Wordless Wednesday – Faces

To-Do List at 2PM

Half of the day has passed and I still got loads of things to do at work. I know I shouldn’t have watched that movie on HBO. Now instead of logging off at 6PM, I may as well extend up to 10PM. So to make sure that I won’t forget, here’s my to-do for today.

• Compose two articles for my sideline.
• Design four flash banners for a marketing campaign.
• Brochure design for a company offering cruise packages.
• Come up with a project proposal for a local web development company. I can’t believe my boss wants to put up a business here. He even said he wanted to retire here which is why he’s planning on buying a property soon.
• Continue with template design for a Joomla project (I’m getting better at this)
• Final draft of the email newsletter for a real estate website.

There. Not really too much if I have 36 hours in one day.

Client From Hell?

I have the worst client. Scratch that, worst is such a strong word. Let’s just say that he falls under the most commonly known clients of all time. He thinks he knows what he wants, but he doesn’t. You have converted all the pages because he already approved the mockup. After seeing the converted page, he’ll want to modify the header which includes re-slicing the graphics all over again. I thought at first that this is going to be an easy project.

First, his website’s design is so old and outdated and coded using FrontPage. Second, he was very agreeable and loved all my suggestions to take his design to the next level. I was psyched. Now this is a website I can improve on and will definitely benefit with my skills. While working on the pages however, he sends me “small changes” such as changing the header look to something that closely resembles his old one. When I’m done with that, he also wanted to change the background color of the page, the way the links open, remove the header, etc.

The final look? His old site design using new colors and photos. LOL. What a mess I’m in. I’ve already thought of cancelling the project because the remaining payment is so not worth it when you think about the stress I have to deal with. But when I think about the times that I’ve spent working on his 40++ pages and 16 online forms when I should be spending those times with my daughter, I feel that I deserve the pay and more.

I would like to be choosy when it comes to accepting projects. But when you are trying to save money, it’s just downright impossible to say no. Luckily the new quote request that I received for a POS system company is simple enough to balance the hard stuff.

How To Know If You’re a Workaholic

According to the telecommuting diva, you might be a workaholic if you find yourself doing the following:

1.  
   1. It’s midnight and you haven’t left the computer in six hours
   2. You work more than 40 hours a week
   3. You work non-stop during the week, on the weekends, in bed, and on vacation
   4. Discussions about work dominate your conversations
   5. You sneak and work when no one is looking
   6. You put work ahead of your family and friends
   7. You get upset when someone tells you to take a break
   8. You think sleep and relaxation is for lazy people
   9. You feel guilty about taking a sick day or vacation day
   10. Family and friends know they can’t depend on you to show up on time, or follow through with plans

And since some of my friends (even my husband) often joke about how workaholic I am, I took a closer look to see if I really am one. Based on the list above, I think I’m only 40% workaholic because although I sneak and work when no one is looking, sleeping is still my greatest and most favorite thing to do. Next to reading books of course. And yes, I do feel guilty when I take vacations because I have this weird idea that the company will crumble without me. Or at least, that my absence will cause havoc do the peaceful schedule. But it’s never the case and they will always get by without me. They have more work to do of course but everyone deserves a vacation.

Things You Can Do From the Comforts of Your Home

Apply for a job, find a job without brushing your teeth, taking a bath or changing your PJs

You can buy diet pills, appetite boosters, all kinds of medications you can ever think of. It’s frightening.

Get great deals on your dream machine (Macbook Pro) or even receive one for free if you’re a hot blogger like Lisa (whose last name escapes me right now).

Design, edit and approve house plans with your architects in real time.

Pay bills, get a loan and transfer money from one account to another.

The best of all – visit outlet stores and shop for outfits less than 70% off all year round.

Sideline Treats

I am lucky to earn more than enough last month from my sideline projects. And because I’ve been very good in spending money for the last three months, I’ve decided to treat myself by buying myself a new pair of walking/running shoes. I’ve been hearing great raves about Mephisto allrounder but not sure if I should spend more than $150. I’m unbelievable I know! However, my college friends and I are cooking up a short hike this summer so my feet might benefit with a little more comfort. I can’t very well wear my tattered Nike shox and just leave it to chance that I don’t get blisters from hiking. That or I could just spend the money on a new iPod video. I mean, who needs shoes when you can watch your favorite TV shows anywhere right?

Wordless Wednesday – Come Out and Play

Easy Monday

I love Mondays! Because it’s still a Sunday in the US, which means only one or two of my co-workers will be online. And that is if they’ve very dedicated or trying to finish a deadline. During Mondays, I have time to re-group, organize my tasks and gather my thoughts. I can work without someone breathing on my back, or in this case, checking on my status through IM every 5 minutes. And I noticed that I can work better, finish my tasks faster and still feel energized to pursue other things.

If only I can wish that it’s Monday all the time. I admit I’m getting stressed every morning whenever I see that my inbox has more than 40 emails. They’re not all for me, most of the time, they’re just an update for a project that I’m part of. However, since I was the last one who updated the project the night before they came in, I’m always expecting that one of the emails will contain either mistakes on my end or new tasks that I have no idea how to do.

Leaving Work Behind

I wish I can print a business card that says “Just because I work from home doesn’t mean I’m available 24/7“.

Just like any other employee who works 8-5 daily, I also shut down my computer. I’m mostly done with day-to-day tasks by 5PM but I keep my computer open just in case I want to browse for entertainment purposes or play online with my kid. Clients think I’m still available because I’m online. Most of the time, I try to do their requests even if it’s already 9PM. I do this because I care about their projects. I know that even if it’s not a life and death situation, they seem to think that it is so I do my best to accommodate these requests. Some of them even send three hours worth of work just before my bed time. So we both live in different time zones but that doesn’t mean I have to work the same time as them, unless stated in a contract.

I always get online during the weekends with my YM and Gmail set to invisible. Still, I’d get tons of buzzes and offline messages from clients asking if I can fix something. It’s the weekends people. I have a life too. And again, just like any ordinary employee, I don’t “go to work” during weekends. This means you can’t expect to get something done immediately or call me when I’m trying to spend some quality time with the family.

Like I’ve said, I’m not really strict with the schedule. But please don’t think that I’m a computer just because I work virtually.

Jobs for Work at Home Moms

I’m not affiliated with this company nor I’m advertising for them. I just saw them online and thought one of you might be interested to try the telecommuting route. Even if you’re not looking for full time jobs, it’s a great resource for extra cash so you can afford that much-needed vacation, a wardrobe update, that microdermabrasion package you’ve been eyeing, or so you can start saving for the rainy days.

Just remember, if companies ask you for money before they hire you, then they’re definitely scam.

Some of the jobs offered are follows:
Website Designers
Public Relations
Blog writing
Data Entry
Secretarial Support
Page Book Magazine Layout
T-shirt Illustration and Design
Direct Marketing
Email Telemarketers
Sales Payroll Services
Telephone Researchers

View all listings at WAHM.com.