If only all of us know how to maximize the hours that we have in a day, we would all be rich—in accomplishments! Being able to produce more output in a day will not only entitle you for a possible promotion (if an office employee) or extra revenue (if working from home or managing your own business). This also gives you an assurance that you made wise use of your time and a sense of pride that you could actually do more and be better every day.

Start with the Tough Ones
Procrastination is your biggest enemy. We tend to push the hard ones out and do the easy or clerical tasks first. When you’ve reached half of the day, you try picking out the hard tasks and finish nothing by the end of the day. Why not reverse this by getting the hardest and usually the most important job done? This works better because you have more focus and energy at the start of the day.

Get your Focus
This is the hardest and most important component. You may have already done a to-do list and you know exactly what to do to be able to deliver. The problem is no matter how hard you try to come up with ideas or compose your thoughts—the light bulb stays busted. To be able to beat this, do a little bit stretching and perhaps sip a cup of coffee. Get some help by browsing online specifically about the task or consulting your colleagues. Make sure to keep this soul-searching period short and particularly about the task at hand. Directing your mind and your actions ONLY to this task will point you towards getting it done fast.

Destruct Distractions
Keeping your IM and e-mail open, especially if notifications from your blogs and social networking accounts are flooding, will eat up your whole day. After all, it’s more fun and exciting to check these out than to continue working on a spreadsheet your boss needs after lunch. While quick peeks during breaks won’t hurt, getting used to these momentary amusements will make you want for more. So better to shut them off altogether or device a rewards system for yourself where you get to check ONLY when you have done such amount of work.

Time-Box
This simply means that you have a mental allocation of number of hours to be spent on a definite task. While you’re at it and you are tempted to daydream or check out the latest Hollywood buzz, check your time. How many more minutes do you have? Time-boxing gives you a positive pressure as you try to beat the self-imposed deadline. Time-boxing also applies to your quick breaks and chit-chat—keep these short so that you don’t lose your momentum.

Know When Your Plate is Full
It’s true that you want to be as effective as you can be but if you flood yourself with so many jobs, you won’t be able to focus and finish a thing. The more tasks you accept, the more people will be bugging you for follow up or feedback and it will be a never-ending cycle. Instead of taking up all these by yourself, why don’t you get someone to help you? Perhaps a sibling on vacation can help but there is also a big risk that this may double up the burden since you’ll have to check and redo if there are mistakes. Professional assistants are available for a cost but the productivity and relief that they provide is all worth it.

Always remember, time wasted is like money thrown to trash. Managing and spending your time well not only frees you from stress, it also works as your personal investment. You may not realize it but making wise use of your time also results to a constructive outlook in life as you continue to pursue and encourage yourself to achieve something all the time. Disciplining yourself to not waste time is the key to improving your work and your being as well.

To help you maximize our service and prepare for the upcoming holidays, we are giving you the list of official holidays this year. We will, of course, still inform you whenever a holiday is coming up. This is just to let you know when to expect them this year. This will help us plan ahead and make sure all your projects and tasks go without a hitch.

So here goes:

How will it go?

Whenever a holiday is coming up, we will remind you the week before. We will aim to finish all pending tasks and projects before the holiday. You can talk to your virtual assistant to prioritize the more urgent ones too and which ones we need to complete before we take off.

If you think you’ll need your VA to work on the holiday, just get in touch with us so that we can make a special arrangement for you.

As always, feel free to contact us anytime you have any questions or concerns. We’re always happy to hear from you!

Truthfully, there are no hard and fast rules to do this, but the thing to remember is that productivity is very much tied to happiness. It’s been scientifically proven that happy workers are more productive ones. And as blogger Alex Kjerulf explains in his post here, once you start liking what you do and enjoying your work, your productivity will soar.

I’ll even let you in on a personal story. I started out as a marketing assistant at a bank. To say the least, it was painfully boring and mind-numbing, consisting mainly of making phone calls to clients, confirming they were depositing huge sums of money, in amounts I would never make in a lifetime if I stayed there. How do you think that impacted my productivity?

So maybe for the first lesson in productivity, it goes something like this:

Productivity = Happiness + Purpose

Any human being who disagrees with the “purpose” part is either Sisyphus or a hamster. So if your job right now feels like you’re running aimlessly in a hamster wheel, it’s time to seek better employment. But hey, if you’re happy with that sort of thing, that’s your thing. I personally would run amok with an AK-47 and take my colleagues hostage. But that’s just me. That’s why I left the job at the bank after a week.

In a nutshell, to increase your productivity, FIRST, choose the sort of work or place yourself in the sort of industry where you’re more likely to do the work you like. Sounds simple, but soaring numbers of unhappy workers say otherwise.

Pick the work you like, and try to make sure it won’t feel like there’s a solid brick wall ahead or above you. Do some research on the company, organization, and industry you want to work in; talk to people and Google the relevant topics on them.

Maybe that’s all more suited for long-term strategies in upping your productivity. So maybe a “nutshell” type list will help boost your productivity now.

Here are a few tips for increasing productivity on the job:

1. Create a work environment that suits you.

Start with a comfortable chair. But please, not a La-Z-boy. Recliners are for vegetating in front of the TV or sleeping, not working. If you can afford one of those fancy Aeron chairs, go for it. The key is to tailor-fit your workspace into a “mechanism” you like using. Remember, unless you’re as brilliant and aggressive as Richard Branson, you and your workspace will be together for quite some time.

Décor, lighting, and use of space are also important. Some people like a lot of light, some like it dark. Some use a lot of shelf space, others tuck things away. Some people like the whole Scandinavian minimalist thing, others like to be crowded with their books, magazines, CDs, pictures of soon-to-be girlfriends (that’s not me…) and heck, even toys. Use what works for you, just be sure to not encroach on anyone else’s space.

2. Make a list.

Yes, a list. You have one for groceries, you have one for the people you hated in high school and swear vengeance (again that’s just me), so why not one for your day-to-day tasks? Most people take it for granted, but successful people swear by it.

And really, there’s a feeling of satisfaction in ticking off a task you’ve completed by day’s end. Don’t rob yourself of that feeling. And why do you think PDAs come and go, but the good old filofax and note pad are still around? The tools change, but the practice doesn’t. Jot down that list now.

3. Put on a little music.

So long as you’re not operating heavy equipment, play your favorite tunes.

Studies on productivity have confirmed that workers who listen to the music they like increased their work output by at least 10%. No wonder Sony Walkmans have been selling like hotcakes, at least until the iPod came along.

You want more proof? I’m listening to Depeche Mode as I type this. Not exactly happy tunes to work by, but it keeps my motor running. Oh, and if you’re the only one who likes the music you’re listening to, get a great pair of earphones. Not everyone in Accounting might be able to balance the books while It’s No Good is blasting.

4. Take a break when you need it.

Breaks are okay, and the operative words being “when you need it”. To keep your own motor running, take a break away from the keyboard. Breathe. Take a short walk, have a smoke, talk to people, grab a small bite. Breaking the monotony (so long as you’re not in the middle of something) helps to keep your ball rolling.

5. Reward yourself a little, from time to time.

Remember what we said about happiness? It doesn’t have to be something big.

Give yourself a little pat on the back when you’ve finished something or feel you done good at work. Never discount the importance of little rewards, it will actually help you with a little “happiness boost” to tackle the next task. This can be anything from a small treat, new CD or article of clothing, desk toy or that vintage GI Joe figure with the kung-fu grip you always wanted as a kid.

6. Keep your eye on the ball.

Yes, ironically, to keep your ball rolling at work, keep your eye on whatever goal you’ve set for yourself, long-term or short-term. Oh, and make the goal more “life-related”, more personal. “Finishing tax reports before the end of the fiscal year” doesn’t sound nearly as exciting a goal as “finally learning to ski in the Pyrennes”. Literally have a picture or collage of what you’re aiming for right there as a desktop wallpaper or put it in a place where you can see it or easily bring it out and stare at it for a minute or two. This is visualization. (Get a copy of the book The Secret and you’ll see what I mean). It doesn’t matter if it’s a shiny new car, that vacation in the Maldives you’ve always wanted, the home you’ve always dreamed of buying, or even the celebrity you want to abduct date. When it comes to goals, you don’t have to be 100% realistic. What’s important is you get yourself jazzed up about work, and the feeling of wanting to work harder, if not smarter, will follow.

Of course, these are just a few tips on short-term fixes for upping your own productivity, and maybe encouraging other people in your team to be more productive. Start with these tips and you may discover your own methods that will help put you on the path to heightened productivity, which (could) translate to success, peace of mind, and long-term happiness.

But cascading from this trend is the challenge for individuals, entrepreneurs, and business organizations to rise above and succeed. It is essential to find creative ways to start your business, keep it afloat and take it to greater heights.

Now, how do we tap into that creativity?

We all have innate creativity; some people may have more, but the point is, all of us have a creative nerve flowing. We just have to uncover ways for it to outpour.

It simply has to start with daily, small, even really tiny efforts. Listed below are some ways to begin unleashing your creativity:

1. Know your adequate length of sleep
Normal sleep of adults must go around 7 to 8 hoursⁱ but it may still vary from person to person. Lack of sleep slows down the brain and hinders the capacity to focus. But then some people tend to think well at 4 hours!

2. Explore various activities
You might say you are already busy with family and work, having no time for other activities. But these other activities can perhaps mount an idea that you otherwise would not have thought of. See things differently by occasionally changing your routine then witness how the experience opens the door for creativity.

If you have a scheduled brainstorming on Monday, why not try parasailing this weekend?

3. Find time for friends
Old and new. It is always refreshing to be with good company. Go and have lunch out, dinner date, or coffee chat with high school buddies. Sincere conversation eases up your mind, and intimacy increases brain power thus allowing creativity to heighten.

4. Learn new things
If you are working in the computer industry, why not try and pick a magazine about advertising? Would it be interesting to know how they make a 30-second commercial just to gain new knowledge? And deviate your thoughts for an hour or two from your real and current tasks. Who knows, you might get some insights by reading stuff completely different from your field.

5. Spoil yourself once in a while
Buy that camera. Go to the beach. Purchase a new laptop. Watch it in 3D. Have a massage. Subscribe to the gym. When you feel too stressed out and nothing creative can be squeezed out from you anymore, this can be a good time to just follow your impulse. Have fun and indulge in your desires, for once! Then go back to thinking after the indulgence and observe how it elevates your creativity level.

6. Be at your creative footing
Others seem to undertake all possible business endeavors, what more is left? Still a lot. But in trying to give birth to an extremely unique product or service, it helps to be in a place where you can be most fruitful. Some people achieve their eureka working in an enclosed room with loud hiphop music. Others appreciate solitude while sipping a cup of coffee. And some create breakthroughs via harsh arguments with peers.

7. Take time to scribble
In scribbling, don’t be conscious of grammar, of the content, of the writing style. Just write down what is in your thoughts without editing and proofreading. It frees your mind from worries, making you shed ideas, good or bad. Then eventually you can pick the creative stuff.

8. Walk in the park
Or in your office garden. Or in the nearby street. When you’ve been staring at a blank paper for long and nothing seems to pop up—UNWIND. A breeze of air is like a spa to the busy brain.

9. Eat the right food

This might sound like a typical advertisement for brain boosting elements but really, take a whole grain diet and you will thank me for it. It will give you a longer supply of energy because its components break down slowly, giving the body a longer time to think. Load up on Omega 3 fatty acids too, found in nuts and some oily fish that are used as building blocks for the neurotransmitters; it enables neurons to transport information to your brain more effectively. Vitamin C, E and beta carotene are well-known anti-oxidants; include them in your meals to preserve brain function.

10. Try Aromatherapy
Particular scents can stimulate the mind! While you’re in your cubicle and are forced to conjure up something juicy, why not have aromatherapy oils for creative thinking? Try Ylang-ylang - this relaxes you and invites creativity in; cedarwood helps you focus; cinnamon motivates you; rosemary lifts the mood; sandalwood gives encouragement; peppermint relieves headaches and may improve your writing ability; lavender serves as an all-around feel good oil.

As you may see, BIG IDEAS may be triggered in ordinary ways but its impact is without a doubt— extremely huge! The room for creativity might really be extra tough in what is truly becoming a smaller environment for any trade but this scenario equates to higher opportunities if you just know how to grow and manage your creative juice. So do what is necessary not to spill it!

[i.] http://www.nap.edu/

Here are a few things worth noting in order to maximize her time for you.

Know your needs. Did you hire an assistant for marketing aid? For customer service? Administrative work? For time-consuming and routine tasks? Understanding your own purpose of hiring a VA ultimately improves your expectations and eases up your manner of delegating a project.

Platform for instructions. We do not recommend giving instructions over the phone or via chat is as a lot of the information may easily be lost there. Email or the project management system that we use, Basecamp, are still the best options. Phone calls and chat are great for clarifications though. However, if you prefer to do it over the phone, your virtual assistant will be taking down notes and will email back the minutes of the conversation to make sure she got everything right and didn’t miss out on anything.

Make it clear. Provide detailed instructions on the primary information that your virtual assistant must know in order to work on the tasks at hand. If you want her to send emails to your selected contacts about a particular subject matter, be sure to provide your email access; inform her of the complete lists of people you intend to send it to, then give her the full details and sample pegs of what she needs to write for you. Unclear instructions eat up the time of your VA and your help can assist her to spend it more efficiently. If instructions are not clear, expect some back-and-forth as your assistant will need to clarify things to make sure she understood it properly and efforts are not wasted.

Learn her background. The VA will be giving you her background and what she specializes in so that you know how you can gain more from her expertise. If you need other skill sets, ask your virtual assistant and see if she can work or get trained on it. We have a backup team in Pepper that may provide training for a VA so she can acquire the skills needed.

Share your objectives. Or simply give her a heads-up regarding the tasks given. Knowing the goal of an activity stimulates her thinking and she may even render relevant inputs. Remember that your virtual assistant is  highly-educated and she can probably aid you with more than just the basic assignments.

Itemize your tasks. Delegating a project in long paragraphs to discuss what she needs to accomplish for the day (or for the week) may be good but can be better if you can bullet or arrange in numbers the specific items that need to be done.

Set the priorities. You can always give your assistant a series of activities but it helps if you identify which task you would like her to work on first. Is it the research on quantum physics for the school project of your son? Or  bookmarking your webpage in various social media sites? Setting a deadline will also help her manage her time well.

Define work schedules. Most likely, your virtual assistant is working in a different time zone and if this is the case, your morning is her wee hours and vice versa. It is okay if you give her a certain time plan indicating your preferred hours of working for you. Or at least identify a specific schedule to send your instructions so she can work on it promptly rather than on the next shift. If you have something urgent after the shift, you can call or send her an SMS so that she can attend to it right away.

Give her feedback. Or at least acknowledge the receipt of the accomplished tasks. If there is a need to revise the copy of your brochure, tell her. If you like the way it was written, commend her. She will surely appreciate the comment and will be happy if you make some suggestions on how she can further improve the service.

Keep in touch. If you have a scheduled seminar and will be out of the internet the whole week, let her know. If you plan to skip some days and then use most of your hours for your next big project next week, inform her. Leaving her in the dark of your schedule is inappropriate considering that she too has other activities; she will continue to reserve a time for you unless you tell her otherwise.

Spend time wisely. Following your subscription, hours allotted for the given month cannot be carried over to the next so make full use of it. If you got a virtual assistant for part-time services, that means your VA is also handling other clients and will need to spend some time for them as well. She blocks off a chunk of time specifically for you so it’s better if you can help her make use of it properly.

Option for training. For some tasks that are also new to the VA (like the CRM program that your company uses), providing her your actual training may be needed. Gotomeeting, Dimdim, and Skype are good ways to teach her online as they have screensharing programs so you can chat while training her.

Remember … your virtual assistant is your ally. She will be happy to assist you in any way she can so you can enjoy the extra time that comes in availing her service!

Now’s the time for some joyous merrymaking,
To celebrate and enjoy, a short leave we’re taking.

We’ll close shop for a bit on the following dates:

December 24, 25, 31
January 1

But for the rest and come January, we’ll be back to assist your days.

Join our team in toasting the successes of this year,
And in welcoming the coming one without fear.

May you enjoy the rest of the holiday season,
For happiness and success, may you have all reason.

Happy holidays from your lovely Pepper Assistants!

On the days before Christmas, my VA (Virtual Assistant) gave to me…

12 months of meetings

It’s never too early to get started on getting next year’s calendar filled up with your red letter days. Ask for your VA’s help to get your reminders set-up, whether it be for important meetings, birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates.

11 Jobs with Typing

For any transcription work or encoding that need to be done before the end of the year, seek your VA’s assistance in getting those important papers ready for you.

10 Sent e-greetings

Christmas greetings are a must for anyone so enlist help organizing and maintaining your email database, as well as sending out your Holiday wishes. Also consider having your VA reply to the greetings sent to you. You wouldn’t want your friends and family to think you’re a Scrooge.

9 Planned Parties

Find that perfect party venue, set up the caterers, send out the invites and mind those who have sent in their RSVPs. There is nothing more stressful than being a gracious host on top of planning and setting up an event that would make Martha Stewart proud. Cut yourself some slack and get a VA to do all that for you.

8 Lists for Shopping

Keep track of your Christmas gift lists – and more importantly, your budget – this Christmas season. Research the best online shopping deals, the hottest toys for your kids and even grab that much-coveted Hermes bag at a low price for your wife. Never mind who’s been naughty or nice, simply ask and your VA will even check for you twice!

7 Plans for Marketing

Get a head start on next year’s marketing campaigns before year end and impress your boss. Your VA can assist you in doing the necessary research and even do the preliminary set-ups to successfully implement it. Their know-how, equipment and creative flair may just be what you need to get you ahead in your field!

6 Year-End Reportings

There is no reason why you need to be stuck behind a desk doing your number-crunching, word processing and spreadsheets during the Holidays. Give your brain its much-deserved vacation and let your VA handle those mundane tasks for you.

5 Organizing

Most virtual assistants are experts in multi-tasking and organizing. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by the amount of paper work you have to catch-up on or bogged-down by daily tedious tasks, a VA might just be the answer to your prayers.

4 Calling Leads

Expand your market-reach by asking your VA to call prospective clients to inform them about your company. More importantly, let your existing clients know how special they are by getting a personal call to let them know about your special offers on your latest products and services exclusively for them.

3 Set Vacations

If you’re hard-pressed for time to book that special holiday vacation with your family or with that special someone, let your VA assist you in arranging your trip: get the best airline and hotel deals, book the best tour packages, or even get that rent-a-car to get home to your loved-ones.

2 Holiday Promotions

You have a Christmas sale to do? Get help getting your website ready for its Christmas promos, or sending out your brochures and flyers during the Holidays. Let your VA help you update your webpage, blog, or social networking sites to spread the word fast and easy!

And a whole lot more time for me… The best part of hiring a VA is that it maximizes your productivity while maintaining efficiency in your business processes. In the business world, time is money and freeing up your schedule to do more important things is the key to succeeding in your endeavors. This Christmas season, give yourself the gift of time and spend it on those that matter most to you.

“No paper? But how do we keep track of important documents?”
“How do we let go of the old ways?”
“How much would that cost me?”
“How do we go about such a thought?”

Don’t get me wrong, I love paper. A great invention, it revolutionized the world. There’s also a therapeutic feel that comes from seeing a pen’s ink flow onto paper and seeing your ideas materialize right before your eyes. But let’s face it, we’re not helping the environment by exploiting its use.

We have reached the point where there’s just too much paper. In an office, it is often synonymous with clutter. It gets old, fragile, wet, lost, takes too much space and even dangerous when stacked up too high or grows moldy with age (yikes!). Most of them just get stored and forgotten, until we search and find that they have to be thrown out due to diminished quality or worse, they’ve become termite food. Well, we can certainly do something about it now, before it gets really bad.

A paperless workplace doesn’t necessarily mean totally eliminating the use of paper, just reducing it enough to help the trees recover from extinction. Going paperless would also make things easier — to keep track, store and distribute. It’s more beneficial too (ehem, cheaper), eventually.

Here are a few tips on where and how to start:

1. Replace time cards

Bundy clocks are a bit old school, right? Instead of using time cards, why not try biometric technology? A fingerprint or hand print could be used to keep track of the comings and goings of employees. You can even play “spy” if it makes it more fun. :-p Other alternatives for keeping track of employee attendance are PC log ins or even ID card scans.



2. Scan copies of personal records

Upon signing one copy, a contract can be scanned, stored and sent to you electronically. Same with other records – school transcripts, tax returns, resumes, insurance information, etc. – the originals can be scanned and stored in electronic folders. This way, pulling them out can be done in a few mouse clicks instead of spending hours ruffling through rusty file cabinets.

3. Use Excel spreadsheets for numeric records

Gone are the days when you need to manually accomplish and copy columns upon columns of ledgers. Software such as Microsoft Excel has spreadsheets which make it easier to create tables, sort, compile, compute and even use formulas for numeric-based data, such as accounting records, time logs and the like.

4. Don’t print pay slips

Some offices still distribute pay slips on paper. This is another practice that’s easy to leave in the past. Start distributing them through email. Majority of the people who receive them tend to either throw them or store and then forget about them anyway.

5. Email memos and announcements

Bulletin boards are so high school. With the advent of email, any memo, letter or announcements could be forwarded electronically through emails or newsletters. It’s easy to carbon copy anyone, and those involved could just save copies in their files and bring them up anytime – complete with time stamps, sender/recipient list and all.

6. Use electronic signatures

With the availability of software such as Adobe Acrobat, signatures on documents can be accomplished electronically. They are personalized per user, and these PDF files are very portable and could be forwarded to any individual concerned, compiled, recompiled and secured with passwords and restrictions if needed.

7. Electronic business cards are cheaper

Business cards are useful during offsite events, but they tend to get wasted, especially when you change information such as contact numbers or even designations. What’s worse, the people you give them to may lose them along the way, making the effort moot. Electronic business cards, on the other hand, could be edited anytime and sent through email. You just have to request a new contact’s email address (store them in cellular phones, other handheld devices or laptops that, admit it, we always seem to carry) and get to personalize the business card with a short email correspondence.

8. Eliminate meeting handouts

Printed handouts for meetings can be avoided in several ways: voice recorders may be used during meetings, then downloaded and forwarded electronically; Microsoft PowerPoint presentations could be requested and sent through email; employees could take turns in taking down minutes/notes in their laptops and send them to everyone involved through Microsoft Word file or PDF. It saves a lot of paper and encourages personal interaction among colleagues.

9. Document important company events with digital cameras

With digital cameras selling for less now than when they first arrived on the scene, pictures can be taken digitally then saved and distributed electronically. This also gives you the freedom to only print the pictures you like (if needed) and even retouch or edit them with backgrounds and designs beforehand. Their quality would not diminish or change, unlike prints and negatives that fade or get sticky with time.

10. Avoid using sticky notes

Oh, I admit, they are so cute! They come in different sizes, shapes and colors, and they make your work area more colorful or personalized. But…must…control…self. Use whiteboards for people to leave you notes instead, or electronic sticky notes in your desktop to remind yourself of things to do.

11. Electronic cards are touching too

There’s nothing more touching than people remembering your birthday or congratulating you on your new promotion, baby or achievement. But personalized greeting cards become additional clutter. Why not use electronic cards? They’re easily available online, cost next to nothing if not nothing and they could even be enhanced with cool designs, music, videos or even animations!

12. Bring your own mugs

Instead of using paper or plastic cups, paper plates and plastic utensils in the pantry, bring your own mugs, plates and silverware. Provide extra ones for the occasional visitor too. This helps make things more personal and homey in the office. Not to mention, saving a lot of paper or plastic in the process.

13. Minimize holiday decorations

Working in a well-decorated office adds to the excitement of the holidays like Valentine’s Day, Halloween or Christmas. However, these decorations grow out of season (pun intended) and get thrown out when they do. Instead, explore using computer wall papers as canvases for decorations and play house (er, office?) music to build the mood.

It’s true that this process may be a little expensive and time consuming at first. Old files will have to be scanned or encoded, new software would have to be learned and you have to get used to the new electronic workflow. And of course, I could not stress the importance of backing up files enough. As with all things technological, it helps to be cautious, prepared and yes, even a little paranoid.

In the long run though, there are many benefits to be had. The office space would be maximized, storage would be easier, files could be searched and sent easily without shelling out money for shipment or labor fees and we could help the environment in the process. This is definitely one situation where less is more.

I used to do these things a lot before the recession happened, and I bet I’m not the only one.

Since then, I have managed to tighten my belt just enough so that I could still indulge once in a while but not as much as I used to. There was a big change with my spending habits. Instead of going to the movie theater once a week, I would just wait for the film in DVD. Instead of eating at a fancy restaurant, I would just settle for some fast food. And instead of shopping every weekend, I would just wait for the occasional sale. Even if the recession brought a drastic change to my lifestyle, I believe it has taught me to become more practical and more prudent with my finances.


Here are some tips on how to rethink your spending habits during the recession:

Cut Back on Luxuries

First, list down all your daily expenses so you can figure out what to cut back on. Of course you have to spend for your basic needs like food, clothing and your living expenses. But do you really have to buy designer duds? Or do you really, really need to go to Starbucks everyday? You could live without these luxuries, you just need to do some adjusting.

Buy Used or Refurbished Items

You don’t always have to buy brand new. It’s perfectly fine to get a second hand items as long as you check that they’re it’s in good condition. For instance, if you’re in the market for a car, instead of getting brand new wheels, you could get a used sedan for a fraction of the price. Aside from spending less, you’d also contribute less carbon footprint (Mother Earth would thank you for it.) The same goes for refurbished gadgets like computers and mp3 players.

Ask for Promos or Discounts

Internet, cell phone and cable providers usually offer promotions from time to time. All you have to do is ask about it. Even restaurants and stores sometimes have ongoing promos or discounts. Again, just ask – you’ll have nothing to lose if you do. I actually tried asking for a discount at a sports store once and they gave me an additional 10% off at the counter. I was pleasantly surprised when they granted my request. It could happen to you too.

Pay in Cash

When you’re buying something, I suggest that you pay in cash rather than charge it to your credit card so that it would be easier to keep track of your finances. You’ll know exactly how much money you have left and not be in any risk of credit card debt. Even if these cards are convenient to have around, it’s also risky to have one especially if you have a tendency to go wild with your spending. At least when you’re using cash, you’ll know when to stop – when there’s nothing left in your wallet anymore.

Since the world is still experiencing financial crisis, you can’t do away with spending freely anymore. You can’t just sit back and relax. You need to adjust to the circumstances and welcome change in your life. You need to re-think your spending habits so you can stay afloat of the situation. After all, you don’t know when the recession would end. That’s why you should physically and mentally prepare yourself for whatever may happen. In the meantime, why don’t you try out my suggestions above so you’ll be equipped to face the financial challenges ahead?

From 8 AM to 2 PM that day, practically the whole of Metro Manila turned into a water world. The water filled the streets, underpasses, major highways, and buildings and residences. People were forced to seek higher ground – on top of their cars, rooftops and whatever stable structure they could get a hold of. And even if you get to the top, you’ll still feel scared when you see what’s happening on the ground – people needing rescue, objects being swallowed by the raging waters, parked cars moving along with the waves (yes, there were waves on the streets that used to be solid and dry). It wasn’t a pretty sight. I guess you really can’t put it to words. I think this video would tell it all.

This was taken inside a local hospital somewhere in Manila.

Typhoon Ketsana spared no one. Everyone was affected – the old, the young, the wealthy, the poor… The worst hit areas were Marikina, Rizal and Pasig, where the water level reached the second floor and people got stranded on the rooftops for hours, and others even more than 24 hours. They were drenched, cold, hungry and scared to death. Even when the rains stopped, rescue efforts couldn’t get to them right away because these areas became impassable and vehicles couldn’t get through. Those who had relatives on these areas braved the rains and the floods and went there on foot in the hope of rescuing them. The good thing that came out of this was that strangers were helping each other out – risking their lives to keep the others safe.

Even if the typhoon has already left the country, what happened is still fresh in the minds of the Filipinos. Ketsana left about 80% of Metro Manila underwater, more than a quarter of a million people displaced, more than two hundred dead, and millions worth of damage. The clean up has already begun and relief operations are ongoing. The Internet became a big tool in getting donations from other Filipinos abroad who wanted to help. People are updating their Facebook, Twitter and other sites on how to send donations over. A lot have responded, not only fellow Filipinos but other nationalities as well, even popular personalities like Demi Moore and Josh Groban have called for help to donate through their Twitter accounts.

Despite everything though, many Filipinos are thankful for having survived this ordeal, including the Pepper team who are all safe and sound – thank God. This tragedy has brought out the best in many Filipinos. Those who are able have been donating their time, effort and money to those in need. As of now, many individuals and groups have set up relief efforts by accepting donations and distributing them to the affected areas, because the residents there practically have to start from scratch since their homes were destroyed. If you want to help them pick up the pieces, you can do so by sending over cash or goods (clothes, food, drinks, medicines, blankets…) If you’re abroad, you can donate online or by phone.

Donate Online:

- PhilippineAid.com
- Ayala Foundation (select AFI-Typhoon Relief Fund in drop down menu)
- World Food Programme
- TXTPower (Paypal)
- Ateneo Alumni Northeast, Inc.
- Xoom
- HOPE Worldwide
- Australian Red Cross

Donate by Phone:

USA: Call the American Red Cross at 1-800-435-7669. Please choose the 3rd option (International Donation), then tell the operator that your donation is for the Ondoy (Ketsana) typhoon victims in the Philippines.

Local Hotlines:

Red Cross donation through SMS: text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)

For people who need assistance:

National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Emergency Numbers: (+632) 912-5668, (+632) 911-1406, (+632) 912-2665, (+632) 911-5061. Help hotlines: (+632) 734-2118, (+632) 734-2120

And Ketsana is not yet done …