Hi mommies, It's me Mhownai.
Enhanced Community Quarantine is a blessing in disguise to some extent, although it may cripple us in terms of finance, but it made our relationship to our family closer than ever. Some companies are fortunate enough to give office workers the chance to work in the comfort of their homes to make themselves and their families safe from being infected with COVID-19. However, the Enhanced Community Quarantine is bound to end on April 30th, and although we are not sure whether the ECQ will be lifted or extended, still we need to prepare ourselves from going back to work.
So here's the thing- working moms, are you ready?
Here are some few things to do to get yourselves ready to go back to your Office Environment:
Your Body Clock
I don't know what's with the ECQ, but my body clock is really messed up before I can go to sleep at around 10 pm, and now, I'm still awake (writing this blog at 4am) maybe one of the reasons why is because of my partner, Jerico; because he doesn't have to work we tend to sleep later at night which eventually lead to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, and I believe most of you would experience the same thing and so as your children. It's crucial to change this body clock as soon as possible so that we won't tend to feel exhausted in the middle of the day or worse- get sick.
So how to change your body clock, I am not a professional what-so-ever but here are some of the things I tend to do when I need to change my body clock:
Enhanced Community Quarantine is a blessing in disguise to some extent, although it may cripple us in terms of finance, but it made our relationship to our family closer than ever. Some companies are fortunate enough to give office workers the chance to work in the comfort of their homes to make themselves and their families safe from being infected with COVID-19. However, the Enhanced Community Quarantine is bound to end on April 30th, and although we are not sure whether the ECQ will be lifted or extended, still we need to prepare ourselves from going back to work.
So here's the thing- working moms, are you ready?
Here are some few things to do to get yourselves ready to go back to your Office Environment:
Your Body Clock
I don't know what's with the ECQ, but my body clock is really messed up before I can go to sleep at around 10 pm, and now, I'm still awake (writing this blog at 4am) maybe one of the reasons why is because of my partner, Jerico; because he doesn't have to work we tend to sleep later at night which eventually lead to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, and I believe most of you would experience the same thing and so as your children. It's crucial to change this body clock as soon as possible so that we won't tend to feel exhausted in the middle of the day or worse- get sick.
So how to change your body clock, I am not a professional what-so-ever but here are some of the things I tend to do when I need to change my body clock:
- I tend to push myself further until I tend to feel so sleepy- so now it's 4am I would push myself further until 6am or more until I feel really sleepy and I do this repetitive OR if I don't have much time and I really need to change my body clock PRONTO, I sleep a little bit earlier.
- I don't take afternoon naps- I am a sucker for any naps because as a mom, a student, an entrepreneur I am working non-stop and any naps will do. A little bit of trivia: I'm good at taking power naps.
- When I need to sleep earlier, I make sure to feel relaxed and set my mood for bedtime- this means I make my bedtime routine earlier and add more to make me feel relaxed. One of the best things I do is turn on my essential oil diffuser I normally diffuse lavender and peppermint- that's the best combo for me. I also tend to take a hot bath to make my body relieved.
- Repeating these things until it became a habit- to me, I can change my body clock in a week or two but for some, it takes a while. Make sure you really need to be consistent with this change.
Your Office Work Equipment
Some companies let their employees bring home the office equipment in order to still work in the comfort of their homes. Since we don't know that equipment, it's just fair to bring those back to the company. Make sure that you bring everything including wires- these are included in the office inventory and pretty much closed monitored by the IT department.
Make your life easier by making a checklist as early as now so you have time to think which one belongs to your house and which doesn't. If the company provided you a list of the things they have provided to you well- good for you!
Your Budget
I know this is one of the struggles of each family. Now that we are going back to the work environment, it's really important to have at least 2 weeks of the budget that will cover your travel and food expenses.
Be practical at the moment, avoid buying at canteens instead, bring your own packed lunch and snacks- it's really a lifesaver. I remember when I was still working in an office, I always bring a packed lunch and it saved me money, not much but at least it helps me to cut costs. Also, consider walking instead of riding a tricycle or if you have a motorbike or bike, take advantage of it.
The Next Cut Off
It's very important to be clarified at this point, know when you will be receiving your next pay. Some employees were given a chance to work from home but also consider the once who were forced to stay at home and agree with no work, no pay condition. Jerico is one of the many who experienced no work, no pay.
As soon as you go back to work, it's very essential to clarify with your superiors about the cut off and topics related to your salary. This way you can forecast how much you will be receiving soon and give yourself enough budget before payday.
