The world has changed. With enhanced quarantines and lockdowns being imposed on countries and cities, businesses have suffered left and right. Offices have been shut down and everything deemed non-essential are not allowed to open.
Employees and business owners are suffering. In the Philippines, bills continue to pile up with only an extension for a month on bills payment being given. This means that people are still expected to pay their bills even though for most, there has been no income for a month now.
This brings us to the question: how can businesses digitize their system? How can they survive this quarantine especially if it will be extended? How will business owners earn? How will employees continue to have jobs? What can businesses do to thrive in a day and age where they are forced to stay at home?
For the businesses that can afford a work from home set up, here are some things that you can do to ensure that you transition from an office set up to remote work.
1. Have a digital copy of all pertinent documents.
Scan everything of importance and have a copy on your encrypted emails, Google Drive or Cloud, as well as a copy on your laptop.
2. Have an organized digital filing system that will make it easy for people who may need access to look for a certain file.
3. Have a naming system in place for all your documents. This will ensure that things won't get lost in the turnover from hard copies to digital.
4. Pick a tracking system that works for you and your team. Some of the potential choices can be Monday.com or Trello. If you are in digital marketing or social media, Hootsuite is also an alternative.
This is where you can track what your team is doing assigned tasks, progress reports, et al. Basically, this tracking app should be something that can easily tell you what your team members are doing and their progress at a glance.
5. Pick a communication system that will ensure you can stay in touch with your team. I discourage Facebook Messenger because it can easily be a source of distraction. Slack can be something that you can look into.
6. Have a full-time social media person. Since you have now gone digital, you need to ensure that communication lines between you and your clients or customers are always manned. If you are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, et al, there should always be someone disseminating information, sharing promotions, and answering questions during office hours at the very least.
7. Set rules. Test the waters. Be flexible to see what works for you and your team but have a few that are non-negotiable such as no attending of virtual meetings while wearing pajamas.
8. If you have products that need to be delivered, find a way to do so without risking your employees' health and life.
9. Digitize every department's processes that can be digitized. Payroll should be one of the obvious choices. You can use either Paymaya or GCash for this to limit outside movements.
10. Set a time and follow that new office schedule. Just because it's a work from home does not mean that you or your employees will work from the time you woke up till you sleep.
11. Maintain professionalism especially when corresponding with coworkers and clients. Since you are working from home, it's possible that you will be in a more relaxed mode and this could trickle down to clients and customers inquiring about something. Remember, the keyword is WORK and not HOME with the phrase work from home.
12. If all these tips seem overwhelming to you and you don't know how or where to start, hire a professional team that can help you digitize your business. Roxas-Ylaya Digital Services offer this kind of service at a reasonable rate and can help with the transition from office to digital to be seamless. You may send them a private message on their Facebook Page to get started.
No matter what happens, we all need to remember that the only constant thing in this world is CHANGE and if we fail to go with the tide, we could easily lose what we have. When it's sink or swim, I hope that we all swim and if we don't know how to, then now is the best time to learn.
Learn how to digitize your business before your competition does.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Saturday, March 21, 2020
ONE Championship confirms 4 Singapore shows
USE CODE MSKATHYKENNY for 10% OFF WHEN YOU BUY FROM THE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP SHOP
Starting April 17 through May 8, 2020, ONE Championship has lined up four events with inspirational show titles to lift the spirits of martial arts fans worldwide and provide the same outstanding entertainment. 'Hope', Strength', 'Dreams' and ‘Inspiration’ will be held on April 17, 24, May 1 and 8, respectively, behind closed doors but will be live streamed to be accessed for free by a global audience.
ONE Championship successfully experimented with behind-closed-doors fights at Singapore’s Indoor Stadium last February when the Coronavirus was just beginning to raise major concerns. Most sports organizations like Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the English Premier League (EPL), among others, stopped action altogether as the harsh reality of the pandemic began to hit home. Conversely, ONE Championship found a way to see more action and provide martial arts fans something to look forward to during these bleak times.
ONE Championship was business-as-usual on February 28 as ONE: ‘King of the Jungle’ took place in its new no-live-audience format. Although no one knew quite what to expect that night, the result was an absolute sizzler that saw Janet Todd wrench the ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title away from young superstar Stamp Fairtex in the main event. Tiffany Teo also defeated Japanese star Ayaka Miura via unanimous decision and 23-year-old Filipino striker Denice Zamboanga earned herself a shot at Angela Lee’s Atomweight strap with a glorious decision victory over veteran Mei Yamaguchi.
What’s next? Perhaps a Todd-Fairtex trilogy in the near future. Tiffany Teo getting a crack at Xiong Jingnan’s Strawweight Title soon. A Denice Zamboanga-Angela Lee fight somewhere down the line. Those are possible forward scenarios ONE could pursue.
What the February event showed is that a stadium crowd is not necessary to create fireworks. Thanks to the ONE App, millions can still watch the action from the comfort of their homes for free, no matter what part of the world they are in.
Singapore will host four more shows using the same format to enable the sport to continue and provide a sense of normalcy and positivity in the face of the seriously challenging circumstances.
Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO expressed gratitude to the Lion City for being ONE Championship’s home and for allowing ONE to create jobs and opportunities despite COVID-19. "COVID-19 is an excellent example of how great Singapore is. It is literally leading the entire world in the containment of the virus through process, policy, vigilance, execution, and transparency. With so much uncertainty surrounding the global economy during the pandemic, it’s good to see that ONE can continue to create jobs and opportunities.”
Besides non-stop fights, ONE has one more positive up its sleeve. The announcement that “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” is happening in Asia in the second half of 2020 created a sea of social media buzz with candidates flooding in from around the world to vie for “the ultimate prize of a once-in-a-lifetime US$250,000 job under the mentorship of Sityodtong”.
While COVID-19 has forced many companies to restructure, Sityodtong is determined to champion a bright future for “16 of the best contestants from around the globe” who will join the "high-stakes game of mind, body, and spirit for the greatest job in the world." Sityodtong has suggested he wants to include a martial arts star in the group, upping the entertainment factor of the show even further.
Fans can now follow Chatri Sityodtong on his new Facebook page for "different personal content such as live streams and videos about entrepreneurship, martial arts, life, love, and anything else you want to hear”. “I will also be giving away VIP tickets and other free ONE Championship goodies, " Sityodtong added.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Ways to Stay Safe at Home during the Covid 19 Pandemic
Now that we are all going through the fight with Covid 19, we need to fortify our homes. We need to ensure that the bacteria will not live long enough to spread in our home to avoid infecting our loved ones.
But, how do we do that?
1. Do not bring in shoes that you used outside. If you are still going out and about, make sure that you only use one pair of shoes and that those shoes get disinfected outside the home, preferably under the heat of the sun to help kill off any bacteria that may have attached to the soles of your shoes.
2. If you came from outside, do not touch the door, railings, or anything. Go straight to the bathroom and take a nice, long, warm bath. Make sure to scrub and wash thoroughly.
3. Practice social distancing for the first two hours. Do not kiss, hug, or hold hands with anyone in your household. This should help ensure that any leftover bacteria will be gone by the time you actually hold a loved one.
4. Sanitize daily. Clean your home every day and make sure to disinfect areas that are constantly used.
5. Wash your hands. This cannot be said enough times.
6. Wear a mask if you are sneezing or coughing a lot. This helps to protect the people at your home and keep the virus from spreading.
7. Always stay connected and set up personal notifications. Stay tuned to official channels of information. You can follow along on TV or radio and can easily set up notifications for important social media accounts such as the Department of Health (@DOHgovph on Twitter) or news sites. You can even set up Google Alerts to monitor for updates about COVID-19 around the internet.
But, how do we do that?
1. Do not bring in shoes that you used outside. If you are still going out and about, make sure that you only use one pair of shoes and that those shoes get disinfected outside the home, preferably under the heat of the sun to help kill off any bacteria that may have attached to the soles of your shoes.
2. If you came from outside, do not touch the door, railings, or anything. Go straight to the bathroom and take a nice, long, warm bath. Make sure to scrub and wash thoroughly.
3. Practice social distancing for the first two hours. Do not kiss, hug, or hold hands with anyone in your household. This should help ensure that any leftover bacteria will be gone by the time you actually hold a loved one.
4. Sanitize daily. Clean your home every day and make sure to disinfect areas that are constantly used.
5. Wash your hands. This cannot be said enough times.
6. Wear a mask if you are sneezing or coughing a lot. This helps to protect the people at your home and keep the virus from spreading.
7. Always stay connected and set up personal notifications. Stay tuned to official channels of information. You can follow along on TV or radio and can easily set up notifications for important social media accounts such as the Department of Health (@DOHgovph on Twitter) or news sites. You can even set up Google Alerts to monitor for updates about COVID-19 around the internet.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Ways to Stretch your Budget
We are now on enhanced community quarantine which means that people are not allowed to go out of their house and work. This is to flatten the curve when it comes to the Covid 19 virus.
One of the things that people these days worry about is how to make ends meet. For most people, it's a hand to mouth existence. For others, they live paycheck to paycheck. For a lot of people, it's no work, no pay. With the enhanced community quarantine where people are not allowed to go to work, making ends meet become a real thing.
Sadly, not everyone is being paid by their companies or given their 13th-month pay early. Others are freelancers who live from project to project.
I'm one of those people. I recently gave birth via C-section and this wiped out everything. We are just recovering from it and now, Covid 19 has affected our lives. My partner has stopped going to work because he is constantly exposed to the virus since he covers the news and he risks getting infected and thus, infecting us. Sadly, the newspaper he works for is not one of the generous ones. It's no work, no pay for him.
February was all about Taal Eruption wreaking havoc and this March, it's Covid 19.
So, how does an ordinary gal make ends meet?
1. Online work. If you have certain skills like writing, editing, photoshop, data entry, encoding, or transcribing skills, you can find work online. The pay may not be great but a little can go a long way.
I write for a living and there are so many sites such as Upwork or Fiverr that are constantly looking for people to do jobs online. Data entry is something everyone can do. If you have a good ear, you can also do transcription. If you can do photoshop, there are businesses that will pay you for editing services.
Here are 5 Tips for working from home for newbies.
2. Destash. Almost everyone I know has a stash at home of things that they have accumulated but no longer use. SELL IT. A lot of things at home that you no longer have use for can be sold because as they say, another man's trash is another person's treasure.
If you are keeping something out of memory or guilt, let it go. If it is no longer being used, take a photo so you can remember it and then sell it. Turn it into something that will make you profit so you can get something that you actually need or will use.
3. Shop your stash. Since we have so many things, the tendency to forget what we have is very high. Shopping your stash means making an inventory of what you have so that you know what you need to replenish and what you have in storage.
Our tendency is to keep buying what we think we don't have anymore, not realizing that we already have certain things and so it piles up. Shopping your stash lets you realize what you still have, what you have too much of, and what you need to use immediately so that it doesn't go to waste.
4. Cut down. If you use to drink 3 cups of coffee at home, make it 2 or 1 cup for now. This crisis will not last forever so for the meantime, learn to make ends meet and stretch the budget.
If you used to have meat 5x a week, cut down to 2x a week for now and eat more veggies or whichever is cheaper for the meantime. You can also learn how to cook ground pork in different ways since ground pork is cheaper compared to pork chop and can be cooked in multiple ways.
You can also lookup different ways to cook noodles, sardines, egg, and monggo or mung beans since those are cheaper and lasts longer.
5. Drink up. Sometimes, we think we are hungry when in reality, we are just bored, restless, or stressed. Instead of eating and consuming what needs to be preserved, drink water. It hydrates you and helps your digestive system. Win win situation.
Lastly, take advantage of all the extensions being given by the different companies. Do note that this is an extension and not bills being waived so it still needs to be paid.
Little things will go a long way so if there's anything that you can do to cut down consumption so you won't need to buy it, please do so. If you can swap ingredients to something of less cost, do so as well. We can survive this as long as we all help each other out.
Stay safe everyone.
One of the things that people these days worry about is how to make ends meet. For most people, it's a hand to mouth existence. For others, they live paycheck to paycheck. For a lot of people, it's no work, no pay. With the enhanced community quarantine where people are not allowed to go to work, making ends meet become a real thing.
Sadly, not everyone is being paid by their companies or given their 13th-month pay early. Others are freelancers who live from project to project.
I'm one of those people. I recently gave birth via C-section and this wiped out everything. We are just recovering from it and now, Covid 19 has affected our lives. My partner has stopped going to work because he is constantly exposed to the virus since he covers the news and he risks getting infected and thus, infecting us. Sadly, the newspaper he works for is not one of the generous ones. It's no work, no pay for him.
February was all about Taal Eruption wreaking havoc and this March, it's Covid 19.
So, how does an ordinary gal make ends meet?
1. Online work. If you have certain skills like writing, editing, photoshop, data entry, encoding, or transcribing skills, you can find work online. The pay may not be great but a little can go a long way.
I write for a living and there are so many sites such as Upwork or Fiverr that are constantly looking for people to do jobs online. Data entry is something everyone can do. If you have a good ear, you can also do transcription. If you can do photoshop, there are businesses that will pay you for editing services.
Here are 5 Tips for working from home for newbies.
2. Destash. Almost everyone I know has a stash at home of things that they have accumulated but no longer use. SELL IT. A lot of things at home that you no longer have use for can be sold because as they say, another man's trash is another person's treasure.
If you are keeping something out of memory or guilt, let it go. If it is no longer being used, take a photo so you can remember it and then sell it. Turn it into something that will make you profit so you can get something that you actually need or will use.
3. Shop your stash. Since we have so many things, the tendency to forget what we have is very high. Shopping your stash means making an inventory of what you have so that you know what you need to replenish and what you have in storage.
Our tendency is to keep buying what we think we don't have anymore, not realizing that we already have certain things and so it piles up. Shopping your stash lets you realize what you still have, what you have too much of, and what you need to use immediately so that it doesn't go to waste.
4. Cut down. If you use to drink 3 cups of coffee at home, make it 2 or 1 cup for now. This crisis will not last forever so for the meantime, learn to make ends meet and stretch the budget.
If you used to have meat 5x a week, cut down to 2x a week for now and eat more veggies or whichever is cheaper for the meantime. You can also learn how to cook ground pork in different ways since ground pork is cheaper compared to pork chop and can be cooked in multiple ways.
You can also lookup different ways to cook noodles, sardines, egg, and monggo or mung beans since those are cheaper and lasts longer.
5. Drink up. Sometimes, we think we are hungry when in reality, we are just bored, restless, or stressed. Instead of eating and consuming what needs to be preserved, drink water. It hydrates you and helps your digestive system. Win win situation.
Lastly, take advantage of all the extensions being given by the different companies. Do note that this is an extension and not bills being waived so it still needs to be paid.
Little things will go a long way so if there's anything that you can do to cut down consumption so you won't need to buy it, please do so. If you can swap ingredients to something of less cost, do so as well. We can survive this as long as we all help each other out.
Stay safe everyone.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
5 Tips for Working from Home for Newbies
It has finally happened. You are now allowed to work from home.
No more traffic.
No more having to wake up early.
No more dressing up.
You can watch Netflix while working.
You can work in your PJs.
You can spend more time with your partner or kids.
Or can you?
Is working from home really that simple?
Can you really work while working from home?
If this is the first time you are working from home, here are a few tips to help you actually WORK from home.
1. Pick a space where you will work and make that space sacred.
You might think that working at home means you can work in bed, in the toilet, or just about anywhere but if you want to be productive while working at home, you need to find a space that will get you in the right frame of mind to work.
Trust me on this. I tried working from my bed before and because I am in my bed, my mind wasn't working because it was programmed to be in relax mode, not work mode.
2. Cut down on the distraction.
Your cat, kids, partner, the neighbor, Netflix, Spotify, and whatnot are all distractions. It's worse than your office coworker who loves to chat because you can be formal and businesslike with your coworker to make them walk away but you can't do the same to your family, friends, or pet.
To make sure that you won't be distracted so much, establish that there are hours where you're "working" even if you are at home. This needs to be established to minimize wasted time.
Also, stay away from your phone.
3. Put up a sign.
If you will be on a conference call, video call, or one on one meeting, put up a sign. It could be that if you are wearing a visible headset, people at home shouldn't call you. If you have a certain item beside you, people shouldn't be shouting around you. Whatever it is, make sure that everyone knows that it means you need a bit of quiet time so that you can conduct business.
I make sure my cat Yang is in the bathroom when I have con calls or else, my teammates will end up looking at her during meetings because she loves to place herself in front of the camera if I don't lock her up.
4. Have your To-Do List.
It's so easy to get up, grab a coffee, have a chat, and what not when you're at home. Having a to-do list will remind you of what you need to accomplish for the day so it's important to have a reminder on your designated workspace.
5. Schedule your breaks.
This is important because if you don't, you will feel burnt out fast. Make sure that when you are on break, you are away from your designated workspace. Never eat in front of your laptop because you will end up working and then you won't be able to differentiate between working from home and just being at home.
There are still many more things you need to know but this is a good start to surviving working from home. If you can be truly productive in this scenario, then maybe you can use this as a case that you should be allowed to work from home in the future once the Covid 19 scare is over.
PS.
Make sure you have a strong internet connection. Connectivity is crucial if you want to work at home successfully. You will need to be as dependable as ever, with the ability to perform the tasks that you do in the office and communicate with your coworkers with ease. A slow connection is a productivity killer.
And because PLDT Home knows that many of its subscribers are going to stay at home in the next month, it’s rolling out another round of free speed boost for PLDT Home Fibr Plan subscribers 1299 and 1699 in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, and Cavite. From their usual 10mbps and 20mbps, they get to enjoy up to 25mbps of internet speed from March 15 to April 30.
While PLDT Home WiFi Prepaid users will continue to enjoy their favorite P199 prepaid pack double the data promo (from 12GB to 24GB) until April 30. If you don’t have a PLDT Home Prepaid WiFi yet, you can get a brand new one for only P995.
PLDT is your partner in maintaining your dependability. When your internet connection is strong, your coworkers will be able to count on you.
No more traffic.
No more having to wake up early.
No more dressing up.
You can watch Netflix while working.
You can work in your PJs.
You can spend more time with your partner or kids.
Or can you?
Is working from home really that simple?
Can you really work while working from home?
If this is the first time you are working from home, here are a few tips to help you actually WORK from home.
1. Pick a space where you will work and make that space sacred.
You might think that working at home means you can work in bed, in the toilet, or just about anywhere but if you want to be productive while working at home, you need to find a space that will get you in the right frame of mind to work.
Trust me on this. I tried working from my bed before and because I am in my bed, my mind wasn't working because it was programmed to be in relax mode, not work mode.
2. Cut down on the distraction.
Your cat, kids, partner, the neighbor, Netflix, Spotify, and whatnot are all distractions. It's worse than your office coworker who loves to chat because you can be formal and businesslike with your coworker to make them walk away but you can't do the same to your family, friends, or pet.
To make sure that you won't be distracted so much, establish that there are hours where you're "working" even if you are at home. This needs to be established to minimize wasted time.
Also, stay away from your phone.
3. Put up a sign.
If you will be on a conference call, video call, or one on one meeting, put up a sign. It could be that if you are wearing a visible headset, people at home shouldn't call you. If you have a certain item beside you, people shouldn't be shouting around you. Whatever it is, make sure that everyone knows that it means you need a bit of quiet time so that you can conduct business.
I make sure my cat Yang is in the bathroom when I have con calls or else, my teammates will end up looking at her during meetings because she loves to place herself in front of the camera if I don't lock her up.
4. Have your To-Do List.
It's so easy to get up, grab a coffee, have a chat, and what not when you're at home. Having a to-do list will remind you of what you need to accomplish for the day so it's important to have a reminder on your designated workspace.
5. Schedule your breaks.
This is important because if you don't, you will feel burnt out fast. Make sure that when you are on break, you are away from your designated workspace. Never eat in front of your laptop because you will end up working and then you won't be able to differentiate between working from home and just being at home.
There are still many more things you need to know but this is a good start to surviving working from home. If you can be truly productive in this scenario, then maybe you can use this as a case that you should be allowed to work from home in the future once the Covid 19 scare is over.
PS.
Make sure you have a strong internet connection. Connectivity is crucial if you want to work at home successfully. You will need to be as dependable as ever, with the ability to perform the tasks that you do in the office and communicate with your coworkers with ease. A slow connection is a productivity killer.
And because PLDT Home knows that many of its subscribers are going to stay at home in the next month, it’s rolling out another round of free speed boost for PLDT Home Fibr Plan subscribers 1299 and 1699 in Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, and Cavite. From their usual 10mbps and 20mbps, they get to enjoy up to 25mbps of internet speed from March 15 to April 30.
While PLDT Home WiFi Prepaid users will continue to enjoy their favorite P199 prepaid pack double the data promo (from 12GB to 24GB) until April 30. If you don’t have a PLDT Home Prepaid WiFi yet, you can get a brand new one for only P995.
PLDT is your partner in maintaining your dependability. When your internet connection is strong, your coworkers will be able to count on you.
Monday, March 16, 2020
Ways to Help while in Quarantine
We've talked about lessons learned, how to fight it, and what to do during this whole COVID 19 outbreak.
Let's talk about ways we can help now while we are currently on community quarantine or lockdown.
1. Share your stash.
If you have spare face masks, gloves, alcohol, soap, or sanitizers, share it with those who don't. This is not the time to think of profit. Be human. Act like one. Think like one.
2. Donate.
If you have the means to donate, please do so. Donate to legitimate organizations so that they can do their part in helping out hospitals and the government to combat this virus.
3. Check your info.
The worst thing that you can do is to share fake news and spread fear-mongering. People easily panic at times like this so make sure that the information you share will be relevant, authentic, validated, and not fabricated.
4. Volunteer.
For those who are already used to working from home or work on social media, volunteer to share knowledge and information. This is the best time to use Facebook LIVE, YouTube videos, or even TikTok to share tips, tricks, and hacks on how to make working from home actually work.
For social media people, this is also the best time to share your skills and show the world what you can do.
5. STAY AT HOME.
The best help that you can give to the world is not becoming infected. Unless you really need to go out, don't. Save yourself and save the world.
I hope that helps give you an idea of how you can help spread some positivity and light in this day and age of darkness and fear.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
10 Things to do during the Community Quarantine
The quarantine is set to start tomorrow. Metro Manila will be on lockdown starting 15th of March 2020. There will also be a curfew from 8pm to 5am implemented to ensure that no one will be out late at night when not needed.
Classes are suspended which means kids will be staying home. Though they have homework and e-classes in place, the fact that kids will be home will mean a lot of free time for them.
There are also companies that have decided to cancel work for the one month quarantine and lockdown. This guarantees restlessness and boredom for a lot of people.
So, I've decided to share a few things that you can do while you're currently forced to stay home.
1. Declutter.
One month should be enough for you to be able to finally do that spring cleaning or decluttering that you have been putting off. Since there's no school or work for a lot of people, it's time to sort things and get rid of things you no longer use, like, or want.
Here's a manual I made to help you out. This should guide you to be able to tackle things one at a time and not feel overwhelmed.
2. Sort those digital files.
If you're like the average joe, chances are you have digital photos, files, mp3s, and movies downloaded that are begging to be sorted. Do a digital declutter as well and get things in order.
3. Movie nights.
This is the perfect time to catch up o bonding with your kids while enjoying your Netflix subscription. You can take this as an opportunity to get to know your kids' tastes, your partner, and share your own. You can watch something that your kid wants on weekends and something that you want them to watch on weekdays.
You can educate your kids by letting them watch movies like Jose Rizal or just have fun with them over movies like UP.
4. Board games.
A lot of kids nowadays don't know how to play chess, scrabble, mastermind, and the like. This is the perfect time to get them introduced to these games. It would make for fun nights and a great alternative to movie nights.
5. Be creative.
For those who have journals, scrapbooks, coloring books, diamond paintings, and cross-stitch materials, this is the time to bring them out and start working on them again. Stress will affect your immune system so you need to find things to do that will alleviate your stress.
You can also do TikTok (nothing dangerous) or YouTube videos. What matters is that you have clean fun with your family.
6. Introduce new things.
You can learn a new word a day, new songs, or dance moves with each other. This is a time to reconnect with family and what better way than by discovering new things together.
7. Read.
Books are a great source of fun, knowledge, and imagination. This is the perfect time to read an catch up on all the wonderful books that have been waiting for you to discover them.
8. Garden.
For those who have a green thumb, plant and grow your own garden at home. You can start with basics like bell pepper, basil, and those that are easy to grow.
9. Learn how to cook.
One of the things that a lot of teenagers no longer know how to do is to cook. This quarantine should be the perfect time for parents to teach their kids basic things like frying eggs and chicken, how to use a rice cooker, how to bake cookies, and the like.
10. Talk.
We are all connected through social media. Now that people are forced to stay together and not connect with others, this is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with families.
Talk to each other. Get to know one another once more. Find out what is happening in their lives beyond the Facebook status, IG filters, and random tweets. Use this time to reconnect with the people who truly matter.
Let us all try to see the good in things that are happening. This is the only way we will survive this intact and still standing.
Classes are suspended which means kids will be staying home. Though they have homework and e-classes in place, the fact that kids will be home will mean a lot of free time for them.
There are also companies that have decided to cancel work for the one month quarantine and lockdown. This guarantees restlessness and boredom for a lot of people.
So, I've decided to share a few things that you can do while you're currently forced to stay home.
1. Declutter.
One month should be enough for you to be able to finally do that spring cleaning or decluttering that you have been putting off. Since there's no school or work for a lot of people, it's time to sort things and get rid of things you no longer use, like, or want.
Here's a manual I made to help you out. This should guide you to be able to tackle things one at a time and not feel overwhelmed.
2. Sort those digital files.
If you're like the average joe, chances are you have digital photos, files, mp3s, and movies downloaded that are begging to be sorted. Do a digital declutter as well and get things in order.
3. Movie nights.
This is the perfect time to catch up o bonding with your kids while enjoying your Netflix subscription. You can take this as an opportunity to get to know your kids' tastes, your partner, and share your own. You can watch something that your kid wants on weekends and something that you want them to watch on weekdays.
You can educate your kids by letting them watch movies like Jose Rizal or just have fun with them over movies like UP.
4. Board games.
A lot of kids nowadays don't know how to play chess, scrabble, mastermind, and the like. This is the perfect time to get them introduced to these games. It would make for fun nights and a great alternative to movie nights.
5. Be creative.
For those who have journals, scrapbooks, coloring books, diamond paintings, and cross-stitch materials, this is the time to bring them out and start working on them again. Stress will affect your immune system so you need to find things to do that will alleviate your stress.
You can also do TikTok (nothing dangerous) or YouTube videos. What matters is that you have clean fun with your family.
6. Introduce new things.
You can learn a new word a day, new songs, or dance moves with each other. This is a time to reconnect with family and what better way than by discovering new things together.
7. Read.
Books are a great source of fun, knowledge, and imagination. This is the perfect time to read an catch up on all the wonderful books that have been waiting for you to discover them.
8. Garden.
For those who have a green thumb, plant and grow your own garden at home. You can start with basics like bell pepper, basil, and those that are easy to grow.
9. Learn how to cook.
One of the things that a lot of teenagers no longer know how to do is to cook. This quarantine should be the perfect time for parents to teach their kids basic things like frying eggs and chicken, how to use a rice cooker, how to bake cookies, and the like.
10. Talk.
We are all connected through social media. Now that people are forced to stay together and not connect with others, this is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with families.
Talk to each other. Get to know one another once more. Find out what is happening in their lives beyond the Facebook status, IG filters, and random tweets. Use this time to reconnect with the people who truly matter.
Let us all try to see the good in things that are happening. This is the only way we will survive this intact and still standing.
How to Fight CoVid 19
It's here. We can't do anything about it because it has finally hit our country. We can panic but really, what good will it do us to panic? NONE.
So, let's just come up with ways we can fight this pandemic and survive it. Hopefully, it goes away just as quickly as it came.
1. Handwashing.
This needs to be repeated over and over again. No amount of sanitizers, alcohol, wet wipes, or toilet paper can compare to the value of proper handwashing. In our family, we use Safeguard as our soap. There's just something about it that makes me feel safer when I use it. Perhaps because it is the same soap that I've been using since I was a kid.
2. Declutter.
You may ask why I suggested decluttering as a way to fight off CoVid 19. You see, when there are too many clutter, stuff, and what not lying around, it becomes a breeding ground for dirt, dust, and viruses.
A clean space will not accumulate dirt and dust, therefore, viruses have less spots to breed and live on.
3. Good Hygiene.
Handwashing is not enough. We all need to practice good hygiene as well.
Cough into your elbow, not hand. Wash after using the toilet. Clean after yourself. Throw away garbage in the bin, not just anywhere. These are things that have been taught to us when we were little so its best to remember these valuable lessons.
4. Bask in the sun.
It has been said that the virus has a shorter life span when exposed to sunlight so make sure you bask in some Vitamin D and let the sun in your home to help kill any potential virus.
5. Multivitamins.
Increase your intake of Vitamin C or get a multivitamin that's complete from A to Z. It's best to be prepared especially if you are constantly exposed to others and have a baby at home or a senior citizen. Remember that though you may be healthy, if you affect someone who has a weak immune system, you put them at risk.
You can also take in Life Enzyme to ensure that you detoxify from within.
6. Eat your veggies and fruits.
The other day, I was at the grocery store and saw that there was barely any hotdog left but plenty of fruits and veggies. People need to remember that what we need to consume would be fruits and vegetables to stay healthy, not junk food.
7. Hydrate.
It has been stated that a dry throat can become a good breeding ground for the virus so make sure that you increase your daily intake of water. Better safe than sorry.
You can have a water purifier installed at home to ensure you always have clean water.
8. Rest and relax.
The easiest way to succumb to an illness is to not get enough rest and to be stressed. If we make it a point to sleep at least 6 hours a day and then relax our mind and body, happy hormones will be released and it'll be harder to become infected. This is backed up by science.
You can also diffuse essential oils to cleanse your surroundings and to truly relax your senses.
Most of all, do not spread FAKE NEWS or unverified news. Fear-mongering will kill more people than the virus possibly can so be responsible and share only what is true. Stay safe everyone.
So, let's just come up with ways we can fight this pandemic and survive it. Hopefully, it goes away just as quickly as it came.
1. Handwashing.
This needs to be repeated over and over again. No amount of sanitizers, alcohol, wet wipes, or toilet paper can compare to the value of proper handwashing. In our family, we use Safeguard as our soap. There's just something about it that makes me feel safer when I use it. Perhaps because it is the same soap that I've been using since I was a kid.
2. Declutter.
You may ask why I suggested decluttering as a way to fight off CoVid 19. You see, when there are too many clutter, stuff, and what not lying around, it becomes a breeding ground for dirt, dust, and viruses.
A clean space will not accumulate dirt and dust, therefore, viruses have less spots to breed and live on.
3. Good Hygiene.
Handwashing is not enough. We all need to practice good hygiene as well.
Cough into your elbow, not hand. Wash after using the toilet. Clean after yourself. Throw away garbage in the bin, not just anywhere. These are things that have been taught to us when we were little so its best to remember these valuable lessons.
4. Bask in the sun.
It has been said that the virus has a shorter life span when exposed to sunlight so make sure you bask in some Vitamin D and let the sun in your home to help kill any potential virus.
5. Multivitamins.
Increase your intake of Vitamin C or get a multivitamin that's complete from A to Z. It's best to be prepared especially if you are constantly exposed to others and have a baby at home or a senior citizen. Remember that though you may be healthy, if you affect someone who has a weak immune system, you put them at risk.
You can also take in Life Enzyme to ensure that you detoxify from within.
6. Eat your veggies and fruits.
The other day, I was at the grocery store and saw that there was barely any hotdog left but plenty of fruits and veggies. People need to remember that what we need to consume would be fruits and vegetables to stay healthy, not junk food.
7. Hydrate.
It has been stated that a dry throat can become a good breeding ground for the virus so make sure that you increase your daily intake of water. Better safe than sorry.
You can have a water purifier installed at home to ensure you always have clean water.
8. Rest and relax.
The easiest way to succumb to an illness is to not get enough rest and to be stressed. If we make it a point to sleep at least 6 hours a day and then relax our mind and body, happy hormones will be released and it'll be harder to become infected. This is backed up by science.
You can also diffuse essential oils to cleanse your surroundings and to truly relax your senses.
Most of all, do not spread FAKE NEWS or unverified news. Fear-mongering will kill more people than the virus possibly can so be responsible and share only what is true. Stay safe everyone.
Friday, March 13, 2020
3 Lessons the NCOV Pandemic Taught Me
NCOV has finally hit Manila and it went from 0 to 5 deaths in just a few days.
Needless to say, Filipinos are rattled because if we're all going to be honest, we're one of those countries that are NOT EQUIPPED to survive a pandemic.
The fact that we have 2000 testing kits for a population of 10M should be evidence enough. It's sad. It's disheartening but as always, the Filipino will survive this with a smile on their faces, ready to wave when a camera passes by.
So, what has this taught me?
1. Health is wealth but there are people who will be susceptible and needs to be protected. I have a newborn and obviously, being a month old only, my baby doesn't have the strongest immune system yet.
It's scary for me as a Mom because we're so defenseless.
Yes, we take precautionary measures but how about the people we encounter on a daily basis? What if they don't take this seriously and do not take preventive measures?
We can stock up on multivitamins, veggies, and what not but all it takes is one droplet that gets transmitted for things to be over.
2. Fight or flight. People are wired to survive. This time, since there's no flight option, almost everyone is going on fight mode. Hoarding has begun, panic buying has set in, and a single cough or sneeze in public can easily turn you into public enemy number one most especially if you have fair skin and almond eyes.
It's a sad reality because honestly, hating on that Chinese looking person won't add another layer of protection for your safety.
3. I see your true colors. Crisis always brings out the best and worst in people. When the going gets tough, people will always reveal their true colors. People will either help others out or help only themselves.
This Corona Virus reminds me of movies involving end of the world and apocalypses. In the movies, it always shows two kinds of people and now, it's exactly what is happening to the real world.
It's a sad reality but it's our reality. Hopefully, things change and people realize that just like in the movies, the only way people will survive is if everyone helps each other out.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Review: Wander-ful Foods and Travels Aligue Paste
I got the chance to try out this Aligue Paste from Wander-ful Foods. I was initially hesitant about this because I've never really tried aligue paste.
Would it be too fishy? Slimy? Too much? Would it taste good? How many variants are there?
There are 2 variants. Regular and spicy. The white cover is the regular one and the red one is for the spicy one. I love that packaging is so simple. Sometimes, it's best to just put things in the simplest packaging as much as possible.
There are many ways to eat Aligue or Crab Paste but I think it's best when combined with rice.
I placed mine in a microwaveable container and then heated it. After, I combined it with rice and had the BEST ALIGUE RICE EVER!
Do note that aligue can cost high blood so make sure that you eat in moderation. Don't finish the entire bottle even when it's so tempting especially with this bottle from Wander-ful Foods. The crab paste has actual bite-sized and chewable parts and it is so good!
You can also use this crab paste as soup and it will definitely be the creamiest version that you will come up with because they did not scrimp on the ingredients.
You may order from this page. If stored in room temperature, this 250g bottle can last up to 7 days. If you will be placing this inside the ref, shelf life increases but you need to make sure you reheat it before consumption.
I'm definitely going to re-order because this crab paste is one of the best that I've tried and I've tried a lot in the past.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Khali at One Month
The last month has been a whirlwind of emotions. I gave birth to my 2nd son and it has been a rollercoaster ride. The night before his birth to today has been filled with love, tears, learning, and so much more.
I've learned to be more patient. When you have a crying, fussy baby at 2am, you learn to survive and tr not to be too angry or pissed. Of course, being human, I slip up which is why I am still learning. I'm getting better at it though.
I've learned to treasure the moments I have with you. You see, Mommy is not the most maternal woman on Earth. I'm not the best when it comes to babies but you are teaching me to enjoy taking care of you, becoming your human swing and just singing lullabies to you.
I've learned about second chances. When your Ahia B was growing up, there were so many things that I had to be mindful of that I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in his childhood. I had to be a Dad more than a Mom and I had to be careful about what I share to the world because I was constantly watching over my shoulder. With you, I am given a second chance of being a Mom and just enjoying it.
I've learned the value of partnership. Your Dad and I, we are not perfect. We don't have the perfect relationship but we are learning what it is to be partners in raising you and in raising your Ahia B. We know that for us to grow as a family, he and I need to be partners in every aspect of the word.
Lastly, I've learned the value of complete trust. You trust me 100%. You rely on me for everything. It is so overwhelming and it is so mindblowing. I have forgotten what it feels like to have someone rely on no one else but you.
Thank you. Thank you for coming into our lives and for reminding me of everything that I have forgotten.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Brands that are Khali Approved
Now that I have a newborn, I need to be more careful with the products that I use on him and his things. Times have changed and with so many products being sold to Moms, I needed to make sure that everything I use on him will be good for his well being, body, skin, and things that he uses.
Here are some of the items that have been Khali approved.
1. Joy Baby
This is a dishwashing liquid made specifically for baby items such as feeding bottles and the like. The dishwashing liquid we use have strong perfumes and may be potentially harmful to babies. Joy Baby is made to have no added perfume, no parabens, and definitely no added dye.
2. S26 Milk Formula
I'm one of those Moms who wasn't blessed with good breast milk which is why we had to resort to formula milk. Thankfully, S26 is able to sustain my son and he is growing and becoming healthier by the day.
3. Johnson and Johnson Lavander Powder
This one is delicate enough for my baby's skin and it helps him to sleep better at night as well. I grew up with Johnson and Johnson which is also why I knew that this would be good for my Khali.
4. Pampers
What I love about Pampers is that it lets me know when the diaper is already full because of the gel-like feature. It bunches up and feels wet to my hands but it actually stays dry and protects my baby's skin from the inside.
It can also hold my son's pee which is a lot since he already consumes 6 ounces of milk every 4 hours instead of the recommended 2 ounces every 3 hours.
5. Wilkins
This is the water that we use on Khali's milk formula. This was recommended to me before with B and so this is what we used with Khali as well.
What brands do you trust for your baby's needs?
Here are some of the items that have been Khali approved.
1. Joy Baby
This is a dishwashing liquid made specifically for baby items such as feeding bottles and the like. The dishwashing liquid we use have strong perfumes and may be potentially harmful to babies. Joy Baby is made to have no added perfume, no parabens, and definitely no added dye.
2. S26 Milk Formula
I'm one of those Moms who wasn't blessed with good breast milk which is why we had to resort to formula milk. Thankfully, S26 is able to sustain my son and he is growing and becoming healthier by the day.
3. Johnson and Johnson Lavander Powder
This one is delicate enough for my baby's skin and it helps him to sleep better at night as well. I grew up with Johnson and Johnson which is also why I knew that this would be good for my Khali.
4. Pampers
What I love about Pampers is that it lets me know when the diaper is already full because of the gel-like feature. It bunches up and feels wet to my hands but it actually stays dry and protects my baby's skin from the inside.
It can also hold my son's pee which is a lot since he already consumes 6 ounces of milk every 4 hours instead of the recommended 2 ounces every 3 hours.
5. Wilkins
This is the water that we use on Khali's milk formula. This was recommended to me before with B and so this is what we used with Khali as well.
What brands do you trust for your baby's needs?
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
February 2020 Spread
I did a January spread so I felt it fitting to do a February one even though February 2020 was not the best month for me.
There were good moments though and I wanted to commemorate those by sharing my spread. It may not be the most creative but it covers what my life was like which is what matters to me the most.
This month, I learned to use more washi tapes, sticky notes, ephemeras, and stickers. I learned to be a bit more adventurous with my washi tapes, to go back to cutting out things from magazines and to utilize the many sticky notes that I have in stock.
How about you? What do you do to remember your days?
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