My 3 Most Important Time Management Tips

 Time Management can always be tricky especially when you cannot anticipate the things that might affect your day. Often, there are factors that change the way we want our lives to roll out.

Especially with the pandemic affecting the entire world, it is very vital that we get structure incorporated in our daily lives since the new normal right now is to work from home, not just for safety but convenience as well.

I have been working from home even before the pandemic so not much of my schedule has been affected. I am a Social Media Specialist.

Here are some of my 3 most important Time Management Tips that are guiding me through every week. Of course, these are flexible and are always changeable whenever there are emergencies or other stuff unexpectedly happening in my life.

MAKING SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR AND STICKING TO IT

After closing with a client, I transcribe everything that we have discussed in the discovery call. What the client wants as contents in their business, posting schedules, and consistency of postings. This is very vital to manage the client's expectations, as well as to not get sidetracked with posts from others. The hardest part of coming up with a Social Media Calendar is coming up with contents for the entire month.

Ideally,  a Social Media Calendar should contain all your supposed content for the whole month. It should serve as a guide for when you are in a creator's block.

CALENDAR BLOCKING

Calendar blocking is very simple. It's taking your calendar and using the blocks/events to space out time for all of your routines, work and social events.  Essentially taking your calendar and blocking out every hour block to totally co-ordinate the day ahead.

TIME BATCHING

Time batching is a time management technique that includes grouping similar tasks together and setting aside time to complete them all or work on them until a predetermined point of progress. The purpose of time batching is to minimize distractions for a workflow that enables concentration, attention to detail, and productivity.

I time batch according to what I will be doing for the week. I entirely work from home (I MISS TRAVELLING!), so that will mean do I need to go out or not. If yes, I need to look presentable, I will schedule selfies, photos and/or filming or whatever that would need me to be presentable on those days. If not, I can just throw on my pajama, with my bare face and focus on content creation and blog posting on those days.

But since everything can be delivered now and I don't have to out anymore for any government transaction (The PH government announced a "bubble"), I won't schedule anything for the filming day.

Digital Marketing Trends For 2021

Digital business pivots may become permanent.

Diversify your social media activity to connect with more engaged users. To that point, enrich the user experience on your social profiles by leveraging shop and other features that break down barriers towards purchasing from you.

Social media will become a top channel for purchase, instead of just discovery.

Social media platforms are now making it easier for consumers to go from discovery to purchase without leaving the platform, creating a simple and seamless path to purchase.

 

Informed buyers want to buy from informed brands.

This is not just a matter of brands meeting consumers where they are; it’s about brands telling them what they want when they want it. 

Virtual events started out of necessity, but are here to stay because of ROI and accessibility.

In the face of the COVID pandemic, events became virtual out of necessity. As we move into 2021 and beyond, many events will stay virtual not only because of continued safety concerns but also because it means a lower cost for more people and a higher ROI.

Reduction of social media channels.

With so many channels available, so many businesses have tried to stay relevant on all of them, the need to declutter is a necessity. FOCUS IS A MUST!

Live interactions with virtual events.

People are craving for human interactions so virtual events are on trend with the market more than ever.

Add to Heart!

Online shopping is the most in-demand mode of shopping today in the middle of a pandemic. This was already part of my lifestyle even before the pandemic started. Some 3-5 years ago, I believe. 

Add to that, I have been doing cashless payments by using my debit card and other modes of cashless payment. I even did a statute for the local government about the use of it to promote such in the city but I think when I left, the changes I thought I did were abandoned altogether.

Anyway, I saw from a post, "Add to cart" which was usually used for online shopping was wittily transformed to "Add to heart". I thought that makes more sense and applicable to situations where you don't mindlessly "add to cart" certain items that you do not need.

"Add to heart" is very applicable too when we describe import people in our lives!

 ADD TO HEART!

 ADD TO HEART!

 ADD TO HEART!

 ADD TO HEART!

 ADD TO HEART!

 ADD TO HEART!

 ADD TO HEART!

I miss my partner so much! Hopefully, we can all travel soon!

"You must be proud of yourself"

 

I discover this especially true these days. So many adults are living their lives and seeking to cope up with the trauma of trying to please their mother and father.

I have read from a study that a lot of adults now have high functioning anxiety and depression due to adolescence traumas.

Emotional traumas added approximately by our adolescence are more difficult to remedy than physical traumas. They move on for all of our lives and are included in our mannerisms, behaviours and can turn out to be our manner of living.

Emotional traumas creep in our lives like a thief in the night. We do not know when it's going to come. There are triggers that would imply that a person is having a panic attack or depressive situation.

I am not a psychologist so I can not expound on Emotional trauma. But I do recognise that if left untreated, like every other wound, it's going to leave a horrific scar or it could in no way heal at all. Go to a psychologist.

If there's one aspect that all of us need to begin learning, it is asking for help when needed. Know when you need to ask for help or assistance. In turn, when help is asked, discover ways to assist a person too in the best way for you without triggering your emotional trauma too.

Hopefully, the mothers and fathers of today are aware enough to no longer pass the trauma onto their children and so on. One day, this world may likely be a world wherein there is no emotional trauma, only physical, brought by accidents.

Activate Your New Globe SIM

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I got my new sim for the Globe Postpaid Plan 799 sim only today. I chose sim only since I won't be needing a new phone any time soon. I also do not have a Proof of Financial Capacity to show Globe. That is one of the problems of being a freelancer. Though I think won't no longer be the problem once you get a lot of projects and work.

Anyway, earlier this day, I had a problem with activating my new sim card. I don't know why it is not activating. I followed the step that I got from the internet.

The easiest way to activate your Globe SIM is to turn on mobile data. Insert your new SIM into your handset’s SIM slot and turn on mobile data. Globe will immediately detect that your SIM is trying to connect to the Internet and will send you a welcome text message. After you receive that text message, your new Globe SIM is now activated.

At 6 pm, when I was no longer counting on my sim card's activation today, Globe finally activated it and sent me a welcome text! When you least expect it. Hahaha!

I thought of prank texting my partner since she doesn't know my new number yet. I sent her text messages from different businesses trying to verify her identity but she just ignored. Later on, when I finally called, she told me that she ignoring these texts thinking they were phishing messages. That's a wise way to not be victimized by scammers. At least she didn't fall for any of it! I'm proud of her! 

Air Fryer is just a Turbo Broiler with product upgrades

I bought the Hanabishi HAFRYER 70 7L Air Fryer. Actually, it was an Anniversary gift but I cannot brag about it since my parents will think that everything I own is from my partner or my partner finances me which is not true. I am an independent woman.

Up to this date, they do not believe that I am working because I am working from home. I don't do it like how my sister did when she worked from home back then when she was still living with us. I am a Social Media Manager and Content Writer. I prefer projects over billable hours. That way, I have the leisure of having my own time and working at my own pace, granted that I get the job done.

But enough about that, this right here is the main topic today!

I initially wanted to try this yesterday but my we had nothing to fry at the moment. This arrived during lunchtime. Mama had already prepared our food for lunch So she said during the night, before dinner. But then, she went somewhere and forgot that she was to buy something to fry.

I tried frying some chicken thighs for today's dinner.

I think this went well. The skins were crispy. Meat were tender and juicy. And the best part is, they aren't greasy at all.

My grandmother's sister thought this was a turbo broiler. I think it is. 

Product upgrades were added to the turbo broiler. But they cannot market this as turbo broiler since the Gen Y and Z won't buy an 80's product. So we call it AIRFRYER now.

Cooking chicken in the hairdryer is so good that we are having chicken barbecue fried here on Sunday!

Coming back to my true nature.

 It's been a very tough few years for me. It's been 5 years since I graduated from Law School. I've been trying to pass the Bar exam for 3 years in those 5 years and I haven't passed. I struggled to get back on my feet and to feel normal again after my last take. I finally decided to stop and reassess my focus and my life. Up to this day, I am not sure if I am living a normal life. 

2 years ago, I thought I got it. I thought I was feeling fine already. That the aftermath of the storm was over. But I could not have been more wrong.

I saw this quote on Instagram. It really resonated with me. 

What does my heart know?

I remembered when I was still young and about to enter college. I had high hopes for myself. I wanted then to become a reporter. I wanted to take up Broadcast Communication or Mass Communication but I listened to what my parents want that up to this date I blame them for the life I never got to live because I listened to me.

But from then on, I did what I wanted with my life.

I wasn't good at creating but my mind can imagine things. I used to just tell my idea to the creators and they can instantly conjure my idea into life.

And I was happy when I have creative ideas. I was even happier when my ideas come to life. 

My true nature is creative!

PAUBAYA MV BY MOIRA DELA TORRE

 PAUBAYA n. waiver or release of a right, claim or responsibility to another

This story is very touching. I cried for most of it. But this song was released months ago but I had no thoughts about it since I am in a happy and loving relationship for 2 years now.

The thing that really bothers me is the fact that in this story, the girl said to the guy's proposal and yet she isn't sure of him and ends up living him at the altar and not marrying him. She could have said no from the proposal.

Thinking about it though, maybe, it was a long engagement. And she was willing to marry her then but years have passed before the wedding and a lot has happened between them that made her unsure of the guy.

Whatever the story behind, I'm proud of Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto for playing these roles. As we all know, they to are broken up and very sudden at that. 

WEAR YOUR MASK!

Honestly, I don't agree. I'm not okay with opening most of the businesses in the Philippines. But what can we do, we can't afford to close down everything. In a perfect world, where the Philippines has a great health care system and immediate Covid-19 response, I am all for locking down everything. 

For now, we can all just pray and be extra careful and safe when going out.

ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS

TAKE A BATH.

WEAR YOUR MASK!

What is happening?

What is happening?

I was not able to follow through with the 4 am morning routine. Neither was the 6 am. My body seems to function at 8 am.

That was written on Aug. 9, 2019.

I'm not sure what was happening back then. But that went on until the end of 2020.

As you can see, I never blogged for the entire year of 2020. Not even through the boredom that I went through with the pandemic. I did not know that was even possible for me. I never get bored.

My father used to tell us that we should learn to be happy alone and entertain yourself. Learn not to rely on others for pleasure or favors.

So imagine my disappointment when I looked into it this year and my last entry was August of 2019.

In life, we really do not know

The year is 2021. 

Everyone is claiming that this is their year. But we are already 11 months in from the lockdown. How can we make most out of this year? Remember when we all said that to 2020 and the pandemic happened?

The health sector, the Government too told us that these are uncertain times.

I admire the Covid-19 response of other countries but I mourn for the Philippines. We are sinking deeper into the grave that the colonialist, the capitalist, including the past generations of them and the past and current government administration dug,

  

THESE ARE UNCERTAIN TIMES.

Is it not that way for many years though? Nothing is really certain. No single thing is set in stone. Contracts are amended. Minds change, so are goals. Nothing goes according to plan.

I was in a conversation with my sister earlier, she was asking me if our cousin shifted her course from Tourism to IT. I told her I didn't know but maybe she studied IT since Digital Marketing is the most in-demand industry right now and for the years to come. Who would have thought that I would be using what I studied in college now? In life, we really do not know.

I graduated with a degree in Business Administration, Major in Marketing. I have learned that Digital Marketing cannot be offered as a Business course since, by the time the students are graduating, their learning is no longer applicable to always changing market.

I also have a degree in Law which I have only used for 3-4 years after studying for it for 5 years. I did not know back then that I would not be able to practice Law. Physically and emotionally, I cannot.

I realized that I wasted my time. If only I heard it the first time that Law School was not for me, I would have saved myself from countless sleepless nights and heartbreaks from exams and subjects I failed and for taking and failing the Bar for three consecutive times.

If I just went according to my plan, college-MBA-Law, I would have ample time to hone my craft and be a digital marketer in 2011, instead of 2021.

In life, we really do not know.