I believe telecommuting is not for everyone because working from home will not spare you from stresses (especially financial problem). Furthermore, not everyone is born home buddy or a “definite” home buddy like me (I’m an ambivert pal). In fact, it’s harder to follow your own rules and find work-life balance. However, I want to clarify that freelancing is too broad to make it synonymous to work-at-home or home-based employment. Good thing there’s such thing as mobile office because of the latest and affordable gadgets available.

Totoo pero kailan lang nag-sink sa akin totally ang idea about freelancing. Perhaps, it is also because of the jobs I had before that I’m confined to work from home.  Buti na lang din, I pursue to try business and continue to become an active blogger ( social life ko na ata ito)  so… ayun nakahanap  na ko ng rason para bumili ng smartphone. Hoho!

  a freelancer Works almost everywhere

I’m not saying na I’m  comfortable working  habang bumabyahe, naghihintay sa pila o nakatambay kung saan- PERO oo ginagawa ko lalo na ‘pag kinakailangan. Recently, when my mother hospitalized, I had only two choices when it comes to my work. Submit or not.  Dun ko mas lalong na-realize na thank God I could turn a corner into my own mobile office with my two mobile phones (4-year old qwerty Nokia E71 with MS office app and new Acer Liquid). Another term to describe this is being Digital Nomad.

Apart from the fact that it’s about money, I believe working or doing something worthy relieved my worries than plainly nganga lang sa kakaiisip at kahihintay.

My Social Network Personaity according to Loop Ai

In freelancing I become a go-getting person  

Allow me to give you a different perspective on freelancing and work-life balance.  One of the things I realized before I decided to become a freelancer was my work was just an aspect of my life.  I’d like to be financially fit, but I don’t like to grow old grumpy and die full of regrets. Siempre gusto ko ng sariling bahay, kotse, business, travel, food trips, maging book author, maging respetadong na blogger, masubukan ang video blogging, maging radio host, magkaroon ng diversified investments at iba pa. But if those ambitions or my means would turn me into a different and unhappy person, wait lang I need to change something.

Today, I value my time because time is not only about money. Time is also the priceless and irreplaceable thing you have to maximize in order to experience the true essence of success, happiness, love, and peace of mind.  Madaling sabihin ito pero napakahirap panindigan especially if you’re against the norm. Let’s face it some people calculate your worth (success or happiness) according to your salary amount and number of achievements.  Well naniniwala ako na dapat alam mo ‘yung net value when it comes to money management pero it doesn’t matter dapat sa friendship, faith, love, etc.  So iyon, I think freelancing helps me to discover, realize and pursue stuff that make me feel fulfilled or happy.

Freelancing allows me to Be simply me

It’s not advisable, but I admit I work as if I’m not working and I create or mix systems that are effective for me.  I learn that I don’t have to be religious in following what the “experts” say because obviously I have different style, aims, and motivations.

Example:  I never experienced to wear office uniform, but there was a time that I wear smart business casual daily. I didn’t like that due to issues of comfort and convenience. On the other hand, even wearing casual clothes would also stresses me. I’m not fashionista, but I’m conscious about people’s perceptions about me. You know the term “decision-fatigue?”

It’s good to follow rules of companies, but it’s empowering to work according to what’s best for you.  I think productivity comes when you combine discipline, passion, and personality.

Free as Freelancer like Break-free as I please

There are days that I have no choice but to refuse invitations/ leisure because of workloads and deadlines. One time, my niece even said na “parang lagi kang busy.” But actually if I can work faster (with quality of course) and have better time management (working on it!), I can be active blogger, entrepreneur, freelancer, crafter, and tripper I want to be. Pero yun nga, why I need to push myself if puwede namang hindi muna or magdahan-dahan mode. If my priority today is work eddie work, but if I like to watch movie muna bilang break, go! If I have scheduled event or seminars to attend then I have to submit works in advance. Ganun, workable or depende sa mode. Thankful din ako to have employers and co-workers that are flexible.

Hindi ko alam if someday I’ll return to being a fulltime regular employee, be a company owner or live and work outside the Philippines.  But these are the things I will never regret and I’m grateful to experience because I’m a freelancer.