Freelancing Gave Me My Time Back - Here's What I Did With It
When I made the leap into freelancing, I didn’t just change how I worked, I changed how I lived. In this blog post, I share how freelancing gave me the freedom to rediscover passions and hobbies that had been put on the back burner for years. From spontaneous family days to returning to my first love, coaching rowing, freelancing has opened up a whole new world. If you’ve ever wondered if freelancing can help you balance work and life in a way that feeds your soul, this post is for you. Read more to discover how freelancing can give you the time and space to live life on your own terms.
Emma Gifford
5/14/20252 min read
The other day, I found myself baking banana bread at 10:30 AM on a Tuesday. Not for content, not to impress anyone, just because I had overripe bananas and a moment of peace. Just a year ago, that kind of freedom would’ve felt laughably out of reach.
Before I started full-time freelancing, my days were tightly packed with meetings, commutes, deadlines, and an endless to-do list that somehow never included me. I was constantly rushing, constantly multitasking, and constantly pushing the “fun” parts of life (reading a book, going for a walk, trying something new) to the bottom of my priorities list. Sound familiar?
When I made the leap into freelancing, I thought I was just changing how I worked. But what I didn’t realize at the time is that I was also changing how I lived.
Because freelancing gave me my time back. Not just for work that lights me up, but for everything else, too.
For a long time, hobbies felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford - at least, not without giving something else up. If I wanted to get exercise in after work, that meant less time with my family. If I wanted to coach a weekend race, I had to burn precious PTO and cross my fingers that nothing urgent would pop up. Every passion came with a price, and more often than not, I just didn’t pay it.
Rest was a gamble. Time off had to be earned. And anything that wasn’t “productive” by corporate standards felt indulgent, even if it was feeding my soul.
Now? I can spend a random weekday afternoon with my son without planning it two weeks in advance or writing a three paragraph email to justify it. I can say yes to coaching again - not just freelancers, but on the water, where I first discovered how passionate I am about pouring energy and care into todays youth.
Freelancing didn’t just open my calendar, it opened my life.
I’m not saying freelancing is all banana bread and slow mornings - believe me, there are still chaotic days, deadlines, and times I question everything (hi, I’m human). But the difference now is that my life fits around my work, not the other way around.
I get to coach again. I get to show up for my family without guilt. I get to chase joy without burning out. And that, to me, is the real freedom freelancing offers.
So now I want to know - if you had your time back, what would you do with it? What hobbies would you pick up again? What passions are quietly waiting for you to make space?
I’d love to hear what lights you up outside of work! 👇
Send me an email (emma@freelancebyemma.com) or DM me on Instagram (@freelancebyemma)