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)
As a freelancer, I am my own boss. I don’t have an employment contract or an employer. But I do have clients for whom I work. Freelancing is therefore certainly not freewheeling, but it is a way of working that gives me a certain degree of freedom.
Exactly what I had in mind, and it allows me to keep the flexibility to remain active as a volunteer at skating competitions (during the winter months).
1) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia