On World Oral Health Day, Cleene CLIO invites everyone to celebrate by practicing proper oral healthcare with their families.
A product of proudly Filipino company PHILUSA Corporation, Cleene CLIO has been an ardent supporter of this global oral health initiative, especially with oral care given less priority during the pandemic when accessibility to dentists and visits to oral health facilities were challenging at the height of the lockdowns.
To emphasize the importance of good oral health practices at home, Cleene CLIO has partnered with Manila Water Foundation and Philippine Dental Association to provide oral health kits to various barangays and schools as part of this year’s World Oral Health Day activities. Over 2,000 health kits containing Cleene CLIO toothbrushes and Dental Floss Premium from Cleene CLIO and PHILUSA were distributed to 12 barangays and to the chosen hygiene facility in Dinalaonan Elementary School in Pangasinan.
And as a special treat for World Oral Health Day on March 20, selected Cleene CLIO products will be sold at 20% off exclusively in Mercury Drug stores nationwide.
Cleene CLIO continues to be the partner of every Filipino family, mine included, in promoting good oral hygiene by offering a wide range of affordable and quality toothbrushes.
Cleene CLIO toothbrushes are made with MicroFine Soft Bristles that help penetrate and clean hard-to-reach areas for better interdental cleaning and a gentle brushing experience. The tapered bristles penetrate between teeth and gums for a thorough cleaning, while the rounded shape of the bristles removes plaque and prevents teeth and gum damage.
There is a Cleene CLIO toothbrush for every member of the family that is affordable and has world-class quality. For those wanting extra care and protection for your teeth, Cleene CLIO offers its Refreshing Green Tea and Ultimax Charcoal under their Special care line. While for those needing specialized care, Cleene CLIO has Kiddie and Junior as well as 40+ for sensitive gum and teeth. It also has its economy toothbrushes for general oral health care for any age.
Cleene CLIO is available at Mercury Drug, leading supermarkets, drugstores, and other retail stores nationwide as well as on all leading e-commerce websites: Shopee, Lazada, and the PHILUSA Online Store.
About Philusa Corporation
Established in 1957, Philusa Corporation remains one of the country’s leading marketers of high quality and competitively priced personal care, household care, baby care, and selected pharmaceutical products, making it the source of pride for its customers, business partners, employees, and shareholders.
Now with 10 branches in key cities nationwide, Philusa Corporation is a market leader or major player in different categories like cotton (Cleene), cotton buds (Babyflo Gentle Buds), wound care management (MEDIPLAST), bathroom deodorizer and air care (ALBATROSS), home care and muriatic acid (Gleam and Apollo), home remedies (RHEA Alcohol, RHEA Aceite de Manzanilla and RHEA Hydrogen Peroxide), and uni-branded generic medicines (RHEA Generics).
Philusa Corporation continues its operations, guided by the core values it lives by —championing sustainability; placing its customers’ needs first; achieving the best possible results through innovation, continuous quality improvement, and teamwork; taking proactive steps in delivering its commitments on time; acting with integrity by doing what is right; and having a genuine concern for its customers, employees, and the company itself through taking initiatives in helping one another.
Outsourcing can be defined several ways, but allow me to share what Investopedia has to say:
Outsourcing is the business practice of hiring a party outside a company to perform services and create goods that traditionally were performed in-house by the company’s own employees and staff.
And I have been a blessed beneficiary of this business practice called outsourcing for the past fourteen years. Outsourcing made me the WAHM that I am now.
The practice of taking a piece of your business outside the four walls of your office and letting someone else run an element of it is an idea that may still be foreign to you as a business owner. But those who have embraced it have extremely benefited on it and thrived with it. I know this, because I have an inside scoop in at least a few businesses that hired me as their virtual assistant.
Outsourcing is one of the best ways you can manage your business, especially now that we are in the middle of a pandemic. Outsourcing may even be the best way to keep your business running without the worry of additional overhead expenses.
So how do you outsource?
Hire independent contractors who will provide the expertise you need without worrying about office space, office equipment, and other operational expenses that go with running a company. These independent contractors can be a virtual assistant, a graphic designer, a social media manager, or even manufacturers of products you sell.
Let’s look at six ways hiring these independent contractors can support your business and enhance the way that you do things.
Focus on your business
When you are able to delegate tasks, you can focus on your core activities. Like strategizing on how to grow your business. You won’t have to worry about the menial and repetitive tasks that would usually take your time away from what you do best.
Low cost to operate
With outsourcing, you can keep the costs to operate your business low. You only pay for actual hours rendered by the independent contractor without the need to pay for holidays and benefits of regular employees. Independent contractors come with specific expertise or niches, so you can be assured that you have the best people to work for you without spending for their training.
They also come with their own equipment and they take care of maintenance of those equipment. They also work from their own workspace so you don’t have to worry about electricity, water and internet bills.
Paying them is a breeze, too. You can get contractors from different countries and use only one platform to pay them. Platforms abound, but one platform that comes to mind is Cloudpay payroll service.
Whatever money you save from operations can then be utilized for your business upgrades or expansion.
Maintain operational control
With outsourcing, you can maintain operational control by clearly enumerating expectations. Tasks are identified and deadlines are set. You hire the contractor with the expertise that you need, so there are no learning curves. They hit the ground running and you sit back and watch them get the job done.
Identifying talented workers can be difficult, and you also have to think about how you will pay them. Your remote workers could be from different countries, which is a problem when it comes to running payroll. To keep your workers motivated, you may want to open a foreign currency account online that will enable them to receive money in their local denomination. Paying your remote workers online is efficient, and it’s more affordable than using traditional payment methods.
No interruptions
Employees are entitled to benefits. They can take their vacation leave, or even maternity leave at the time that you need them most. And because they’re human, then can also get sick. What happens when an employee does not show up for work?
With independent contractors, you are assured of uninterrupted productivity. If they need to be away from work, they will ensure that there is someone to take over the task. That is part of their contract. They take care of getting their replacement when they know that they can’t can’t do it themselves. And you won’t even have to spend for the replacement’s training. In short, outsourcing offers excellent continuity for your business.
They are your partners
Most independent contractors are business owners, too. Like I am. So they understand the challenges of running a business. Some, like me, would even treat your business as their own, so they will make sure that you thrive. They are sincerely interested in helping you achieve your goals. Because they know that your success will mean their success, too.
More freedom
Earlier I mentioned that outsourcing can allow you to focus on your business. On the other hand, it also allows you more freedom to enjoy life. Having a virtual assistant, for example, will get you more organized. Imagine not having to wade through your inbox everyday. Let your virtual assistant do it for you. Imagine not having to worry about being late to a meeting. Or missing someone’s birthday. A virtual assistant can efficiently manage your calendar for you. Not having to worry about little things give you more time to spend with your family. When you have someone else to do what you could have been doing, you gain time. And that time is yours to use.
Outsourcing can change the way that you do business. And it’s important that you look into it as a way to keep yours going. A pandemic shouldn’t stop your business operations. Outsourcing can help you to keep going even when you are working from home.
So, take a look at how you can outsource some elements of your business. You just might realize that you’re better off not doing most of what you’re presently doing.
In need of an independent contractor? Check out the video below.
As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to remain calm and not panic.
Today is our 27th day of enhanced community quarantine. I have not been outside of our yard since March 17. Only my husband is allowed to leave the house to buy food and other essential items. He can’t leave the house without his quarantine pass and mask. He’s only allowed to go to the public market on Tuesdays and Fridays, from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. Lately, he’s been avoiding going to the public market, because even though we are strictly observing social distancing, some people are not.
We have been told by the authorities to stay in our homes in order to prevent the spread of the virus, but that does not mean that we should go crazy inside. To prevent panic, try to limit how much news you watch. Personally, I avoid fake news and the overhyped reporting that only propagates fear and anxiety. Get updates from reliable sources, and do not be that person who shares fake news. Take some time to verify what you’re sharing before hitting the share button. Google is free to use.
Avoiding contact with other people and washing your hands and staying home are things that you can do by disciplining yourself, but your ability to remain calm comes from within. That means you’ll have to take the necessary steps in reducing your stress and anxiety and promoting calmness while the virus runs its course.
Here are three of the best ways that you can stay calm and centered in times of COVID-19 panic!
Meditation & Mindfulness
So, you’re anxious and stressed as a result of the rapid spread of the virus. If you’ve never attempted meditation or any mindfulness techniques in the past, this is the perfect time to try them out and get some practice under your belt.
According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation can play a huge role in helping you maintain your mental and emotional health, even benefiting aspects of your physical health. Here’s what meditation can do for you.
Greater outlook on life (positivity)
Increased feelings of calmness
Greater self-awareness
Reduced levels of anxiety and stress
Improved focus
It’s no secret that I work for a guy in the health and wellness space. Not too long ago, I was given the opportunity to take a course called the Ziva Technique. And yes, I learned a lot in those two weeks, but my greatest takeaway is that now I know how to manage stress.
Emily Fletcher, the founder of Ziva Meditation, wrote a guest post for Ben Greenfield Fitness, and I highly recommend that you read that post. She also has a book called Stress Less, Accomplish More, which is available on Kindle, so you can easily get a hold of it.
Finding a Creative Outlet
This is a great time to try out some new (or old) creative hobbies. When you’re focused on building or creating something new, you’re reducing the amount of focus on the negativity surrounding you.
A creative outlet can be almost anything. Here are a few things
you might want to try out (if you have the supplies in your home).
Crocheting – of course, this is the first I would say!
Knitting
Embroidery
Crafting
Painting, coloring, or drawing
Singing or playing musical instruments
Taking photos or videos of things you enjoy
Building something with things lying around the house
Writing
Puzzles
Reading something and then writing an essay about it (yes, remember English 101 class?). This is a great way to take your mind off the world’s troubles.
I think everybody knows by now that I love crochet just as much as I love being a virtual assistant. In fact, I have created an opportunity for me during this COVID-19 pandemic to create and sell crocheted face masks. And I’ve even recorded a video of me playing the ukulele while singing It’s a Wonderful World.
Basically, the goal here is to find an activity or task that requires focus and makes you happy. You’ll never notice the passage of time when you’re having fun.
And if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, how about doing your spring cleaning?
Giving Back & Helping Others
Due to the enhanced community quarantine, what we can do to help others are limited. But we still can. Even if we do not belong to the essential work force.
The call for protective face shields, for example. I know at least a couple of crafters who participated in this drive. Too bad I don’t have acetate and foam to use, or I would have made some, too.
Fortunately, I was still able to do something, however little.
I joined the drive for crocheting ear savers for our frontliners. A friend in the crochet community posted a pattern and a call for crocheters to volunteer. All we need are buttons and lots of yarns. A have a few of the former, and lots of the latter. So I posted on my Facebook wall that I’m going to make those ear savers. A few hours after I posted, a barangay councilor messaged me that they want those ear savers. The following day, the Rotaract president of our town also requested some for the Municipal Health Office, and he sent me buttons!
As of this writing, I have made around 50 ear savers, and I will continue to make them for as long as there is a need. I signed up with this group, Earsavers for Lifesavers. Do check out the page and see if you would like to volunteer in any capacity.
Final Thoughts
There’s really nothing we can do to cure or stop the spread of COVID-19 (except maybe by strictly following the enhanced community quarantine rules), but by being mindful and creative, we can stay calm and centered.
And we can take this opportunity to find ways we can serve and give back to our community, however little the help may be.
More than a month ago, my long-time dream of visiting The Attic Yarn and Craftery finally came to fruition. Together with my crocheter friends Jean and Gen, we trooped from Mandaluyong all the way to Marikina just to have a glimpse of yarn heaven.
Tip: If you’re planning on visiting the Attic Yarn and Craftery, too, wear shorts. 🙂And have your favorite firstborn, who loves yarn as much as you do, tag along.
And what heaven it was! I didn’t want to leave anymore, seriously! I just wanted them to adopt me so I could stay holed up in there for the rest of my life, doing what I love – crafting. From the moment we stepped into the threshold, I just knew it was exactly how I want my retirement space to look like.
Yarns, fabrics, projects, tools… I was like a kid in a toy and chocolate factory combined.
I met the owner, Cecille, online. That was back when I was still selling yarn mixes.
Yes, I used to sell yarn mixes, too, in case you didn’t know. So the projects you are seeing on my Facebook and Instagram channels are actually made from my own yarn mixes unless otherwise stated.
Ces and her daughter Ceryl used to buy from me in bulk. In fact, theirs were my biggest invoices.
At that time, The Attic Yarn and Craftery was already carving its name within the crochet community and was becoming the top of mind go-to place for crochet needs. I used to wonder, what do they need my yarns for? They have such gorgeous yarns already!
But then I understand how crafters’ minds work. We want everything! My mixes are different from what they’re selling, so yes, it made sense to me. And I’m grateful to them for appreciating my mixes. In the same manner that I so love their yarns!
Uhmmm… I’m still waiting for inspiration on what to make with my DK Colors cake, so you are welcome to send me suggestions/recommendations.
Visiting their shop requires at least a day in advance notice. They are an online store, after all, so they’re not always ready to accept visitors. Insert an introvert doing business. 🙂
But that day, Ces graciously said yes when I asked if my friends and I could drop by. And amaze-balls! The place is totally Instagram-able!
My photos don’t do the place justice, so you just have to see it for yourself.
Or you can simply buy their yarns online and experience amazing customer service.
And I love how they handle their yarns! The way their inventory is maintained, how they are packed to ship to their customers, you’d feel that they are just not there for the business. They’re there because they love crochet and crafting. They take care of the yarns the way a crocheter would take care of them. And they take care of their customers like they’re long-time friends.
I can go on and on about how I simply love The Attic Yarn and Craftery and the people behind it, but I’d rather invite you to check them out to see for yourself. Like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram if you want a daily dose of eye-candy. If you are a crocheter, buy their yarns!
As for me, my retirement goal is clear. I’m going to have a space just like it, but with a little bit of twist. It’s not going to be just about crochet, but I’ll have a space where I can laze around and read on some days, write on other days, and craft every day! Libre naman mangarap! 🙂
Yep! It’s something I stumbled upon just a few weeks back and loving it so far.
So here’s what it is…
Paperless Post is all about connecting people in real life. It’s a digital platform where you can create just about any card for just about every occasion in your life or event that you’re planning to have. From birthdays to weddings to parties… even workshops! Whatever is the event, there is a Paperless Post that you can use.
And they are not limited to cards. There are flyers and stationeries, too!
We’re in this digital era where we no longer use the post office to send cards. It simply takes too long to reach people, you know? That is, if you’re lucky that they don’t get lost in transit. Or the friendly postman doesn’t just leave it on your porch for the neighbor’s cat to play with.
We no longer want to write personal notes to 100 people we want to invite to our housewarming. We no longer have the energy to write dozens of thank you notes to friends who attended our kid’s 7th birthday party. We don’t even have the time to go out and buy those cards!
Sorry, Hallmark!
For special events like weddings or birthday parties, we navigate more towards going to a desktop publishing business and getting something designed and printed.
We can, of course, always DIY it.
But if you’re like me who has no single bone of creativity in my body, DIY is not an option.
Not anymore! Now it is an option. Paperless Post just made it possible for me to be creative, just a teeny tiny bit. I just love the designs, the fonts, the colors, the layouts… And all I have to do is upload my own image to make it more personal.
The only difficulty I had when creating my first card was deciding on which to choose. They’re all so pretty I wanted to use every one of them.
Check out the flyer I created in under 2 minutes. It’s a fictitious event, of course. I just wanted to show you that you can create an invitation to your event and capture your list of attendees on the same page. And you only have to spend a couple of minutes creating it.
That flyer can be shared as a link, just like I did, send it to your email list or share on Facebook or WhatsApp. One flyer, multiple ways of getting the message to your network.
And then I created a simple thank you card, which is meant to be sent to present clients and collaborators. Like the flyer, this took me a little under 2 minutes to make. 🙂
Obviously, I didn’t put a lot of thought in it, but you can do a lot better than I did, I promise!
After you’ve designed your card, you only have to add the names and email addresses of your recipients and you’re ready to send. Can’t get any easier than that.
So next time you want to organize a reunion, plan a fundraiser or throw a party, send out a Paperless Post.
Oh! And check out their Facebook and Instagram feed for some eye candy.
Meanwhile, do LIKE my new page on Facebook. You won’t want to miss my next big find!
Thanksgiving has come and gone. How was your celebration? How much thought and effort did you actually put into that day? Did you spend time being grateful for your friends and family? Or are you just glad that you got to enjoy a long weekend?
Maybe really geared up for the Black Friday sale that followed? And if you did not get everything you need on Black Friday, there’s still Cyber Monday.
Like any other holiday, Thanksgiving is that one day when commercialism and the promotion of consumerism can creep in and ruin the real meaning of the day.
While people can say that they do spend Thanksgiving giving thanks, one can’t help but wonder… is this the only day of the year that they do so? Why not fill the entire year with tons of gratitude?
We don’t have to save our thanks for our family and friends for just one day of the year. We can instead get into the habit of letting all these people know just how special they are to us throughout the year.
A whispered “I love you” and “I’m grateful for you” to your spouse and kids. A spontaneous hug to your parents and siblings. A quick text message to your friends and co-workers. A smile and a thank you to your server at the restaurant. Or the cashier at the grocery. Or the guard at the mall or your office building. Little things we can do each day that shows our gratitude.
Thanksgiving is also that time of year when retailers hold the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Like telling everyone to go shopping for Christmas already! There’s nothing wrong with shopping if you have the budget for it. I personally do not advocate this…
I do have credit cards, but I go by what my brother has taught me. “If you can’t buy it in cash, then you can’t afford it”. So even though I use my credit card for the convenience of not bringing cash around, I make sure whatever’s due is paid in cash, in full and on time.
Shopping can also eat into the time you spend with your family. If you are going to shop, make it a family activity. More fun, right?
If you do intend to hit those sales this weekend, and the sales on the days leading to Christmas, take a few moments and be grateful for those employees who are working. Don’t forget to smile and say “thank you” to them. Any small action, even from a stranger, can brighten up anyone’s day. Especially for those who have to work when they would much rather be home enjoying the day with their family.
Thanks to my friend Nelle for allowing me to use a photo she took at the mall on this post.
