Jakarta commuters are probably some of the bravest and most patient in the world, thanks to their daily practice of spending hours on the road, dealing with the city's chaotic traffic jams and poor public transportation in their commitment to their jobs.

The lucky -- and probably smarter -- ones, though, have the privilege to stay at home (or basically anywhere they feel like) and make a living stress-free from the capital's hustle and bustle.

Freelancing

"Forget the office. As long as there is an Internet connection, I can work from anywhere," said travel writer Trinity, who has been freelancing since 2008.

The ultimate freedom of setting your own working hours, not having to dress up for work or commute to the office are just a few of the things that freelancers like Trinity can boast about to their office-based colleagues.

"Even during a recent trip around the world for a year, I was able to get work done on the road," Trinity said, adding that she would soon be publishing a book about her travels.

But hold your horses. There are a few things to consider before deciding to bid farewell to your present career.

The whole ultimate-freedom thing, no matter how tempting it sounds, is not suited to everyone.

"I have a friend who was inspired by what I was doing and so she decided to leave her current job. But later on, she got bored because freelance work just didn't suit her," Trinity said.

Developing (and maintaining) the self-discipline and motivation to stick to your chosen working hours; working through to-do lists and meeting the deadlines that you have set; the uncertainty of hoping you get the projects you want and make the money you need, and the absence of having co-workers around to support you are just some of the things that freelancers have to deal with.

"The hardest thing for me is dealing with the fact that not one of this country's insurance companies offers outpatient insurance. That is why I always ask for generic drugs when I see a doctor," she said.

To ensure a bright future, in spite of all the uncertainties, Trinity suggests first-time freelancers should look ahead and set a detailed five-year plan.

"It was a tip given me by one of my lecturers. My plan began when I resigned from work and it includes things like how much money I need to earn, my monthly expenses, which projects I will run, and when I need my income to clear in my bank account. You really need to write down all these little details. You can't be a freelancer just for the sake of the freedom," Trinity explained.

Knowing your own personal SWOT (strenghts, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) is really important as well.

"Before I resigned from my 9-to-5 job, I started blogging and that has generated quite an income. So with that, I knew what I wanted to do, what my strengths were and what I could sell," she said.

Consistently promoting yourself to the world and possessing networking skills are also important for freelancers.

Flexible working hours and office

If both working a 9-to-5 job and freelancing sounds unappealing to you, then you might want to consider working for a company like the Intel Corporation.

The US-based silicon company is one of those open-minded firms that allows its more than 100,000 employees around the world - including Indonesia - enjoy a convenient and flexible work routine.

"As long as we are connected to the Internet, we can work anywhere -- whether it's sending corporate emails or undertaking conference calls with headquarters. I have worked like this with Intel for the past five years," said the company's public relations head Dhyoti Rororasmi Basuki who usually work at home twice a week.

The company's flexible work culture basically allows employees to propose their preferable working hours according to their needs and responsibilities.

Dhyoti, for example, is a morning person and normally arrives at the office at 7.15 a.m., going home around 3 p.m. -- in time to prepare dinner for her husband.

"This working style is the most convenient for me because I don't have to commute to and from work every day but I'm still able to make business conference calls at home, which usually start early in the morning or after 6 p.m. in the evening. The key here is to manage your time effectively and make yourself comfortable," Dhyoti said.

More productive, creative and -- most importantly -- happy, were some of the things that Dhyoti described as a result of her flexible working hours.

"Flexibility like this is a priceless privilege, especially for working mothers. Many of my colleagues can happily spend more time with their children by taking them to school and picking them up again afterward," she added.

Trusting its employees to decide when and how they want to get their work done has also proven to be beneficial for Intel.

"As long as the individual possesses positive attributes, such as being proactive, self-motivated and full of integrity, and is supported by a targeted work culture, then a flexible work style -- as the opposite of an outside-work lifestyle -- can work," said Intel marketing director Hermawan Sutanto.

"Just like Dhyoti, another one of my team members also has a more productive work style by coming to the office only twice a week and spending the other days working from a coffee shop near his house. And the results for the company? Our marketing team has received several internal company awards due to our accomplishments and best practices," Hermawan added.

In short, happy employees really do make happy companies.

And if more companies show themselves willing to embrace this kind of working style, then maybe, just maybe, there will be fewer commuters on Jakarta's chaotic streets, with less need to bravely and patiently practice the art of spending hours on the road.

This article is written exclusively for online version by The Jakarta Post Digital team.

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