Perks of Working from Home: My Journey towards the Life of Freelancing and the Remote Worker’s World

So, I have a lot of friends asking me how to get started working from home? From co-singles, to stay-at-home mommies, to established entrepreneurs and even senior citizens! Do you get tired travelling everyday with 100 hours traffic and when you get to the office, you’re already exhausted? The next day comes and you repeatedly experience the same traffic, heat of the sun, and tons of work in the office. At the end of the day you would get home late at night and realize, “Am I even able to achieve my dreams staying on this day job?” I once had that question in my head and I took the risk of letting go of my day job and embrace the life of a freelancer. It amazes me to see that whenever people would learn that I work as a freelancer, their eyes would brighten up once they learn about what I do for a living. I decided to write this blog post because I receive tons of questions from people and it amazes me why they are so eager to try out or totally shift from their day jobs to online jobs, or rather you could also call it your ‘’dream job!’’ 😉

Let’s get started!

Before when I heard about freelancing, I thought it was just for models. Don’t laugh! I’m also a model in my dreams! I learned more about it when I accidentally saw a bulletin board on Starbucks six years ago and read that there was an upcoming freelancing seminar for writers! During that time, I was on the verge of resigning from my day job because I wanted to pursue my dream job which is to become a writer. So, I got excited and figured that it was the perfect timing! What I also loved about it was that the seminar will take place in the South near to where I live. Remember, we all don’t like traffic, right?

I attended the seminar, and lo and behold it really helped me quick start my life as a freelancer. After a few months, I finally decided to resign from my day job. It wasn’t easy but totally worth it! Just like you, I had to take into consideration every tiny detail in my life. I would think about the bills to pay, personal needs and how to provide for the needs of my aging parents. You see, I am not a risk taker so I discerned for months together with the help of my spiritual mentor. Soon, that day came when I finally handed over my resignation letter. I resigned with no stable job available.

• 

• 

Before I took the plunge of resigning from my day job and become a full blast freelancer, I did some research and extra measures to identify if freelancing is really the career that I want to take.

Here is my BIG tip for you: Don’t leave your day job right away!

If you want to know if freelancing is the next career path that you want to take, I would suggest that you test the waters first to know if freelancing is really for you. While you have your day, job try to get part- time online jobs.

Since I wanted to pursue my dream of becoming a writer I got myself involved in a Facebook group for writers ( some of which I also learned from the seminar that I attended). From time to time the admins and other freelance writers would share posts about writing opportunities and I would check on them. One day, I received an email from one of the speakers from the freelancing seminar I attended. She shared with me and to other fellow writers a writing opportunity for a backpacker’s travel magazine. I took the project and figured that it wasn’t easy because I still had a day job and the only time I can write was when I get home. It was not that easy because I used to work as a mall admin and my work schedule is similar with the mall hours, so by the time I got back home I’m already dead tired. But I was so pumped up to get started in reaching my dreams. So, I stayed up late at night to do research, write on the article, submit it to my editor and wait if there are revisions. I was also glad to finally make use of my dusty laptop which I seldom used, since most of the time I’m at the office. I worked on the articles and slept late at night. After a few weeks, my editor Irene messaged me and said that she’s at the mall and she has my copy of the magazines. I quickly met her and once I got back to my cubicle I browsed on the pages of the magazine and was thrilled to see my name and byline on the magazine! All along I thought that I was a ghostwriter. Later on, I realized that I wrote 3 articles on 3 different issues of the international magazine, Adventour that is also distributed to different parts of Asia. I found myself filled with so much joy on having a published article on 3 magazines and getting paid for it! Sometimes it’s even more exciting when we don’t get all the details and that we just trust the process. (More on this later! It’s my next tip!) I can’t explain how joyful I was back then. I was like walking on candy clouds and for most writers I know that when they see their names written on their published work, they would say “I can die now! Haha..”

That is how it started and after that writing gig I wasn’t getting any writing gigs for the mean time and tried to join contests instead. I never won any but during the process I continued to discern as to what I should do next. Should I now hand over my resignation letter or get more experience in freelancing? I decided to resign because I felt a strong calling that it’s what I should do and offered a prayer of surrender to God. I’m a Roman Catholic so majority of all my decisions include prayer and discernment. If you’re not a high risk-taker, I would suggest for you to try out more part-time freelance jobs before resigning so that you know what options to take.

So, there it was, I took a plunge, submitted my resignation letter, said my goodbyes to the employees and workmates who I loved and treated me as family and found myself jumping with joy in my room as I woke up the following day having this liberating feeling in my heart while screaming, ‘’I’m free!, I’m finally free! Now, I can manage my time, write all I want, explore the world and finish all my pending stuff.’’

Before I continue my story, I just want to say that freelancing is not just about writing. If you notice there are several freelance jobs available in the internet. Such as Virtual Assistant (VA’s), Social Media Managers, Content Writers, Graphic Designers, Video Editors, Voice Overs, and more. It’s an endless list which I tell you will just keep on increasing as time passes by. There are also start up companies who hire  remote workers. More on this later.

Going back to my story, I enjoyed my vacation. I was able to fix my forever messy room and since I knew that I have more time now to explore so many things, I enrolled for a short Hotel & Restaurant Management TESDA course. It was just a half day class which will only run for a few months. What could go wrong?  

The classes have not yet started, so there I was lying on my bed relaxing while I don’t have online work yet. My friend Irene suddenly chatted me and was offering me an online job as a VA for an Israeli startup company because she knew that I already resigned from my day job. I was still thinking about it and while reading her message she called because she needed an answer right away. In my head I was like, “Um.. oh you know, I’m still enjoying my vacation. Do I have to work now?” I was feeling lazy but I gave my yes. It has only been 3 weeks since I resigned from my day job. It amazes me until today that I took the risk of resigning from my day job without any replacement and after 3 weeks I already have an online job.

As soon as my other freelance friends knew that I resigned from my day job they supported me and kept offering me a lot of online jobs and writing gigs. I loved that they were very supportive and they even nagged me whenever I feel like procrastinating. The first writing gig that I took was from a Japanese tech company Priceprice.com where I wrote articles for them. It was hard work especially I had no experience writing about gadgets, cars and technology. Plus, it had a very tight deadline. So, just imagine, I was working as a VA for the Israeli startup company, Veems, I was working as a writer for Priceprice.com and I was studying a short TESDA course. I was doing 3 things at the same time! I thought I was crazy, half day at school and the rest of the afternoon until night working as a freelance writer and VA for an Israeli start up. Plus, every morning and noon time I would walk from our home going to the barangay for my class and walk back again. I had the option to commute but I was just that crazy wanting to walk together with my classmates. I thought I couldn’t survive doing all these but I did.

After a few months I graduated from TESDA with a sweet best in balloon making award from my teacher. I stayed writing with Priceprice.com for only a few months and looked for other writing jobs on Facebook groups and the web. I continued to work for Veems learning more and more about social media management and meeting different foreign clients. I came across a post from my friend Lournalyn where she shared a writing opportunity for the online magazine Angel Rising which is about women empowerment. I submitted my works and was so happy to see it published online. Until today I continuously submit my written works to them.

As I continue to work with the Israeli startup company Veems, Irene gave me the role that she was doing for our client Be.Live which is also an Israeli startup focused on live streaming. Be.Live was Veems client back then where we offer them services in content creation and social media management. Everything happens in perfect timing. As soon as I started working for Be.Live, in a few weeks, Veems had to close.

My next BIG tip for you is: Trust the process

Freelancing can sometimes be tricky. You don’t know where you’re heading if it’s still the right path or not. Sometimes a lot of people look at the fruit already. I’m like that for sure, even until today I always focus on the end goal and never on the journey. Good thing I’m surrounded with fantastic friends and mentors who consistently change my perception. A lot of people get paralyzed with fear of the unknown. Especially in the Philippine culture, we get stuck in that mindset of having a day job and your secured. Anything beyond that is absolutely weird or risky. But if you really think about it any decision that we make always has a risk.

Before I started working part time with Be.Live, fear started to creep in, the fear of the unknown, the fear of not knowing if I would understand the platform because again it’s about technology. Again, as a Christian, I discerned and prayed for it hoping that I would do well and surrendered my all to God. Truly He is faithful to His promises. When you work in a start up company you get to experience so many different roles, responsibilities, and positions.

One realization that I had is that positions don’t really matter in the online world. When you have a day job, there is a tendency that you would be stuck in that mindset of earning a promotion or having a bigger title. In the online world, I got amazed at first when I first held the position of Social Media Manager. I was like, “Wow! Manager!” I thought that it entails huge responsibilities, busyness, you-should-know-everything and complicated tasks, but I was wrong. As I went along, I understood that it was just a normal thing.

I’ve held numerous and changing positions as I worked with Be.Live. From freelance, I turned into a remote worker. I became a VA, Content Writer, Social Media Manager, Community Manager and Talent and Show Manager. (for the last position, don’t laugh, I know it sounds kinda funny but it’s a totally awesome role!) Working with a global company like Be.Live is tremendously awesome. I learned so many things. I wrote on their blog, I worked on social media management, watched amazing live streams from famous people in the online world and in live streaming! I never thought I could be friends on Facebook with these people and that I would get to chat with them. I’m so thrilled to have that opportunity to talk to a New York Times Best-selling author and more authors. What I loved most is that the startup company that I’m working with is changing the world and helping people’s lives. I also met a lot of people who are believers in the same God I believe in and acknowledge God with all the successes that they have achieved in life. My experience working with Be.Live is incredible. I have been working with Be.Live for full time for 3 years now and it just keeps getting better and better. I continue to do freelance writing for inspirational clients and small businesses. When my schedule permits, I also do freelance photography. Now, who says you can’t do so many things? I’m embracing my life today as a writer, freelance photographer, talent and show manager, social media manager, whatever role it is I’m playing I’m simply contented and I sure did make a right choice in my career.

Want to know more about freelancing?

I want you to experience the joy that I’m experiencing today; to have more freedom doing what you love, have more time with your family, travel more, multitask by washing the dishes while working, (you never knew that was possible right?) and to end the need of waking up early to go to work and beat the traffic!

Watch out for my next blog post to get more tips on how to start your online career! If you want to get more support in starting your career in the digital space, feel free to send me an email: [email protected] and let’s jump into a FREE 30 min coaching session. I would love to help you out!

***I am not a SUPER expert (know-it-all) in freelancing and all the techy stuff. Everything that is written on this blog post is purely based from grace and experience.