Freelance
Freelance (from Middle English free lance, an unattached knight or servant) is a term often used in labor law that does not appear in legislation, but refers to the performance of work without a permanent employment contract. 1)
“freelance”
free·lance (adverb)
to work freelance, without an employment contract (Van Dale)
The term comes from the English word freelance, first used by Walter Scott (1771–1832) in his novel Ivanhoe. In the story, he described a medieval mercenary whose spear (“lance”) did not belong to any lord, but who offered his services to multiple employers in exchange for money or other compensation. The term was later adopted into the Dutch language and, in a figurative sense, came to mean a self-employed worker without a permanent employment contract. 1)
For me, freelancing means freedom and responsibility. Freedom to organize my own work, but also the responsibility to keep agreements with clients and deliver quality. So it’s definitely not a matter of freewheeling, but a conscious way of working. This allows me to enjoy my assignments while also remaining active as a volunteer at skating competitions in the winter.
1) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia