What one thing can’t you seem to scratch off your to-do list?

Obviously, if there’s one thing I can’t simply skip not doing as of this time, it would be getting my fingers busy on the keyboard of my laptop. I am somehow hooked to the internet especially now that my new found job requires me to be online most of the time. Sounds fun? Absolutely! It’s a paid job. However, among the downside effects of spending too much time in front of the computer monitor are eye strain, head ache, stiff neck and worst is eye damage.

Going online has become part of my daily routine. As soon as my son leaves home for school and my hubby for work early in the morning, I immediately switch on my laptop and connect to the internet. If you’d ask me, what’s the first thing I do when I am online? Well, browsing through my Facebook takes the no. 1 spot and followed by checking emails, logging in to Skype, read some articles online, YouTube, blog, write articles, browse, browse, and just browse.

I usually leave my laptop on the whole day, and the only time when it’s totally off is when I am asleep. However, there are instances when I sometimes fail to to shut it down because I fall asleep unconsciously.

How am I going to react if there’s no internet? A day without internet would probably cause me to scratch my head in dismay. If it’s going to be longer than 3 days, I’d probably get so upset.

So, how about you? What one thing can’t you seem to scratch off your to-do list?

 

Freelance: A Jump Start To A New Career

Few months ago, I had a full-time job with a stable income. I worked as a preschool teacher. All I had to do was prepare my lesson and teach and play with the students.

The school where I worked was established in 2006, and I was one of the pioneer teachers. At that time, there were only four teachers with not more than 40 students. I was lucky that among the many applicants who applied for the job, I was chosen despite my educational background. There was really a huge disparity between the job I was applying for and my course description. Imagine, from a Political Science graduate to a full-time preschool teacher. Although I took professional education course way back 2004, it was still way different from early childhood education.

Another opportunity came when I happened to read a post at a local online classified ads. Again, I didn’t have any second thoughts. I immediately sent my application and resume online to the address that was posted on that site. I got excited at the thought of becoming an Online English teacher, but then again I didn’t have any experience teaching online, however, it didn’t stop me from trying my luck. Just like my first job, I was assigned as the marketing assistant and circulation-in-charge for a publishing company, and the challenging part was the time I was tasked to do bookkeeping. Who wouldn’t fret? I was studying the constitution of the Philippines and the next thing I knew, I was already doing some computations and payrolls–definitely out of my league.

One day, I received a message through my cellphone. The message came from the manager of the Online English school, and I was literally having cold feet and hands. I got nervous when I read the message that I would be interviewed later that day. So, basically the rest was history. I got the job–yeepee!

Did I quit from my daytime job as a preschool teacher? No, I didn’t. I was literally in the act of juggling from daytime to night time job. Soon, I found myself too exhausted trying to balance my time–work, family, and self.

First, I gave up online teaching, and months later, I quit my daytime job as a preschool teacher. The next thing I knew I was already unemployed. At first, I enjoyed the freedom of just staying at home–relaxed and carefree. I had a new title on my name–full-time mother and homemaker. I spent my time surfing the internet while my son was in school and while my hubby was busy working.

While browsing, the word “freelancer” popped into my mind. I had been eyeing on becoming a freelancer even before I quit my two jobs. I remembered having thoughts of becoming a freelancer and entrepreneur. I did some research on freelancing, and I found many home-based teaching jobs and so many other online jobs that I can do at home.

It has been less than a month since I finally decided to give it (freelancing) a go, and then I realized that it’s not easy to be an online freelancer. I am in the process of learning and getting helpful tips from experts who have managed to make it as a freelancer. I just wish that I won’t run out of patience and hope.

Hopefully, I can manage to do more online jobs like article writing, blogging, and any similar jobs. Thus, gaining more experiences mean gaining more projects and income.

The internet is a difficult world to thrive in but soon you’ll learn to settle. It’s like a maze that you need to find your way around. You are definitely on your own trying to make a mark in the online industry where aggressiveness, determination, creativity, patience, perseverance, and resourcefulness play a major role.

I am a freelancer and it’s a jump start to a new career.