Here Are the Top Reasons People Choose to Freelance (2024)

By Adrianne Bibby

The reasons people choose a freelance career can vary. Factors like personal and family life, side interests and hobbies, and the desire to travel all factor into the reasons to choose freelancing. A recent FlexJobs survey sheds light on some of the top reasons people choose to freelance.

Our survey ranks the many reasons job seekers decided that working and succeeding as a freelanceris the best way to meet both their personal and career goals. If you’ve made the decision to become a freelancer, having a general understanding of the freelance lifestyle andwhat it’s like fo freelance these days can help set you up for success.

Here are some of the top reasons people choose to freelance:

Work-Life Balance

The top reason people chose to freelance, according to the FlexJobs survey, is to attain healthier work-life balance. In the survey, 70% of respondents said a search for a better “rhythm” between career and life goalsdrives their reason for wanting to be a freelancer.

Desire to Choose When I Work

Our survey found that62% of respondents said work schedule flexibility was a huge motivator in choosing to freelance. This was the second most popular response in the FlexJobs survey.Flexible schedule freelance jobscan provide the ultimate in choosing what hours and days you work.

Freedom

Many of the reasons people choose to freelance share a common factor: freedom. Some 56% of respondents to the FlexJobs survey said the general concept of having freedom to make choices that suit their lives was a huge reason to freelance.

Desire to Choose Where I Work

Work flexibility often comes free of any obligation to live in a certain geographical area. Our survey found that 55% of respondents valued the flexibility to be able to move without worrying about losing their job, as well as the freedom to work from anywhere.

Desire to Be My Own Boss

The freelance lifestyle can bring with it the freedom to control your own workload and the kind of work you choose to do—a huge appeal to 49% of survey respondents. If you’re just setting out tobe your own boss, abit of a financial cushion can be a big help, many successful freelancers have found.

Desire to Choose My Own Projects

What kind of work brings you satisfaction, or even joy? In our survey, 46% of people said they wanted the ability to choose their own projects. Whether you want to juggle multiple freelance projects at once, or just one rewarding gig, the freelance life can give you the freedom to choose.

Family

In our survey, 45% of people said family concerns were a top reason to freelance. Successful freelancers often find they need structure and boundaries, especially when working from home and having to make decisions between freelance or family.

Commute Stress

In traditional jobs, the sheer stress of getting back and forth to work can be a joy killer. FlexJobs’ survey found that 38% of respondents want to freelance as a way of eliminating the commuting costs, both time-wise and money-wise.

More Productive

Time and again, research has shown that working from home (an advantage many freelancers have) makes people more productive. Our survey found that 36% of respondents listed increased productivity as a major reason to freelance.

Time Savings

Some 35% of people in the FlexJobs survey said they would prefer to freelance in order to save time and have a more efficient overall day. The time savings benefits of freelancing can include enjoyingmore time with family and friends, and cultivating personal interests and hobbies.

Other Reasons People Choose to Freelance

Besides the reasons listed above, the FlexJobs survey found a myriad of other reasons people say they prefer to freelance. Here are a few, ranked by popularity: