Hi everyone! This will be my first ever blog post this 2019 and I would want it to be super welcoming. I created a 12-month story timeline highlighting all the biggest lessons I have learned throughout 2018. As a work from home mom here in the Philippines, I know how hard it is to manage home and work lalo na if may mga side hustles ka pa. Normal lang din po na tayo ay magkamali, ang importante, we learn from our mistakes.
Warning: This will be a very honest blog post and I hope that you will also learn from the lessons I will be sharing.
Alright, so, tara lets! By the way, I am so excited to announce that one of my 2019 plans is to try my best to create a video and audio version of all my blog posts. I will do a test for 3 months and let’s see how it goes. Next week, I will be sharing more of my 2019 plans.
#1 - Acceptance
2018 started really tough for my family – we lost our Papa. It was January 8 when he passed away and it was a really painful experience. Doon ko naramdaman ang pinakamasakit na heartache. It was more painful than having a labor (yeah medyo inappropriate to compare pero napakasakit kasi talaga).
I didn’t know what to do because I was afraid of what might happen next.
Thank God, things went well and today, we’re all doing fine.
It was almost a year of dreaming about Papa for almost everyday. Siguro nahirapan lang talaga akong tanggapin na wala na siya kasi nagi-guilty ako that I wasn’t beside him when he left. Nasanay kasi ako na kapag kailangan nila ng tulong, nasa malapit lang ako.
Thankfully, I have learned to move on and accept his loss. I get teary eyed when I remember him (like right now, while I am writing this post) pero hindi na ganun kasakit.
Iniisip ko na lang na malaki ang naging advantage ng pagiging work from home ko kasi everytime na dadalaw siya dito sa amin nung nabubuhay pa siya, physically present ako para mag-asikaso sa kanya.
#2 - Invest in Yourself
February 2018, I wasn’t totally healed from the loss of a loved one yet but I needed to move on. This time, I decided to be more serious about my home-based career and business. I started learning more and investing in myself.
I took a free course about Shopify store development and a new blessing came. I won a new client (photo above) who owns a Shopify store. You might notice that currently, the contract is on hold because he went out of funds. Yes, please add this to your expectations also if you are planning to work from home since most of your clients as an online freelancer will be startup owners.
So, aside from investing in myself, I also invested in my blogging business to earn more. I know how important it is to have a portfolio to present to your clients whenever they ask for samples. I am a living proof that it works and so I encourage my students and followers to do so. I also wanted to level up as a WordPress Web Developer and Designer and so I finally bought a domain name and transferred this blog to a paid host.
#3 - Dream BIG
While going through all the lessons from the online courses and research results during my “Learning Process”, I saw other possible income opportunities for work at home moms like me.
Aside from being an online freelancer, I can also make money online doing other things. I was interested in three things – Writing Books/e-Books, Creating Online Courses, and Dropshipping.
Dream BIG – I was reminded of an Australian friend (na friend ng kuya ko), who first emphasized these words to me. He said, I can do better (nung nagwo-work pa ako dati sa government). He said, I can earn BIGGER – I just need to set BIGger goals and BIGger DREAMS.
#4 - Socialize
Just because I am a work from home mom, I am not able to socialize. Wrong. Nakakabagot din kayang magkulong lagi sa loob ng bahay facing your laptop. There are other ways to meet and socialize with friends.
I discovered several online groups of people that share the same interests with me. I met new home-based moms whom I shared stories with. I even created my own chat group where I gathered guest bloggers to write on my blog while I teach them my blogging skills. Nagpa-contest pa nga ako dati ready for the Mothers’ Day. It was fun (nakaka-miss)!
Today, I am managing a community of Passionate Bloggers and Writers. You can join anytime! 🙂
#5 - Plan and Organize Work from Home Tasks
Since medyo marami na din akong ginagawa in the Month of May with three clients, kinailangan ko na talagang seryosohin ang paggamit ng planner. Better late than never, sabi nga nila. Pero, sorry po, ang gulo ng planner ko. Sa mga hindi pala nakakaalam, I have a baby girl na one year old pa lang that time. 🙂 Nakikigamit din siya ng Planner. Check out this printable Planners I created just for you!
#6 - Conquer your FEAR!
If you want to achieve your BIG GOALS and realize your BIG DREAMS, you have to conquer your fears.
I did my first ever Facebook LIVE in June 2018!
Tawang-tawa ako dito guys sa totoo lang. Ang dami kong epic failures! 😀 But, I am so happy. Why?
First, I conquered one of my fears.
Second, I have experienced doing Facebook Live and yes, it is true, sobrang kakabahan ka sa una pero pagkatapos nito, marami ka ding mare-realize. Hindi pala ganun kahirap and my tip on this one is to really JUST ENJOY IT!
Because I want you to learn from my mistakes, here’s the video recording of my first ever Facebook LIVE (aside from that, sana marami din kayong matutunan sa video):
This video is very important to me hindi lang dahil ito ang first time na nagawa ko ito, but, it was also the first step to the development of the Blogging 101.1 e-course. Here’s the FREE Blogging 101 e-book version.
#7 - Manage your Time
Honestly, until now, I am still struggling with managing my time. I just felt so thankful because I had a planner or else, things became worse. Nung una, hindi talaga ako naniniwala na nakakatulong ang pagkakaroon ng planner. Of course, hindi din siya magiging effective kung hindi mo gawing habit na isulat ang mga plans and goals mo dito.
Anyway, in July 2018, I had my first ever students in the Blogging 101.1 e-course as a Beta course pa lang. I accepted scholars to teach for free while I continued developing the course.
Also, because I was able to plan ahead and manage my time better than the past, I had the chance to attend events outside. So, yehey! lumabas din ako sa lungga ko (well, lumalabas naman ako with my family, and to do errands). This time, iba naman kasi I finally went out again to meet and learn with like-minded people.
I met new friends and mentors and I loved the idea of doing such again. So, from then on, nag-aattend na ako ng mga events near my area.
#8 - Set SPECIFIC Goals
I always set my goals. The problem is, they are not so SPECIFIC or SMART overall.
So, I continued receiving new students in the Blogging e-course without setting specific goals. All I know was that I was just enjoying teaching them. I didn’t even care if I will earn from it. Later did I realize that doing such can also affect the statistics of my business.
A mentor explained to me the difference of offering a paid product than just by giving everything for FREE. Pwede kasing mag-take advantage daw ang iba kasi libre lang naman. Sa mga naging scholars ko, please don’t get me wrong. I knew naman na kahit nakuha niyo iyong course for FREE pinaghirapan niyo din kasi dumaan kayo sa malupit na screening process, hehe.
Alright, so the lesson here is to set very specific goals talaga. If ginagawa mo pa lang iyong Blogging business plan mo for this year, you can go back to it and check out what you have written as your goals. That way, ma-specify mo din ng maigi kung ano ang mga specific projects and tasks na dapat mong gawin para ma-achieve mo itong mga goals mo.
#9 - Be Humble
September 2018 was filled with schedules for online interviews with several online home-based workers.
You know what I noticed about all the people that I have interviewed? They are all very humble kahit pa nasa mas mataas na status na sila kaysa sa akin. I was like very beginner pa talaga when it comes to online interviews and they were so accommodating and understanding.
You can check out all these online interviews here.
#10 - Take it EASY!
Managing a startup business, handling my online freelancing clients, plus finishing tasks in the online courses where I enrolled was tiring. Yes, I have planned all the activities well using a calendar and a planner. I managed my time properly in order to still babysit and do house chores. But, I have compromised something. I was sleep deprived. I lacked enough rest. I was overwhelmed and burnt out.
This 2019, my words for the year is “DON’T RUSH!” or just “Take it Easy!”
I would never feel that kind of overwhelm again. My advice to you (like other entrepreneurs would) is to find ways to work SMART, not WORK HARD.
#11 - Take a Break
Because of the overwhelm, I promised myself to do something new in the month of November.
I went out for a family date with my family and close friends. I still did business in between but I made sure to spend more time with them. I conquered another fear – speaking in front of people. It may not be a big crowd – but, it was a great start.
This 2019, I will be more open to other speaking engagements. I may have feared it at first, but because I already experienced and learned from my first time, I am more confident to do it again.
#12 - Set your Priorities
Do you remember the “Rocks-Pebbles-Sand” time management?
I want to wrap up this blog post with it.
My most favorite of all these 12 lessons is setting your priorities. Of course, as a work from home mom, my number one priority is my family and myself.
Make sure that even if you are working, even if you are busy, you won’t forget to fill your jar with Rocks first – your first priority.
I am not a perfect MOM. I am not a perfect WIFE. I am not an expert in my chosen career. I know, everyday, there will be always be new lessons to learn from. I hope these blog post has at least made you realize that you are not alone in whatever struggle it is that you are going through.
Thank you and see you again next week. I will be sharing with you my 2019 plans and what’s happening next in MotherAnt.Com.
Don’t forget to download a copy of the 2019 Printable Planner. It is simple and easy to use, guys. I just added the most important pages you will need in order to help you organize and plan your weekly and monthly tasks.
Your blogging friend,
Charlyn June (Mother Ant)
hi po.. i have been quietly following your post on our fb page… I love to commend your generosity. Thank you very much for helping us.
Phing
Hi Phing,
Thanks for your feedback! Keep reading and learning.
Mother Ant