• Life Lately

    What I Will Miss Most When Quarantine Ends

    April 30, 2020

    Last week, I wrote about the things I miss about normal life, like quiet mornings, hugs and kisses, the crowd of people and those times before the pandemic.

    Things will not quickly snap back to how it was before. A new normal is going to be the norm. COVID-19 has changed how we live, work, and play. What has become “normal”? The quarantines, wearing masks and face shields, washing hands, and social distancing.

    Read : What I Miss About Normal Life

    It has been roughly a month and a half since we are forced to stay-at-home. There is nothing good about being indoor all day. But surely, I will miss these things when quarantine comes to an end.

    More Idle Time

    After my post about WFH Tips from a First Timer, I was crazy having a lot of free time. My Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are no longer “working days.” They may have realized that we are buckling down even on weekends and holidays. More idle time means more time for my hobbies— blogging, journaling and jumping rope.

    It’s Okay to Have Unproductive Days

    Forget about productivity. It is all right to slow down and take a pause, and it is okay not to be productive. We are in the middle of a pandemic, and we are all coping with the best we can. But when I feel like it, I am either drafting a new blog post (just like today) or journaling in my Hobonichi or just playing My Hospital. I always make sure that I am doing something every day to keep me on track.

    Lots of Cooking

    I was able to cook and try another recipe. One of my favorites is my Sinigang na Atay. It is kind of unusual, but if you are a Sinigang lover, you will undoubtedly love its sour and savory taste. Yummy!

    Working from Home

    I have learned so much about working from home, how to be productive, and how to keep track of the schedule. Not all employees are lucky enough to work from home. I am more than grateful to be able to work from home.

    Read:{Why} Work from Home is Not for Me

    Not Having to Set the Alarm

    I have not set the alarm since Day 1 of the quarantine. I do not know how I managed to wake up between 7 – 8 am without the alarm knowing I am a heavy sleeper and not a morning person. Maybe because I was in bed early and did not have any trouble in sleeping.

    Not Rushing to Work

    I am taking my time to prepare in the morning. By 8a.m., I am in front of my laptop, either answering messages or working on a project.

    Wearing Comfy Clothes

    I regretted I did not buy more tank tops and shorts. This has been my everyday outfit, comfortable, and airy. I do not feel the need to add stress in wearing nicer clothes. I am trying to get as comfortable as I can.

    Not Leaving the Bed

    I work in bed, eat-in bed, and sleep in the bed. As if I had a choice.

    I am going to miss “Not leaving the bed” the most. What will you miss the most when quarantine ends?

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  • Life Lately

    What I Miss About Normal Life

    April 19, 2020
    Only when normal things are not normal anymore, do we realize how special normal things are. – Anonymous

    The most important thing we can do right now is stay at home. We have got a couple more weeks to go. Coronavirus lets us miss our daily activities. Well, I don’t mind staying at home. I spent a lot of my time indoors, even before that. I’m a little happier to be at home, though. Advised to stay home, what more can I ask for?

    I thought a lot about what I miss in everyday life. There are not many things that I miss in my everyday life, to be honest. Below are just some of the things I miss the most.

    I miss buying food or running late in the evening to 7-Eleven to grab a snack or a soda. Usually, I sit up late at night to get my hobbies done. And because I still don’t have a refrigerator to carry on drinks, I go out in the middle of the night to buy.

    I miss setting the alarm and waking up to the alarm.

    I miss the office, walking to and from the office every day, rushing to the office and coming home late after a long day at work. I don’t miss the coffee breaks, but I miss being around my colleagues.

    I miss wearing my uniforms and my office shoes, sneakers. I miss choosing what to wear on Saturdays (not really). I am looking forward to going back to work.

    I miss going out and enjoying myself. I miss leaving the house. Though, I still leave the house when I have to do some errands outside.

    I miss shopping in the mall and going to a grocery store without a queue.

    I miss having privacy, having a degree of confidence about the future, and feeling secure.

    I miss the freedom to do what we want to do and where we want.

    I miss the daily life, the vacations, and the weekends.

    I miss the hugs and kisses. I cannot wait to go home and hug my family. I missed my Dad’s 70th birthday (April 13). I was meant to be home to celebrate my Dad’s birthday.

    I miss the quiet mornings. My neighbors appear to be busy in the morning. Some are aggressively playing loud music, slamming their doors, and going on several conversations at once.

    I miss the crowd of people and interacting with strangers.

    I miss everything.

    I miss savoring the everyday life again, the joy of having a good day.

    I miss having a chance to appreciate all the things that we have taken for granted.

    I miss those times before the pandemic. Things will never revert to the way it used to be before. We are living in a different world now. We should not want life to be like what it is used to be. Pandemic has pushed us to take better care of people. We need each other out there. I do not want that feeling to go away again.

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  • Life Lately

    Work from Home Tips from a First Timer

    April 12, 2020

    This is supposed to be the last day of the quarantine period. I think I have spent quite a bit of time working from home. It is not that different from working at the office. When it comes to working from home, it is all about balance and enjoying the benefits of home.

    Below are some tips which helped me in the process. Hopefully, these tips will help you get to the groove and optimize your time working out of the office.

    Follow the Normal Work Routine

    This is the hardest part to adapt. With the technology that enables our bosses to communicate and reach us on a regular basis, we can end up working 24/7 (including weekends and holidays). A 9 p.m. work email/message can wait until the next morning for a response. Know when to log in and log out. If you get into work at 8:30 a.m., then do not log in until 8:30 a.m. Establishing a limit on the hours of work per day is critical to the prevention of burnout.

    Establish Boundaries

    Do not interrupt one’s family time or social time in order to complete pending works. Take your days off seriously. Working on weekends/holidays is sometimes necessary, but taking time off can do more for your health, especially this quarantine.

    Make Sure to Take Time for Lunch, Snacks, and even Breaks

    Use a break to go out for a walk or a little chit-chat with your family. Breaks can recharge you for a better job. If you do not have the work-life balance, you will not last too long working at home. Allow yourself to take a much-deserved break; it is a great way to get away from work.

    Listen to Music

    I am not too fond of silence. For some reason, music motivates me for different tasks. When I need focus, I go for instrumental music. When I am bored, I go for pop or rock or something upbeat.

    Find Your Ideal Working Spot

    Just because you are not in the office, it does not mean you cannot have an office. It could be an empty room or a spare room. Since most of us do not have the luxury of having a new place to turn into an office, regardless of the space, set up an area that works best. Make sure you have enough natural light, too.

    Do Not Work from Your Bed

    It is essential to have a distinction between your relaxing space and your working space. This is another killer of productivity. While it may be tempting to stay in bed, you will find yourself sitting in a position that could end up with back pain.

    Pretend Like You are Going to the Office

    Get up, get out of your pajamas, take a bath, put on nice clothes, and make a coffee cup. With the right mindset, you will be able to get your work done.

    Plan on What You will be Working

    Projects do take time. Commit to do more than you set out to do. Before the day comes to an end, try writing your next day’s schedule. Having a carefully planned day can help you carry out more of your tasks.

    Dive in To-Do List as Soon as You Started Working

    It can be challenging to keep track of what you have to do throughout the entire day. Stick to your task list. After each completed task, cross it out.

    Stay Connected

    Our team makes use of Messenger as our mode of communication. Learn to communicate as much as possible. Do not be afraid to ask questions if further clarification is needed. Make sure that you check in on a regular basis, just as you would in the office.

    Technology Enables Remote Work

    You must have a laptop (I am using my personal), a decent Wi-Fi connection, and the right software to work from home. Find out what resources your company will be offering and paying for. (Hopefully, my company will reimburse me for these expenses.)

    At first, you may find it a bit challenging to get settled. But yes, you are going to adapt in no time.

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  • Life Lately

    A Day in My Life During Quarantine

    March 24, 2020

    I cannot believe I have been in quarantine for almost a week now. I have survived this far. This is what my day looks like now. A new routine has consumed my everyday life.

    7:30 a.m.

    I am not (really) a morning person. My morning usually starts at 7:30. I get up, make my bed, and go straight to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Next, I prepare a cup of coffee. I like it creamy white, but I like white caramel more. Then I go to the rooftop for a daily dose of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise to get my blood flowing.

    The sun feels comforting.

    I have been doing this for quite a while now.

    8:00 a.m.

    I go straight to the bathroom to take a warm bath and prepare for the day ahead. I wear house clothes all the time.

    I am an introvert at heart. I love being at home.

    9:00 a.m.

    I look over and prioritize my to-do lists, respond to messages and emails, and eat breakfast, starting with a bowl of cereal, sitting cross-legged with my computer in my lap. Usually I have cereals, oatmeal, or anything on-the-go on weekdays. I go for corned beef, toasted bread, and eggs on the weekend.

    Each morning, this has been my routine.

    11:00 a.m.

    I try not to spend much time on the internet reading or watching the news. I have a couple of breaks in between.

    Noon

    What is available in my pantry? For today’s lunch, I am getting Spanish sardines, some veggies, and an apple. Either I am taking a few minutes to work on my blog or I am running some errands.

    1:30 p.m.

    I will continue working on anything and everything I need to get done. I am working on pending projects I have. I spend most of the time dutifully responding to my colleagues’ initial inquiries. During this time, I aimlessly planned out the next day. In between, I have a little chit chat with my 6-months old nephew.

    While I am working, I usually snack on something like Combos or Le-mond (try this one, they taste the same), butter cookies, smoothies (no ice), or coffee. I do love snacking in between. I also love roasted peanuts in between emails.

    5:00 p.m.

    Every afternoon I try to spend 10 to 15 minutes outdoors getting some fresh air while doing stretches, then go straight to the bathroom for another warm bath. I consistently bathe twice a day.

    6:00 p.m.

    Evenings are my favorite time of the day. Before eating dinner, I binge watched for about two hours. I am currently watching the last couple of episodes of the Kingdom. Then I made more family phone calls.

    8:00 p.m.

    I made spaghetti with lots of cheese for tonight’s dinner. I usually read or blog after dinner. Either of the two.

    Midnight

    I went to sleep at about midnight. I have been trying to go to bed earlier but have not succeeded so far.

    I always look forward to waking up and starting a new day. How is your day so far?

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  • Shopping

    Online Grocery Shopping Tips

    March 21, 2020

    Because of the current situation, I find it hard to get the groceries I need. I cannot stand the long lines of people outside the supermarket. The last time we went on grocery shopping, it took us 4-hours to get inside the supermarket. My legs hurt from standing for so long. I wonder how sales ladies can stay that long.

    Since I run low on food supplies and avoid trips to the grocery, I decided to take advantage of the online grocery stores such as MetroMart, Walter Mart, and Puregold to supply everything I need. Opting for their delivery services might be better right now. It is like going to the grocery store in the comfort of your home without stepping outside. But to no end, delivery slots and even pick-ups are so tight. I have to check now and then for slots to open.

    I ended up picking LazMart again to replenish my pantry. While they have a large variety of dry goods, they don not have fresh produce, frozen foods, and dairy items, unlike the online grocery store I have mentioned above.

    If you have not tried online grocery shopping yet, below are tips to make your shopping easy-peasy, cost-effective, and safe.

    Have your list ready

    Since we are on a limited budget, it is essential to know what to buy. Plan your meals and snacks for the entire week or two, purchase only what is on the menu. Make sure that it can last at least a couple of weeks. To ensure that you did not miss something, try to group your items into categories.

    Be Ready for a Substitute

    Most of their items sell out fast. Most brands also are not available. Just in case it is sold out or not available, check for other options. Now is an excellent time to be flexible. When choosing a substitute, be mindful of the price since you would not want to overspend.

    Buy in Bulk

    If buying in bulk can save cash, you can buy it in bulk. Just avoid buying on impulse. Shopping products in bulk is better as they would be delivered straight to your home, no heavy carrying is required. Speaking of no heavy carrying, I also purchase my rice and favorite drinks online.

    Order your groceries at least two days before

    Keep that in mind. Since most online groceries face high demand in orders, distribution delays may occur. LazMart never failed to amaze me. I always have my groceries 5 days earlier than their estimated delivery date.

    Do not wait until the last minute

    Most items sold out fast and became unavailable. If you are done with your list, check out and pay. Do not wait for things to replenish. This is what I have recently learned.

    Avoid delivery fees when you can

    Check for vouchers, discounts, or promo codes. LazMart offers free delivery when you spend at least P2,500.00 on your order.

    Use contact-less delivery

    Keep a safe distance from the courier when receiving your groceries. Maintain the 1-meter distance from one another.

    Wash/Disinfect packaging

    Before storing, wash/disinfect with alcohol, the packets and containers that come with the groceries. Groceries may have traces of other people’s hands when they collect and carry.

    Do not forget to wash your hand thoroughly after you store your groceries. Are you considering ordering your groceries online?

    *This is not a sponsored post.

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  • Work/Money Diaries

    {Why} Work from Home is Not for Me

    March 17, 2020

    With the current coronavirus outbreak, the entire Luzon has been placed under “Enhanced Community Quarantine” for almost a month. Many organizations are increasingly adopting telecommuting or work-from-home arrangements to mitigate threats from further transmitting the coronavirus disease in the country. As the outbreak has grown, more and more companies are encouraging employees to stay at home and operate work-from-home arrangements. Our company is one of those who responded. I feel lucky to be able to work from home.

    Honestly, I do not hate the idea of working from home. I feel that home is meant for fun things and the office for work. I do not fault anyone who loves the idea of working from home. Besides, we are all different and unique in many ways.

    I can focus on getting work done when I am in the office. Here are the reasons why work from home is not for me.

    No Dedicated Work Area

    Working from home is a perk for some people, but not when you live and pay rent for a small apartment where you have no space for desk or chair. While working in a bed sounds great, a desk, proper lighting, and a comfortable chair would be perfect for a productive day. Meanwhile, I am using a Megabox container as my desk and my bed as my chair.

    More Stressful

    Working from home is more stressful, more intense work pace, more vulnerable to working long hours, and higher performance expectations. I cannot count the number of times I have been handling separate discussions at the same time, which can make me stressed, especially when I still have tasks to complete by the end of the day.

    Temptations are Everywhere

    Home is filled with many distractions. When you are working from home, you are ostensibly free of distractions like chattering and singing coworkers. But being home, I feel obligated to do more household chores— clean the entire apartment, wash the dishes, dispose the garbage, and so on.

    Hard to Separate Personal and Work

    It is harder to switch off when your personal life and work are under the same roof. You sleep at home, and you are working at home. Establishing a line between work and home is tough. We have to find a way to distinguish between being “at work” and being “at home.”

    I cannot wait to go back to work. I wonder how people who work from home manage all of these. For now, I will stay at home as long as the health authorities advise.

    What challenges have you overcome?

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  • Life Lately

    A Week Before the Quarantine

    March 15, 2020

    March 9 (Monday)

    COVID-19 is spreading quickly. My cousin informed us about the community quarantine. I do not know where the details are coming from. He advised us to buy supplies worth a few weeks. I did not mind at first. But there is nothing wrong if I am going to stock up on food and essentials.

    I scanned my pantry and cleared out anything past its expiration.

    March 10 (Tuesday)

    I got up early. I made a rundown of what is left in my pantry and what to add. I rushed to the office as usual. I even stayed a little longer.

    March 11 (Wednesday)

    I have learned that the virus is sensitive to temperature. I am not really worried about COVID-19. We will make it.

    I booked a one-way trip going home on Holy Week. And check out the bag I have been eyeing lately. I am hitting two birds in one stone.

    March 12 (Thursday)

    PRRD addressed the public about COVID-19. He announced that NCR will be placed under community quarantine effective March 15. And will last until April 12. I talked to a few of my colleagues about my plans for going home. I really wanted to go back.

    March 13 (Friday)

    After work, I did a quick round in the supermarket. I bought a few essentials. People are panic buying, causing long queues in the supermarket. Alcohol, face masks, thermometers, and disinfectants flew off the shelves. There is a lot more to prepare than hoard alcohol and face masks.

    I ordered a few essentials through LazMart. Stocking up on dry goods: cup noodles, coffee, cereal, and canned goods.

    I have been informed that BOSH Training this Saturday is canceled.

    March 14 (Saturday)

    I dropped by 7-Eleven to buy breakfast, instant noodles, and a liter of juice. As usual, I hurried to work. Our team had a quick meeting about the quarantine. We are going to work by group. I have decided not to go home anymore.

    I later went to the bank to pay my apartment rent and went to the grocery to buy some more essentials, maximizing it only to 10 items. No, I am not panicking, really.

    March 15 (Sunday)

    I decided to clean my unit, change to clean sheets, and do the laundry. I wanted to go back to the grocery store to get a few more items, but I decided not to do that.

    I started to watch the “Kingdom.”

    How was your week before quarantine?

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  • Work/Money Diaries

    10 More Ways to Save Money

    January 22, 2020
    You must learn to save first and spend afterwards. – John Poole

    If I am going to write down all my expenses, below are what I spend lavishly for a month. I splurge on things I do not really need. I am such a huge spender. I need to cut down these expenses and grow my bank balance again. It is probably a lot of money if I had to add it up. The main reason why I do not have any savings is because my expenses and my debts are piled up. And for the next few months, I have/need to think about my credit card and hide it deep down before I have settled all my debts.

    I  have been thinking about this over and over. I had to cut those extra expenses and start saving for my future. Cutting my daily expenses to a simpler life will make it possible for me to save a lot of money without finding an additional source of income. For the sake of saving, I need to make small sacrifices.

    Break Off my Caffeine Fix

    I love love coffee. Who doesn’t love coffee? And it is now time to say goodbye to fancy coffee at Starbucks or Coffee Project and say hello to Great Taste White Caramel. Giving up isn’t that easy especially for a coffee addict like me. But cutting back on expensive coffee will make substantial savings.

     Money I Can Save – Php 150/day; Php 1,200/month 

    Cook/Pack my Own Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

    Bringing my own lunch and also dinner to work will save a couple of bucks. I don’t need to worry about health and sanitation issues anymore.

     Money I Can Save – Php 120/meal; Php 240/day; Php 5,760/month 

    Cut down Massages/Spa

    I can’t give up on this completely. For a very stressful week, pampering myself is the only thing left. There are still ways to look good, but with a smaller budget.

     Money I Can Save – Php 500 – 1,000/month 

    Stay Home More Every Weekend

    Staying at home can save up. I spend too much on things I don’t need and end up still buying when I go out. Getting together with friends and family at home can save money. Enjoy the benefits of staying at home ; staying in is more fun.

     Money I Can Save – Php 1,000/weekends 

    Save Money on Movie Watching

    My sister and I love watching movies in theaters. A movie costs us Php 200-400 each depending on the cinema/theater. That’s a lot of money.

     Money I Can Save – Php 800/weekends 

    Sell Stuffs

    I have a full of unused, unneeded, forgotten stuffs in my closet /storage. I am thinking of selling instead of keeping to make use of it.

     Money I Can Earn – Php 5,000/year 

    Clean out my Credit

    I am working on paying off our debt. Interest has already summed up a large part. Before, I disciplined myself to pay full each month. Since, we put all our expenses on it and exceeded our monthly budget, it incurred large amount of money.

     Money I Can Save – Php 1,600/month 

    Save Automatically

    A certain amount of money or percentage of my paycheck must be deposited in my savings account.

     Money I Can Save – 20% of paycheck/cut-off 

    If you want to save even more money, sacrifice little changes. Hopefully, I can stick to this to save up money. By the end of the year, I have a huge amount of money in my savings. Just embrace the idea of budgeting and it is going to be simple.

    The more I can save, the more adventures I can have the sooner.

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  • Life Lately

    About Me

    January 8, 2020

    I have a hard time introducing myself. I do not know why words and phrases do not fall out of my head and onto my screen. Maybe because I am afraid to admit that I am nobody or shy to discover something about myself. I know I am sometimes shy and timid. This is how I often describe myself.

    I stalked the “About me” pages of bloggers I know. And I began to think about what to write in mine. After a few revisions, I have come up with the typical one, Hey there.

    Hey there! I am Nikka Shem. I am a graduate of Electronics and Communications Engineering from Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, currently employed as a System and Application Engineer. Work has kept me busy nowadays, but I see that I spend a lot more time traveling and staying in touch with my friends and family. I am a Monday hater but a weekend and holiday lover.

    About My Blog

    I started blogging in 2003. Unfortunately, when I moved to the city, I stopped. I cannot find time for my blogging. But writing my daily activity is my passion. It has gone through many incarnations and remained there for a long time.

    NikkaShem.com is a room for my thoughts, my opinions, my experiences, my travels, and my life.

    This blog is my outlet – a distraction from the real world. I hope to contribute information through my misadventures and adventures, my wanderings, and my stories.

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  • Life Lately

    My 2020 Goals

    January 1, 2020

    Every single year, I always have the same goal- to make this year better than the last. Year after year, I start to think of the changes, start to look back and see how far I have come.

    Here is my goal for the new year.

    Take Control of Money

    When it comes to money, you know me. Despite the best efforts I have made to pay off debts, I have accumulated more. I am slowly taking one step at a time, tracking and planning everything to get in order again. Getting debt under control is stressful, but it is going to be worth it in the end.

    Get Fit and be Healthier

    Losing weight is never an easy task to do. I made it almost 55kg once, but it bounced back a couple of years later. Being healthy is good enough for this year than to lose weight.

    Tackle Time Management

    I cannot deny the fact that I am always late on my deadlines. It is my worst trait. I wanted to improve my performance at work, get all the work done ahead of schedule without overwhelming myself.

    Write More

    My blog has taken a bit of a backseat. I have no more excuses since I got myself a laptop and a reliable internet connection. It is just time to sit down and put my thoughts into words.

    Work on Becoming a Morning Person

    I am not a morning person. I hate to wake up on the alarm. My goal here is to wake up early enough to get into workouts before work.

    We cannot always do things that we enjoy. I love to travel and to shop. As much as I want, engaging in these activities makes me spend what I do not have. Instead, engage in activities that seem to fuel people’s minds.

    There are lot of things I have been trying to do in the past years that I have not done. I am going to make time this year and get over one by one.

    Cut out soda

    I am planning to cut it entirely for 2020. This may be simple, but I drink a lot.

    Life is an exciting ride, celebrate little successes, and get back on track when you stumble.

    What are your goals this 2020?

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