Freelancers step out of the office comfort zone

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

When most of the city is just beginning to stir, Arya Arland is dressed and starting off on a 90-minute morning commute from his North Jakarta home to his office in Kemang, South Jakarta.

The grind is taking its toll.

"It really wears me out because I often have to work late to meet deadlines or have client meetings, even though I get up early every morning," said the 28-year-old public relations employee.

He is considering becoming a freelancer or setting up his own business, yet he realizes it would be a big step to take.

"But I don't know... That means I have to be ready to let go of my steady paycheck. And establishing a business needs a lot of money, too," Arya said.

In a perfect world, we would all have trust funds to live off, and never have to think about the drudgery of a 9-5 existence, if those set working hours really do still exist.

Many of us are sapped of energy even before we arrive at the office, stuck in increasingly bad traffic jams and dealing with substandard public transportation.

For some, becoming a "collarless" worker -- freelancing -- is the best option.

"I chose to be a freelancer because I want to be more flexible," said Kiki Moechtar, who left her job in an architecture firm three years ago.

"I don't want to be left out if there are some cool events occurring in normal office hours," laughed the 30 year old, who mostly does graphic design work.

Keeping her own hours has allowed her to pursue her interest in short filmmaking; she is the co-founder of minikino, a venue for regular screening and discussion of short films in Denpasar and Jakarta.

Arif Setyoso, 29, had a secure position and pretty good paycheck working at the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) for two years.

He gave it up earlier this year to pursue his real passion -- singing.

"Basically, I don't like a desk job with its tight schedule and doing overtime to impress clients," said Arif, who regularly performs at a cafe in Kemang and also teaches at a music school.

For many, it's tough stepping out of their comfort zone of a regular paycheck and going into the great unknown of freelancing, while also having to deal with the skeptical reactions of family and friends.

"I had to go through a lot of auditions and my income was unstable," admitted Arif, a graduate of University of Indonesia's computer school.

"I can have lots of money in one month, but be penniless the next. I have to work hard to look for jobs."

At one stage, he returned to work at a PR company.

"During those three months, I continued to expand my network and soon enough the offers for performing started to come again."

Earnings can be as good if not better than a regular job, but freelancers have to be self-motivated, with no supervisor on hand to push them to meet targets.

Chris, 39, is thinking of returning to an office job after working as a freelance journalist for almost six years.

"Yes, by going freelance, we have more freedom. But we have to be diligent and full of initiative. That's what I find difficult -- I'm often lazy. I feel that I haven't been really productive."

During his time as a freelancer, Chris has sometimes worked on a full-time basis for one to three-month periods, and has realized that he is better suited to working in a team than on his own.

Another consideration for him are the incidental expenses, such as healthcare, which offices cover but which he must now take care of by himself.

For Kiki, Arif and Chris, all of whom are single, dealing with the drawbacks of freelancing was an individual risk. Others have to consider their families' welfare.

Ismail, 30, ended his freelance copywriting job several months ago to join an advertising agency after he got married.

"I need a steady paycheck. If it takes me being a slave for the capitalists, yeah well.." he laughed.

"In a time of crisis, which has yet to end, people still decide on certainty," said economist Djisman Simanjuntak, an executive director of Prasetya Mulya Business School.

But Arif is one who firmly believes that more people will follow their heart.

"I see that people now are bolder in pursuing their passion. People who formerly did their real passion as a side job are starting to see that they can actually earn a living from it."