WAHM-hood: 4 Things You Didn't Think You'd Need (But You Do!)

Just this afternoon, I realized I've come to a point in my WAHM-hood 'career' that I am itching for a change. I don't mean shifting back to corporate gear - just a change, anything to refresh my thoughts, my heart, my perspective... I am still reflecting on what that 'other road' to trod on is - but will keep this blog posted once I decide. :)

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you guys a few other realizations I've had about 'WAHM-ming', and this includes stuff (whether tangible or intangible) that I never thought I'd need in this home-based career but turned out to be necessary at one point or another (and another, and another, and another....)



Surprise #1: A Decent Work Desk and Chair

Back in the day (three years ago), I thought working from home meant working in  my pambahay outfit (house clothes) and lounging in bed or on the sofa, or even in the ktichen while cooking lunch or eating dinner. It was true for the first few months, but as time went on, my body (specifically my back) ached (literally) for a desk and chair with the ideal height and comfort level. You can try it, I mean enjoying the relaxing comfort of the sofa and bed while working, but I'm sure it will come to a point that you'll realize that the bed is for sleeping, and the sofa is for lounging around being a couch potato - both NOT for working at home. :)

So, when you can, scout around for a sturdy and ergonomically-designed chair as well as a durable and well-designed desk. Or better yet, set up a work corner, or home office  - you'd love the way you work even more (thanks for the tagline oDesk).

Here's a work corner I am so crushing on right now. Would be a nice spot to do some crafting too, or my little one can do her school work beside me on the adjacent desk:

Traditional Home Office by Minneapolis Interior Designers & Decorators Martha O'Hara Interiors

Surprise # 2: A Huge Calendar and a Nice Notebook 

Ok, the nice notebook one may be a personal preference - I am addicted to notebooks. I don't collect them, I just like having new notebooks to write on. :) And to my surprise, despite that fact that I already own a laptop, a smartphone, and a tablet, I still find it more comfortable to write my thoughts and ideas on a notebook. Doodling on a smartphone with a stylus pen doesn't feel the same at all.

And yes, a big calendar with ample spaces for each day to write on, would give you a nice 'view' (and overview) of tasks you need to work on on a daily basis.

Surpise #3: Active and Updated Social Media Sites 

You ask: "Say what? Do you mean Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and all the other sites I post my selfies on?" Well, errr, yes (not much on the selfies though). If you plan to market your skills online to score more work, then these social media sites deserve some of your time. Do create a separate profile or page for your work-related/online marketing efforts to avoid any 'conflict' when it comes to personal posts and the like. This way, your potential clients will only see what matters - you and your work experience.

LinkedIn is also a revelation. It's been around for quite sometime, but very few had seen just how great it is in terms of professional networking  - well, that is, until now. If you want to connect with like-minded individuals or colleagues in your field of online work (and perhaps a couple of potential clients), then do spend some precious time on your page to make sure it shows off your work experience beautifully.

See, now no one can blame you for being on the computer all the time. Even social media browsing is work now. :)

Surpise #4: Stocks of Healthy Snacks (and some comfort food every once in a while) 

You'd think working from home, being in close proximity to your own kitchen would make healthy eating easy-peasy. I mean fastfood joints would be out of sight, your favorite restos would be a commute or a drive away... would make your diet more manageable right? Well, seeing now that I am nowhere near my ideal weight, I can say no, it takes a bit more effort than you think. Unless of course you are already a 'healthy eater' before you started WAHM-hood, then it's advisable that you keep a sizeable stock of healthy food options at home - those that you can easily whip up or better yet, would require no cooking or tedious preparation.This way, you can easily grab a low-calorie/low-carb snack when you get the case of the munchies, instead of calling for delivery. Trust me when I say that going out just to get food can feel like a hassle, especially if you're facing a mountain of workload (and this is actually good - mountain of workload = WAHM income)

Photo from: http://www.losebabyweight.com.au

The key to success? Make sure you have the right balance of healthy eats and comfort food options when you do your grocery shopping - include raw ingredients too (for pizzas, burgers, fries, you can actually cook these at home!).


Surprise #4: A Day Out/Field Trip At Least Once A Week

When I was working in a corporate setting, I relished the times I get to just lounge around at home doing nothing but eat and watch TV. Now that I get the chance to do that every day (minus the 'doing nothing' part), I crave for the feel of the wind on my face, the pollution permeating my nostrils, and the lights and sounds of the city every once in a while. Short of saying, I miss the city life too - going out, spending time with colleagues, de-stressing after work, and even just checking out a newly-opened resto.

Transitioning to WAHM-hood really does make you appreciate the home life more, but in the long run, you really can't help but look forward to those days that you get to leave the four (sometimes suffocating) corners of your house. What to do? Make it a point to go out and enjoy the things you used to do when you were in the mainstream corporate scene at least once a week - party, bar-hop, try a new resto, go shopping, enjoy a couple of hours at your favorite coffee shop - it will be a welcome break from the monotony.


I'm sure I'd come up with more, so keep posted, I might just put up another post on this soon! :)

Thanks for reading!