Hello there! I know it's been a while since I last sat in front of the computer to come up with a blog entry that's more than a couple sentences long. I've been very busy evading real life, failing miserably. My alternate dimension somehow connects with real life and I hate it. LOL.
What about the title? Oh yeah. Hehe... I am seriously considering quitting employment. I'm tired of chasing after other people's plans and dreams. I'm tired of measuring my success through other people's standards. And I'm tired of doing things I do not enjoy doing.
I love to draw, I love to read, I love to inform, I love to teach, I love to write, I love to cook, I love to socialize, I love to organize events, I love to go places, I love to shock people, I love being a geek, I love to just be me.
In the back of my mind I know I'm scared that I'd go hungry if this "I'm my own boss" dream of mine turns out to be a nightmare. But in the darkest corners of my heart I also feel that maybe this fear is what's stopping me from achieving my dreams for a long time now. Maybe I can pull this off if I'd only let go. Maybe...
Your thoughts are most welcome. Please help confuse me some more. Hehe..
ayus yan basta free...
ReplyDeleteay kala ko free lunch. :p
Being in the business for five years, I have to say freelancing is both the most awesome--and most horrifying--thing you can do. The money thing isn't exactly the problem, especially if you already have a ready (and eventually steady) clientele. You can work in sleepwear, and have the most flexible form of "flexi-time" ever. It's also like listening to music: you can hit the "pause" button on work whenever you want.
ReplyDeleteThings you have to prepare for:
1) Time management. Since you won't exactly own your time. You're directly obligated to your clients, whoever they may be.
2) You are your own boss. Getting projects and earning (which is usually the company management's thing) will be directly your responsibility. At least in a corporate job, the company owner gets to experience the headache of worrying about the money while the subordinate can Facebook away. Until the sub gets fired. hehe.
3) If you have a home office, the lines between "work" and "home" get blurred, putting you in a state of perpetual unrest. Unfortunately I sleep beside my computer, so I start working the moment I wake up. I suggest you have a separate work area away from the sight of your bed. Or have a separate working room.
So I suggest having a plan. If you are a multidisciplinarian, then dip your hands into anything and everything. Renaissance racketeer kumbaga. ;)
thanks, Aids. i guess freelancing is scary if you have problems with planning ang sticking to your plans. i know there's so much i can do, but life's stress is preventing me from doing what i love to do.
ReplyDeletei think the 'Renaissance Racketeer' fits me perfectly. Doomo arigato gozaimasu, Sensei. LOL.
Hai!
ReplyDeleteKaya mo yan, I think. You have the right motivation to succeed. :P
ReplyDeleteFreelancing is scary, especially if you have responsibilities, like I do, like I know you do. The worry about money will always be there, and fairly often you'll be tempted to go back to the daily grind.
ReplyDeleteBut I've been lucky enough to get regular work, a boss who's really nice and is also a geek, plus other raket here and there. Still, the money is often late, the bills pile up, I get cabin fever from working at home all day, and there are distractions galore.
The good news is: when it rains, it pours. Darating yung point na sunod-sunod ang raket, tapos sunod-sunod din ang bayad. Not only will time management be important, but money management will be imperative too. Tapos pag di mo trip or di mo kailangan magtrabaho, pwede ka manood ng TV, magluto, kumain, mag-kape, manood ng sine, at walang pipigil sa yo.
It has its ups and downs, but here's something I think you'd like: it will definitely allow you to spend more time with your family, to do the things you like. If not for my freelance life, I wouldn't be able to plan for the wedding, troop as often, do all my geek things, and play with the cats.
So my advice is: plunge in. :D
motivation: CHECK!
ReplyDeleteyeah, pampalakas ng loob! haha... i really really really want to have the freedom and flexibility only freelancers have but yes, takot akong kapusin. but somehow i can't help but think na pinipigilan ako ng corporate slavery in achieving the balance that i want. you know me, maharot ang utak ko. i need more avenues to express stuff that may or may not complete me.
ReplyDeletebut i gotta hafta try. i know i should. i am not getting any younger!
and i am never a fan of career growth. life is short. i'd rather earn to eat and to enjoy. weee!!!
PS:
pautangin mo ko pag kinakapos na ko. bayaran ko pag nakasingil na ko. hahaha...
Freelancing has its pros and cons but well balanced if you manage your time and priorities right. I do sidelines before until they tend to flow over my regular day job.Just make sure you have at least a couple months worth savings that would tide you over since you won't be getting regular paydays anymore and at least have 4 projects already lined up on top of the ones you are doing now.Like Aids and Rej said, its easy to be your own boss as long you don't get distracted while in the middle of a project. Creativity,discipline and time management and you are well on your way!
ReplyDeleteWe have absolute faith in you! Rock On!
thank you! i know i can pull this off if i set mind to it. wala naman akong arte sa trabaho, promise! raket kung raket, as long as it's nowhere near illegal/immoral. or pwede ring immoral. hahaha...
ReplyDeleteand yes, the two-month-salary advice makes so much sense. =)
i hope i know what i'm doing. LOL.
It will drive you into a different kind of crazy dude. I swear. But by all means carry on. We Support This.
ReplyDeleteYAY!!! i'm up for crazy! ako pa. heehee... thanks dude! so far wala pang kumokontra ah... :D
ReplyDeletegah! nakaka-miss doing freelance work tuloy...
ReplyDeletefeast or famine it is, but damn! time was my friend!
just do it! theres always a risk. ive bin my own boss for about 6 years now. im hitting hard time at the moment but so is everyone else. theres peeps who spent most of theyre lives in school for a career & they r loosing theyre houses, going hungry as we speak. do what u love, prepare for the worst & the most importent thing. live simple! bad times arnt as bad when theres less to go wrong. this is somthing i just relized recently.
ReplyDeleteIf there's any way e can help, you're always welcome at Yale. :) If nothing else, we can always offer good food and lots of laughs! :D
ReplyDeletei love what you said! yes, times are tough but it ain't the end of the world. thank you, it's a bit clearer to me now.
ReplyDeleteyou had me at good food. hehehe... thanks Rej! when i go freelance i'm sure to frequent Yale. :D
ReplyDelete