SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
[Editor’s Note: The Get Ready with Me (GRWM) article series features the morning routines of people from different walks of life, from their first grabs to the way they get ready for work, and to the items they can’t live without.
Got someone you want GRWM to feature? Just email us at stories@rappler.com with the subject line “GRWM” followed by the name and designation of the person.]
For something you do for relaxation and leisure, traveling has so many debates surrounding it. Some people say it’s exclusively for the rich; some say it’s something you have to do while you’re young and don’t need the savings yet; some say it’s an integral part of their search for purpose and life journey; and then there are the families that always join tour groups to make the most of their time and budget.
Biomedical Engineer Marie Tuason found her perspective on travel when she joined a traveling competition as an undergraduate and got to see the rest of the Philippines for free. She discovered that you didn’t need to be rich to travel, and started going around the Philippines and Southeast Asia from then on. Her cheapest trip, she shared, was a 5-day Iloilo trip under P6,000–including flights!
When she graduated as a Summa Cum Laude from the De La Salle University, she tried her chances at an internship opportunity in a pharmaceutical and diagnostics company in Germany.
She wasn’t sure if this was the right choice then, because it paid so much less than full-time jobs in the Philippines, and there was no assurance that she would be absorbed as a full-time employee.
But she took her chances anyway because of her life motto, #YOYO–You’re Only Young Once–and life took her around Europe and into a full-time role as a biomedical engineer in Germany. It was this leap of faith that allowed her to travel 18 countries in one year.
Check out how this go-getter starts her mornings there.
FIRST GRAB. Since sunrise here in Germany is at 5 am, I usually wake up earlier than my alarm now, but my first grab would always be water!
I always prepare a big glass of water–around 400ml–beside my phone every night (editor’s note: caution!) so it’s ready when I wake up the next morning.
I also find this to be extremely helpful to wake myself up and get ready for the day. After that, I weigh myself and proceed with a 30-minute yoga session before my daily meetings. The reason I weigh myself is that I’m really data-driven, so I like analyzing daily trends in my body.
SKINCARE ESSENTIALS. I’ve always been the low-maintenance type so when work-from-home orders were given, I was more than happy to be just washing my face with water in the morning. Basta walang muta, okay na haha.
I’m also a strong believer in nourishment being the primary contributor to our dermatological needs.
But sometimes at night, I like to pamper my skin by using a blackhead remover on my nose area and finishing it off with the CosRx AHA/BHA Clarifying Toner and an aloe vera mask to rehydrate my skin. For the aloe vera mask, I use the leaf from my plant or occasionally, the 100% organic aloe vera extract product I get from a local German store here.
As restrictions are getting more and more relaxed here, I’ve been hiking a lot and actually got sunburnt on my recent trip, so I apply the aloe vera around my shoulders too.
BEFORE I START. After yoga, I drink another glass of water and set up my workstation, which is basically my bed with a propped up pillow so it’s still assisting my back! It’s not the most ergonomic option, but I move around a lot in the day–working in my kitchen or my balcony. My work consists mostly of my laptop and my phone, so being mobile was never an issue.
IF I MUST GO. My go-to outfits if I’m going to the office or meeting friends would be a cute blouse paired with vintage slacks, which would most likely be thrift shop items I got from the Philippines for P50.
FYI lang, thrift stores are amazing gems that also help reduce fast fashion. So guys, ukay is your friend!
When I’m out on errands, I usually wear a blouse, shorts, and white sneakers combo because I try to walk more and not use public transportation as much. My Bluetooth earphones have also been part of my outfits because I listen to podcasts a lot when I walk.
Nowadays, I go make-up free, but I try to never leave home without sunscreen. I use The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with antioxidants. Aside from that, I always have my mask, alcogel, phone, keys, wallet, a tiny jar of erythritol–a sugar substitute since I’m following a low-carb lifestyle–and my water bottle.
IF I’M STAYING IN. For the first half of the day, you’ll probably catch me in a sports bra and cyclings! I start wearing them when I do yoga. Then around noontime, I do some added exercise like joining indoor spinning classes or doing HIIT routines on my own.
In the afternoon, I just replace the sports bra with a comfy t-shirt and continue with my day until I take a shower after work. Thank god my meetings don’t usually require videos! As an engineer, my work is less about meetings and more about problem-solving and investigations.
FAVE DELIVERS. I’m really fortunate that my flat is beside a supermarket, so it’s very easy for me to buy my essentials there!
However, a low-carb lifestyle still isn’t that popular in Germany, so I have to buy certain grocery items through Amazon, like almond flour, erythritol/stevia, chia seeds, zero sugar chocolates, etc. Oh, and this might sound really funny but I actually also have a monthly subscription of chicharon delivered to my place. It just reminds me so much of home!
Restaurant food is really expensive here in Germany, so I usually limit my eating out and food deliveries to 2-3 times a month, but because I had more time to cook the past few months, I never really had the urge to have food delivered.
ROUTINE REMINDERS. Believe it or not, I am more organized and diligent in following schedules during work-from-home than when I was working in the office!
My best tip is to log everything on your calendar! I really don’t want my lunches and dinners to be disturbed so I set up a lunch and dinner block in my calendar. During the start of this set-up, my friend and I would always have a video call to motivate each other in completing our 2-week workout challenge. So that’s also in my calendar. German language class has its own block too.
This calendar basically gives me a brief overview of the day and helps me mentally prepare for what’s to come. Most importantly, that also gives my colleagues an idea of when to schedule meetings with me.
Another tip that I think most Filipinos should apply is to be more assertive about your personal time. Try and set up your own schedule. If you see in that calendar that a new meeting contradicts your personal time, consider rescheduling it. Always remember: work is important, but your physical and mental health should be your top priority.
Marie’s items
- The Ordinary Mineral UV Filters SPF 30 with Antioxidants (P700)
- NATURALS STEVIA 100% Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener (P358)
- CosRx AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner (P550)
GRWM recommends
- Aloe Vera: Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera (P245)
- Water Bottle: Klean Kanteen Wide Insulated Drinking Bottle Tumbler (P1,850)
- Sports Bra: Strappy Sports Bra Workout Seamless Racerback (P879)
- Tights: Camel Women Sports Pants (P1,040)
- Bluetooth Earphones: TOPK T10 TWS Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds (P799)
– Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.