Turn your stress to success

I received this article from Jobsdb through my email. I believe that these power breaks really can help us recharge our drive and energy. They can also help rest your eyes from staring at the computer as well!

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Power naps. Browsing books during lunch break. A walk around the block during coffee time.

More and more employees are resorting to ‘quality break times’ to recharge themselves for a few minutes (or at most an hour) before they charge into the arena again.

Quality break times are not an escape that makes the employee forget his or her duties or zone out into fantasy land. Rather, they let his energies slow down a bit, tap into a resource that will refuel their creativity and brain power, and then infuse them with a fresh burst of adrenaline that takes them through the day.

Leadership coach Jim Loehr touched on this in his book, Stress for Success. He recommends that employees take a few minutes every day to take a breather from their work load and channel into a hobby that they like or at least a short exercise that removes part of the stress. It’s a way to recharge. Loehr likens it to athletes in the middle of a competition who uses the precious break times called by referees to do breathing or stretching exercises. It’s a way of slowing down for a brief time while still staying in the game.

Here’s how to do it (and remember, they take only 15-30 minutes during your official break):

1. Artistic/creative hobbies: writing a blog; learning computer design; reading a non-work-related book; drawing and design.


2. Physical: 10-15 minute power naps; a short walk around the office; clenching down on those stress balls; hitting a punching bag or doing jump-rope (if you have a mini-gym in the office)


3. Communal (or activities that you do with other people): swapping stories during lunch break or merienda that can evolve into brainstorming; non-gambling card games or chess; etc.

The next time you feel stress ganging up on you, slow down a little, smell the flowers by taking that quality break, recharge – and then get back to the race.

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Common Mistakes In Conversational English

I've been keeping this reference article for a while, trying to decide whether or not to feature it, However, after a short discussion with a friend over the weekend, I talking about english again is still beneficial.

I must admit that even I have been very lax with my english lately. Having left the BPO industry and needing to deal with an industry largely reliant on our mother tongue, I haven't had as much practice as I used to have before. I've also almost stopped watching movies and TV altogether, so the supplementary exercises that come with them have also been largely out of my life.However, I am grateful that my years of training still has not failed me yet - thanks largely to my dad's way of upbringing and the people I grew up with.

However, I understand that not everybody has the same linguistic blueprint as I do.  Jayjay Viray of Jobsdb lists down some of the common mistakes form applicants commonly encountered by recruitment professionals:

Prepositions – that one word that bridges a subject and a verb can make a huge difference in terms of giving meaning to the sentence. Many kids still stumble and use “giving for” as opposed to “giving to”.    Should you express sympathy “to” or “for” the bereaved?

Tenses – One sentence starts out in the present tense. The following then goes back to the past. And a third will swing to the future. The lack of temporal consistency can muddle the facts and confuse the interviewer.

Subject/verb agreement – Although this is the less common mistake, it still slips out occasionally. The subject may be singular, but the verb is plural, and vice-versa.

Unfamiliarity with American idioms – The grammar may be flawless, the syntax precise, but a couple of applicants still blink when the interviewer throws in American idioms or popular expressions their way. It’s not just a question of knowing what is “cool” or understanding what is “hip”. Would-be call center employees should watch out  if they are still “kept in the loop”, or if a client “can’t make heads or tails” of a product, or when the demands and requirements of a particular service are “going overboard.”

These phrases are not just picturesque, flowery descriptions – Americans, who make up the bunk of call center clients, use them in their everyday lingo. It’s important not just to understand these idioms, but to master their usage.

Translatese – A Filipino employee thinks in Filipino, and then translates it according to the same number of words and arrangement into spoken English. The result may be awkward and even grammatically imprecise. “Did you eat already?”  is literally “Kumain ka na ba?”. The correct English version is “Have you eaten?” – without the “already”.

How about the often used “I’ll buy you.” A non-Filipino who hears this may have sudden visions of a slave trade pop in his brain. But the Filipino saying this actually means, “I will buy (an item) FOR you.” His Translatese version comes from the Tagalog words he had already processed in his mind.  “Ibibili kita ng ________” (t-shirt, softdrink, lunch, etc.).

Confidence – This is perhaps a major factor that can swing for or against a call center applicant’s favor. We’ve had cases wherein interviewees started out on the same basic level, stumbling along their grammar and syntax. But those who do not allow themselves to be intimidated somehow, some way pull some linguistic rabbit out of their habit. Before the interview is over, they have managed to minimize their mistakes and uttered grammatically correct if not exactly sophisticated conversational English.

10 Worst Fashion Crimes At Work

This article on Yahoo! was brought to my attention by one of my friends. In this day and age, and with the newest fashion trends, it becomes harder and harder to decide what is truly office attire, from casual attire. This article sums up 10 basic office attire mishaps which would apply in any office, no matter what the fashion trend is.

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Every office has that ultra rad co-worker who refuses to bow down to The Man by parading around in totally appropriate office wear, much to the confusion, amusement and annoyance of everyone else involved. Like the chick who wears sexy camis and no bra (crime #1, above), God bless ‘er. We identify nine more visual assaults to our workspaces.

2. Sure, everyone appreciates Casual Friday. But some folks abuse the privilege by going full-on foot commando in flip-flops. It’s not the weekend yet, kids!

3. Yes, hot pants are “back!” and designers are churning out well-tailored shorts that may be tempting to wear to your Monday meeting. Please, do yourself a favor and resist the urge.

4. Yet another tricky trend coming to a mall near you is see-through tops the likes of which haven’t been seen since the height of Paula Abdul’s pop star fame. Unless you’re pairing one with a buttoned-up jacket and there is just a bit of froth at the neck peeping out, skip it.

5. Sure, plenty of people go straight from the gym to the office. Some of those workout-aholics also forget to shower and change clothes. Are you trying to impress us in your sweat pants? Because you haven’t.

6. Do you work in construction? Are you a professional gardener? If the answer to these questions is no, please don’t show up in overalls, no matter how “cute” you think they make you look.

7. Yes, "Gossip Girl" actress Taylor Momsen may wear garter belts to work as her off-duty casual clothes. But unless you’re a teenage TV star, there is never a time that visible garter belts is office-friendly attire.

Neon: Some colors just aren’t made for doing business in. Anything that glows is one example.

8. Some colors just aren’t made for doing business in. Anything that is neon and glows is one example.

9. General rule of thumb: If you’d wear it out to "da" club (ahem, mini skirts), it’s probably NOT OK to wear it to work.

10. Too much perfume is really more of a beauty crime, but note to the lady whose personal scent wafts through to our cubes: please, go easy, sis!

More on Professionalizing Philippine Psychologists

When I first got wind that a law to professionalize clinical psychologists will be approved, I was very happy for our country. I remember that back when I was looking at other countries, part of the online forms I was filling out asked me if I was a licensed psychology practitioner. Since we did not necessarily have licenses for psychology, I didn't know what to put in the form.

When I received the full text of R.A. 10029, I was slightly confused. When I brought it up with an old colleague, his first reaction was, "Doesn't the government think we already have too much studying to do?". His first concern was also, "How does it affect my job?".

I believe that those are two very valid points. I have been considering taking my masterals for the past few years. The money to pay for my masterals, and the time, are two things I always have conflict with. Even until now, I still balk at the amount that I would have to pay just to further my studies, thinking it would be better saved for my future kids. What more for all those coming from less-privileged families?

However, if we do want to regulate those practicing psychology, licensing is one way to really track those who are capable of providing psychological services. In retrospect, advocates of psychology fought long and hard to get it considered as a science, and eventually a medical science. It is only right that we be able to provide a good basis to know who to approach when we need psychological services.

A bigger concern for me was how it would affect human resources practitioners. Will we have to take the board exam as well? Some provisions of the republic act include qualifications for exemptions for industrial professionals. However, the qualifications are not something that you can easily obtain. Furthermore, now that human resources have branched out into many specialties, the description of those who are required to take the board exam can be read as a gray area.

Luckily, I received a copy of an FAQ from the Psychological Association of the Philippines that clarifies some statements. While I believe we still need to wait for the implementing rules and guidelines to be released, this FAQ  can give some HR practitioners peace of mind and help them decide if they need to take their careers further. For those who are interested in reading it, Here is a copy of the Answers to FAQs about Psych Bill by the Psychological Association of the Philippines.

Ten Ways to Make 2010 Your Best Year Yet

Usually, when I get forwarded mails, I ignore them. I've seen most of them since I started to go online more than 10 years ago. This email I got from one of my mailing lists, however, made my head turn around. After reading it, I thought this is some pretty good advice to follow for the year:

TEN WAYS TO MAKE 2010 YOUR BEST YEAR YET

The great thing about the New Year is that there's always the prospect of having a fresh start. Whether or not you did good last year, now is the best time to start living a healthier lifestyle to making smart decisions about your money, here are 10 ways on how you can start improving on the different aspects of your life in 2010.

Love your Job
Currently stuck in career limbo? If you've been working in the same company for some years now and you've yet to experience some growth in your career, try to analyze what you've been doing wrong to be put in this situation. Are you always late? Do you have good working relationship with your colleagues? Do you love your job? These are just some of the questions that you should ask yourself – and make sure to give an honest answer, so you’ll know what you need to improve on regarding your career. If you are feeling a bit demoralized at work because you weren’t promoted or you feel like your career is going nowhere, there are lots of ways for you to work around those problems as long as you enjoy what you are doing. If you love your job, that should serve as enough motivation for you to make concrete actions to become a better employee. Start being more on time, be more confident to take on different
responsibilities at work, avoid checking your facebook account while in the office, it’s really all up to you.

Be a better friend

It’s always important to cherish the relationships that we have with other people. If you’ve been too busy with your career or love life to spend time with your friends lately, make sure to at least stay connected with them through phone, text, e-mail, etc. even if you don’t get to meet up often, at least stay updated on what’s happening with each other’s lives that it’ll be a lot easier to catch up.

Travel more

Whether it’s abroad or here in the Philippines, make an effort and explore more this 2010. Aside from helping you to de-stress from work, traveling is also a great opportunity for you to learn new things, become more open-minded to
trying something new (food, activities, etc.), and be inspired. Hopefully your wonderful experience during travels will have a positive effect on your daily life as well – from your work to improving your relationship with your loved ones, friends etc. if you’re feeling adventurous, why not go on a solo trip this year? It’ll teach you to become more independent and you can use this time to develop better relationship with yourself.

Love your family

Just like your friends, it’s important to always cherish the time that you get to spend with your family. This year, make an effort to spend more quality time with your parents and siblings by going on trips, having more “family time”, and just try your best to be nicer to them. No matter how busy you get, you should never neglect an opportunity to make your loved ones feel how important they are to you.
Always be on time

Whether it’s beating a deadline or just being on time for work or your other commitments, make it a habit to put more effort on being on time with whatever it is that you do, if you’re the kind of person who tends to oversleep in the mornings, then start t look for ways on how you can improve on your sleeping habits to make it easier for you to wake up early in the morning. If you’re used to blaming your tardiness on the bad traffic, learning to manage your time better as well as making use of different modes of transportation will help you solve the problem.

Have more “Me-Time”

Are you always running yourself ragged at work or do you have the tendency to always not put other people’s needs before your own? While it’s not wrong to work hard or be
helpful, do remember that too much of anything is always bad. If you’ve been spending way too much time at work and it’s already getting you all stressed out or your loved ones have become too dependent on you that you rarely have time for yourself, take a step back and start learning the value of having “Me-time”. Whether it’s treating yourself to relaxing spa treatment once a month or taking up a new hobby, always make sure that you are still able to take care of your own wellbeing in spite of the many different responsibilities that you have going on. This will keep you from breaking down especially when you’re under a lot of stress.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

If you are the type who gets easily stressed or worried even with the simplest things, make a conscious effort to break this bad habit by learning to not sweat the small stuff. It’s normal to
not always have things going your way, so you should learn to better deal with it by not worrying too much. Aside from being bad for your health and wellbeing, worrying too much will also keep you from making better decisions about how to solve sticky situations.

Make smart decisions with your money

Whether it’s finally investing on life insurance, saving30 percent of your earnings or taking on extra work, it’s high time that you become more responsible with your money. Aside from having something saved up for a rainy day, making smart decisions will also keep you from getting saddled with debt.

Get healthy

Just like what we’ve been talking about for the past two weeks, living  a healthier lifestyle need not complicated. Simple things like taking the stairs instead of the
elevator or cutting back on sweets can already do your body a lot of good. You just have to be really dedicated to your goals so you‘ll be able to overcome temptations that may come your way.

Pray more

There's nothing wrong or hard about making time to pray – whether it be to say praise, give thanks, or ask for help. It only takes a few minutes and you can practically do it anywhere.

Pet Peeves of Hiring Managers

Abridged version published on Manila Bulletin, September 16, 2009

Perhaps because of our history of being colonized more than once, we Filipinos find it easy to pick up new languages – the most prominent of which is English. With our many different dialects, and a history of debate over the true national language, English has helped us find a middle ground with which we can communicate with our countrymen, as well as with foreigners.

This, however, does not make us instant experts. Oftentimes, interviewers must struggle to understand what their applicants are telling them. Below are a few of their pet peeves, and some tips on how to avoid them.

1. Mispronunciation

Brought about by the differences in the phonetics of English and Filipino, we are very susceptible to replacing certain consonants for consonants that sound similar to them. The most common mistake is interchanging p’s with f’s, and b’s with v’s, giving you terms like “suferbisor” or “fropesor”.

Probably also due to our many different dialects, we are also susceptible to interchanging vowels for each other. Popular occurrences are even used for local advertising, such as “fich mengo pie” (peach mango pie). We also make the mistake of reading the word exactly as it is spelled, which is one of the main difference of English with many languages. Words with silent letters like almonds, become “ahlmonds”, and words with special pronunciation, like “façade”, can be a challenge for us.

To avoid this, it is important for you to familiarize yourself with the correct pronunciation of these words. When you encounter a new word, take some time to look it up in the dictionary and check the phonetic symbols. If you cannot understand the phonetic symbols, you can go online and check for English songs that make use of that word. If you can’t find it, the word you like may be too high falutin, and it might be better to look for an alternative word to use.


2. Filler Words

In any language we use, we are always limited by the amount of words we know. Some individuals find it easy to use the terms that they have learned. However, during stressful times, or when we are rushing, the right set of words may escape us. Many of us resort to the use of filler words that buy us a few seconds to think the correct term, or to organize our thoughts. Basic common fillers are non-words, such as “umm” or the tagalog term, “ano”. People also use fillers words at the start of a sentence, using terms like “actually” or “basically”, or with sentence enders like “you know”.

Frequent use of these terms can become irritating to the listener, distracting him from your message. Take a few seconds to organize your thoughts. Your interviewer would not take offense if you took a short breath before answering his question. The best way is to start with your gist of your answer, which is the topic, then follow-up with supporting details. You’ll find that filler words may not be necessary when you go straight to the point.


3. Forced Accent

With the advent of the BPO industry, there is an increase in employers looking for good verbal English skills. At times, applicants resort to imitating foreign accents to show their versatility in the English language. However, if you are not used to speaking in this language, your English comes out sounding like it went through a meat grinder and got stuck in the middle.

It is best to avoid using any accent to highlight your English skills. Your objective to be able to send your message across and the use of accents may prevent this from happening. A preferable style would be to have a neutral accent, similar to the diction of CNN newscasters. Do not be afraid to open your mouth for vowels, and make sure you are not speaking too fast. Your interviewer will surely appreciate your efforts.


4. Answering in the Wrong Language

There is a very simple rule in conversational skills – when you are asked a question, answer in the same language the question was asked in. Don’t give yourself a hard time by answering a tagalog question in English. Use simple words to convey your message across.

If you were asked a question in English, and you do not quite know how to answer it in English, ask for permission with the interviewer if you may answer it in Filipino. Being polite and respectful of your interviewer is always beneficial to you.


5. Unclear, or Round-about Answers

The way our sentences are constructed is different from the way English sentences are constructed. Sometimes, however, it is much easier for us to do a word per word translation, instead of taking the essence of the entire sentence and re-wording it to English. Doing a word per word translation can make your message unclear. It is important that we take time to organize our train of thought, and construct the sentences that can get that message across properly. Do not be afraid of using short sentences, as opposed to the popularity of longer sentences in formal Filipino. Be direct to the point, and spare you and your interviewer the extra minutes trying to make a short answer long.

Should We Be Worried About Philhealth?

While we have to admit that our social security and government services are not up to par with Europe's, whatever we have is still infinitely better than having nothing at all. Hence, when I read the Manila Bulletin headline over the weekend with Senator Loren Legarda stating that our Philhealth may last only for a few more years, I was deeply alarmed.

After doing an internet search, inquirer says that Philhealth Vice President for Actuary Nerissa Santiago is the one that revealed the information to the public. She recommends that the contributions be increased, to sustain the project in the next few years, based on their projections. This is because the government owes the fund some Php19.2B.

Of course, a counter-statement has also been released by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya, denying that our Philhealth fund is in danger of collapsing. The actual amount owed by the government may be a smaller amount, and the difference comes from Philhealth's personal computation, versus the Department of Budget and Management''s computation, which would be subject to discussion between the two offices.

So what's the real deal? At the moment, we can only wait for the true story to come out. But is an increase in contributions really the solution? Can we handle the increase in contributions without an increase in the basic salaries? And if the government declares an increase in minimum wage, can our economy truly afford this increase? Hopefully, these are things the government will consider when they enter into their discussions about our meager Philhealth fund.

How To Identify Bad Bosses

If you’ve been working for a while, chances are you’ve seen at least one bad boss. Bad bosses are one of the major reasons why employees leave their companies – but what exactly is a bad boss?

Sometimes, a bad boss is simply a perception of his or her employees. This can be caused by even the smallest of differences with the boss – eating habits and preferences, the way they talk, the things they like, even the clothes they wear. In our culture, we have a tendency to nitpick on little details that don’t settle well with our personal standards, and this ignites friction between you and your “bad boss”.

Rather than focusing on the personality differences, you can focus on two key aspects that are important in a business relationship: Respect and Professionalism. Without these two key ingredients, a manager can be considered as ineffective and abusive, both of which are grounds for serious investigation of the manager’s performance. Professionalism calls for both you and your manager to cooperate in attaining the goals of the organization you are in. You can compare this relationship to a team climbing Mt. Everest; each team member has a role to play in that climb. Their goal is to be able to reach the top of Mt. Everest. In the same way, your company will provide targets for your team or department to achieve. Each one of you in the department has a role to play in achieving those targets, including your own manager. The interaction between your manager and you, both working towards the same goals despite however you may feel, is a mark of proper professionalism.

At the same time, professionalism also requires that respect be present. Your manager must be able to realize your value in the company, not just as a means to an end, but as a human being helping to cultivate the company’s growth. He must also respect the goals that he is working to achieve, by becoming a good role model for his employees. This can entail the manager to become more outgoing, sensitive to the needs of his employees and the organization, and pro-active. Insensitivity to your needs as a human being can be a sign of weak leadership in your team, requiring you to exert extra effort to fill in the gap.

Bad Bosses Do Exist

Not everything can be fixed by simply treating each other fairly. There are times when you can’t exactly pinpoint what your boss is doing so badly. Here are a few examples of bad boss behavior:

• Your boss does not follow the prescribed standards according to labor law, such as delayed or below minimum wage salaries, non-payment of your government mandated benefits, or disregarding the terms you agreed to in your employment contract.


• When your self-worth as an individual is undermined through harassing treatment. This can be done through discrimination or through inhumane working standards. Working for long hours without proper justification and compensation can be considered as inhumane working standards. Harassment need not be about racial discrimination, or sexual advances. Hostile behavior towards you, such as screaming or cursing, or actual bodily harm on your person is also considered as harassment.

Coping With Bad Bosses

When you are paired with an inefficient manager, your first option is usually to stay and try to cope with his behavior. If you decide to stay, take note of the bad behaviors that make you uncomfortable. This can help you determine if the problems between your boss and you is simply a personality difference, or is truly maltreatment.

Also, once you have determined the instances when you think you have been aggrieved, do your own investigation. Did your boss just come from a management meeting? You may have caught your manager at a bad time. Knowing a little bit about what is happening around the company, and the pressures on your own boss, can help you work on your manager-subordinate relationship a lot better. An employee who can see the big picture is a valued employee. Establish your own information network, and get a mentor in a different department. Seeing your boss’ situation in a new perspective may help you understand him better and adjust to his needs.

Do not be afraid to make suggestions, and to voice out your concerns. However, make sure that when you speak up, you approach the issue with your manager non-confrontationally, objectively, and in private. Tell your boss what you really feel, and the impact of his actions. Give him ideas on how to treat you better as well. Help your boss help you, and create a better working environment for you by leading through example – respecting his own worth by discussing personal problems with him in private.

If all of your efforts at having a better working relationship with your boss fail, take a look at other areas or departments in the company that may need your skills. Transferring departments may give you the working environment that is suitable for your person, and will take you away from an abusive work relationship. This, however, is not always possible. When your company cannot make use of your skills other than in your current department, and your relationship with your manager remains unsavory, you may want to consider looking for work elsewhere. However, if you decide to do this, be discreet, and maintain respect for your company’s operations. Schedule your job hunting activities so that it will not compromise your work output. Also, do not brandish the fact that you are looking for a new job. This may hurt your manager’s feelings, and cause more friction between you two.

The relationship between a manager and his subordinate is very important to the growth of a company. However, the responsibility to maintain this relationship does not lie solely on your manager. You are also responsible for that relationship. Remember that you can always take charge of your half of the bargain. You are never powerless to change your current situation, but you must learn how to compromise to get the best deal. Working towards win-win situations for both you and your manager will benefit not just the two of you but also others in the company. Learn to analyze the situation carefully before choosing your course of action. This may save you, and others, a lot of heartaches, and make for a smoother working lifestyle.

What is a Freelancer?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being one?

abridged version published on Manila Bulletin, May 20, 2009

Do you have any special talents or skills that could be useful to other people, or companies? If you offer the service of your talents or skills on your own, and not in behalf of the company you are working for, then you may be considered a freelancer.

According to Merriam-Webster, a freelancer is “a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer”. A freelancer is very much like a business. Any business has a product to sell. In the case of a freelancer, his product is his own skills and expertise. He provides a form of service to his customers, in the same way business also provide services to their customers. However, unlike a business which is composed of two or more people, a freelancer is just one person providing the service he has been contracted for. Fields with available freelance work are graphics design, journalism, programming, events management, consulting and other creative services.

Advantages of Freelance Work

For those who are looking for more flexibility in their hours, freelance work may be the solution. Since freelance work is about services, your responsibility is to deliver the output requested by your customer. Since you are not tied down to one employer, you are free to create your own schedule. This is particularly true for service related freelance work, where the customers are mostly concerned only with the final outcome of your service.

For example, Mr. Juan dela Cruz is a freelance computer programmer. He has been hired by Company A to produce a program that will help them monitor the use of the computers in their Internet Café, and was given 1 month to finish the project. Company B has also hired Mr. Juan dela Cruz, to modify their existing database program to include new features that they requested, and was given 1 week to finish the program. Our freelancer, Mr. Juan dela Cruz, is free to decide when he will work on each project to be able to meet the deadlines given to him by his customers. He can decide to work on one project for half a day, and the other project for the other half, or he can work on one project first and finish it.

Another advantage of freelancing is the benefit of having multiple streams of income. Each customer is one income source. Since a freelancer has the benefit of making his own time schedule, he can cater to more than just one customer and get more than one income.

For those who are looking for more variety in your work, freelancing may allow you to explore your profession to its fullest capacity. Each customer you take will have different needs from other customers. It is this variety in customer needs that will allow you to broaden your skills portfolio, and enable you to fully master your field of expertise.

Disadvantages of Freelance Work

While everything that was mentioned may sound like the answer to the common man’s prayers, you will also need to be aware of the difficulties in freelance work.

First in the list is the unreliability of your income. There are different types of agreements for freelance work. Some of them may provide you income at the end of a project. Some of them may provide you regular income while the project is still ongoing. No matter what type of agreement you have entered into, the income you will earn from one project will definitely end, and you will need to find another project to work on to give you another stream of income.

Second and closely related to the first, is the need for marketing. As a one-man show, you will need to learn how to market yourself to prospective clients, and how to find these prospective clients. Having multiple clients, and multiple income streams, is one of the best advantages of freelancing– but you have to work at sustaining this situation if you want to keep supporting yourself. You need to learn good networking skills to maintain your customer list, and provide you with a lot of opportunities to handle projects for a long time.

Just like in the second, a freelancer will also need to learn his own accounting, and needs to learn his laws. Many people think freelancing is just like its name – free. In fact, freelancers also need to pay their duties to the government, in the form of value-added tax (VAT) and income tax. They may also need to learn about legal issues in their profession, to help protect them and their clients.

Also, a freelancer has to be able to properly assess how much profit he will get out of a project. Unexpected expenses may eat too much out of your contract price, leaving you with very little to work with. This especially comes into play when you provide your services out of regular hours, or if you have to hire other services to work for you to reach the customer’s objective. You might also want to factor in your personal expenses in your overall income. As a freelancer, you will have to provide for your own SSS, philhealth and other benefits commonly handled by employers.

To Freelance or Not to Freelance, That is the Question

Freelancing may not be for everybody. Before entering into freelance work, make sure to consider what your needs are, and the options available to you. Consult with the people who will be affected the most by your decision, like your family and your friends. Most of all, consider what freelancing service you will provide, and the market for your skills. Just like with any product, you have to consider if your skills are profitable or not, and exactly what your market is looking for. A little bit of research can go a long way in the profession of your choice, and can spell the success or failure of your choice.

Freelancing allows you to take a creative approach to how you will use your own talents. Let your imagination go wild with the possibilities, but balance it with enough knowledge to prepare you for the challenges that you will face. Your success in freelancing is in the palm of your hands.

Math is your best friend

As kids, we learn in school that math is a subject. As we get more and mroe exposure to this subject every year, we are subliminally taught to detest anything that has to do with numbers. Math becomes a hateful thing, something you have to avoid.

When I entered the workforce, I was still of the same frame of mind. I veered away from anything that had numbers on it - costs, statistics, revenue. This led to the near extinction of my childhood savings, and I realized...

I needed to face Math and welcome it into my life.

That probably sounds very preposterous to you, but this is something we need to come to terms with. Everything we deal with requires some sort of Math - paying your cab fare, trying losing weight, even the time you wake up! Math is very integral to our current way of living.

However, we don't really need to go into complicated Math formulae and the like to survive. All we need are the basics - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division.