more memorable. You tend to form a more meaningful relationship once you’ve met someone in the flesh.
Team bonding is an essential ingredient for successful projects. If you manage a team remotely, you may even find motivation and productivity become an issue, especially if the team has never met in person or is located in different parts of the world (and, therefore, in different time zones).
The opportunity to brainstorm and the accountability you get from working closely with a team is often missing when you’re a solopreneur, especially if you work on your own.
No one present to bounce ideas off
Innovation and serendipity flourish when minds get together and people bounce ideas off each other.
If you work remotely, you can certainly have online ideation sessions with your team, but if you are actually on-site working side by side with them, you’ll be better able to share your flashes of inspiration and benefit from the energy and the general ambiance of a good team.
This is especially the case in a fast-paced work environment. Things move quickly, and you need to have your finger on the pulse and have everyone aligned in their thinking. This is harder to achieve if everyone works remotely, and some things can be miscommunicated or even lost in translation.
You’ll also benefit from a second pair of eyes on your work. When you work remotely, you’re often alone and might miss errors or mistakes.
You can feel isolated
Even self-confessed hermits can suffer from loneliness and feelings of isolation. So, if you are a social butterfly and like to constantly be in the company of others, you’ll likely not enjoy (or benefit as much from) remote work – especially if you are the only person in your household and are working from home.
As well as the innovation and team bonding mentioned above, when you work as part of a team in an office or even in a co-working space, you can also form friendships – some that go on to last for years and even result in more and better clients.
If you work remotely, you can miss out on the camaraderie, face-to-face interaction, and enjoyable chance encounters that come hand-in-hand with working in an office.
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Whether you work remotely, in a traditional office, workspace, or a flexible hybrid, freelancer burnout is real. And if you haven’t got someone around you to help you notice the signs, you might not pick up on them. So remember to take time out for self-care and plan time away from work.
The key to a profitable and rewarding freelance life is getting the right balance – wherever you work.
