Are you looking to become a freelance designer? At one point or another, every designer wonders what it would be like to become a freelance designer. Maybe you’re a student dreaming of tackling the world after graduation. Perhaps you’re an in-house designer tired of working 9-5 designing similar things for the same company year after year. Maybe you work for a design agency as part of a larger team of experienced designers, and you feel like you are not being used to your full potential. Regardless of where you are in your design career, the thought of becoming a freelance designer, to run your own business from home, to be your own boss, might be something going through your head. I’m a big advocate of freelancers. I’ve focused Resourceful Designer specifically on helping home-based designers. But I’m also the first person to say that not every designer is suited to freelancer life. That’s why I put together this list of 5 things you should consider before deciding to become a freelance designer. Why do you want to become a freelance designer? The first thing you need to ask yourself before handing in your resignation letter is why do you want to become a freelance designer? Is it for the flexible schedule? Is it for the ability to choose your clients and projects? Is it for the tax write-offs? Is it for the ability to work in your pyjamas at any hour of the day? Is it simply to be your own boss? Whatever your reasons, make sure they are good ones before you make the leap and start your design business. Here are five things to consider before deciding to become a freelance designer. 1) How will you deal with the isolation of working from home? Working from home can get lonely. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons designers give up the freelance life and go back to a 9-5 job. It’s a big enough issue that there's an entire episode of Resourceful Designer where I talk about coping with isolation when working from home. Ask any home-based designer, and they will tell you that isolation is a real issue. If you are someone who enjoys talking face to face with colleagues throughout the day, it's something to keep in mind. Before you decide to become a freelance designer make sure you can handle the loneliness that comes with being by yourself most of the time. 2) How good are you at time management? When you are an employee, chances are someone is telling you, or at least directing you in what you need to do on a daily basis. Once you become a freelance designer, you won’t have someone telling you what to do anymore. Some people see this as a benefit, but you need to make sure you are disciplined enough to not only create a work schedule for yourself but to stick to it. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Not having a boss looking over your shoulder and keeping you in check can lead you astray. Without someone making sure you’re working on what you are supposed to be working on when you're supposed to be working on it makes it very easy to get caught up on tangents. Before you know it, you’re spending way too much time on YouTube or Facebook, or succumbing to the temptation of that brand new season of your favourite show that just dropped on Netflix. Make sure you know how to manage your time and make sure you know how to stick to a schedule, even one you made for yourself. 3) Can you plan for the future? Running your own design business is not about the here and now. It’s about the future. When you are an employee, chances are there’s someone else worrying about the future of the business where you work. But when that business is your own, it’s your responsibility to ensure for your future. No matter how good your clients are, or how big the projects your working on become, there is no guarantee they will still be around in a few months. You need to be able to look ahead and prepare for slow times by continuingly looking for new projects and new clients to sustain your business. A home-based designer’s life is full of ups and downs whe