Yo Work Fun Nation!

And now we’re decompressing from my wife’s successful book signing event at the Manila International Book Fair 2023! 

What an awesome but also tiring trip.

Another core memory was recorded. One for the books!

And now that I’m back home, I’m trying to come up with today’s email. Good thing may baon ako from the other day. 

Habang nagshopping si wifey ng clothes for my son, I was able to come up with a content idea for Chuday's email. 

And yes, I put my phone on a timer and pretended to be inside of a candid photo kunwari hahaha. Pagbigyan nyo na. #fordaclout (as my good friend Airon likes to say)

I was thinking of ideas para sa next emails. No need to read it kasi chicken scratches talaga yan.

Kasi nga, instead of mindless scrolling through the newsfeed vortex of what took almost 35 minutes (naka dalawa silang fitting rounds inside of H&M), I could use that time to be useful din. 

Para when the time comes for me to be fully present for them, I’m happily able to do so. 

I hope you get my point now about using these cracks in your day where time inevitably gets drained away through waiting. 

Other situations where you can do this (pagbigyan nyo na yung super specific situations ahaha, may hugot lang)

- Listen to an audiobook or podcast while being packed inside of a sardine can pretending to be an MRT train, tapos may anghit pa yung katabi mo, then you're smushed together.

- Mahabang pila sa grocery and yung three carts ahead of you yung attendant na nag-scan ng items hindi pala alam ginagawa nya tapos yung credit card na gamit ng customer invalid na pala at hindi na pala pwede gamitin?! (bakit ako galit hehe)

- Waiting to pick your kid up from school tapos they have an activity pa pala that isn't finished yet, and you have to go around the campus again kasi bawal pala tumambay yung car mo don sa spot you were waiting for originally

- Waiting to leave on a trip and the rest of your family are still putting clothes on or have forgotten stuff and nagawa mo na din yung stuff you need on your end, where you have nothing left to do but wait

- May meeting ka but late yung kausap mo, and instead of getting upset, just use the time to be productive

- Matagal mag-serve ng food sa restaurant (and mag-isa ka lang - don’t do it when you have kasama hehe)

- Use wait times to clear out your inbox or schedule upcoming tasks.

- Or or or! Do prospecting when you’re stuck in traffic (provided hindi ikaw ang driver ha!)

Basta hindi lang sayang yung time. 

In fact, I’ll give you a perfect example where I got a client, a friend, and a mentor all by doing prospecting WHILE I was stuck in traffic on the way to a meetup. Not only did she become a client, I was even able to refer other freelancers to work with her. 

That was the view from the front seat ng Grabcar. Talagang I took that photo because it’s how annoying it was that day. Carmaggedon levels na parking lot sa edsa

So why not use my phone to reach out? 

Reached out to Eli Abela, THE #1 Biohacking Coach in the PH

Wait wuut, meron na palang need for a video strategist?!

Tapos meron din silang webdev needs na di ko naman alam, so I referred people

So when I arrived at the meetup, I was sulit na for the day. Super fun times na. 

And then eventually…

Yehey for being stuck in traffic!

I’m telling you now , waiting can feel like wasted time, but it doesn't have to be that way. 

With some forethought and preparation, those in-between moments can become opportunities for growth and productivity. 

Stand up, Clap, and Say it with me! “I will turn my wasted time cracks into productivity train tracks! Yes!” haha oo nonsense sya, sinadya ko yan para mainis ka and di mo makalimutan. 

The Yes! is also what they shout sa SM sa dulo. hahaha

The key is being intentional to make waiting time work for you, not against you.

Basta make it into a game lang and find creative ways to make use of your time wisely. 

With creativity and commitment, you can transform those idle moments into valuable micro-learning sessions. 

Don't let waiting drain you - leverage it to move forward, enrich your mind, and make progress on meaningful goals. 

You have the power to redeem even small pockets of time.

Sige nga , ikaw what can you add to my list that will help you become productive even if you’re waiting? 

Shoden “Waiting Gamer” San

💡Need guidance and clarity on your own reinvention? I’m opening a few paid slots after several of you messaged me about getting some extra coaching outside of TFMT. Limited lang ito, and first come first served basis. I'm starting with clarity calls muna with a 90-day action plan. Reply ka lang, let's talk.

🎉 Pst. Please Don’t keep me a secret. refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends and earn rewards worth $$!

☠️ Too many emails from me? I totally understand the need to declutter your inbox. Haha ako nga nagsabi na mag-declutter ka e. I hope my tips have helped you work smarter as a freelancer. No hard feelings. Just click below (may maliit na link dyan na kulay grey hehe).