Being a freelancer isn’t easy. But according to a new report, that type of work could lead to an overall happier professional life.
Joblist released findings from a work/life survey of more than 1,000 employees from around the country, and it was found that those who identified as freelancers were more fulfilled. 60.1% of respondents that identified as fulltime freelance said they have more free time, followed nearly 55% of those that reported feeling they had the chance to achieve career autonomy when freelancing as opposed to working a traditional 40-hour job.
Compensation was also a key focus of the survey.
While full-time employees were more likely to be satisfied with their effort-to-compensation ratio, full-time freelancers were more likely to be happy with their work-life overall.
Freelancers reported higher stress levels when it came to money, implying that they were required to do more work to make the amount needed to sustain their lives. The report also pointed that the increased anxiety may be because career instability, where opportunities for work must be sought out vigorously and independently. They also pointed that freelancers tend to have a “grass is greener” mentality because they can flow from one role to another if something more attractive catches their eye, unlike full-time salaried employees.