[flavmartins]

This.

Maybe you can disconnect more if you are single. Or with a SO, but not children.

Once you have a family, there's just a lot more demands on you. The safer, more secure route ends up being the more traditional corporate job.

[jaredcwhite]

I've found it's the complete opposite. Traditional corporate jobs aren't in the least bit safe for me and my lifestyle. As a freelancer, I have immense flexibility over when I work, where I work, how I work, and to certain extent, with whom I work.

If on a particular day my family or my personal goals win out on the hierarchy of priorities, not a big deal. Sure, if over time my overall quality of work suffers, a client is going to notice, and that's not great. But otherwise…I'm calling the shots, and to me that freedom is worth its weight in gold.

[Brian_K_White]

It's the difference between servant and subserviant.

The fact that your occupation is to perform tasks for clients does not mean you're not your own boss.

The relationship between you and the customers of your company of one employee is (or should be) really not that different from the relationship between you and the customers of your company of 2000 employees.

There is a relationship, and it is in your interest to care about what they want, but that doesn't make them your boss.

Them being your boss in your mind is something you choose to give them if you're not careful, not something they actually own.

They will happily let you think that they have a right to own your soul because they paid you a few dollars, but the simple counter to that is, do you get to own their sould because you paid them a few hours of work?

You're absolutely your own boss.