We Asked 3 Freelancers to Tell Us Why They Went Solo
Statistically there is some disagreement, but the consensus is largely the same; there seems to be a large amount of self employed (read further: freelancers) in the UK who are also disabled.
Why is this? We asked 3 freelancers to tell us why they went freelance, how that compares to the conventional office job, as well as about the benefits and drawbacks of working for yourself.
Name: Punteha van Terheyden
Age: 35
@LacunaVoices
Prior to the pandemic and working from home becoming normalised, Punteha had wanted flexibility in her work hours after finishing maternity leave, as well as a hybrid model of working. Denied unless willing to take a demotion, she explained further: “I went freelance more by design than choice because I needed to have some quality of life back and I knew working full time would mean all my hours at home would be spent in bed recovering from chronic pain that could no longer be controlled. Commuting 2+hours each way, and working 40+ hours behind a desk was not compatible with the needs of my body, chronic illness and pain. I also wanted to actually see the baby I’d been through years of IVF for and both the time away from her, and the extortionate cost of full-time childcare were prohibitive.”
“Compared to a previous staff job, the need for flexibility in working hours was needed, along with a remote working option - to work around my chronic pain,” she said. She added: “Ableist work environments are incompatible with the quality of life of every person - and what a disabled/ill person deserves.” Being freelance has added benefits for her: “I need to be able to work less or take time off whenever I need. I need to be able to work whatever hours I want around my pain management, hospital appointments, surgery, hospital procedures etc. It is hard to switch off though, so trying to manage the boom and bust pain/fatigue cycle is a constant challenge.” While there are drawbacks such as not having a stable/set income, and not having to wait months for payment from some publications, Punteha also added that the “freelance Journo community are a great bunch.”
When asked for advice, she said: “Fight for your rights, speak out against unethical practices, always set your payment and business terms at the point of commissioning, diversify your income to increase financial security by working as widely as possible within your industry (eg multiple titles, genres, facets of your skills), and enjoy all the benefits - take unplanned days off, spend time with the people you love, switch off your emails in the evenings or when you’re not working, and never feel guilty about taking time to rest!”
Name: Shona Louise
Age: 24
@shonalouiseblog
“I decided to become self-employed and go freelance because traditional employment was never an accessible option for me,” Shona Louise said, a freelance writer, photography and access consultant. Shona has Marfan Syndrome, a rare connective tissue disorder that can impact the eyes, heart and more. Shona also recently had heart surgery.
“Working from home allows me to manage my pain and preserve my energy, as well as having the control over my working hours that I need. Being self-employed absolutely is the most accessible form of work for me, and the freedom it affords me benefits my disability greatly.” Shona added that one of the drawbacks is struggling with pressure to find enough work. “If I’m having a bad day, I have the ability to decrease my working hours, or only focus on small, manageable tasks. I am in control.”
When asked for advice, she said, “For those wishing to go freelance I’d say, be flexible. I thought going into self-employment that all my income would come from one source, but in reality you need a fair few revenue streams to be able to pay the bills. Be creative and put yourself out there. And I promise, doing your own tax return isn’t as scary as I thought!”
Name: Karl Knights
Age: 26
@Inadarkwood
Karl is an autistic writer who also has Cerebral Palsy and ADHD; currently, he is building a database of disabled poets. “I don't think I had much of a choice in going freelance, it was very much freelancing choosing me rather than the other way around, as it became painfully obvious that I just didn't fit in in any office I found myself in,” he said. When asked about benefits vs drawbacks, he said: “I think it's important to mention too, that a great many disabled journalists I know, myself included, didn't necessarily choose to be freelance. It was almost a choice that was made for us through so many doors being closed to us. For some, being freelance is the best thing, but I suspect a good deal of us are not freelance by choice!”