This blog is run as part of Pandle’s ‘women in business’ series, celebrating women who are freelancers, directors and entrepreneurs by offering helpful advice.

New research from CV Library has revealed that 71.5% of the British workforce believe their career has had a negative impact on their self-esteem.

The survey of 1,200 UK workers also revealed that a further 55.7% felt that they place too much importance on their job.

When asked what factors of work make them feel unhappy about themselves, workers cited the following:

• Not feeling skilled enough (42.5%)
• Making a silly mistake (38.3%)
• Being made redundant (30.9%)
• Being turned down for a promotion (28.1%)
• Not making it through probation (13.8%)

The research also unveiled that 52.8% of respondents say looking for a job makes them question their skills, with 38.3% saying this was particularly true after being rejected for a position.

Taking the leap

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV Library, said: “In a world where awareness around mental health and wellbeing is now more prevalent than ever, our latest findings shed some light on the true impact that work can have on employees’ self-esteem.

“As professionals, we always want to perform to the best of our abilities and there can often be incidents in the workplace that make us question our performance and goals.”

With that in mind it may be time to ask, is it time you went freelance?

Save yourself heartache

Continuously putting yourself in direct competition with your peers for a promotion can damage your relationship not only with them, but with yourself and your own ability to correctly value your talents.

“You can and should set your own limits and clearly articulate them. This takes courage, but it is also liberating and empowering, and often earns you new respect.” – Rosalind Brewer, President and CEO of Sam’s Club

Rather than working tirelessly only to feel like you’re not valued by your employer, save yourself heartache and become your own boss.

Freelancing allows you to take your future into your own hands – perfect for those feeling disheartened by the daily office grind.

Work your own hours

Being a freelancer means you’re able to pick and choose when you want to work.

You’re in charge of your schedule so you can manage your time around any other responsibilities you may have, such as family life! Even if you don’t have other commitments you can still work when your brain is most active, so there’s no wasted time.

“Embrace your creative blocks. Self-care is incredibly important from both a physical and mental standpoint. A creative block is nature’s way of calling in a moment of self-reflection. In order to improve, you need to stop between sessions and think about those steps.” – Susan Lin, Designer and Illustrator

Manage your own workload

One of the main reasons we may not feel skilled enough when it comes to our job is because we’re unable to manage our own workload effectively. The ability to say ‘no’ doesn’t come easy when you’re angling for a pay rise, which can mean you’re often putting yourself under unnecessary pressure.

As a freelancer there’s no one to say no to apart from yourself and clients – many of whom you’ll never even see face-to-face. Get yourself a diary and manage your time effectively. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy the best of both worlds, without facing competition from your peers.

Learn more about our online bookkeeping software for freelancers.