Strange & Charmed

16 Business & Personal Development Books You Must Read in 2016!

2016 Business & Personal Development Books to Read in 2016

In 2015 I read a lot of business and personal development books. Some were good, and some were not so good, but as an entrepreneur, I think it’s so important to keep your mind challenged and informed and reading books is probably the easiest way to expose yourself to new concepts and methods of thinking. One of the reasons I was able to read so much last year was due to Audible.com which I finally subscribed to after years of dragging my feet and it was one of the best decisions I made for my business in my opinion. If you’re curious about Audible, check out this offer where you can get not one, but two free books with a trial subscription! So, out of all those books, which did I enjoy the most? Well, here are the 16 business and personal development books that I read and recommend you read in 2016!

1. Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Link: http://amzn.to/1YXKQw5

If there is one book from this list that I would suggest you read this year, it’s Essentialism! So much of my approach to working smarter, not harder is diluted into the contents of this book and I truly believe that everyone – not just business owners – need to hear the message of this book.

2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Link: http://amzn.to/1JQuRni

A lot of what sets successful people apart is attitude and perseverance. This book is a tried and true narration of what it takes to be truly successful in life and the obstacles that we all must face as we rise to the top. This book is honestly packed with gems of advice and actionable items, so I would suggest getting a printed copy, highlighters and a lot of page flags as you devour this one, or if you read the audiobook as I did, make sure to keep a notebook handy!

3. You Got This by Alexis Giostra

Link: http://bit.ly/YOUGOTTHISBOOK

I absolutely couldn’t create a list of books for you to read and not include my eBook on strategic goal setting. This is definitely not just a read it once and think about the message type of book, it’s a true workbook with worksheets and actionable items to help you plan your goals and ensure execution by prioritizing them as well as the key routines that will make it easier for you to establish a pattern of success. Hundreds of members of my community have already purchased this book since its release in November, and the positive reviews are rolling in daily so if you struggle with goal setting and making big things happen for your life, this is the book for you!

4. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY8TTk

This short but direct book outlines the mental blocks that keep creatives from doing their best work and how to overcome them. If you are someone who struggles with producing creative work and truly wishes to make a full time career from it, you need to read this book.

5. The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY8XTa

In my opinion, this is the only financial book one need ever read. I was first exposed to this book when I was very young and finally reread it this year. To my astonishment, I had spent the years in between actively executing the principles of this book. It’s so funny the way solid financial principles are just timeless and once they are engrained in your mind and put into practice, your whole life can change and set you free from financial burdens. If you struggle with finance and feel like the topic is overwhelming to you, this book will break down money and wealth for you in a series of parables that anyone can relate to and understand.

6. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Link: http://amzn.to/1JQvhKC

This is one of two habit formation books I read this year, and between the two, I connected more with this one. I think many of us take for granted the roles that routines play in our lives, but this book really explained in great detail what routines are, how they control us and how, with targeted and sustained effort, we can change them. It’s not easy to break a bad habit and establish a new routine, but if you have something – anything really – that you want to accomplish in your life, great or small, you need to understand how to control your habits and routines and build ones that will actually create success for you!

7. Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

Link: http://amzn.to/1JQvmxL

And this is the second habit formation book I read this year and definitely still enjoyed or else it wouldn’t have been included on this list! In this book, Gretchen Rubin outlines her own experiments in habit and routine formation. She definitely acknowledges the established work of Duhigg and expounds upon it with some helpful personality based observations that are truly the crown jewel of this book, however, this work was a little less science and a little more personal anecdotes. Definitely worth the read, but I’d suggest Duhiggs book first.

8. Louder than Words by Todd Henry

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY98Oc

Now this is one of those books that no matter who you are, if you want to make any sort of impact at all, either personally or professionally, you need to read it! Again, another short read but one all about tapping into your authentic voice to connect with others and share your personal story to motivate and inspire.

9. The White Space Solution by Anne Samoilov

Link: http://annesamoilov.com/shop/product/white-space-solution-book/

After I read through this awesome eBook by my dear friend Anne Samoilov, I immediately called her to find out why in the world she wasn’t promoting this book to the high heavens because people seriously need to hear about and practice white space in their daily lives. We are all too busy, or so we say. Anne’s book really shows you how important it is to have time and space in your life to create and explore in order to do your best work, be your best self and fully engage in the lives of those who matter most. If you feel constantly busy and overwhelmed, you need to read this one!

10. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY9nJg

This is the quintessential book for interacting with other people. It’s like a psychology lesson distilled into relatable action. Again, I truly believe this is a development book that everyone needs to read, but especially anyone who interacts with customers, clients, vendors or really any people who you need to rely on to help make your goals and dreams a reality.

11. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY9Bjm

This is one of two quintessential productivity classics that I think everyone needs to read. Covey’s book is a long running go to for business professionals, but it certainly applies just as equally to stay at home moms or creatives.

12. Getting Things Done by David Allen

Link: http://amzn.to/1JQvPjE

The second productivity classic, again beloved by the corporate sphere but seriously applicable to anyone and everyone! Getting Things Done is an annual reread for me and it seems that every time I dive back in I pick up a new lesson or tweak to my productivity systems that I hadn’t tried before.

13. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Link: http://amzn.to/1NYa8C6

Another classic for artist’s and creative types that really dives deep into the creative process and how to support creativity in our lives. If your job or passions are even remotely artistic or fall into the creative space. You should read this!

14. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY8Mam

Out of all the books on this list, this is the only true business book I’ve included, so if you don’t own, or ever hope to own your own business, this doesn’t apply to you, however, if you do you need to read this. You know those statistics people throw around about how many businesses fail in their first year and then how many more fail within a few more years and how many are still standing after a decade? This book explains all about that. It’s actually very interesting to see that lack of customers isn’t actually the thing that kills a business, it’s so much more about plans and systems than you really could ever have imagined.

15. A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

Link: http://amzn.to/1NY9hkN

Yep, I added a woo-woo book to this list, but one that really made a big impact on me. I’ll agree that there are some things about this book that are perhaps a little too much for me, but the underlying message of this book is really powerful and honestly moved me to tears so many times. I think it’s good for us to read personal development, even perhaps spiritual development books (which is really what this book is), that really move us because some times I feel numb to the world and books like this make me feel reconnected to the human race. Definitely not the book for everyone, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t one of my favorites.

16. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Link: http://amzn.to/1R8IBSD

If you are a male or female working in corporate America and you haven’t read this book yet, please stop whatever you are doing and order it asap. I realize that this book was meant to inspire women, but anyone who works in a business environment should read this. I know this can be a polarizing book, but the results of real research was put into this book and it’s truly heartbreaking to be confronted with the fact that women are held back at work. They hold themselves back, their partners hold them back and worst of all, their own teams and companies hold them back. Obviously this book doesn’t apply to 100% of situations, but its enough that we all need to be aware of workplace biases and work to break our own preconceived notions.

So now you have 16 new books to add to your to read list or Audible queue! I am still in the process of researching the books I want to read for the year. I’m not necessarily someone who makes a full list and then checks books off one by one, but I do want to get started with some new-to-me reads asap. I already know I am putting another Todd Henry book, Die Empty, on my reading list and I have a few fiction novels that I started in 2015 that I want to tie up Q1, but I’d love to hear any suggestions you have for me based on these recommendations or even something totally different that you absolutely love and recommend. Let me know in the comments what you think I need to read this year! Oh, and one final thing I want to say about reading and personal development– I think reading is great, I obviously do or else I wouldn’t share book recommendations with you. However, I want to make sure you don’t spend all your time reading and leave no time for acting on what you’ve learned. Some people have a tendency to go into research and personal development mode before they feel like they can begin to implement and act, but unfortunately, that can often lead to a holding pattern where one is reading, reading, reading and never actually getting started on their business or new and improved life. I guess what I am trying to say is don’t use books as an excuse not to begin living your life. I want you to act on what you learn in these books, not use them as a barrier to keep you from living your dreams!

xoxo,

Photography

{Picture Perfect} Capturing that Perfect Moment

Well, it’s the most wonderful time of the year and you know what that means? There will be many, many moments that we will be eager to capture on film, or well, on our phones! So, I thought this would be the perfect time to discuss some very important photography skills to ensure that you are always capturing that perfect moment. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to get great shots, you just need to know these five key tips!

1. Never let your subjects know you are going to photography them: If you do, they will start to pose or shy away and although a nice little pose can be cute, these types of pictures aren’t always the best or most natural. If you want to get some good shots, don’t let your subjects know you are about to photograph them. Make sure your phone or camera’s shutter noise is turned off (there is usually a way to stifle it in your settings) and summon all your ninja skills to keep your subjects unaware of your presence and the presence of the camera. This is one of those times when using a nice fancy DSLR may actually not be to your benefit because that sort of camera is obvious. Using your phone, however, may be a good option to get in all those sneaky photos. Just pretend you’re using an app or checking messages!

2. Wait for your subjects to interact: If you wait for your subjects to interact with something like an object or another person, you will get a much nicer scene to photograph. Great moments to catch are conversations, children (and adults) playing with presents, and special embraces.

3. Look for movement and gesture: Some of the best moments to capture are ones where you subjects are in action. Unwrapping presents, talking with their hands, and cooking all make for really special candid shots!

4. Zoom into the little details: One of the differences between good photography and great photography is attention to the little details. I’m talking hands, feet, accessories, eyes, smiles and much more. I think a lot of amateur photographers are always a little scared to get too close to their subjects (especially if you’re trying to keep the pictures candid) but you can always use your cameras zoom to catch the little details that really show emotion. If your taking pictures and find that you feel like there is “something missing” from your images, try retaking the pictures a little closer or zoomed in to a nice close crop!

5. Tell a story: The best images always tell a story and when it comes to holiday photos, that is exactly what we are trying to capture. If you’re just starting out with photography, this may be the most difficult concept to master because it’s quite a bit more abstract. The best way for a beginner to master this is to ask yourself with every shot “what is this picture saying?” If you are always asking yourself what a certain composition or shot conveys to the audience, you will be well on your way to telling a great story with your pictures.

So, those are my five best tips for capturing that perfect moment with your holiday pictures or any pictures for that matter! I hope this helps you to take awesome pictures of your friends and families that will help to make this season a memorable one!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on December 4th, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!

lifestyle

Let’s Make Hot Cocoa!

Well friends! Christmas is just a few short days away, isn’t that exciting?? I’m super excited about finally reaching the end of Vlogmas! In case you haven’t been following along, Vlogmas is a December video challenge where you put a video up everyday from December 1st- Christmas! Now, I just have two videos left, and I have to say, it’s been fun, but very exhausting. I have to hand it to daily vloggers, because I don’t know how they do it! Any who, since we are getting so close to Christmas and the end of Vlogmas, I thought it would be fun and festive if we made some hot cocoa together! I love hot cocoa in the winter, especially around Christmas because I love making decorated marshmallow pops to put in my drink (and really, that’s half the fun of making a nice hot cocoa)!

This year, I got super clever and I made my marshmallow pops with a candy striped paper straw instead of a normal stick. This means that once I dunk my pop into my hot cocoa, I also have a nice straw to use in my drink. Fancy, ain’t it?!? The paper straws are great as well because I was able to use those super extra large marshmallows instead of normal sized ones, and who doesn’t love a giant, chocolate and candy covered marshmallow?

Of course, I made a nice little video so you can play along with me and make your own hot cocoa after watching me assemble mine! I’m all about the garnish when it comes to cocoa, and I have to say, my festive cocoa garnish game is strong! I hope you enjoy the video as well as all of my Vlogmas videos! If you missed them, just click here for a playlist of all my Vlogmas videos so far so you can catch up! Have fun and be sure to send me a picture of your hot cocoa too!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on December 23rd, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!

Productivity

Marketing Tips You Might Have Missed

As a blogger, youtuber and online business owner, it’s important for me to stay focused on my online marketing to make sure I get my content and my products out there into the world to the people who need them most. So, of course, I do a lot of reading and research on the subject of marketing, and although I find that, generally, much of the information is very repetitive, every once in a while I find little gems that I believe are very important to remember. Since many of my readers also happen to be bloggers and small business owners, I thought it would be helpful for you if I shared a few key bits of marketing wisdom that you may not be familiar with, so here are the 5 Marketing Tips you Might have Missed!

1. Consistent messaging is most helpful when targeted at a consistent person: No matter what your business is, whether you’re a blogger, an online business owner or a social media guru, you probably already know that consistency in your messaging is key. However, what you may not have known is that your consistent messaging is most effective when you are targeting your ideal customer consistently. We all have our ideal or target customers, members of our communities and those model consumers we are looking to attract, after all, no one business can cater to 100% of the population! Once you understand who your ideal customer is, what their needs and motivations are, you can then better direct you messaging towards them and reap the rewards.

2. Come on strong: Although coming on strong isn’t something you may want to do when it comes to real world marketing, when promoting yourself on the internet, it’s a must! Why? Well, because online communication is hard. It isn’t a traditional form of communication where you are interacting one on one with your target customers, it’s a sea of people who have literally a thousand other things to pay attention to. So if you want to be seen and heard on the internet, it’s important to talk loudly and carry a big microphone! Put your content and messaging out there everywhere it is relevant and as often as possible. Do things in a big way to create more buzz around you and your business, and don’t be afraid to reach out directly to those you believe will benefit from your products and message!

3. Use rhyming phrases, they are more persuasive: Apparently it has been statistically proven that people inherently believe phrases that rhyme are more accurate that non-rhyming phrases. Weird, huh? Well, I think it just proves how persuasive a good turn of phrase can be, especially when it’s lyrical. So, consider how you can use rhyming phrases in your messaging to your benefit!

4. Anticipate objections and overcome them: As someone who spent years working in sales for a fortune 50 company, I know that anticipating objections is an important part of direct selling. However, when it comes to online selling, we don’t have the benefit of talking one on one with our prospective customers to hear out their concerns and then put their mind at ease. Instead, in online business, you need to anticipate the objections your customers will have, address them and then overcome them in your messaging. This is a perfect example of why it’s important to

5. Give people things to share: In this modern online world of ours, you may have noticed that people love to share. This is one of the major reasons social networks like Facebook and Instagram are so popular. People love giving their opinions, sharing things they like, and feeling like the things they share are helping those around them. Deep down inside, people have a need and strong desire to feel important and valuable. This is a need that you can leverage to help you market your content and business, if you make an effort to create items that are sharable online. Give your customers and community items that they would be proud to share in their social feeds. Things like thoughtful articles, beautiful images, helpful tips and tricks. If you sell a product, give away freebies online like digital items that supplement your products, something people can admire and share with friends. You may have to put in some extra work, but those little extras will pay off in the end!

I hope this post taught you a new tip or trick for marketing yourself or your business online! Let me know in the comments what resonated most with you, and feel free to share your best marketing tips as well!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on December 8th, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!

lifestyle

The Winter Edit

At the end of August I inadvertently kicked off a series of seasonal lifestyle picks with my Fall Edit post! I received such positive feedback from that post that I decided that I wanted to try it again, this time for winter! As we are now in December and the months are growing colder (at least for me in the Northeast of the U.S.) I have a collection of 10 must haves from Style to Home Goods that will keep you looking chic and warm!

Style

1. Kate Spade Bow Leather Gloves: Leather gloves are such as classic style staple that I think every women should have a pair that they like. I happen to love these Kate Spade gloves because they are adorned with a simple little bow at the base of the wrist and they are tech friendly which means I can text and post to Instagram while keeping my hands warm and toasty!

2. Fuzzy slippers: I’m not usually someone who prefers to wear casual footwear around the house, however, in the winter months it is a must because my feet just get too cold and standard socks just don’t do the trick! This lovely pair is from Gilligan & O’Malley for Target.

3.Ringly: I absolutely love an oversized statement ring during the winter, but this one has a little secret! It’s actually a smart ring and can be paired with your smartphone to light up and vibrate when you receive a notification on your phone. How cool is that?!?

4. Fur Vest: Whether you prefer real or faux fur, a vest is an awesome accessory for winter, especially if you live in a colder climate. They come in all different shapes and sizes and you are certain to find something within your price range!

5. Rebecca Minkoff Love Crossbody Bag: I am obsessed with this bag for the winter and even asked Santa for one for Christmas. It reminds me a lot of the Chanel Boy Bag and is just the right amount of edgy and sophistication for it to be a regular carry for me in the winter when I prefer a smaller bag so I can keep my hands warm and toasty in my pockets!

Home Goods

6. Starbucks Black Heart Travel Mug: Again, this is another item that graced my seasonal wish list, but I am such a warm beverage person that I go through a lot of mugs throughout my week! These Starbucks travel mugs are not only adorable, but also really functional and high quality!

7. Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea: This is one of my favorite seasonal tea flavors from Celestial Seasonings (aside from Gingerbread Spice!) and is part of their holiday collection. It is a perfect dessert drink on a cold winter’s night!

Beauty

8. Wet N Wild’s Sugar Plum Fairy: The name alone should tell you why it’s perfect for winter, and I know I featured a Wet N Wild lipstick in my Fall Edit as well, but these lipsticks are great for a reason! Beautiful matte colors for under $2 a tube? Seriously, this is a no-brainer and it has been the dominant color on my lips since a chill hit the air!

9. Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret Elixir Perfume: This is one of my cold weather staple perfumes and has been for years! I love the spicy sweet aroma of this classic scent, plus, it doesn’t hurt that the bottle looks really awesome. Definitely check this out the next time you are at the perfume counter.

10. Essie’s Wicked Nail Polish: Essie’s Wicked is a classic nail color and one I love to wear in the winter months. The deep dark red is perfect for the holidays because it’s a nice dark berry which is festive without being a bright holiday red, which I don’t like to wear! It also works very well with the berry lip from sugar plum fairy.

I hope you enjoyed my Winter picks! Now let me know what your must have’s are for the season!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on December 11th, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!

DIY Filofax

DIY Bow Clips for your Planner & More!

Ever since I showed you guys those cute little bow paper clips I made for my Filofaxes, you have been asking me to do a DIY tutorial on how to make them! Well, ask and you shall receive, right? I Actually put together a video with not one, not two, but three DIYs for making paper clip accessories for your planner so that everyone is able to create exactly what they want for their planner.

DIY Bow Making Pattern — This is a low res image, download the full file via the link below!

To go along with this DIY video, I created a special Bow Maker Pattern Printable to act as a template for creating your own bows. I show you how to use this template in the video, but the file itself also has directions as well. Feel free to download this file and make yourself bows to your heart’s content! But remember, this printable is free for personal use only. Commercial use of this file is prohibited, and please, if you want to share the file with friends and family, link them to this post or my YouTube video instead of directly sharing the file!

Three DIYs, you read that right! So, other than the bows, I also show you how to make page clips with chipboard elements as well as how to make clips from printables and any other images or icons you may find! If you can print it or if it’s made from paper, you can turn it into a decorative page clip for your planner!

In the video I use my new 2014 Favorite Things Sticker Set as a template for some clips I made by printing the PDF on heavy printer paper instead of on sticker paper! I love this new Sticker Set of course because it’s filled with some one my favorite images and icons from the year! Think pink peonies, coffee cups, perfume bottles and of course, stripes! You can purchase this set from my shop and use it as stickers or to make your own page clips as well!

So here is the video linked above! This is definitely one of those tutorials that is better explained visually, so if you would like to see the three methods I used to make some lovely embellished paper clips for my planner, check it out! Of course, if this video helped you in any way or gave you some new planner inspiration, please make sure to share it in your social media and tag me @MissTrenchcoat! It would mean the world to me!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on December 18th, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!

Blogging Solutions

How to Find Inspiration

One of the hardest parts of being a blogger is coming up with great new content every week. As a blogger, I need a constant stream of inspiration in order to come up with ideas for my posts, images and my blog’s design. Although as they say, inspiration is everywhere, being a constant learner is an important part of locating inspiration in your life. If you are having trouble finding inspiration, here are a few things I like to do to find inspiration when I need it most!

1. Listen to music: I suggest listening to all types of music, even genre’s your not that familiar with or don’t even like. Variety is so important when opening up your mind to inspiration and you need to listen to everything that’s out there if you want to discover something new that will inspire you to think differently.

2. Read about something new: Scientific articles tend to be the most powerful for me, but learning about any new subject can open a door of possibilities and inspiration. It doesn’t really matter what your blog topic is or what you normally write about, just learning a bit about a new discipline or subject can really help open the channels of creativity in your mind!

3. Write stream of consciousness style: Sometimes you never know where your own mind will lead you until you follow it. One great exercise I suggest for writers is to do a bit of stream of consciousness writing. This means you just start typing and listen to that voice inside your head about what to write. Start with things on your mind and your own thoughts and just follow them through and see where they lead you.

4. Go to a new place you have never been: New experiences generate inspiration like none other! I find that just driving or wandering to a new part of town I have never been to really helps open my brain up to possibilities. Seeing new sights, smelling new smells and living through new experiences can be very inspiring and something of an adventure!

5. Get to know someone new: Meeting new people and getting to know them is a very powerful one on one experience. There are so many wonderful people out there in the world with so many interesting points of view that hopefully by getting to know one of them, their views may rub off on you a bit and cause you to look at the world differently!

6. Watch a movie that you don’t think you’re interested in: Often times its important to challenge our perceptions of our own likes and desires. Breaking established patterns like watching movies in genre’s your not used to watching is a really simple way to sample and test out new things without making a major commitment. Hopefully, that movie you weren’t interested actually entertains you and brings you to see that you shouldn’t discount things based on what you think you already like!

7. Do something physically challenging to you: This doesn’t have to mean you should go out and run a marathon if you don’t normally run, it just means to push yourself physically. While I’m at the gym I find so much inspiration just hiding out in my own mind while I’m on a machine. I think that when you’re focusing your physical energy on working out, your mind starts to open up and relax allowing new inspiration and ideas to just hit you. Give it a try and you’ll be killing two birds with one stone!

What sorts of things do you do to find inspiration? Have you ever tried or plan to try any of the items on this list? How did it work for you? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on March 20th, 2014 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!

Business

Get Your Business Ready for 2016!

Get Your Business Ready for 2016!

With 2016 right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start giving some deep thought to your business planning for the new year. Yesterday I held a live business planning session over on my YouTube channel where I shared my strategy for wrapping up 2015 and starting 2016 strong. In order to help organize the information, I also put together a helpful study guide for the attendees to help them keep track of their thoughts and plans throughout the event. If you are a business owner or an aspiring business owner who is seriously contemplating starting a business in the new year, I highly encourage you to check out the video. It is about an hour and a half long, but packed with some excellent insight. Definitely time well spent in my opinion for anyone who wants to make sure they have covered all their bases for business planning.

Make sure to grab my free study guide to follow along with the video. You can download it from my Digital Resource Library. If you are already subscribed to the library, head on over to the library home page and download the file, or else sign yourself up here! And be sure to follow the video to the end to get a special limited time offer that expires on December 12th, 2015!

I hope you have had a successful 2015 in your life and business and together I want to ensure we have an even more productive year in 2016! Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have after you finish the video and I hope that you can I can work together in the future to make your business the best it can be!

xoxo,

Filofax

10 Ways to Personalize Your Planner for the Holidays!

I enjoy a beautiful planner just as much as the next girl, but decorating my planner day in and day out just isn’t something that normally excites me. Now that it’s December, however, it’s a completely different story! This season really is the most wonderful time of the year to me, so I was actually excited to go all out decorating my planner. In case you are wondering, I am still using a disc bound planner system. I’m using 1″ black arc discs, and the half letter sized inserts from my shop (A5 equivalent in the U.S.), with a custom front and back cover made from laminated card stock. This has been my setup since August and I’ve never been happier… although in 2016 I plan to get even happier with my system as I’m converting my existing set up into a DIY Spiral Planner (video tutorial here).

Since December is my final hurrah with this planner before I go full spiral, I thought it would be fun to deck out my planner with 10 inexpensive personalizations. Most of the DIYs and items cost no more than $1 from places like the Target Dollar Spot and Dollar Tree, which is fabulous, because this sort of decor is definitely disposable to me and I don’t like spending too much money on temporary planner decor. Don’t get me wrong, I will drop a pretty penny on planner supplies, but only those that are relevant all year long!

So, I made a video showing you the 10 personalizations, here they are listed for you if you’re curious, but I highly suggest checking out the video for more details and some great visuals.

Novelty holiday pen
Seasonal Inserts (freebies from my shop)
Holiday themed stickers (My complete printable set)
Christmas page marker
Christmas card dashboard
Holiday themed sticky notes
Seasonal embellished paper clips
Custom planner cover (get yours here)
Jingle Bell planner charm
Sparkly planner band

Make sure to check out the full video to see the decorations in action!

I hope you enjoyed the video and the inspiration! Feel free to let me know which personalizations you enjoyed the most and of course, the video description has even more links for DIYs and tutorials to help you recreate these decorations for your own planner! HAPPY HOLIDAYS PLANNER FRIENDS!

xoxo,

Productivity

Productive Things to Do During Christmas Vacation

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, most folks get at least some time off during the Holiday Season, so make the most of your vacation time and sneak in a few of these productive activities that are sure to keep your work and life manageable in the new year!

Clean Out your Smartphone

Like most people’s homes and desks, smartphones usually accumulate a lot of extra stuff in the form of apps, photos, information and contacts that need to be sorted through and in some cases deleted. Its the end of the year after all and there is no better way to start off the new year than with an organized smartphone. While you’re at it, make sure you have all your emergency contact information and necessary phone numbers stored in your contacts just in case you need them one day!

Listen to a book on tape

Now, this doesn’t have to be a work related book, nor does it need to be a non-fiction or self help book! Reading is a great way to de-stress and I think listening to a book on tape is just as good for your mind and your productivity! So, if you have a bunch of chores or other to-dos, throw on a book on tape while you’re busy and it will help keep you cheerful and motivated! Audible.com has a great smartphone app that makes it easy for you to find any book your looking for, but you can also stop by your local library and borrow a book on tape the old fashioned way!

Spend some time on yourself

If your busy and trying to use your Christmas Vacation time to get some important to-dos checked off, you may not think it a productive use of time focusing on yourself, but trust me, it will have long term benefits. So, carve some time out of your day, take a bubble bath, listen to some music, have a nice workout or just lay in bed and relax because your peace of mind is so important for increasing your productivity and most of us don’t spend enough time working on that!

Learn a new simple and quick recipe

When it comes to meals, I would venture to guess that most of us have a repertoire of a few dishes that we continuously cycle until we get sick of eating them and then order out! So, I think its incredibly valuable for each of us to learn a new recipe that we can add into to our normal routine that may end up saving us time and money in the long run. Spend some time thinking about meals that you enjoy and see if you can find a quick recipe online that you can perfect during your downtime!

Connect with family & friends

Look, with so many of us out of work for a day or two, it really makes sense that you should spend time with loved ones during the holidays. You don’t have to do anything too stressful, just a day together walking outside in the snow or a meal cooked and shared together can be the difference that makes you feel more satisfied and in control of your life.

So, what are your plans for this Christmas Vacation? Let us know in the comments!

xoxo,

This article was first published on Strange & Charmed on December 19th, 2013 and is being reposted as part of my Holiday Prep Hiatus! For the months of November & December I will be recycling some vintage S&C content that you may have missed in order to give myself some extra time to finalize projects and spend time with my family during the holiday season. All reposted content will be marked as such. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past blog post!