Seriosuly, though, I endorse all the comments above about lifetsyle and freedom. And it’s so nice to be away from the agency politics.

And you know what? I truly don’t mind having to work late or at weekends on those occasions I have to. It’s because I’ve chosen to, not because someone else has screwed up. And I’m making money for me, not some conglomerate.

The other thing, which I don’t think was mentioned by anyone else, is the pleasure of being my own creative director. It’s my creativity, my selling abilities, my reponsibility. Okay, the client may still not buy it, but at least it’s down to the client, not some internal machinations, the CD having a bad day or an account person not selling it properly.

As you seem to know what your doing blogging wise, do you know what the best time of the week is to blog and have them read?

Patty
The Writing Quill

I also love it because anything that catches my interest — I can follow it, learn about it, and communicate my enthusiasm about it and get other people excited, too.

Devon
Ink in My Coffee

Okay, sometimes it isn’t that easy because I do get overwhelmed, I do get blindsided when I have a deadline, and I do fall behind. These are the little quirks that keep me on my toes and details I’m constantly working to iron out. It’s worth it, though, because I don’t have to worry about being fired. Sure, I could lose a client if something keeps me occupied longer than I would like it to . . . but there’s always something else around the corner. Freelancing allows me to put what’s important first.

PB

I love being at home with my children. My husband also works from home as a freelance writer, and we’re able to take turns watching the kids while the other one works. That means we rarely pay for childcare — and only when we’re both so swamped we need the kids out of the house. In another year, we’ll be homeschooling. What fun!

Here are the highlights:

1. BE A FAMILIAR FACE. Make a point of walking past your boss’s office or sticking your head in the door to say hello. Don’t avoid office meetings or parties, but do avoid taking long vacations right now.

2. GO THE EXTRA MILE. When companies are re-evaluating their staff and making possible cuts, you can keep yourself off the “hit list� by being a model employee. Karen Thomas, sales business manager for KENS TV, states: “I am always noticing which of my employees come in early and leave late…those things really matter to management.� So come in early, stay late, don’t take long breaks, get along well with your co-workers, and don’t complain!

3. KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE. Constantly find ways to show your employer that you are versatile. As Liz Wolgemuth wrote in the March 24, 2008 issue of U.S. News and World Report: “When profits and payrolls get thin, bosses look favorably on ‘utility players’ who can handle a variety of roles.�

Man – so glad I don’t have to kowtow to the boss! This morning I worked on the magazine, took my DH for lunch, went to conduct an interview for a client, returned home and spent time with my family. I worked 2-3 hours today and made more than I used to in a couple of days!

We can get just as stressed, but doing it on our own turf makes a lot easier to take. And yes, I did recommend “Free Agent Nation” by Daniel Pink in TWFW Back For Seconds. Excellent book. Here’s what I wrote about it, echoing what you said: “If you’re already successfully working as a ‘free agent,’ you’ll find tons of great ideas to incorporate into your own business while reaffirming all the glorious benefits of the independent life. If you’re still part of the salaried world but plotting your jailbreak, the book will give you a ringside seat to an exciting revolution that gathers more recruits every day. And it might help you see yourself less as some intrepid pioneer alone against the world, and more as a new player in a dynamic and rapidly expanding business sector that boasts an extensive network of support industries – with the power of a new consciousness on its side.”

PB

But one thing that I’ve found is that I don’t mind those stressful times as much as I did when I worked for a company. (Microsoft, in my case.) At MS, so much was out of my control… who I had to work with, what resources I had to work with, the extra workload I’d have to handle at various points in a project whether it was realistic or not, the endless meetings, feeling the need to check work e-mail from home to be on top of things.

I still have stressful moments as a freelancer, but I can minimize or eliminate it much quicker. I can step away and make adjustments that are best for me and my family.

It’s been a long time since I read it, but Daniel Pink’s book, Free Agent Nation is a great read. (Not sure if PB recommended this book long ago.) I read it just as I was making the transition to freelancer. I remember thinking, “Wow… I’m not so strange to want go this route after all.” (Believe me, when you tell your co-workers that you’re thinking of leaving a “secure” company like MS, you get strange looks and comments.)

One of the quotes from that book is a guy who works for himself. He explained his work life this way:

“Working when, where, how much, under what conditions and for whom I want.”

Perfectly said!