Executive Sidekick

08/03/2022

I am a Woman...
and that is my Superpower.

Happy International Women's Day.

07/03/2022

Goodmorning!
Hello, Monday!

01/03/2022

I hope we can train ourselves to at least slowly, just slowly apply this…

Enjoy the holiday, Davao!

24/02/2022

❤️👏💪
#

23/02/2022

So when another woman sees you, she will hear this inside her head…
“Keep going. Keep going. Keep going.”

We cannot measure our influence to others but at least, when given that chance, empower, inspire, uplift.

13/02/2022

Self care is not selfish. Is it just me or do we all tend to feel guilty about taking care of ourselves? Back when I had a stable job and had other streams of income, I always made sure I had a regular schedule for “me-time”. But due to the pandemic and other unavoidable circumstances, I stepped back and limited my expenses and one of the things I did not prioritize was my “me-time”. Wrong move!

It was only during the last quarter of 2021 when I decided to go back to my usual routine and finally listened to my husband as he would always remind me to have “me-time” because I am worth it. And that I should believe that I deserve it. It doesn’t mean that I am a lazy wife. It means, I love my family and that I should love myself first.

As a mother, we tend to forget about ourselves but we should always remember to refuel. Because an empty tank leads us nowhere and it is impossible to pour from an empty cup. So get up and do things for yourself. It doesn’t need to be expensive. It doesn’t need to be grand. Get a manicure. Google steps for a DIY foot spa. Have a peaceful walk just around your neighborhood or take a glass of wine or a cup of coffee! Take some time to do what makes your soul happy.

12/02/2022

Isn’t it amazing that with just a few of these words, we make someone’s day or even his whole life a little bit more beautiful? Be the reason why someone smiles today. Be the reason why someone believes in himself today. And be the reason why someone will try again today after several doubts, fears and failures.

Be that someone to yourself and the rest will follow. Hugs. Shine bright!

08/11/2021

Fun Fact Monday

This Monday is not just your ordinary Fun Fact Monday. I’ll be presenting to you a treasure map! Haha.

Use this map while watching a makeup tutorial. I know that feeling. That while you are watching, your eyebrows would meet trying to understand which is which. When the youtuber or the makeup artist names the part to where you should put the product, you would feel so intimidated and clueless.

So here’s a quick guide. Know the names of each part of the eye in doing your eye makeup and you will never feel lost ;)

29/10/2021

Five Tips to Improve Our Focus

We know that time is our most precious and most limited resource. In this fast paced life, we tend to think about a lot of things at the same time. We want to achieve this and that and succeed in life. But did you know that all these ideas will come to waste if we do not have this one single thing, FOCUS.

When you don’t have focus and you cannot target one single clear goal, you will waste a lot of time and time is something we cannot buy back. But maintaining focus is very task or goal dependent according to most psychologists. The way we exert effort in focusing and applying our attention depends on the importance of the task, how interested we are and because of a lot of stimuli around us.

So let’s simplify things and target these 5 tips to improve our focus.

1. Get some exercise. Squeeze in some physical exercise especially if you are working more than 9 hours a day and bombarded with mental exercise all day. You’ll never know what a 20-minute walk can do. Try it!

2. Drink more fluids. Since your brain is mostly water, drinking it helps you think, focus and concentrate better and be more alert. As an added bonus, your energy levels are also boosted!

3. Get rid of obvious distractions. Turn off your personal phone, TV or another computer if you are working. As much as possible, do not work in your bedroom. A cozy bed is a big distraction too! You know what are the obvious things that can let you get out of focus, eliminate them.

4. Work on one objective at a time. If you are good at multitasking, that might be an exemption for you but mainly go straight to one objective at a time. Keep your eyes on the target and celebrate wins, then proceed to the next one. It may be too much if you keep your eyes and mind busy with a lot of things all at the same time.

5. Take many small steps. There will always be big leaps and small steps. Try to acknowledge small steps. Small and continuous steps can still bring you to your destination. Never ever give up. You can rest, but don’t quit.

We may not be able to hit our target right away but what is important is that we keep on trying. We keep on focusing. Focus, and re-focus. Your dream has no expiration date. Have enough courage to try again and again.

18/10/2021

FUN FACT MONDAY!!!

We busted the myth that we need to rub our wrists together after applying perfume. It will actually make it wear off faster.

Next time you apply your favorite scent, don’t rub wrists together. Instead, just press together. 😉Try it!

15/10/2021

Is a well balanced-life possible? We may never find a concrete answer to this because we are the only person who know exactly our daily actions, our thoughts and our deepest emotions and well, I don’t know about you but I don’t trust myself much in gauging my own life. :) But it is never wrong to try finding that balance in life. Here are a few tips to keep that crown on top of your head and never let it fall or slip away….

1. Take care of yourself. It may sound cliche but this is the first step towards a well balanced life. You cannot function if you are empty. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Taking care of one’s self doesn’t only mean taking some rest and having a calm and peaceful mind. Eat healthy. Do regular exercise and invest in your health. There are so many people who are battling with sickness who would wish they took their health seriously.

2. Maintain a positive mindset. Declutter your mind. Declutter your space. Remove the negative and unnecessary baggages that are just barriers to your growth and productivity. Clear your thoughts often. It is not healthy to carry a heavy load everyday and as it accumulates, you will find it more difficult to handle. Keep your mind straight to the goal and keep a positive outlook in life.

3. Set your priorities. Most people find it beneficial to write down priorities and goals so that as the year ends or as we grow older, you will be reminded of how far you’ve come. Remember, you only need to compete with yourself. Know your priorities and have a plan in achieving your goals. Avoid juggling too many overwhelming roles all at the same time. Learn to prioritize and schedule them all in a timeline. Respect the seasons in your life.

4. Know your essentials. This pandemic taught us about thinking only about our essentials. About what makes us survive if we are to be isolated in our home or on an island. Be sure to connect with your family, your friends and the people that matter. Send that message, dial and call that number, say those words. In the end, we can only wish for things we didn't do and questions and feelings we kept inside our mind, unanswered, unexpressed.

5. Expect the unexpected. Know that there are a lot of things beyond our control. There are things in life that won’t happen to you. There are people who are not meant to stay. Things, people and places we have to let go. The stories of others are so much different than yours. Planning is good but learn to adjust your game whenever needed. Once you’ve done everything you can, within your control, let your life unfold.

There can be a lot of steps to keep a well balanced life and the list can go on. But one thing is for sure that will keep you focused on balancing, never lie to yourself. Become your own best ally. Keep this in mind and resilience, determination, strength, wisdom and power will be with you. Keep going. The world is tough and so are you.

14/10/2021

A gentle reminder.
It takes a lot of trial and errors to get that balance. Let's do this together!

13/10/2021

Life is short. Focus on what brings you the best returns! You know criticizing others is just a waste of time! ;)

12/10/2021

It's one secret sauce. Try it!

11/10/2021

FUN FACT MONDAY!

Twirl, Don’t Pump.

Pumping your mascara wand may seem like a daily ritual, but the bad habit actually forces air into the product, making it much easier for bacteria to spread and the product to clump. Instead, pull the wand upward and gently twirl it to evenly distribute the product.

09/10/2021

07/10/2021

When you see a “resume gap”, don’t stop there.

Being a stay-at-home mom for years, I know I am not alone in this quest. As we re-enter the workforce, we face anxiety thinking about what it feels like being back. We overthink about qualifications, competition, skillset and how our “resume gap” or employment gap can affect potential employers knowing that we, as a mom, had to stop going to a “full time” job to take care of our growing kids. Well, while our children are still continuously growing, most of us who decided to go back to work believe that we can take part in providing the best for our children in a dual-income household. This is one debatable topic but this is a crucial decision which is most importantly agreed upon by both the husband and the wife.

But why do some recruiters feel like hiring a mother who has been busy taking care of her kids full-time is a mistake? It is never wrong to choose family over anything else but sad to say, this is happening in the recruitment process. Some people treat it as a disease. Discriminating those who indicated an employment gap in their resume so some moms leave it blank, won’t mention it or worse, lie about it. Luckily, there are still people who think that this shouldn’t be the case.

Here’s what the President of Roose Recruiting and Consulting said about the “resume gap” and why it should not stop a recruiter from going on with the recruitment process and hiring that qualified applicant.

“I want to believe that people hire people. People hire potential. People hire stories. People don’t hire resumes. And I hope others of you will believe it as well. If you’ve not worked because you were taking care of your kids or an aging parent, don’t feel like you have to hide. Wear the fact that you love your family proudly.”

Another CEO from Maryland who is also a father reminded recruiters that "if a woman has a gap in her resume due to raising a child or maternity leave, it does not mean that she forgot how to work or lost any of her skills.”

You have no idea how we meticulously weighed things out until finally concluding that this is it, it will work and that we are well equipped for this. One thing for sure, working moms are hardworking moms. We’ve been there. Working full time prior to the baby's arrival and working full time as homemakers. And when you say passion, dedication and determination, do not underestimate the qualities of a mother who would do anything for their children. Plus, when you pause your career and your “life” in general to take care of your children, that is passion and loyalty.

So when you hire someone with a “resume gap”, don’t stop there. Have a conversation with her, she has a story to tell and from there her potential will radiate.

04/10/2021

I'm not asking for too much! ;)

03/10/2021

Beautiful Sunday. ❤

02/10/2021

You've been warned! 😂

01/10/2021

Surround yourself with people who genuinely make you happy. Who fuels your fire and your desire to become better everyday. Choose your tribe properly. This is my ultimate

30/09/2021

Who's your bet?
Can't drill down to 3, why not make it 4. 💋

😱 Look at how stunning these beauties are. My top 4 for Miss Universe Philippines 2021. Follow their Instagram Accounts and be the judge on who came prepared and ready to take home the crown.

Katrina Dimaranan - Taguig
Steffi Aberasturi - Cebu Province
Leren Mae Bautista - Laguna
Maureen Wroblewitz - Pangasinan

30/09/2021

So let’s talk about the new normal. Bringing your work at home or being a full time work-from-home employee is absolutely where the majority of the workforce is right now. Added to the list are the entrepreneurs who stay at home to monitor their businesses and even celebrities turned to virtual events and online side gigs to keep the ball rolling.

As a work from home entrepreneur for over two years and having this online job right now, there is no denying that productivity is affected by so many things going on inside the house. While we rejoice in the positive side like safety and convenience, there are still so many things to consider. But let’s start with what we can control. That desk, that home office set up right in front of you now.

I know not everyone can get a space dedicated for working but let’s admit it, there is a big difference when you set up a work space. It doesn’t have to be a fancy and "instagrammable" spot but keeping a small part of the house intended only for working can condition your mind that your focus is “work”. What helped me is having it clutter free, well-lit, and comfortable.

Having a “home office” can be a big help in setting the work button ON because it is the major spot where we do all our tasks for the entire working hours. But on top of that, we need to have that intention to separate work and home lives to be completely productive at work (from home). You know what I mean. Creating the home office is only the external part of it but it is the start that would lead us to internally creating the mood to be creative, focused and driven about our goals and all the tasks while we work from the comfort of our home.

How do you set up that home office? Drop your home office ideas below.

29/09/2021

We are what we repeatedly do.

28/09/2021

Two days before the Miss Universe Coronation Night, where are all my phenomenal queens in pajamas or casual house clothes?! 😁💅💃👠👑

This work-from-home setting makes me miss dressing up in the office or during meetings. But regardless of what we wear, we are still the phenomenal queen in our own unique way!

Follow my Instagram account 💋

28/09/2021

Just One Word.
Why do you need a Virtual Assistant? For sure there can be a long list of reasons why you need a Virtual Assistant but to sum it all up, the keyword is, "workload". And this "workload" is overwhelming. And it adds up fast!

WORKLOAD - Not that you expect this word to appear first but if you think about words like success, growth, excellence and the like, think of how you can you achieve all these with just one "YOU" and with only 24hours a day.

As a business owner myself, I know that there are a lot of things to be done and someone has to do it, but that someone doesn't have to be you.

A well trained and reliable virtual assistant knows your business like no one else and that is one of the best investment you can have. The training is a major part of it, but your virtual assistant needs to have characteristics that will surely speed up the training process. You can delegate the small tasks so you can focus on BIG ones. So when you ask yourself about "Why should I hire a Virtual Assistant?" Check your workload as a business owner and if you need to unload some, just do it. Hire the best virtual assistant that matches your personality and that someone who gets the job done!

27/09/2021

Top 5 Skills of an Executive Assistant

Pretty sure that the list can go on and on but here are the top 5 to consider if you are a business owner looking for additional hands for your overflowing workload. And aspiring executive assistants can also look at this as a quick checklist on what skills to enhance to be able to provide top-notch service to your clients.

Organizational Skills - With a very large amount of information and multiple tasks to juggle, an executive assistant must have an organized and smooth flow of operations. Must know where to pull up files, must not miss any deadlines and not lose track of important details.

Communication Skills - Effective communication is the first key to a great relationship between a business owner and his executive assistant. To be able to understand instructions properly and to ask important questions when needed are things that are very crucial in working with your client. Communication skills in dealing with different people is also a must for executive assistants considering the tasks that we do everyday on behalf of them.

Attention to Details - Hiring an executive assistant is like adding an additional error proof gear in your business. Details in emails, files, presentations, reports and the like are highly important and we, as executive assistants, are expected to double check everything that our client might have missed.

People Skills - The impact of good communication skills can work hand and hand with having people skills. Executive assistants deal with different people on different levels at any given time of the day. We need to know how to approach people and even build rapport with them regardless of their position or mood.

Adaptability - As we deal with the different tasks delegated to us by our client, we need to adapt to different settings, the changes and the varied thoughts, strategies and input that we encounter everyday. When the client or the business encounters setbacks, triumphs or delays, we need to know how to adjust our gears and offer some workarounds.

27/09/2021

That leap of faith...

25/09/2021