When it comes to our income, it is something we all think about. It is natural that each of us wants to ensure we can cover our bills, support any family we may have, perhaps have some left for saving at the end of each month, and even allow ourselves disposable income for some treats, holidays, or finer things in our life. Alongside that, we want to ensure that our work-life balance is agreeable and that our professional commitments align with our way of living, making sure we can use our time wisely. 

Of course, the way to achieving this financial haven and balanced life is not always as easy as it would seem. Working five days a week, getting to and from work, picking up children, doing the shopping, among many other tasks and commitments that we face, can make our time precious. This is precisely why, wherever possible, it can be advantageous to consider some freelance work. While many people show online videos of trading and crypto making it look easy, this is not what we are talking about here.  There are not many people who can plan their financial future by getting a crypto casino bonus pay out, fun though that may seem, so making more realistic opportunities can be key, which is where freelance work can come in. 

Our free time is often limited and precious, but there are times when we can make it profitable, given the right opportunity and work. It’s all about finding the right kind of work, for the best kind of company, with baked-in flexibility that allows you to fill your extra time in a way that does not negatively impact your full-time work or the commitments you already have. But is this possible, can freelancing in free time really be as seamless as we may think? 

Time is Money: Making Extra Is All About Time Management 

As we discussed above, time is precious, so how we manage it can be the key to our freelance success. One of the key issues people find when looking to embark on freelance work, whether it is to supplement another income or as a main source of money, is fitting it into their existing daily, weekly, and monthly timeline. Finding the right opportunity can often be about flexible deadlines, for example. What you don’t want, is to commit to work that you simply cannot deliver, so time management is critical. 

When it comes to freelance writing, for example, much of the work is deadline driven. Though it can be a lovely thought to make turn your time into money, the stress it can cause if you miss such deadlines, or if you can’t write enough to make it worth your while, can override any supposed benefits. But if you can identify work that is flexible enough to give you a wide option for submission, in the case of writing, freelance work can ensure that your time really can become money in the true sense. 

Freelance work can often be from the comfort of our own home, meaning even greater flexibility when it comes to maximising your spare time income options. Being at home allows freelance work to become part of your routine, something many people factor into their schedule, literally maximising their time as they do other things around that work, rather than doing the work around other things. It is not always easy, and the work still must be done, but carefully coordinated time management can help you achieve this. 

Commit Without Overcommitting: Finding the Freelance Balance

When you are looking to use freelance work to maximise your income on your own terms, you must keep in mind that you need to be in control. It could be tempting, given the right financial rewards on offer, to think about doing as much work as a company is willing to offer you, or as many projects are your freelance capability allows, but there are things to be careful about. One of these is overcommitting, which can be an Achilles heel for some freelancers, highlighting that there can be positives and negative with this work too.

As someone who has done freelance writing for many years, I can attest that the balance-finding part is difficult at first. The drive to commit to work to impress clients can often lead to overcommitment, but this is both unsustainable and unwise. Ultimately, when you find the holy grail which is the freelance balance, you can enjoy your time as well as make money from it. Finding that sweet spot is one of the most important things a freelance worker can do, as it ensures that the extra money you are making does not come along with too much stress. 

Put simply, maximising your own income on your own terms is something that more people are doing, with freelance work becoming ever more common and popular. As with any endeavour in life, however, it must be done properly and, perhaps most importantly, in a way that ensures you enjoy the work as well as the financial rewards. Doing freelance work in your free time can be fun, so if you want to give it a go, remember to think, plan, work to your strengths and make it worth your while.