Yo WFUN Nation!

Grabe, ang bilis ng panahon — 37 days na lang, tapos na ang 2024!

Ganto ka rin ba tuwing November, ?

napre-pressure, nag-aalala, nababagabag? 

That’s mostly all of us. Hehe

Pero kidding aside, this time of year always sneaks up behind our back. A couple weeks na lang, and it's the holidays na, tapos our schedules are starting to get crazy na. 

Hello reunions, weddings, christmas parties, traffic, airport madness, and jet lag.

Travelling abroad during the holidays is simply asking for a migraine. ugh

Hello rin sa panic at existential crisis na may isa na namang taon we didn’t get to take control of. 😅

Most people wait until January to think about goals and growth. Pero alam mo bang the next FIVE weeks can still be a game-changer if you use them well?

So let’s use this age-old phenomenon: 

businesses naturally slow down from November to New Year’s. And for freelancers like us, madalas ito ang typical reply ng prospects:

• “Let’s regroup after the holidays.”
• “Get back to me in January.”

Nakaka-frustrate if you’re looking for money now, pero it’s also an opportunity. Think about it: it’s a season that gives us the chance to pause and reflect. 

Like a built-in recovery period for our minds and bodies.

So, instead of brute force prospecting for new leads and shooting for closed deals, let’s go with the natural flow of the season and do this instead:

Reinforce your existing business relationships.

Warm holiday greetings to clients — basta no pitches — can go a long way.

Mas authentic, mas meaningful. Take a page from top freelancers who

maximize this time by even sending their existing clients gifts and goodies

from across the ocean.

Do a self audit

Hindi lang puro work. Think about personal growth as well. Ask yourself: Ano

yung mga loose ends na pwede mong i-tie up before the year ends? What routines or patterns have been working (or not working) for you? You can start reflecting on them na.

For me, it’s boiled down to getting a good nights rest. Pagna-sira tulog ko, my schedule is messed up the whole week agad, kasi it takes several days to correct. So I’m finding ways to improve my sleep cycle kasi it regulates my energy din throughout the day.

Upskill and prepare

The digital world is changing fast all around us, mas ridiculous pa lalo ang pace with AI. Use this slower period to sharpen your skills or invest in tools and training.

There are a lot of awesome discounts on courses by your favorite mentors or even lifetime deals on software that you can take advantage of with BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) and sa holidays mismo.

Para by January, you’re ready to hit the ground running uli.

It’s easy for us to feel like we’re slacking off kung walang ginagawa, but this isn’t about being tamad or giving up. 

It’s about working smarter. Kasi let’s be real: Hustling like a crazy person this time of year will likely only lead to hitting a wall. The best quality and premium leads take a longer time to convert since mas marami touch points needed for them.

And starting at a time when they’re not receptive to pitches will only hurt your chances. ( Trust me, I tried dati. Crashed and burned. )

So why not sabayan mo na lang din ng pahinga?

Resting doesn't make you a failure. In fact, just like rejection, it’s part of success. People who don’t rest burnout faster and are unable to stay in the game long enough to achieve success. 

So this season, instead of grinding endlessly, what if you just be? No pressure, no burnout. Just you.

Take the time to reflect, reconsider, and recharge. 

Reconnect with your loved ones, reaffirm your goals, and don't be afraid to redefine yourself if you need to. 

I'm commanding you (nuks) to really, really enjoy the holidays! 

Your wins are just around the corner, .

Strategically resting,  

Shoden

P.S. Am kinda hesitant to release another Black Friday deals list this year, because baka ma-stress na naman kayo lol. However, I've gotten several messages asking for my recommendations for freelancers this year. Reply "LIST" to this email so I know you want one too, and kung enough yung demand, gagawa ako hehe.

🎉 Pst. Don't Keep Me A Secret. I know you liked this email, so Refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends na gedemet! (kung naisahan ka dun sa mga pranks ko in some of my emails and gusto mo ng kadamay, share mo na!)

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