A Habit I’m Trying to Break

We all have different styles of managing our tasks. And most of us undeniably feel the need to handle more than one task at the same time. As a freelancer, I constantly deal with clients and their business needs. This may be, more or less, my typical day working in my pajamas: I’m writing a blog post for one client, answering emails using the iPad (my favorite gadget of all time ), and then preparing for the next task in line. I was obviously an expert, probably trained enough during my days at the uni. I used to handle various tasks from class assignments to thesis. Then after college, job hunting and getting interviews. In these situations, prioritization and time management are just some of the skills that I should master and practice diligently. And in the freelancing world, I can say that planning and time management can either make or break the path to success.

Sometimes multitasking is inevitable. In my everyday routine, I am“doing it all” for the sake of beating the deadline at work and to avoid boredom in certain situations. I realized that this routine of mine has been wrecking my productivity for some reasons:

Loss of focus

There are times that I had a brilliant idea for a content but I found myself distracted to another task. After that, I have a hard time recalling what the idea was in the first place. Focusing on unrelated thoughts simultaneously, makes it difficult to regain focus. You might say “practice makes perfect” but in multitasking, I say no to that.  Instead, start blocking off downtime and have a focused work schedule. The world won’t end. I promise.

Creative Block

Flipping between projects more frequently made me reached a brain drain in terms of creative thinking and ended up frustrated. Ideas that pop up in my mind quickly vanish and my mind becomes prone to creative block. The solution: Step back and take a good look at how you’re working, and where the pain points are.

Stress

Whenever demands exceed abilities, stress will surely follow. And the stress of multitasking is my worst enemy. It all happens to all of us. Instead of racing through my to-do list, I try to schedule in time every single day to just chill out, be it a day out, a gym session, or just simply tuning in to a music. Trust me on this. It will snap you out of stress mode.

No matter how demanding your job is, don’t let it take a heavy toll on your work and your life.

What To Do With My Inactive Blog

I haven’t been here for ages. And lately, I feel the need of writing again. I was too busy with my freelancing projects and living my offline life. Right now, it seems like I’m starting from scratch. But I haven’t abandoned you guys. I’m back. For good.

In the meantime, follow me on Twitter for quick, incoherent ramblings. Cheers to a new beginning!

Photo credit: The Yoga Soul

My Story: 100 lbs and Still Counting

I used to be a healthy teenager until I went to college. I got a lot of catching up to do in academics. Transferring from one university to another is no easy feat and being an irregular student has its cons. Mine was a messed up diet. Then, the transition from being a student nurse to RN takes a toll on me. No matter how prepared I was for the inevitable stress, I still have bad days and experiencing these setbacks give me the opportunity to face the realities of my profession and learn from it.

Why I Started
I got tired of on-and-off bouts of sickness. As a nurse, I’ve got to walk that talk. I should look and feel healthy inside out. My attempt of improving my lifestyle seems to be failing because of inconsistent efforts. Two years ago, I suffered from acute gastritis and the symptoms were annoying. I was having episodes of heartburn and hyperacidity. I had a bland diet of just soup, crackers, and banana. That was the time I started craving for food – real food. Bland diet made me weak. Yes, it did wonders to my healing stomach but not much else. After fully recovering, I stuffed myself with clean calories. I don’t want to deprive my body of the vitamins and minerals it deserves. I want to be back on my feet again soon.

Bright and Beautiful: Decorating Ideas for My Dream Home Office

Since I’m working from home, lovely office interiors often catch my eyes. Aside from having a reliable desktop and internet, I want nothing but a unique, stylish, and cozy workspace – a place where juggling projects is a breeze. As I read this post on how to build a better home office, I can picture a functional and aesthetically pleasing transformation. Here are some enviously nice rooms:

Pretty and inspiring room. Love the turquoise pillows. The office is so gorgeous that I can lock myself in for the whole day!

 

I adore everything here – the desk, seats, bookcase, headboard, and wall color. A mini bar would be perfect!

 

Feasting my eyes on the baby blue desk lamp and accessories. Plus, the mural behind the desk.

How I do Freelancing Differently

Waking up early is the first thing on my slate. I challenge myself daily to accomplish important activities. Here’s a sneak peek of my usual time-blocking schedule — Take note: I do have flexible hours.

Short & Sweet: Rainy Day Reminiscing

Today has been a cold, drizzling day in the southern shores of Manila. After checking my inbox and working on a project this morning, I’m now sitting here blabbing while sipping a cup of coffee. I feel as though summer has gone too fast and rainy season has been too long and dreary. Well, it’s actually just the beginning. And mine did start with a blast last month.

For me and my partner in crime Paolo, June 3 is not just the National Cancer Survivors Day; it’s also our 5th anniversary. We’ve celebrated it in a great space – in Hotel H20 – the only marine-themed hotel in the Philippines and one of my favorites! Aside from the very cozy room with aquarium walls and mini bar, the whole place is perfect. We spent a few hours savoring the spices of Thai fried rice and beef curry in Makan Makan Asian Food Village and finished our dinner with mango pudding and ta-ku.

Let me tell you more. Have you ever tried dipping in a tub for a full body fish spa? We did. Oh, feeding frenzy. The temp went Celsius down so it’s a fabulous time for a sauna afterwards. They call it hot bed treatment in Zenyu Eco Spa. I call it sweat bath. A few minutes is all it takes to induce deep sleep and feel better. I couldn’t wait till morning to go for a swim. Although my wish for a few degrees up wasn’t granted, our anniversary couldn’t be any happier. Best day ever!

I want to time travel. Or might as well make these four corners a steam room.

Monday Motivation: Life is a Balancing Act

“Live and work
but do not forget to play,
to have fun in life,
and really enjoy it.”

Feeling overworked and finding it a bit tricky than ever to juggle your workload and the rest of your life? You’re not alone. I’ve always wanted to devote more time to activities that matter most. We don’t have much control over the hours but we can dedicate our time and attention on things we can control. Here are some ways to beat that burnout:

Take a break.
When you plan for the week ahead, why not dare to spend time with your family and friends? Movie on a Saturday afternoon, a date night, or a girls’ night out are great incentives for working hard over the week. Get more out of your weekend. But be careful. Don’t try to plan on doing too many things.

Prioritize.
Know what’s important and what can wait. Treating everything as top priority is draining and depleting. And impossible. Learn how to say no and distinguish things that aren’t worth your time and attention.

Shifting Gears: From RN to Freelancer

Nursing has been a great career for me. When I survived the nursing school in 2009, I had several choices. A clinic 40 miles away from home offered to hire me as an RN and I also got interviewed in a hospital close to my home. I chose to work in the clinic. I’ve worked as a nurse in a shelter for unwed mothers and a nerdy trainee in the ECG department. I remember my first job in the hospital as a volunteer nurse. I had wonderful seniors who worked with me and helped me to gradually assume my full role as a nurse in that unit. I did everything I could to keep my nursing skills up to date. It was stressful to care for patients yet very fulfilling. It has been my privilege to be an RN, a profession that saves lives for a living. There are all kinds of nursing opportunities out there. Some are paid work, most of them are free.