I wanted to share with you today just a few updates for new products that have recently hit the Strange & Charmed Shop! I know I don’t always do the best job of keeping you informed of my new designs, and I’m hoping to do a better job of that in the future. Okay, so the first items I want to show you are a new set of printable journaling cards inspired by my Empire Building Program. This set of four designs are my new favorite inspiration cards for my planner and I actually use some of them as page markers/dividers as you can see in my latest YouTube video all about my business binder set up! Whether you are a member of my Empire Building Program, reading through the individual workbooks or just an aspiring #GIRLBOSS who has been following along with the Glampire Chat, I hope this set of inspirational cards brings a little motivation to your business and day!
Now, if you would also like some full size inspirational art to add some motivation to your office space or home, my new Wall Art Designs that coordinate with my Empire Building Journaling Cards are going to be perfect for you! These 8″x10″ graphics are also printable and sold individually so you can choose the art that fits your style. Whether you are a #blogboss or an Empire Builder, these unique designs are sure to add a punch of style and inspiration to your workspace.
I hope you have all enjoyed this little update with the newest products to hit the shop! I am actually currently working on a new collection of art and journaling cards for this summer that I really think you are going to like as well! Think, the perfect summer getaway! So, let me know in the comments how you like these designs and feel free to leave me some suggestions for new designs or products you are interested in seeing in the Strange & Charmed Shop! As always, thank you so much for your support, I love creating inspirational printables for you all!
For a number of years now, I have been very interested in the concept of personal mantras. For those of you who may not be familiar, a mantra is traditionally a word or sound that one uses during meditation to focus energy and concentration, but more liberally speaking, a mantra is also an affirmation or catch phrase that a person may use on a regular basis. The latter is really what I have been preoccupied with because I am someone who does really believe in the power of affirmations and positive self talk as a means to overcome a variety of issues. I truly believe that if a person believes something is true, that belief can actually change them at their very core, and the best way to get someone to believe something is to have them repeat it over and over on a regular basis until a simple phrase becomes engrained in their psyche.
So, I would say that last year I went on something of a personal quest to find my own mantra, something that resonated with me and helped me to address the specific issues I was having in my life and business. I tried out a lot of popular affirmations, but inevitably, nothing really felt like it was mine, until one day I decided to write myself a set of directions to overcome some mental blocks I was having. At the time, I was spending may too much time consuming content online and not enough time working on my own. I knew this was a waste of my time, but I kept finding myself in this trap that I would set for myself where I got bored, went online for some entertainment, saw all the awesome things other people were creating and then got own on myself because hours had passed and I had achieved nothing of substance for myself. It was causing me some serious anxiety and a feeling that I was literally wasting my life. I didn’t like that feeling. I really wanted to feel like my days were filled with a good balance of working on my own priorities and spending some time enjoying myself and other people’s content, in a normal and healthy way. So, I knew that I needed to give myself a plan, some directions and rules to guide how I would spend my time in a general way. First I wrote out what I was going to stop doing, then I wrote out what I was going to do instead, and finally, I wrote out a list of ideas and options of priorities to focus on. I really liked this short and simple statement so much that I kept it on a page in my planner right towards the front so I would always see it. I eventually realized that as time passed, I had it memorized and actually found myself repeating it to myself whenever I was getting overwhelmed. Unconsciously, this statement had become my personal mantra and without realizing it, I had drastically improved my situation. All of a sudden I was getting more work done and spending less time worrying or feeling anxiety over my work. I was producing better content and the ideas were flowing out of me at an unbelievable rate. I had crafted my own mantra and it was actually striking a chord with me on a daily basis!
Now, I know that this post can seem a little far out there, and I understand if you think this is a little hokey. The thing is though, that I actually believe that this mantra helped me to change my situation and make my life better (of course, or else I would’t be writing a blog post about it) and I think it is worth a try for you. Even if this isn’t your normal cup of tea, I challenge you to weigh the benefits and risks of this activity. Creating your own personal mantra isn’t complicated or difficult, so long as you understand what it is that you need help with and have some solutions in mind for correcting your situation, there is really no harm in giving this a try. As they say, you have nothing to loose and everything to gain. So, here are my tips for crafting your own personal mantra.
1. Think about an area of your life that you are dissatisfied with, but you also know you would have the power to change: Understanding what we can and cannot change is a hard task, but think of this in terms of problems you have control over. If you are a student in high school and live at home with your parents, I don’t think it’s reasonable to say you can change your living situation, however, if you are a thirty year old adult who still lives at home, you have much more control over that scenario. Things like your appearance and attitude can be changed, but you can’t expect to change someone else’s.
2. Swap one bad habit with one good habit:At the time when I wrote my own personal mantra, I didn’t realize that their is a lot of power in controlling your routines. So, when you have something you want to change, it’s best to swap one behavior for another. So, once you know what area of your life you want to change, think about how you could replace a bad habit that perpetuates your issue with a good one. It may be hard to stop doing something, and it may be difficult to add a totally new behavior in, but when you swap one for another, it’s much more manageable.
3. Give yourself options: I’m the type of person who does much better with change when I know I have more than one option available to me. So when it came to having a successful mantra that spoke to me, it was critical that I didn’t box myself in to one narrow concept. Giving myself more than one option for how to spend my time instead of waisting it showed me examples that I could then put into action, and it also provided me with flexibility depending on my mood. For example, if you are someone who is trying to loose weight and you know that snacking is an area that gets you into trouble, you may want to tell yourself to stop snacking on bad food and replace it with good food. That’s great, but taking it a step further and saying exactly what foods you have the option to eat will make it much easier for you to choose that healthy option when the time comes because you have more to choose from.
Now, try putting these simple rules in place as you craft your own mantra, and then of course, make sure you keep your mantra front in center in your life until you have it memorized. Once you have it memorized, make it part of your routine to repeat your mantra to yourself throughout your day. Set a timer or reminders on your phone if you have to, but make sure you are using your mantra so that you actually start benefiting from it!
As a productivity junkie, I am always looking for the hottest new apps that promise to help me boost my productivity! I’ve tried games, guided meditation, and brainwave boosters, but most recently I have been using an app that creates a playlist of scientifically optimized productivity music to help you focus called Focus@Will. How’s that for a name, right? Who doesn’t want to have complete focus at will? I know I do! So when I first heard about this app, I knew I had to give it a try, so I downloaded the app, signed up for a free trial account and got started.
Now, the thing you need to understand about this app is that it’s essentially a semi-customizable playlist of relaxing, almost sound machine types of music. The UI of the app itself is pretty minimal and I found that it wasn’t quite adapted to my iPhone 6 Plus’ large screen, but then again, I guess that doesn’t matter very much because you’re not really supposed to be spending much time looking at your iPhone screen with this app on!
For those of you who may already be familiar with the concept to working to music, you may be wondering what makes this app so special? I think it all comes down to the thought that classical and similar styles of music make one more productive than other types of music, and in fact on their website, Focus@Will explains that modern music that most people listen to through the workday is not effective in forcing our concentration because such music normally evokes an emotional response that distracts us. Now, I can understand that! Personally, I am not productive at work with music on, I do better when I listen to music while cleaning the house or doing another physical activity that doesn’t require much thought. If you tend to work with your favorite playlist on in the background, you may want to ask yourself how satisfied you are with your productivity to really understand if this is an app you would want to try!
So, moment of truth, does the app actually work? Well, as I sit at my desk writing this review, it’s about 7:30 in the morning and I’ve been up since 6am working on blog posts, listening to and enjoying the music from the app. I haven’t been distracted by notifications, I haven’t taken moments to pause and rest, unsure of what to write next. I’ve been enjoying the soothing sounds radiating from my iPhone, and I think the science behind this app is correct. I don’t focus this well listening to regular music and I find that even in complete silence, I am not as productive as I seem to be as I type along to the rhythm of the spa playlist I’m currently enjoying. So, I would have to say that for me, yes, this app is working. Now, will I be signing up for a monthly subscription to the app once my 30 day trial is over? That will take some more thought. I am not completely sold on the app as a monthly subscription, although I would have no problem paying out $5.99 or even upwards of $10 to have full access to the app without a subscription fee or at least the option to buy a pre-made playlist flat out. I’m not entirely sure what sort of updates and value the Focus@Will team is adding on a monthly basis to validate the charge, which is my major hesitation right now, but I would say the app is nice, I do see a use for it and I would pay something for it, I’m just not sure how much value will come from the subscription!
If you have ever tried Focus@Will let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. I’d love to hear about your experiences with the app and if you are subscribed, let me know what value you feel you get from the app on an ongoing basis! If you have never tried Focus@Will before, definitely give the app a try, it’s available for download on iOS and Android devices and there is even a desktop client as well!
Last month, you told me that you really liked this Office Oasis feature and that you wanted me to continue with it and so I shall! Some of my favorite items in my office are cute little desk accessories and stylish stationery items, so for April, I have selected some functional pieces that do double duty. From a coordinating stationery box to the hottest pair of headphones a #girlboss could own, I’ve got your needs covered!
1. Stylish Headphones: The Frends Layla headphones are probably the most iconic feminine pair of cans on the market. They are available in a few different color choices, however, I love the white on rose gold look the best! Nothing is more feminine and sophisticated to keep a #girlboss focused on her work!
2. Fashionable Note Pads: I personally own, use and love this Garance Dore set of note pads from Rifle Paper Co! After using these you will never want to go back to a plain steno pad again!
3.See Through Storage: I get asked all the time about the acrylic storage container that sits on my desk and organizes most of my small office supplies and this is the one that I use! I love the look of the multiple drawers and particularly the sculptural effect of the drawer handles. It’s so reasonably priced, there is no reason to say no!
4. Chic Stationery: I think we can all agree that Kate Spade makes some of the chicest office supplies out there, but let’s be honest, owning her entire collection is going to cost you. That’s why I love this Whistle While You Work Tackle Box filled with a variety of Kate Spade office goodies, for a very reasonable price.
5. Catch All Dish: I always have a variety of little knick-knacks on my desk and to make sure they don’t go rolling all over the place, I like to keep them in this cute little Jonathan Adler Porcelain Zebra Dish! On a daily basis you will find anything from perfume and makeup items, rings and jewelry or even paperclips corralled in this lovely little dish. It’s definitely a must have for my desk!
So those are this month’s office picks. I hope you find something that you like as well as need in the selection above. Nothing makes me happier than when I can find a new office organization item that doubles as wonderful decor and of course, helps me boost my productivity! Let me know in the comments which items you loved the most and of course leave me recommendations for other products you think I should feature in future posts!
Good news everyone! It finally feels like Spring in the Northeast of the U.S., YAY! I am very excited for the warmer weather which means I can dress in my favorite, light layers and flats, and take Starbuck for (almost) daily walks to help me break up the work day. This month, the tunes I’m loving all harken back to spring or at least some sort of life transition. I’m feeling very empowered for the season and just want to jump in and enjoy every moment of it. I feel like with this new season, I can literally achieve anything I set my mind to, and my mind is filled with curiosity that I am just waiting to explore!
Up Around the Bend by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Radioactive by Imagine Dragons
White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane
Defying Gravity by the Cast of Glee
Don’t Rain on My Parade by Barbra Streisand
I have to admit, I love doing this post each month because it’s a relatively simple post for me, but I also LOVE how so many of you have reached out to tell me that you are also enjoying these playlists and giving me awesome suggestions for new music for me to check out as well, so thank you all for interacting with me around this very simple, but powerful medium of music! So, please keep those comments and suggestions rolling in and I hope you enjoy this month’s selection!
I am not sure whether I am a morning person or a night owl. I do tend to have more mental clarity in the mornings, but since I work from home for myself, I normally allow myself to wake up naturally in the morning and never set an alarm unless its completely necessary. However, that tends to mean I sleep in more often than not. Of course, that’s because I normally work later into the evening hours and don’t actually go to sleep until after midnight. But, the other day I had the most productive day ever, and it all took place in the span of 3 hours in the early morning.
A few Fridays ago, I woke up naturally at about 4 am. After tossing and turning for a while trying to get back to sleep, I decided that I should make the most of the situation and go to my office and get some things done, expecting that sleep would return to me after a half hour. Three hours later, I had completed all my writting and design work for the upcoming week, a chunk of work that would normally be broken up over a number of days! I was floored by my early morning productivity and wondered to myself why I wasn’t able to get this much done during normal business hours. This is what I realized:
The morning is a naturally productive time for me
I won’t go as far as to say that the morning is a naturally productive time for everyone, but for me, I do tend to have a lot of clarity and energy in the morning. After waking up naturally from a good nights rest, my mind is just fresher in the morning!
The morning is void of obligations
I loved sitting quietly in my office with a fresh cup of green tea, not having to worry about my husband or my dog. While I worked, the hubster and puppy were fast asleep in bed, and I didn’t have to deal with the normal worry of my family obligations.
The morning is great for deep focus
These three hours were so productive to me not just because I was energized, and not just because I had peace of mind that I had no obligations to worry about, but it was also so productive because I had none of my usual distractions. I wasn’t getting a barrage of text messages, I didn’t have to take calls from my clients, I wasn’t focused on checking my email! I was just able to sit in my office at my desk and deeply focus on my work. I always knew that my daily distractions were taking time away from my productivity, but until now, I hadn’t ever seen how much work I could do with zero distractions. It was eye opening!
So if you are looking to get more done in your day or knock out a project that has been lingering, I highly recommend this one tip of waking up early as a means to jumpstart your productivity. To be honest, I don’t think I will be forcing myself to wake up at 4:30 am everyday to get more work done, however, after seeing how much I was able to do in one morning, I am seriously planning to try this one day a week. One night a week I will get myself to bed early and set an alarm for a few hours earlier than I normally wake, and I will spend that time working on items that will help keep me ahead on my workload. Perhaps it will grow to twice or three times a week, perhaps it will just remain one, but all I know is that it will be worth it for me to keep up this habit and I’m excited to see how many more projects I will be able to take on during the week now thanks to the early morning productivity session that knocks out a good chunk of my workload!
If you give this tip a try, I want to know about it! Leave me a comment down below and let me know if this is something you already do or if it’s something you may want to try! I’d love to hear about your experiences and insights you gleaned from it!
You know I love me some gorgeous office decor that is both functional and inspirational! So I decided to start this little series where I highlight 5 ways you can turn your office from drab to FAB without spending a ton of money! Seriously, how awesome is this series going to be?!? I’m so excited to share my favorite office trends from DIYs you can do on the cheap to beautiful and functional office supplies that will add personality to your desk!
1. Laptop Riser: Not only is a laptop riser an ergonomic way to reduce eye and neck strain while you are working, it also helps free up valuable space on your desk. I am frequently asked about where I purchased my laptop riser, it’s the Ghost Stand by Twelve South and you can get a great deal on yours here.
2. DIY Desk Blotter: I love the way my desk looks with this added element of color and interest in the form of a super easy and inexpensive desk blotter. I actually have a video about how to make one, along with a few other awesome DIY office products that you will definitely want to check out for some great office inspo!
3. Colorful storage boxes: I love this set of three nesting boxes from Kate Spade! They are an easy and inexpensive way to hide office clutter or organize and store files, paperwork, or your stationery collection! It’s funny how a simple thing like a pretty box can totally hide a complete mess of items, and actually look so polished and posh!
4. Smartphone Dock: I love having a dedicated spot to keep my iPhone, and this Jonathan Adler rotary style dock is my absolute fave! You can actually use this dock with a variety of phones because it has a nice wide area for your phone to sit in and an opening in the center where you can attach any charging cable. It’s like a totally functional piece of desk art!
5. Wall Art: I absolutely love the look of a gallery wall, especially on a blank wall of an office. It’s a great way to add special moments, images and inspirational quotes to your work space that keep you motivated and on task! You can check out my gallery wall here, and if you are looking for some inexpensive options for art, make sure to check out my shop for printable wall art that you can use all over your home!
I hope you enjoyed these ideas and this first installment of Office Oasis! Let me know in the comments if this is something you would like me to continue on a regular basis, because I don’t know about you, but I could write about office supplies all day every day! If you use any of these tips currently or get any inspiration from this post, I’d love to see a picture of what you come up with! Upload your pic to Instagram and use the hashtag #StrangeandCharmed and make sure to tag me, @MissTrenchcoat so I can like and comment on your pics!
Being a creative person 24/7 is an impossible task, even if you are naturally very creative, and for those among us who aren’t naturally gifted in this area, it’s a loathsome task to have to attempt to be creative when it just doesn’t come easily to us. For me specifically, I do happen to consider myself a creative, my work is largely creative, and because of this, I have had to develop a system or protocol in order to inspire creativity within myself even when I felt like I was running low on the creative kool-aid!. So, here is my process for inspiring creativity on demand!
Brainstorm:I do a lot of brainstorming and as a creative entrepreneur I dedicate a nice chunk of my time each week to the task, however, if you are being tasked with having to find a creative solution to a problem or just needing to inject a little creativity into a project without much notice, brainstorming can be an excellent way to open your mind up to the creative process. Focus on the problem you’re having and ask yourself the who, what, where, when and why of it all and see if you can’t answer those questions creatively!
Think like someone else: When I get stuck in a creative rut, I find that thinking about a problem from another persons point of view can often help me inspire creativity. When I say this, I mean, try to think about the problem and possible solutions from the wants and needs of another individual. This is a must for any business owner who needs to understand their customer in order to create great products and services, but this activity can really help anyone. If your stuck for examples of people to think like, imagine you were your parents, sibling, relative, neighbors or friends. Often times we know how people close to us would react to a certain thing, so do a little role-playing in your mind and get new ideas flowing into your mind.
Give yourself time: It’s not uncommon for me, as a creative myself, to know I need a solution to a problem, but not have a clear idea of how to make it happen. So, if the problem is not urgent, I sit on it and give myself time to think of a creative solution. Don’t be afraid to give yourself time if you have time to spare.
Block judgement: The killer of creativity is judgement, so it’s very important that when creative ideas start to flow that you don’t label them as good ideas or bad ideas and just take stock of all the ideas you are receiving. Write everything down, but refrain from rating or judging the ideas until you have captured everything you think you will need.
Ask for feedback: If you are having a hard time coming up with a creative idea or solution on your own, don’t be afraid to ask others for feedback. Either on ideas you have already had or simply for their opinion on the situation. A fresh set of eyes can often do much for our own clarity.
Find commonality and relationships: When you are looking for creative ideas, try finding the commonalities or relationships between two things. Forcing your brain to relate x to y can often lead to creative solutions and interpretations. Make sure the two things you are trying to relate don’t already have an obvious commonality, the more obscure the connection, the more creativity you will inspire.
Those are my tips and general process for inspiring creative thinking when I am not in a creative mood. You would be surprised the number of blog posts and video ideas I have come up with when I thought my idea well had run dry, just by using one or more of these tips! Give them a try to let me know how they worked out for you, and of course, leave me your best tips for inspiring creativity down the in the comments!
xoxo,
P.S. Are you looking for creative blog post ideas? Here is a list of 25 great ideas any blogger can use that should help you through a creative rut!
I truly feel like March has been a big game changer for me in a lot of ways, and I am beginning to feel infinitely spoiled by the universe. I know that all the good news and positivity can’t last forever, but I have decided that I am going to make the most of all these gifts while I can. As you may already know, March is my birth month as well, so I feel like the last few weeks have been one big celebration, marked with a lot of hard work, dedication and focus. So this month, my playlist is a collection of some of my favorite songs, some old inspirational tunes I can’t live without, as well as a few new hits that I have been playing on repeat. I wish I could say their was a clear theme for the playlist this month, and I think for me there is, but I’m not sure how someone outside of my head would categorize these. For me, these songs are all poetically inspirational, sending me subliminal messages to keep focused on the mission ahead of me. I hope you find something within this collection that speaks to you in the same way.
FourFiveSeconds by Rhianna, Kayne West and Paul McCartney
Habits (Stay High) by Tove Lo
Black Coffee by Peggy Lee
Have you ever seen the rain? by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
Killer Queen by Queen
The Downeaster “Alexa” by Billy Joel
Pink Moon by Nick Drake
Tennis Court by Lorde
Born to Die by Lana Del Rey
Make sure to head on over to Spotify to listen to the full playlist for free! Then you can let me know what you thought of this months collection and of course, tell me what you have been listening to and loving this month! Click here to check out previous installments of My Productivity Playlist as well, and I would love to see pictures of you enjoying this playlist at home or at work, so snap a pic, post it to IG and make sure to tag me @MissTrenchcoat and #ProductivityPlaylist so I can see them, like and comment!
Some of the people who know me best have told me that I have incredible focus. Now, I think this is probably the most wonderful compliment an entrepreneur can get because it means that I know how to get things done and execute! As you might imagine, I have a number of balls in the air when it comes to the many facets of my business and I have managed to find a sense of balance in order to get the most important tasks accomplished and chip away at larger projects that might take a period of time in order to complete.
I believe that at the heart of focus and execution is prioritization. Now I will admit that prioritization is a skill that needs to be developed and honed in order to be affective. It’s not always easy, even for me, to know what to prioritize and when, but in my 5+ years working for a fortune 50 company, I have pretty much learned how to prioritize, even when things get messy.
So I’m sure, if you’re like me prioritization isn’t hard when you don’t have much going on, but its when two or more things begin to collide and complete for priority that you get stuck deciding what to do. This feeling of being stuck can often lead us to not make a decision and not take action. So, to combat that, lets talk about two variables that can help you draw the line between competing priorities.
These two variables are values and expectations! Now, your values and expectations are variables because they will vary from person to person. What I value may not be what you value, and expectations you set for yourself may not be the same as the expectations I set for myself. For the purposes of this video I am going to give you some insight into my values and expectations, to understand how I prioritize and ultimately execute in my day to day, but please make sure yo base your own values and expectations off what works for you!
Okay, so when it comes to my values, my first priority is myself, my personal and spiritual health and well being. After that comes my family and business, and finally the greater community outside my front door. Now, I know saying that putting myself first is a very controversial statement, but its one that we really need to demystify! When I say that I put myself first, it is not in a selfish or self centered manner. In fact, I have a great analogy that I like to use to explain why I choose to put myself first. You may have heard me say this before if you follow me on my blog, but to me, it all comes down to something we are taught when we fly in airplanes. If you have ever taken a commercial airline flight you may recall the portion of the preflight where the attendants go over safety features of the flight. Their is a great part of the safety presentation where they explain that in the event of an emergency, oxygen masks will deploy from the ceiling and you must secure your own oxygen mask first before assisting others around you. This is so important people, secure your own mask first! Why? Because if you don’t take care of you, and then things get out of control, you may not be in the position to help anyone else. Not you family, not your friends or the passengers near you who may need you. Lets extrapolate that to life shall we. If you are not getting enough sleep, eating well, and developing good self care habits, you will not be able to perform well in your daily life when it comes to your own or other peoples expectations! You just won’t. So, let’s together try to break this cycle and the stigma of putting ourselves first because in the end, we can’t help anyone if we can’t help ourselves.
Now in terms of my own personal expectations to support that value, I have some pretty straight forward expectations of how I will execute this value. First of all, I need sleep. So I prioritize getting the right amount of sleep per night. I also expect that I will take my vitamins and allergy pills everyday, because when I don’t I feel like poo because I have bad year round allergies! I also have recently developed a new habit of waking up early and drinking a fruit and veggie smoothy Monday- Friday for breakfast. But it has helped me to really start the day off right, make sure I am getting key nutrients and its just been making me feel better. On a side note, my choice of drinking a green juice is just that, my own, and its not open for discussion, so no comments down below debating the legitimacy of drinking green juice or smoothies, I’m good with that decision and I’m not looking for input. I’m just sharing these as examples for you guys to take and then extrapolate to your own lives.
So, prioritizing myself first has really enabled me to make sure I am in the right condition to actively participate in my life and my business. There is no doubt in my mind that I am able to stay focused because I have set clear values and expectations and the greatest of those values, my self care regimen, actually supports my focus in a very direct way.
Now, if you would like to know more about my views on Focus and hear a little more behind the scenes details about my values and expectations associated with them, make sure to check out my latest installment in my Plan Like an Entrepreneur Series. In this video I outline the same basic information here, but I also provide examples from a different value and expectations, as well as outline my top 5 tips for keeping balanced when priorities compete! If this topic interests you, definitely check out the video because you will learn a lot more through that!
I hope this post and this video are both helpful tools for you as you work to improve your own focus. This isn’t a process that can be taken care of in a single day, but the longer you work at it, the more experience you get under your belt making decisions and prioritizing, the easier it will be for you to focus on what matters to execute against your personal and professional tasks! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic down in the comments, so don’t be shy, let me know what you thought and if this was helpful for you!
