In our career, like in other areas of our life, we play with two main things: security and freedom. The general rule is that the more security less freedom. The more freedom less security.
- When you go alone as a freelancer, you have more freedom but less security, in theory.
- When you work for a company, you have more security but less freedom. Also, in theory.
The reality is that often is safer to go as a freelancer. In fact, if you lose one client you have another couple backing you up. And regarding freedom… well, you have the worst possible boss: yourself.
When you work for a company it’s true that you have less freedom of choice, but the security thing… You can see the latest news, companies are firing the people who contributed to making millions. Is that security? I feel more safe as independent, honestly.
It’s about work-life balance
How to deal with security and freedom? Think about your work-life balance. And with that term, I don’t mean the same that everyone means. I don’t mean the time you spend at work versus the time you spend with the rest of your life. That is not the way I see it.
To me, work is part of life and not a separate thing to balance against life.
- Where do I want to live?
- Why am I doing this?
- Who are the people I am dealing with every day?
- What are the challenges I am facing right now?
- How will I solve the problems I have?
In this order, in my case. Work-life balance to me is about working on the balance of work-related things in my life.
Right now I am a freelancer with great clients. Tomorrow I will be leading a team in a big company. Or tomorrow I will run my own agency. It doesn’t really matter.
The important thing is to focus on the present because that influences this very moment. It’s a matter of security and freedom, looking at them with the lens of discernment. Work-life balance it’s not about what it could be. It’s about what it is.
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