How time flies! Can you believe we’re getting closer and closer towards the end of the year? 2020 has been terrible to some but I still see the brighter side of it. I missed doing a Life Lately post so here goes my 7th entry for this series.

• Can’t believe I am actually doing this post using my new ipad 8th generation. To those who know me well, I rarely purchase updated gadgets because 1.) can’t afford it, not gonna lie 😅 and 2.) I don’t see the need to buy 1. But to be honest, I’ve always wanted an ipad and since the new ipad 10.2 8th generation fits the budget, I chose that one. 💛 Will do a quick review soon.
• Shopee and Lazada! My new shopping buddies! Since COVID started, we rarely had the opportunity to go out. Thank God for online shopping. I need to stop this madness though! I’ve been buying a number of stuff lately.
• We’re down to our 8th month or remote work. So far, I am learning to adjust! Problem is, do I still know how to commute once we are asked to go back? 😅
• I’m now back to reading books! Hehe! Thanks again to my new gadget. I stopped reading books because whenever I used my phone, I just end up scrolling Tiktok!

I lost count on how long we’ve been staying at home because of COVID-19. I honestly thought this was just going to be like a few weeks thing when we started planning out the skeletal workforce scheme because of the rapid spread of the virus in Manila.

Anyway... 😆 Here's what I do to stay productive!

I start my day by checking my phone. Don't get me wrong though, my iPhone is connected to my company portal so all events and emails are synced. Normally, I start my day by checking my calendar to see if I have any scheduled meetings or interviews in order for me to manage my time wisely. I am guilty of being a procrastinator so I need to keep track of what important appointments that I have. Personally, aside from the calendar app, I also have a Weekly Task Tracker where I list down the tasks that I need to do for the day then I highlight all completed tasks. 💛

Here's a sample of a weekly desk planner:

Aside from listing down the things that I need to accomplish, I also need my daily caffeine fix. I can't function properly without my morning coffee! 💙😋

For my tasks, I categorize everything by priority. 💁 With my job in recruitment, it is important to prioritize tasks because there are too many administrative tasks aside from the actual recruitment process. When you're doing end to end recruitment, you need to understand the importance of prioritizing your work to avoid missing little details. 

Remember to take breaks! 😊 I got into a point wherein the boundaries between work and home ultimately became thinner and thinner. That's why I've learned to take breaks from time to time. I make sure to complete the required number of hours at work then log off completely after hours. I turn off email and phone notifications. I put OOO alerts in my emails during weekends. Working from home doesn't mean you need to be available 24/7. Make sure to maintain boundaries. 💜

I also make time for my hobbies. 😀 I've acquired so many new hobbies when we started working remotely so I need to make sure that I am consistent this time. For example, I practice Ukulele during weekends and digital art after work for about an hour. Time management is the key. 👍

The important rule I guess is to take one day at a time. Write down your schedule and to-do list and make sure to follow it. 😅 I am also guilty of writing lists but just leave it around the corner, it took me a while to change those habits but it is possible! Don't pressure yourself, follow your own pace and do only the things that you can. 💜

Till next time!

💜 riri

 

What are podcasts? According to Wikipedia, a podcast is an episodic series of spoken word digital audio files that a user can download to a personal device for easy listening. Streaming applications and podcasting services provide a convenient and integrated way to manage a personal consumption queue across many podcast sources and playback devices. To be honest, I have no idea what podcasts are before I started to actually listen to them. And I loved it. 💜

Alright so for starters, the main platform that I use in streaming podcasts is Spotify. 💚 So these podcasts are all available for streaming in Spotify

WAKE UP WITH JIM & SAAB 

YOUR DAILY PRAYER

I work in a company where remote work is actually not an option. Little did I know that I'll be working from home this year. In my previous company, there are instances that we are allowed to work remotely. Never have I imagined that I need to set up my own workspace at home because of this pandemic.

I think it was last March 16th when our leaders decided that we will be doing skeletal workforce because of the rising number of Covid-19 positive cases. I went home with only my laptop and left the rest of my items in the office. After that week, the government has decided to put the rest of the country in strict quarantine, thus extending our remote work. Our company established our own Covid Task Force that gives us updates on the situation for all sites. As of this writing, we will be working remotely until September.

At first, it was hard to adjust because you need to provide most of your basic needs to be able to work efficiently in this setup. For me, here are the basic essentials that I needed the most. 😃

Stable Internet Connection - if you are living in the Philippines like me, our internet connection being SLOW is an understatement. I have experienced a lot of downtime during the entire duration of this work from home setup. It's better to check which provider has the best signal for your area. If possible, avail a package that does not have data capping especially if you have kids who will be having online classes as well.

Desk / Computer Table and Proper Working Chair - believe me! Your back will thank you for it. Though I know sometimes we feel comfy working in our beds, I would suggest that you still set up your work area away from your bed. It also helps you create boundaries between work/school from your home. 🏡

Noice Cancelling Headset - TRUST ME THIS ONE IS A LIFESAVER. In our case, a complete set of tools was provided to us by the company but in case you don't have one -- invest in great pair of headset!

For my role as a Talent Acqusition Specialist, there are the most essential tools. But of course, this will vary depending of what our tasks are. Despite of all the negativity and disease that is currently going on around the world, I am still grateful that I am employed, that I can support my family in this time.

I'll update this post every once in a while if there are new items or gadgets that I feel should be a part of this list.

Till next time

Xo,

Riri