You thought life would become so much easier and more enjoyable, but going solo can be a shock to the system.
There are some negative things people never tell you about deciding to go freelance. Flying solo has a lot of advantages, but it's a real shock to the system once you hit the downsides to it. Freelancing can be far from plain sailing, so you need to think carefully about these aspects before you decide to leave a full-time position.
Firstly, it can be very solitary. Once the initial thrill of not having to commute wears off, you might find you miss the office banter and the small talk throughout the day. Of course, it very much depends on what you're doing – if you're going to be meeting clients regularly, the isolation might not be an issue. If you're going to be stuck at home all the time, loneliness can set in.
Secondly, you will definitely find yourself missing that regular pay cheque at the end of each month. In a permanent position it lands on your desk with comforting regularity. As a freelancer, you'll be chasing down invoices, dealing with delayed or non-payments and unable to predict your monthly income.
Thirdly, work comes in waves. One day you will be swamped and juggling deadlines, the next there will be painful silence and you'll be left worrying if you can pay the bills.
Finally, there's a lot of legwork involved. Nobody warns you how time-consuming it can be finding new clients, nurturing relationships with existing ones or applying for small, one-off projects. It's a hard lesson to learn as a new freelancer – people don't come to you, you have to go after them.
You may find it lonely
You'll miss the steady income
Work comes and goes
You have to do all the legwork
