Upwork: The Good, The Ugh, and The Awful

If you’ve been following my previous posts, you’d know that it’s been several months since I started to work (again) remotely through clients I met on Upwork. I previously used Upwork back when it was still known as oDesk and back then I had a pretty good experience. I was able to craft unique articles that my client ordered for with a fixed amount upfront. Back then, if you were a freelancer, your employer would have to pay your fee and the oDesk processing fee (which wasn’t much at the time)–so it was a pretty good working situation. But hoooobooooy–lemme tell you, if you’re still hoping that’s the case now, you’d be sadly mistaken.

I decided to really give Upwork several months before forming an opinion. So since it’s been months, I like to think that’s more than enough time to form pretty solid impressions about working as a freelance writer using Upwork as a platform.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

Toddlers and Gadgets: Embracing the New

Before I had my daughter, mobile devices and other gadgets suddenly had an upsurge in development. Activities that used to be attached to a full on computer or a laptop was suddenly available in the palms of our hands. Games, research, and even work! It looked like a real godsend.

Then, of course, came the issue that most parents worry about: kids being addicted to their gadgets. In a blink of an eye, these godsends became the enemy of every parent out there. That somehow, there was very little in terms of positives and a truckload of negatives about the use of gadgets.

When I was pregnant, I spent a lot of time wondering if it was all as awful as others made it sound.

Why I’m Choosing to Freelance Instead of a New Nine-to-Five

To be honest, when I first heard of the concept of Online Freelancing, I wasn’t the biggest fan. So many questions popped up: Is it stable? Who are you going to work for? Where do you get projects? How are you going to get paid? These concerns are still very true to this day.

I tried my hand at a freelance writing project around six years ago. I wrote 5 very short articles for $7.  It was quick, painless, and opened up an avenue to a new world. Unfortunately, my circumstances at the time took me away from freelancing and I focused on what I believed to be a more-stable source of my income.

Yet, every now and then, I would peek at my oDesk (now known as Upwork) profile and sift through the projects that people offered to me–all of which, I turned down. I knew that there was something about the idea of freelance writing that appealed to me and beckoned at my heartstrings.

What was it about working freelance that just seemed so seductive? .

Sincere and Selfish

Lately, I had been thinking about relationships and what people do when they do something to offend their significant other. When I was kid, I never really had anyone around me who was big on apologies. I never really saw gestures that acknowledge fault. What I did see was a whole bunch of people pass the blame or simply ignore each other until the problem went away.

Great example for a kid, eh? In case it doesn’t translate properly, I’m being sarcastic. So I grew up with that terrible habit and my several strings of online relationships didn’t really help break me out of it either. I got to meet great people, yes, but whenever I would have a disagreement with someone I was dating, it was so easy to just log off and/or worse: block them and look for someone else.

Anyway, on the idea of apologies, I noticed that a lot of people now use their social media to do their “apologies”. High five if you’ve ever seen a “I love you. I don’t know how to make it up to you but I will try. Please forgive me.” pass through your social media news feed. A lot of people would usually think that it was a sweet gesture. But when you look at it, like really look at it, is it really?

Make or Break: Baby Edition

Relationships will always be complicated. You will have good times and hard times. You may manage to pull together or you may not. Should you be able to, well–yay! Finding a good groove is always important when two people are together. However, it is important to remember that when it’s been smooth sailing for you, life is bound to throw a monkey wrench into things. Sometimes, it turns out to be a baby shaped monkey wrench! When a baby (particularly your own) is in your life, things will get stressful.

Tempers will clash. Patience will be in short supply. Priorities shall shift.

It is true that many things can test the solidarity of a couple. Yet, there is nothing quite like having to care for a child that will bring out the best and worst in you.