3 Proven Alternatives To The 9 To 5

Most people don’t dream of being stuck in an office Monday through Friday or working a thankless job for 8 hours a day. The good news is that there are ways to make a living without feeling bored, tired, and unappreciated. You can actually take control and design a career that works for you. These 3 proven alternatives to the 9 to 5 give you flexibility, freedom, and the ability to earn and exist on your own terms.

Gig Work

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Are you sick of sitting at a desk in a dull cubicle all day? Gig work could be a great option if you’re looking for an alternative to the daily grind. As a gig worker, you can earn an income doing short term projects in a vast array of industries. Taking on temporary jobs offers flexibility and variety.

The gig economy has exploded in recent years as more opportunities have become available to workers seeking alternatives to traditional job options. According to Gallup, 36% of workers in the US are in the gig economy in some capacity.

Gig work can allow you to feel empowered by taking charge of your professional life. It can give you autonomy and the freedom to pursue the kind of work that you enjoy. At the same time, there are a lot of gigs that one can take on simply to earn money.

Gigs typically fall into two different categories, which are 1-creative, and 2-service. Creative gigs involve using the skills, talent, and training that you have to provide value to others. Service gigs allow you to do things that require less training and are more direct service-oriented on-demand jobs. Here are a few examples of each.

#1 Creative Gigs

• Graphic designer
• Web designer/developer
• Video production
• Writer
• Tech support
• Etc

#2 Service Gigs

• Ride share driver
• Delivery driver
• Labor work such as repairs, construction, landscaping, etc.
• Dog walking
• Etc

There are so many opportunities for ambitious individuals looking for creative and productive ways to make money. Finding work in the gig economy isn’t difficult, either. Platforms like Upwork, Fiver, FlexJobs, and TaskRabbit, just to name a few, make it simple to connect with clients and find paying jobs. Ultimately it comes down to what you can and want to do that provides value for customers. These are just a fraction of the kinds of gigs that are available today.

While gig work is great for earning an income with short-term contracts and one-off projects, you may want to take it to another level. Gigs can lead into our next alternative way of making a living. If you’re ready to grow your gig into something more, going full-time freelance can be the next step.

Going Freelance

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Take your talent, experience, and skills and become your own boss by going freelance. Freelancers set their own agendas, rather than being employed by a company and working under the direction of a supervisor. As a freelancer, you enjoy both freedom and flexibility. You can do the work that you want to do, rather than what an employer tells you to do. Your earning potential is exponentially greater because you can set your own rates and take on as much or as little work as you want.

The beauty of becoming a freelancer is that you can build your own brand and business, or you can just use your skills to earn extra money on the side. What starts off as a way to supplement your income could quickly grow into much more, allowing you to make the leap from full-time employee to full-time freelance entrepreneur.

Common freelancer jobs include:

• Writer/Editor
• Journalist
• Photographer
• Web developer
• Digital marketer
• Bookkeeper/CPA
• Copywriter
• Sales funnel builder
• Blogger
• Transcriptionist
• Online course creator
• Virtual assistant

Many of the things that you can do as an employee can also be done if you strike out on your own as a freelancer. In many cases, people start up a side hustle to earn extra income by doing freelance work and then turn it into a full-time job. If operating your own business and setting your own terms sounds good, freelancing is the way to go.

Become a Digital Nomad

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Do you daydream about traveling somewhere interesting, making money, and not needing to set foot in an office for 8 hours a day anytime soon?

If so, becoming a digital nomad could be the key to turning your fantasy into reality.

Before you go any further this is important the digital nomad lifestyle isn’t ideal for everyone. If you have a family that relies on you or kids who need stability, picking up and taking off for somewhere new probably isn’t practical. It’s also not as simple as just buying a plane ticket and hoping for the best once you arrive at your destination.

However, if you’re in a position to pursue your own path right now, it can be an excellent alternative to the traditional 9 to 5 situation. As a digital nomad, you’ll be able to work from anywhere, whether it’s by the beach in Bali, sipping coffee at a ski resort in Tahoe, or while lounging in a temporary rental in a European city. There are no limits to where you can go while still maintaining a steady and stable income.

You can take the skills and expertise you have and use them as a way to make money while traveling or living somewhere temporarily. It’s important to go into this lifestyle with a plan in place so that you can maintain some stability and have a safety net to fall back on. You have to be disciplined, dedicated to your plan, and stay focused.

If you’ve already done gig work or become a full-time freelancer, you can take that with you anywhere as a digital nomad. You just need a reliable internet connection and whatever tools or equipment are necessary for doing your work.

To Sum Things Up

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The beauty of dumping the typical 9 to 5 lifestyle, is that you can create an ideal situation that works for you. It can be a combination of gig work, freelancing, and travel. You don’t have to be limited or boxed in by any one thing. What you do need to succeed is self-discipline, drive, and determination. Make a plan for what you’ll do and how you’ll do it, and then stick with it. Whether you opt for gig work, go freelance, or become a digital nomad, you’ll enjoy the benefits of a flexible lifestyle.

So tell me. Are you ready to explore the possibilities?