Nicquee's Nook – Page 14

Enjoy the Summer On A Budget: A Mom’s Guide to Planning This Year’s Summer Vacay

The blazing heat of the sun, the humid air, and the sound of the word “vacation” echoing everywhere only mean one thing, summer has just begun! And since we live in a tropical country, there are thousands of ways you can replenish and have a dose of summer fun. From cheap to luxurious to everything in between. But as a practical Filipina mom, we usually go for budget-friendly ways to keep us cool for the summer. However, before planning exciting getaways and activities, here are some reminders to guide you in staying on budget and maximizing the enjoyment of the whole family this summer vacation.

You don’t have to go far

Some might take summer as an opportunity to go on long trips and far places to unwind. But honestly, there’s an array of fun activities near you that’s worth a try this summer. Going far away from home can be really exciting, but if you’re not prepared for it and working a tight budget, this isn’t practical. You can take your family to amusing summer activities that are just within your reach. Easy to go, and easy on the pocket too!

Oilbularya Journey

It was in October 2017 when I purchased my first set of essential oils via Shopee. Prior to that, I purchased a generic ultrasonic diffuser from Lazada. Being clueless about this topic, I simply asked friends if this or that is alright before hitting the buy button. While I know there are already many resources available online, I was too lazy to read about it because I was afraid of the information overload it can cause me.

Turned out, the capacity of the diffuser I got was too big, it can be filled to run the whole day. 😅😂 Meanwhile, the oils I bought were “takal” oils. These were repacked into smaller bottles, probably meant for people like me who wants to try but is not yet ready to jump in 100%.

Months went by and I was able to fully consume my takal oils. I saw the positive effect and natural healing the oils did for our family. But I am still unwilling to purchase whole bottles for I find them quite an investment. I purchased another set of the same oils I had before. Then I discovered roller bottle blends. They’re basically the same oils you diffuse but are diluted in a carrier oil and is placed in a roller bottle so you can enjoy the benefits of essentials oils anytime, anywhere. I know, genius creation!

Since I carry the roller bottles most of the time, I easily ran out of supplies. The cost of the roller bottle blends is not cheap and there is always shipping fee. As if pushing me more into essential oils, I met another oilbularya mom. When I want to know about a certain oil, I ask her. She’s so into it that she regularly orders oils from abroad and have them shipped here. You are guessing right. I finally bought my first set of full bottle oils last November. They were my Christmas present to myself. And since then, my wish list of essential oils has been growing! Oh, not only the oils list, but the paraphernalia list is getting long too!

To date, I now have more than 15 oils in 10ml bottles. I make my own roller bottle blends now, thanks to those who share their recipes freely online. My favorites are:

Cough and Cold Relief
Happy Mama
Muscle Relief
Brain Pain Buster
Study Buddy
Vertigo Relief
Silky Soft

I have influenced a few friends into using essential oils in roller bottles and they’re loving it as well! I still have a very long way to go in this journey to natural healing and I hope that in the process, our family will reap its full benefits.

How To Create A Home Office That Boosts Productivity

The idea of working from home seems to be a really comforting idea to most people. Your commute is from your bedroom to your work den, you can wear anything you want, you can create a flexible schedule, and you have full authority over how you do things around.

However, no matter how great that sounds, working from home is not just a walk in the park. There are countless distractions, and it can be difficult to separate your personal life from your professional life. That’s why the first step to make sure working from home is effective and productive is to set up a home office that works for you. Investing in a mini home office is highly recommended. Thus, here are some of the best tips to set up your home office to boost productivity!

Assign A Dedicated Work Space

Whether it be a spare room or a just a private space in your house, you need to assign a space that’s strictly for work. Ideally, your office space should be in a quiet area with minimal distractions. It is best that you have a whole room with a door to filter out the noise from the outside. A dedicated space that works for the whole family is extremely important if you want to maximize productivity while working at home.

Invest In Good Quality Furniture

A great desk with the right size and a comfortable chair with back support is a great investment if you will be sitting for hours in your office space. You may think that this is unnecessary but once you start suffering from agonizing back pains, you will soon realize the importance of investing in ergonomic furniture. There’s nothing really wrong with splurging on a chair that makes you want to put in hours.