Online work and freelancing have opened countless doors for Filipinos, offering flexibility, financial independence, and the freedom to work from virtually anywhere. Yet, with these opportunities come significant challenges – the uncertainty of suddenly having no income being among the most daunting.
While many highlight their triumphs in the remote work landscape, just as many grapple with setbacks such as losing jobs or managing inconsistent income.
Me? I’ve suddenly lost clients more than thrice in my freelancing career. I’ve also experienced many, many projects that never come to fruition. And I know I’m not alone.
Viral TikTok videos and social media threads frequently spotlight freelancers’ emotional rollercoasters, from celebrating a big win to suddenly navigating the harsh reality of losing a long-term client.
However, remote work doesn’t have to feel unstable. By understanding core principles and implementing proactive strategies, it’s entirely possible to achieve online work stability and peace of mind in this dynamic yet unpredictable world.
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Finding Peace of Mind in Online Work: Why It Matters
For many Filipinos, online work provides a much-needed opportunity to stay at home while being able to provide for themselves and their families. Here are just a few reasons why people worry about online work stability:
- The Pressure of Being a Breadwinner: Many of us feel the weight of being the primary provider for our families, especially when working from home with loved ones around. Ang hirap ng walang kasiguraduhan, especially when we’re unsure if we’ll have the same income this month or next.
- Constant Fear of Unpredictable Income: In a setup where you can lose your source of income without warning, it’s no surprise how many of us are filled with this fear. It’s normal to feel uncertain, especially when bills pile up and there’s no guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month.
- Feeling Like Resting Is Missing out: Sometimes I feel that the time I don’t spend working is a waste. But I realized that without a clear divide between work hours and personal time, we might find ourselves experiencing remote work burnout. Ang hirap magpahinga when you feel like every moment spent resting is an opportunity missed to earn more.
- No Support Systems: Working remotely often means being isolated from coworkers and friends. When we lack a strong support network, it becomes more difficult to manage the uncertainties of freelancing or remote work, as social interaction plays a significant role in alleviating stress and providing the encouragement we need to push through challenging times.
These challenges are real. I’ve felt them too.
The uncertainty you feel is valid.
Now, here are some actionable steps that will set you on the path toward finding peace of mind in a remote work setup.
4 Steps Towards Online Work Stability
1. Freelancer or Remote Employee? Understand What You Are
One of the first steps toward achieving online work stability is understanding exactly what your setup is.
This is especially true as freelancing and remote employment are often mixed up. While these two paths both offer flexibility, they differ significantly in terms of stability, benefits, and financial management.
TL;DR: If you can work with multiple clients, then you’re a freelancer.
Before proceeding, please take note of what you are:
a) Freelancer, or
b) Remote Employee.
As you read the rest of this article, understanding your work setup will help you identify which strategies you can apply to achieve online work stability.
2. Treat Your Work Like a Business, No Matter Your Role
Success in online work isn’t just about what you do – it’s about how you approach it. Whether you’re a freelancer or a remote employee, thinking like a business owner, rather than just an employee, can bring the stability you’re looking for.
a) Freelancers: Use Your Flexibility to Your Advantage
- Multiple Clients: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If one client pulls out, you don’t want to feel at a loss. Huwag maging kampante. Aim to build a roster of clients from different industries or platforms. It might take time, but learning how to secure and nurture multiple clients is essential. Even I, an introvert, learned to do everything from applying on job platforms to cold-emailing clients myself. Tip: ChatGPT helps a lot.
- Build a Strong Professional Brand: Your online presence is everything. Treat it like your calling card. Kung wala kang ipapakita, walang maniniwala. Take the time to create a consistent and polished profile across platforms. Whether that’s LinkedIn, a personal website, or the freelance platforms you use, make sure your portfolio tells the story of your skills and the results you deliver. Hint: This blog also serves as my brand/portfolio and I use it to attract new opportunities.
- Referrals Are Your Bread & Butter: Your best clients are the ones you already have. Once you’ve successfully completed a project, ask for referrals. A simple, “If you know anyone who could use my services, I’d really appreciate a recommendation,” can work wonders. They’re likely to recommend you to others if they’re happy with your work.
b) Remote Employees: Strategize with a Business Mindset
- Plan for Growth: Set career goals – whether that’s landing a promotion, switching roles, or earning more. Identify what you need to achieve those goals and start working towards those milestones today. Having a roadmap for where you want to go helps keep you on track and focused.
- Network Strategically: Forge connections both within and outside your company. Building a strong professional network – whether through LinkedIn, industry groups, or online communities – can open doors for growth, new opportunities, and even job security. I’ve booked no less than 4 side hustles from people I know recommending me for work. (And I’m quite thankful for them.)
- Explore Ethical Side Hustles: Overemployment might be the obvious answer but it comes with ethical and legal risks. Instead of overemployment, consider side gigs that won’t create conflicts of interest with your full-time job. For example, doing online consultations, freelance writing, or selling digital products can provide extra income without the high stakes of multiple full-time roles.
By operating with a business mindset, you can position yourself for long-term success and reduce the anxiety that often comes with online work.
3. Stay Market-Ready with Continuous Upskilling
In today’s ever-evolving job market, upskilling is not just a necessity – it’s a strategic move to ensure your career stays competitive and sustainable. Here’s how you can approach continuous learning and skill development:
a) Freelancers: Stay Flexible, Stay Relevant
Freelancers are entrepreneurs managing their own business, so staying market-ready means constantly adapting and honing your skills. Your success depends on your ability to stay relevant, evolve with the industry, and keep learning.
Here’s how you can stay ahead of the curve:
- Specialize and Stay Current: In freelancing, carving out a niche is crucial. Let’s take an admin role like a virtual assistant or VA, as an example. Clients look for VAs who not only manage tasks efficiently but also bring advanced, relevant solutions to the table. So, a VA skilled in AI-driven tools can enhance productivity and make themselves indispensable to clients, thus setting themselves apart in a competitive market.
- Master Your Business Skills: As a freelancer, you wear many hats, from marketer to project manager. I learn new techniques from videos and use AI tools to streamline the time-consuming but necessary tasks to free up time for the work that actually makes money. For example, if you’re overthinking how to communicate online, you can just get help from AI to make your message sound professional and effective.
- Be Ready to Pivot: The market’s always changing, and what’s in demand today might not be tomorrow. I experienced this first-hand when AI pretty much killed the freelance writing job that I had – until I learned how to use AI myself. So, stay flexible and be ready to adapt by learning new skills that allow you to pivot or even branch into a new area.
Your freelancing career is a dynamic business, and staying market-ready means constantly evolving to offer the best services in a changing world.
One day, you’ll attract multiple clients, and the challenge will shift from finding work to managing demand – where you might even need to turn some opportunities down or seek help to handle everything.
b) Remote Employees: Make Yourself More Valuable
For remote employees, upskilling is typically centered around deepening expertise in a specific role, within a particular industry, or in alignment with the company’s strategic goals.
To build stability and increase career advancement opportunities, remote Filipino workers should prioritize:
- Specialized Knowledge: As a remote worker, focusing on deepening your knowledge of the specific tools and technologies within your field can significantly impact your growth. From understanding new software to earning certifications, continuing to learn keeps you relevant in the eyes of your employer and strengthens your value within the organization.
- Soft Skills: Effective communication, leadership, and problem-solving are vital skills when working remotely, especially when collaborating with international teams. I’ve seen firsthand how strong interpersonal skills can open doors to new opportunities or even promotions. Someone who is not only skilled but also a pleasure to work with can go a long way in remote environments.
- Cross-Functional Communication: In remote work, you often have to work with people from other teams, like marketing, development, or operations. Understanding what they do and learning how to communicate with them can make you more effective and valuable to the team. Being able to talk and work well with others, even if they’re in different roles, helps you get things done faster and makes you someone others can count on.
By focusing on skill deepening and strategic growth within the company, remote employees increase their value and improve their chances of career advancement, all while remaining market-ready in case Plan B becomes necessary.
4. Look for Alternative Sources of Income
Achieving long-term financial stability as a remote worker in the Philippines often involves more than just active client work.
- Beyond Active Work: One way to ensure financial security is to build additional sources of income that don’t require constant active effort. This can include investing in digital products like courses or even renting out property. Passive income options, such as savings plans like Pag-IBIG MP2 or mutual funds, can provide steady growth without requiring much ongoing involvement. These investments help grow wealth over time and can act as a financial cushion when your active income slows down.
- Investing in Assets: For those with some capital, investing in assets like stocks, real estate, or even small businesses can offer a solid return on investment. These assets don’t just protect you from job instability – they can actually increase your wealth, providing a greater level of financial security.
- Building Your Own Business: The flexibility of freelancing and remote work gives you the opportunity to invest time into entrepreneurial ventures. By starting your own business -whether an eCommerce store or a digital consultation service – you can create additional income streams that provide both financial security and career growth. This not only adds to your professional portfolio but also offers a safety net in case other work opportunities become scarce.
It takes time and effort to start these new projects. I suggest setting aside at least one hour every week to think about, research, and try out new ideas.
If you’re wondering what I do myself, I have my hands in a little bit of everything. It wasn’t easy, so my advice is to focus on just one thing at a time. Once you get the hang of it and feel confident, then you can start exploring other ideas.
Conclusion: Achieving “Fish” of Mind
Freelancing and remote work in the Philippines can feel like navigating unpredictable waters, where uncertainty is the only thing constant. There are often times when you feel like you’re moving one step forward, but only to be sent two steps back by a major hurdle.
“Teach yourself to fish,” the saying goes, reminding us that the key to long-term success isn’t just about catching one fish – it’s about learning how to fish sustainably. In freelancing and remote work, this means building skills and income streams that allow you to weather challenges, rather than relying on just one uncertainty.
That might mean making an effort towards constantly learning new things or even having to ”fish” late at night. In this way, you can multiply your opportunities and finally gather enough fish to build a resilient financial foundation – and ultimately, achieve peace of mind in online work.
