My new respect for freelancers, bloggers, and independent workers

This article is a little bit off topic, but it has been on my mind and I wanted to blog about it.

About a year ago, I transitioned from writing as a side activity into a full-time pursuit. I knew from the start it would be hard to do the work, but I was ready for this challenge.

What took me completely by surprise, however, have been the social challenges. While I have full confidence in what I am doing, I can tell people do not understand what the freelance lifestyle entails.

If I had to pinpoint it, I get the sense that people in office jobs generally do not respect independent workers. It did not bother me when I got that attitude from strangers I met at weddings. But one day I realized that the same contempt and disregard was coming from friends and family, with some notable exceptions who have been very supportive (you know who you are, and thank you).

Even for someone as independently minded as me, it was a bit much.

I was looking for some reassurance, and I happpened to come across a nice passage in a book I started reading. The book is called The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed. It is written by two freelancers, Joseph D’agnese and Denise Kiernan.

There’s a passage that I felt captured the negative attitudes people have towards freelancers:

“Freelance” is not a word that usually conjures up images of hard work, security, and financial success…In fact, the freelance lifestyle is often viewed by those in the nine-to-five world as–let’s be honest–kind of slack and self-indulgent. Any independent worker knows this is far from true. But this doens’t stop friends from the office calling in the middle of the day to ask, innocently, “What are you doing?”

Who, me? Oh, I’m just lying here, stretched out on the old sofa [watching TV]…

What do you think we’re doing. We’re working, you nit!

…

Contrary to popular belief, anyone who is supporting himself as a freelancer or self-employed anything is working. A lot. Not only that, but independent workers must toil harder than salaried employees managing their money, because no one else is doing it for them.

Over the last year, I have a newfound respect for freelancers, bloggers, and anyone who is doing independent work.

And for those of you in office jobs, perhaps go a bit easier on your freelancer friends. A small compliment and a little bit of support will go a long way and make their day.