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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Working in the Gig Economy summary
Thomas Oppong
How to Thrive and Succeed When You Choose to Work for Yourself
25 mins
Table of Contents
Working in the Gig Economy
summarized in 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
Empowered by technology, more people are choosing flexible self-employment over full-time jobs.
A lot of us grew up with the same idea of what a successful career path looks like. First, you go to college, and then you get a well-paying, stable job. This path is still popular today. But the world of work is changing, and this creates countless new opportunities.
The key to this change is technology. It has killed off some professions, sure, but it has also brought about completely new ones. People on opposite sides of the world can now collaborate quickly and easily. Our attitudes toward work have also changed. Increasingly, people want jobs that give them more time and greater personal freedoms.
All this change is pushing millions of people into the gig economy.
The key message here is: Empowered by technology, more people are choosing flexible self-employment over full-time jobs.
In the gig economy, people ditch the idea of working nine-to-five for one employer. Instead, they freelance. Their income comes from multiple short-term projects called gigs.
Thanks to the Internet, workers in the gig economy can find projects at the click of a button. All they need to do is use online platforms such as Upwork, TaskRabbit, or AngelList. These websites are full of opportunities in various fields, and the projects are open to anyone with the right skills.
So finding work is now much simpler. It’s no surprise, then, that the gig economy has grown in popularity. The recruitment platform Indeed ran a survey across the world’s leading economies. It showed that, between 2013 and 2015, interest in flexible work nearly doubled in three-quarters of the countries surveyed. And according to research firm McKinsey Global Institute, 5 million people in the United Kingdom were working in the gig economy in 2016.
For these millions in the UK, and many more the world over, the gig economy offers perks that are hard to beat.
Not confined to strict hours or a fixed office location, they can work at any time and from anywhere – whether it’s a coffee shop, an exotic destination, or simply their own home. This freedom means more time for things like family and personal interests. People who work in the gig economy are more satisfied with their jobs.
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What is Working in the Gig Economy about?
Working in the Gig Economy (2018) is a practical guide to the competitive world of self-employment. How do you learn to enjoy the freedom of self-employment, and how do you make sure you don’t fall into the traps of burnout and disappointed clients? Thomas Oppong lays out the most effective ways to succeed in the gig economy.
Best quote from Working in the Gig Economy
With the right attitude, perseverance and focus, youll be up and running in no time.
—Thomas Oppong
Who should read Working in the Gig Economy?
- People who are thinking about going freelance
- Freelancers and independent contractors who feel stuck in a rut
- Anyone interested in the future of work
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