Yo Work FUN Homies!

Last week, I saw this photo scroll past my newsfeed:

It triggered my war stories as a former corporate zombie agad, hehe. 

I thought I actually saw myself in the sea of people in the photo. This was literally me some years back, back when I used to live in Quezon City and had a nice “cushy” job in Mandaluyong. 

I “only” had to take a 35-minute train ride, and a twenty-minute walk to get to my building daw, they said. 

Yun pala, before you could squeeze into the actual train, you’d need to wait for at least an hour and a half before you could get on, and that’s when it wasn’t raining and the train was on time. 

Getting off a packed train wasn’t a walk in the park either. 

I think I must have wasted 2 hours one-way just getting to work, but back then I didn't know any better. 

Driving and parking your own car wasn’t necessarily a better option. 

The only real perks were that you didn’t get to smell everyone else’s armpits, or be crushed like a sardine in a tin can every time the train swayed... so I guess that's something.

Thank goodness di ko na need gawin yan these days. 

OMG wow, is that train empty?! Yup. Also the train is about to be on fire. (see smoke) Also, people are walking OUTSIDE of the train. Also, somehow I knew I would be emailing this to you several years into the future, kaya I took the photo, seryoso lol

So ayun, we had to walk a couple kilometers to the nearest station or else be tustado sa train. (Ang swerte ko nga naman, tapos konti na lang uulan na ng malakas)

So there I was, transported back in time and suddenly reliving the PTSD and even remembering the smell of kilikili na nabulok sa araw tapos hinaluan ng patis at repolyo na may sirang itlog… 

when I realized that I had actually managed to change my life and surpass all of this.

Gawd, in fact I now have all this privilege na pala. 

Grabe, I was just dreaming about working from home this dati!  

And then I now live in the province, where I can actually go more than 100 km/h while driving, whew!

So if you’re already reading this while having coffee sa bahay mo, let’s take this moment to be grateful that we have the opportunity to work remotely. 

If you aren’t working from home yet, you will soon be after reading this email. Nuks!

In this fast-paced world, being able to log in and work from the comfort of our own homes (or anywhere) is truly a blessing we shouldn't take for granted.

As we navigate our online work lives, it's easy to get caught up in the minor inconveniences, mishaps and bloopers, which invariably cause us to get mad or impatient, and even inconsiderate of others. 

It could be one of these things: 

• the sluggish or biglang naputol na internet for no reason 
• a sudden unannounced power outage that gets you scrambling to the nearest coffee shop with WIFI 
• a Lazada or Shoppee delivery habang tumatae ka sa CR WHILE attending an office meeting na naka-OFF cam tapos no one is there to answer the gate tapos bigla kang na-picturan while you were in a towel, and you actually look like you just took a sh*t kasi totoo. Tapos if you check your account, puro pictures of you in a towel yung mga package confirmations?! (luh.) 
• yung annoying na aso ng kapitbahay mo na maingay pa din kahit late na, 
• a few roosters naman minsan in the background sa call mo, 
• the surprisingly clear and awesome baritone na videoke voice ng kapitbahay mo, who always sang “I believe I can fly” and “Sometimes when we touch” every time you have a client call, 
• or your kids coming in and out of your office asking for one thing or another. 

Some of these things are too oddly specific, pero you know what I mean. ^_^

Let's pause for a moment and reflect on the bigger picture. Just think of the daily hustle and grind that millions of fellow Pinoys endure.

This comes to my mind from that sardine-packed commute during rush hour from my office going back home. I have too many photos of times I was stuck inside a train. 

It's sad but it's still happening right now: Lots of exhausted but determined faces, packed like sardines in tight trains and buses, repeatedly going through numerous challenges every single day just to get by.

And they're giving up valuable time that could be spent with family and friends, just so they can work.

Samantalang tayo, we now have the luxury of skipping that mentally and physically draining experience. 

We can choose whatever we want to wear to work. Heck, we can even afford to sh*t in our toilets while being in a meeting. 

Aminin mo, ! Haha

We don't have to wake up before the break of dawn to beat the EDSA parking lot. We wake up when we want, without an alarm clock. The luxury of controlling our environment is a privilege talaga.

Yet despite these advantages, how often do we still fail to value them fully? 

Zoom meeting na nga lang tha takes 1 minute to open, na-lalate ka pa din?!

Webinar training that has the potential to change our life, hingi agad ng recording that you’re never ever going to watch?!

Complaining how hard it is to make at least six figures (or whatever your dream income is) pero you still can’t take the time to reach out to your prospects FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME?! 

Teka lang, bakit ba ako galit? 

Actually hindi naman hehe, just got carried away. I also forget sometimes pero I'm reminding myself too. I also just wanted you to cherish this incredible opportunity you've been given, .

What matters most is the freedom and flexibility to focus on what really counts – productivity, work-life balance, and appreciating each moment we get to spend with our loved ones.  

Kaya next time you have a Zoom call, let's make that conscious choice to be present, on time, and grateful for this remarkable chance to work remotely. 

It's a gift, and one that we're truly fortunate to experience.

Keep crushing your week, ya lucky dawg you. ^_^

Shoden

ps. oh yeah, you want to know which kind of skill would make working from home (or anywhere) really convenient? Reply "ANO?!" and enough replies will unlock the answer in my next email

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