Blog

Having recently undertaken a four-week in-house commission, after nine years freelancing, now is an ideal time to assess the pros and cons of these two methods of working.

Being self-employed means that work can be fitted around other, dull stuff that needs doing, or it can circumnavigate a monstrous hangover that was the result of a last-minute barbecue on a glorious Wednesday evening. A particularly early lark may find 4 to 11 in the morning her most alert and creative time. This runs counter to office hours, where adherence to the dreary 9–5 grind is the rule. One up to freelancing.

Having a guaranteed regular income is a major comfort… One all.

…though it dulls the appetite for one’s job and stifles creativity. Two-one to freelancing.

Office work leaves little time for life’s banalities, especially when a long commute is attached at each end. Necessary tasks, such as contacting the internet provider or attending a hospital appointment, have to be undertaken in precious free time, thereby clogging up space to garden, to spontaneously take a walk in the woods or to fall in love. Or time must be taken during office hours, resulting in an appreciably lighter pay packet (the gasman/plumber/telecoms worker comes between 8am and 4pm). While office-bound, I missed a dentist’s appointments, forgot to put out bins, failed to pay water rates and a credit card bill, neglected to send family birthday cards, utterly lost touch with my allotment, and was down to the boring failures left in the freezer (hideous spinach curry). Oh, and summer passed me by: there were hips on the dog rose where there had been flowers when I took on the commission. Office life results in a failure in all other aspects of living. Three-one to freelancing.

But fellow workers give feedback, whereas freelancers, well they’re in the dark as to whether their work has been well received. Three-two to freelancing.

Not being forced to wear or buy ‘office clothes’ is a huge money-saver, but it can mean a slide into indolence and a lack of confidence, and smart clothing is required for meetings anyway. Three-all.

All that commuting costs money: more than 25% of a weekly salary in my case. Four-three to freelancing.

It is a sad truth that – as a freelancer – I have become the desperate soul who engages the meter-reader in idle chatter. Four-all.

It can be testing to be forced to work closely with colleagues who do not meet one’s standards, and that can be because they’re too officious or too lax. Five-four to freelancing.

Office life means much less checking of social-media messages. This is a good thing: getting on with the task means it is completed sooner and the mind is fully engaged. Five-all.

Office chatter – even the buzz of machinery – when silence is needed, as is the case with a copy-editor, is pernicious: despite being disciplined enough to silence the clamour in one’s mind, when all around is a-buzz and a-whirr, re-reading and re-reading and re-reading the same sentence does not improve the worker’s lot – nor that of the client. Six-five to freelancing.

Working for yourself means never taking holidays: you tend to think the gap in your availability means potential employers will choose another worker bee and never re-commission you again. Six-all.

It is a dismal reality that the sun makes its appearance only on weekdays, to be glimpsed wistfully through heavy-duty glass. Seven-six to freelancing.

The house can become uncharacteristically neat and tidy. This is displacement activity. Seven-all.

Freelancing means responsibility and depends upon an individual’s self-discipline. Foolproof likes to take ownership of its destiny. Eight-seven to freelancing.

The fridge is the most visited space in the freelancer’s home. All freelancers would be at least one size smaller if they worked in an office. Eight-all.

Overwhelming afternoon sleepiness can be assuaged by watching Doctors and falling asleep after ten minutes. Nine-eight to freelancing.

Conclusion: for me, freelancing is preferable, ideally combined with a couple of days a month in the office.