Work At Home Flexibility

This is a peaceful morning for me and I can enjoy some quietness as I work at home alone. DH is away and will be back later. I like it when I can plan my own time, run personal errands without rushing the car back and being 'free' for a while.

After coming back from Hong Kong, I find myself longing for more of this urban city. Yes, it's busy, crowded, cluttered, whatever ways you like to describe it but I just like the place. Good food, nice shopping and forward moving. I don't think I like to live there but being a visitor is quite nice.

Clayton was very good throughout the trip. I had to say thanks to Steve Job for the iPhone invention for that kept him busy when I was shopping, trying out shoes and choosing things. It was a nightmare having to keep an eye on him and selecting my things last time. It might be a 'quick fix' which may be detrimental to his eyesight, so I think I need more berries antioxidants to balance that!

One thing I know, I won't need any weight loss pills when I go shopping in Hong Kong. The walking is already a good form of exercise. My girl friends are asking me to plan for a short trip and hopefully we can have a girlie outing before my move in December.

Working at home gives me the liberty of planning my own tasks, schedule and time. It is so beneficial when I have so much on my plate every day. With regards to the move, I now have two real estate agent contacts and I'm glad they responded. I hope to find a place by December so that the shipment of our stuff can be timed properly. We might have to stay in the house with no furniture except for a bed, washing machine and fridge if need be. Nevertheless, all things will work out and I'm looking forward to this excitement.

Work At Home Mom - Back from Hong Kong

It seems like yesterday that I was talking about my trip to Hong Kong but I'm already back few days ago and working from home. I'm back to being a work at home mom again!

The short trip to Hong Kong was fabulous. I mean, this wasn't our first family trip to Hong Kong but we seemed to enjoy ourselves much more than the first one. Though it was only five nights, we did a few new things and visited a few new places. It was slow, easy, no stress and somewhat relaxing. We did quite abit of walking but it was leisure and no rush.

I must salute my DH for his efforts to complete our new online business website during the trip. Yes, it was a holiday but knowing DH, he couldn't just sit still and do nothing. He was working on the website at night when we were back from shopping and eating. He was determined to launch our online consulting business in Hong Kong and he did it! Kudos to this hardworking work at home dad!

Shopping was very nice in Hong Kong. I did shop till I drop but surprisingly, DH bought more than he anticipated! Clayton was a good boy and he had a ball of a time with my iPhone. He was just happy occupying himself with the phone that he was encouraging me to walk into shops!

I bought a few things from Faces at Ocean Terminal, couple of bags in Agnes B and a top from 45R. The lady from the store was so nice to hand me a sample of acne treatment when she saw a zit on my forehead but I ended up with hair products instead.



Food was glorious and my favourite had to be Chung Kee's tong yuen at Temple Street and Roast Goose at Yung Kee. I miss the food so much that I am hoping to visit Hong Kong again next half of the year! This time, I should try out Shama serviced apartments though I did like Chi Residences for its good pricing, friendly service and spaciousness. I have to say good bye to all the tiny hotel rooms for now!!

It's back to the home office now and it's back to the daily grind. Till then, I'm planning my next vacation....

Preparing For Hong Kong Trip

In less than 48 hours, I will be Hong Kong and hopefully, I'm check-in at Chi Residences by then. I just did a quick search in Google maps on the accommodation location and I was so impressed that I could see the street view! It was just so amazing! Not only has technology allowed me to work from home, I can even plan my vacation in a breeze with today's advanced technology!

I am looking forward to my favourite desserts and roast meats in this busy city. The weather is under twenty degrees celsius now and I'm praying hard that the weather will be fine and nice. One thing I know... I won't be perspiring under the sun and it should be very nice to snooze at night too. I am expected to plan our itinerary for the five nights but I haven't had time to sit down to do that. The home office is buzzing with lots of activities and work these few days and I must find time to do some planning to night.

Few days ago, we just received birth announcements of our friend who just gave birth to a baby boy. We visited her and the baby and he reminded me of how Clayton was like 5 over years ago. It is nice to reminisce and it reminded me of God's faithfulness.

I must, I must finish all my online assignments by tomorrow and do all the packing by morning. Multi-tasking is possible when you are a work at home mom but sometimes, there can be too much to handle in just 24 hours a day! Ok for now... I hope to snap some nice pictures of food, places and attractions for the trip. Till then!

Work At Home Mom Ramblings

Household chores, parenting and work... these are the things that have kept me busy everyday. Somehow, time passes so fast when you are busy. So even though I work from home, I can't seem to have enough time to finish all my tasks. Sometimes I wonder, where has my time gone to?

This is the technology age and we are all enjoying the benefits of invention. Due to that, we are spoilt for choices and we put a demand on speed on anything. Everything got to be faster, better and nicer. This is the age we are living in - we won't settle for anything less, isn't it?

I was shopping for digital cameras few months ago and it was such a difficult task to choose the 'best' one. Every new model promises faster, better and yields nicer results. But seriously, do we need the most advanced or the best in everything?

I often remind my boy how blessed he is. The kids today are so tech savvy and modernity does catch up very fast with their learning minds. I'm not sure how things will be like in a few years' time but I have to constantly remind myself to move with the times too.

So enough of rambling and it's now back to work and I'd better finish everything before my trip this weekend. Oh yes, the work at home mom is off for a break this Friday...

Remember This Day

I had said that I would like to be a work at home when I move to Oz but if I really have to get out there to find a part time or full time work, I will.

For many entrepreneurs, it's hard to report to a job outside if you have been running your own business for a while. It is hard to forsake the flexibility and freedom of time and lifestyle when things call for a change. I have been asked what I will do when I'm there but it isn't easy to give an answer at this point. Not many people migrated with a job waiting for them at the other end, though we had a cousin who was that fortunate.

Since the future is unknown, there's no point dwelling on it. I should just focus on the move and preparation as there are lots to think about. Now that the cleaner had left too, I'm left with more chores to do so I need to plan my time wisely.

Next week, I will do a list of things to buy and bring. Besides furniture and mattresses, there are some electricals and homeware which I would consider buying.

Ok for now, here's wishing everyone a blessed weekend as we remember the reason for this occasion. The Lord was led to the cross as a living sacrifice for everyone here on earth. May we take a few moments to thank Him for the victory on the cross.

Work at Home Mom and the Weekend

Nowadays I look forward to the weekends. I have been taking time off from work during the weekends and it feels good. As much as I like to work from home, I find that it's hard to stay out of the home office on Saturdays and Sundays. It actually takes discipline to do that!

Last Sunday, we went furniture shopping at the Rozel showroom and it was a fun experience. It's always nice to check out new sofas, dining sets, sit on them, test the cushion, feel the quality...etc. Touch is sensational! It felt nice to touch and feel furniture! I had not done that for 10 years! So now that we had an idea of what we need for the move, it's time to visit the store in a couple of months' time.

Relocating can be both stressful and scary. But when you enjoy the journey and the ride, it can be fun. I'm glad that I don't need to retake my driving when I move to Oz but poor DH would have to reapply for a driving license. Cars in Oz are much cheaper so hopefully I can get to choose the car I want! When the time comes, there'll be more to settle, get auto insurance quotes, hunt for a home, settle into the community and get used to the surroundings. My good friend will be moving in mid year for good... so I have another friend in Brissy.

The new business website is in the making and I'm glad I can continue this work at home journey. Hopefully I have more time to learn a new recipe every week, take up a new course and get into the property market. Dreams, hopes and aspirations - we all need them!

Work At Home Mom and Pilates

Now that Clayton starts school at 8am in the morning, I have been rising at 6am for a time of prayer and preparation. A work at home mom does have to get up early like any other working person, except that I don't have to rush in getting myself all dolled up for the office.

This morning, I headed for my usual Pilates class. It was a good one though my throat was tickling to a cough during the workout. I enjoyed Sherene's class for many reasons. She's one instructress who knows what how to handle the class and making it interesting. Many of my friends have misconceptions about Pilates and often think that it's a slow exercise that doesn't deliver results. Though the workout does not require anyone to be on no xplode but it sure strengthen the core and tones up the muscles. I personally prefer the reformer classes over the mat ones as they tend to be more interesting.

I believe every work at home mom should find time to exercise, even if it's just a walk in the morning or an exercise routine in front of the tv. DH is one person who never fails to do his exercise every morning, even when he's had a late night. I have so much to learn from him! Only thing is, he doesn't need to do the chores for the house but I do, which means there's alot more balancing left for me. But still, I am thankful that we can work from home and do things that many people can't do with their children. As I write this post, I'm reminded not to take this blessing for granted and I'm once again, very grateful.

A Meeting with Mover

In the last couple of weeks, I've been learning a few things from the mover with regards to moving our stuff to Oz. Initially we thought we would buy all our stuff in Brisbane and packed everything in loose cargo. But after consulting with the mover and talking to a few friends, we have decided to buy some basic furniture over. And since we are going to earn money from home, we should also think about getting some good home office furniture.

Our mover had advised on what should be brought along and what need to be left behind. He even said that we have to wash our shoes very clean, making sure that there is no dirt or soil on the walking soles. Furniture is fine as long as there is no untreated wood as that will require fumigation. I asked him about bringing dried foods for Asian cooking and he had advised me not to. That was pretty sad for me cos I was planning to stock up some organic seasonings and dried foods. I know of some people who bring lots of paper products such as toilet rolls! Maybe there are also those who would bring their best weight loss products or skin care with them. Well, whatever that needs to be brought, I was told that they had to be thoroughly cleaned! Fumigation at the Oz customs will cost at least AUD$200 and it can be troublesome too.

With so much to plan and do, I'm sincerely thankful that these things can be done as I continue to earn money from home. The flexibility of time allows to make provisions for meetings and phone calls so all planning can be done faster.

Our Home Office is Moving!

Two weeks ago, we spent a nice afternoon in a friend's house with two big inflatable pools in the garden. Our friend, Viki, was so kind to invite us over for a fun play for the kids and some curry chicken dinner. She just moved to her new home and each time I visited her, I would rave about her cosy home office upstairs.

When you have worked long enough in a home office, it's hard to change this lifestyle. At least this is what DH and myself have decided. We are planning to work from home in Brisbane and DH has been busy with setting up the new website for the business. While he handles the business bit, I'm contacting mover and planning for the move. It's certainly a big task but it will all work out well. I was telling DH that I plan to start a new blog documenting our move to Brisbane. That will serve as a resource stop for anyone moving down under.

A friend commented that I never seemed to put on any weight during our dinner gathering. He was telling me about the many fat burners for women in the marketplace and that I would never need them. Well, I suppose the constant balancing of work and parenting has kept my weight in check and that isn't a bad thing at all.

With the move in place, we'll be shopping for some new furniture in the next few months since everyone is advising us about the huge savings. It is exciting to go shopping for furnitures and the last time we did that was ten years ago! We may see if we can find some good home office furniture here since the prices in Oz can be steep due to currency conversion. Hopefully, the ringgit will strengthen in the next few months so that we can see more in our exchange!

More About My Trip Back

During my last trip back to SG, I had a beautiful evening with few old friends in a fine dining Japanese restaurant called Hiroki. I haven't been to dempsey road for a while and it was nice to see that so many restaurants had mushroomed over the last couple of years.

I found out during the dinner that my friend exercises six hours a week. For me, that was truly admirable as my work at home schedule had not allowed me to do that. I miss those body pump and body combat classes in the gym. These days, going for Pilates classes once or twice a week is already a great achievement for me. Body pump classes are one of the best fat burners if you want to lose some weight. Actually I was supposed to pick up kickboxing last year but couldn't find the time for it.

For my fitness goals, I hope to learn a dance this year and probably pick up kickboxing if I can. If I can't do all these, I would have to postpone it till I move to down under. Hopefully I can find time for more hours of exercise by then.

Update From the Work at Home Mom

Ah... it's been two weeks since I last wrote. Well, I don't know even I'm away from this blog for sooo long! When you work at home, time passes so fast and when the routine just goes on and on...

I just got back from a short trip to Singapore. Even though it was only three nights, I felt good about taking a break from the home office. Well, the truth is, I never quite take a complete break even though I am away most of the time cos there are always online work to be done.

Now that Garage Adventures is closed, traveling with Clayton isn't as easy as before. I dropped him off at Peekabook one of the days when I had to get my hair coloured and cut. He was happy playing there since there were many kids during the one week school break. I mean for a mere S$12 per entry, he could play all day so that was a good deal. The only downfall was, the child minders in Peekabook didn't seem to care if he ate his food or not when he placed his order at their cafe. It was nothing like Garage Adventures and seriously, I miss GA so much!

Albeit the challenging task of shopping with Clayton, I still found time to sneak into Womb for a peek and bought a couple of one-offs. I was sad to hear that more one-offs were arriving the following day but I would be in KL by then! I had dinner with a couple of old friends and we were discussing about diets that work while indulging in our prawn linguini!

The next break from the home office would be one month from now and we'll be off to Hong Kong. I pray that the air quality readings will improve by then cos I just read that the air pollution was at record high today. Not so good news for me at this moment. I trust that things will get better and the weather will change for the good in the next few days and weeks.

Planning to Work at Home in Brissy

Clayton's timetable is finally out! After three long months and the school has finally released the new timetable with the new school hours. He'll go to school for four hours the week after the school holidays. That means more time for me to work at home and starting the day an hour earlier!

I suppose this is good for him as the school has included more fun and play activities in the time table. Previously it was all rather cluttered and there wasn't much time for physical stuff. I could see that they had increased the subject duration and snack time which means the kids don't need to rush through their learning and eating.

Back in the home office, DH has been rather diligent in setting up the website for the new business. There's so much potential in the world of internet marketing and I believe that online business will continue to grow in the next few years. People use the Net for everything these days, from searching jobs in New York to seeking for medical answers. Shopping online has become such a common thing with today's cutting edge technology. With this convenience, I can buy stuff overseas and have them delivered to my doorstep within a short duration.

With the new business, we can continue to work at home in Brissy and enjoy the freedom of time. I am excited with this new venture and look forward to achieving new dreams and goals.

So Much to Do in the Home Office

Parenting and work at home can become more challenging when your child is ill. Infact, it affects me emotionally, physically, causes some havoc to my worklife and mental state of mind. I'm so glad Clayton has recovered and he's back to his normal self.

This week, I'll need to get a mover for a quotation for our move. I was hoping that we could buy our one way air tickets during the Malaysia Travel Fair but due to some logistic issues, I have to delay the booking. But I'm certainly happy that I manage to secure good rates for our Hong Kong air ticket and I can't wait for April to come!

I've been advised to buy our furniture here and have them shipped to Brissie but it's hard to decide when we haven't even bought a place. A friend of ours is planning to buy furniture and lighting fixture during warehouse sales in order to accumulate some savings. For us, we treat it as a one-time investment as part of the migration costs.

Just when we get into the routine in the home office, it's school holidays next week and there'll be another one week break. I'm a little tired to travel to Singapore but it'll be a long time away before the next trip back. Moreover, it's just hard to get things going in the home office when Clayton is around.

There are a few things happening in the next couple of months: creating a website for our new business in Brisbane, training the new partner in the seminar, and working out the moving details. With so much to do in the home office, there's no time for slack in the coming months. The move is really ON!

Work At Home Mom and Her Busy Long Weekend

It was a pretty eventful week for us last week. On Tuesday, the storm and lightning fried the lights and power in our kitchen, my work at home husband's laptop and our modem.

In the past, we used to have such problems when there was a storm but since switching to 3G networks, we had taken things for granted. Now that we are back on land line for internet connection, we have to be extra careful again when thunders roar! I was glad that we got everything fixed and restored within a short time, at the expense of a new laptop and some running around. Nevertheless, we were back online in less than 24 hours - how thankful was I!

We had a long weekend last week with Friday being a public holiday and I was so happy to have a friend visiting from Singapore. That was a very close girl friend whom I love and treasure. She was telling me how consumers these days were getting home insurance quotes online that she had less to do now - she happens to be in the insurance industry. It was nice fellowship and we enjoyed a yummy dinner at our favourite Taiwanese restaurant at The Gardens.

It was a real break from the home office as we visited a friend's CNY open house and house warming party. Then it was even more tiring when the work at home mom had to nurse her boy who was running a temperature. I tend to be more tired when my boy is ill. He tends to wake up at night and that means disturbed sleep for me.



I stole a little time to make my first natural cleaning enzyme made of aloe vera and some lemon. Hopefully it will turn out well in 3 months' time! I found a way to utilize my growing aloe vera garden!

So it's back to the grind this week and it is pretty busy for me as the work at home dad is away in his hometown. And yes, we are in the month of March now... and in nine months' time, we will be bidding farewell to this land.

Weekend Ramble While Staying at Home

What do you do on a hot and humid weekend? There is no way we are hanging out under this scorching heat and so, staying at home is the best bet in order to keep ourselves away from the heat. I figure that my work at home hubby has enough of malls so resting at home would be best since school will start for Clayton next week.

Due to the long festive holiday, I have a pile of overdue online assignments and I'm still rushing to finish them. There are things that I need to do, including doing some online research, reading sleeping aid reviews and settling some banking stuff. There is no end to chores and duties. No wonder there is this familiar phrase of 'So much to do and too little time'.

It's February now and I can't believe we are entering March in a week's time. DH suggested that we should do up our online business website as we prepare for our move to Oz in December. It is both exciting and 'scary' since we are uprooting after ten years here in this place. It's a longer time for DH but for me, it's 10 years here and I'm ready to move on.

Here's wishing everyone, work at home moms and dads and everyone else a good weekend. And don't forget to take time to smell the roses.

Beauty and Heath: Two Good Niche Topics

It always amazes me how technology has dominated our lives greatly. Without it, I don't think I can be a work at home mom and without it, we won't be doing things faster and better. Then again, I must admit that there is always a downside to all things.

There are some businesses out there that are thriving with the help of technology coupled with traditional methods. One of them is hair loss treatment which can be seen in many advertising pages in the newspapers everyday. Many companies are resorting to herbal products to promote hair growth and using technology to accelerate it.

Even though I have a baldy work at home husband, I'm never bothered about his hair style cos I think I won't be too used to him having a head full of hair! Being bald isn't a bad thing for him cos he saves time and money on haircuts and he doesn't have to worry about shampoo and grey hairs! Another upside is, he's looking younger than many friends his age!

Talking about hair loss, this is a good niche to consider if you are working on an online business but just be warned that there's lots of competition out there on this topic too. Beauty and health are two huge topics that can lead to many micro niches which seen many successful affiliates in the Net. If affiliate marketing is not your cup of tea as yet, these topics are also good for adsense but you need to make sure your micro niches have relevant traffic and searches to see the real clicks.

Work at Home Mom on Age Spots

I've never been very concerned about aging until I spotted a few brown spots on my face lately. When you are a work at home mom, you have a bit more time in front of the mirror so when there's a new spot on your face, it is noticeable!

Well, work aside, beauty is a big concern whether you are a work at home mom or a corporate working mom. No woman likes to have an age spot appearing on the face or body, it can be very disturbing. Since I discovered those brown spots, I have been searching for a good product for it. Many of the these spot fading products contain chemicals which may be harmful for the skin. As such, I try to turn to organic or natural ones. I just bought an organic spot fader from Camocare Organics and would monitor the results in the next few weeks.

One good thing about working at home is that I don't go out much and thus, I can avoid the harmful sun rays which is the cause for brown and age spots. Then again, working at home does require me to faithfully put on my sunblock as the light rays can also affect skin pigmentation.

Enough on age spots and beauty, I have two more days of rest before the real work begins next week. For now, it's TGIF!

Work at Home Mom Back from Chinese New Year

Yes, it's been a long time again... the home office was closed for Chinese New Year and it was another break for the work at home mom.

It is always nice to be back home in Singapore... am I missing the pigeon hole, I wonder :) Well, I miss the convenience of public transport and safety. Minus the crowded streets in Orchard, I just love hanging around familiar shops and places. This trip was meaningful as I had dinner with a very dear family who is very special to my heart.

A trip to Guardian Pharmacy had impressed me so much. I was so happy that I could find Akin organic and natural skincare products in GP. Not only are there a few other organic skin and personal care products, there are some clinical acne skin products as well. I was enjoying my shopping experience in Guardian!

Another nice thing was, I could spend some time with my mom as we took her out for a few meals. Though she wasn't a shopper like me, I took her to Ion Orchard, Somerset 313 and Orchard Central. It was a nice and casual outing for us.

Now that I'm back, I need to clear so overdue assignments and the break will soon be over for the work at home mom. I'm missing that already!

Parenting and Work at Home is a Big Job

In few days' time, I'm due for another long break for Chinese New Year. Like it or not, February has come so fast and very soon, the first quarter of the year will be over! Parenting and work at home has been better since ASP started for Clayton though I find my schedule packed with activities and responsibilities everyday.


With the rapid growth in technology, kids are learning at a faster pace and the reach for information has been much easier than before. As work at home parents, we get to screen the information received by our child and there is alot of education to do along the way. It is not uncommon for families to have xbox, playstation and electronic games at home, I know that many parents buy their young children iPods and iTouch to keep them occupied.

While the change of lifestyle may not be all that bad for the next generation, we who are parenting and work at home need to be more vigilant. Parenting is a big job, isn't it?

Work at Home Celebrates

It was such a busy day for me yesterday cos it was DH's birthday and we wanted to make a cake for him! The nice thing about working at home is that I can multitask and do my baking during my break from the home office.



In the previous years, I had done a chicken roast dinner for the family as DH is one person who likes to celebrate his birthday in a quiet manner. I mean, he prefers not to disclose his age to all his friends - not that he really cares :) But we like to keep things simple and big celebrations just don't sit well for us. So I did some shopping for the baking and whipped up a moist chocolate cake with frosting in the evening when Clayton returned from school. Though he didn't helped much, it was nice to get him involved!

It is hard to buy DH a present as he doesn't really need anything! Maybe I should consider getting him a nordictrack coupon since he just broke his gym stick few days ago! Then again, we are heading to watch our long awaited Avatar movie in 3D tomorrow! Finally!

It's going to be a mad rush for me in the home office before the Chinese New Year holiday break! I just can't wait to go back to Singapore - I miss my hometown!