Ask Why do some clients expect a freelancer to work like a full time employee?

[Brendan]

Some clients hire a freelancer for a specific task but then start behaving as if you are on their payroll full time. They expect you to be available throughout the day, attend every meeting, and respond to every message within minutes. None of this was discussed when the work was agreed on. Freelancing is supposed to give both sides more flexibility, but some clients do not seem to see it that way. Do you think this happens because of unclear agreements at the start, or do some clients simply not understand what freelancing actually means?