Strange & Charmed

{Apptastic} Can Music Keep You Focused?

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!

xoxo,

organization

Office Oasis {April 2015}

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!

xoxo,

Career

How to Succeed at Work!

I know I spend a lot of time on my blog and through my various social media platforms talking about how to succeed with your own online business, however, as someone who spent over 5 years working for a Fortune 50 company and had 4 different jobs in those 5 years, I clearly also know a thing or two about how to succeed at a 9-5 job as well! I know that for many of you reading this, landing that great 9-5 job or working your way up in your current company is going to be a real priority, so here are my five best tips to find success at work!

1. Exhibit Curiosity

Employers love it when they have employees that are interested in their work and curious enough to take extra time to research subjects and topics that may help them come to a greater understanding of their job. When you show a true interest in your job, your boss and company will notice and will reward such curiosity with increased responsibility, pay and ultimately, promotions!

2. Work Hard

This one may seem pretty obvious, however, you’d be surprised at the number of employees who think they are working hard but really aren’t doing all they can to benefit their employer. Sheer hours spent on the job isn’t a true indicator of productivity and hard work. What truly matters is how much you are able to accomplish with your time. If you are constantly ahead of schedule with projects and tasks, that will go a long way to show your work ethic!

3. Try Different Things

When it comes to working your average 9-5 people tend to get into routines and habits for their work. That’s not a bad thing, but problems can arise when you become too rigid with those routines and refuse to take on new tasks and experiences. When your supervisor presents you will new tasks and challenges, you should eagerly be saying “Yes” to these opportunities because this is your chance to try something new, expand your knowledge and show that you can take on new and different responsibilities!

4. Don’t let anyone rain on your parade

I’m not going to lie, competition is always going to arise in corporate culture, it’s just the way it is, but you shouldn’t let that competition get to your head or throw you off balance. Ignore the office politics, gossip mongering and rumor mill and focus on your work and producing great results. Try to be that beacon of positive energy in your company or on your team so that people always think of you as a good person and worker. Acknowledge that when you are successful with your job, people are always going to try to tear you down one way or another so that they can take your success and claim it for themselves, but you can prevent this by tearing clear of the drama!

5. Ask for what you want

Too many workers, mainly women, believe that if they work hard and keep their head down, they will be acknowledged at work with raises and promotions, however, that is not the way corporate culture works. It’s not enough that you do your job and do it well, you really need to make sure you are clear with your employer about what you want from your career and the opportunities you expect them to give you so long as you continue to be a productive asset to the company. Remember, corporate culture is competitive and if you don’t show interest in that open job position or ask for that raise, trust me, your employer isn’t just going to hand it over to you!

If you would like to learn more about how to get ahead in your current job, make sure to check out my series called How to Stand Out at Work. It’s filled with numerous tips, tricks and advice on how to gain more favor and responsibility at work so that you are poised for a raise or a promotion! Let me know what you thought of these tips and feel free to leave your best tips for success at work below in the comments. I’d love to hear your stories and how you have been able to climb the corporate ladder no matter how big or small your company!

My Productivity Playlist

My Productivity Playlist #9 {Step into Spring}

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!

Don’t forget to check out the full Playlist for Free on Spotify:

Hey Brother by Avicii
Set Fire to the Rain by Adele
April in Paris by Count Basie & His Orchestra
The Puppy Song by Harry Nilsson
We Come Running by Youngblood Hawke
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!

xoxo,

Filofax

How to Organize Your Filofax like a Productivity Genius!

Ask yourself, what is keeping you from being as productive and efficient as possible? If you are a Filofax or planner user, you may be thinking that you have the tools to be organized and efficient, but if you aren’t using that tool wisely, it’s just another collection of random paper weighing down your life. There really is only one thing that is separating you from being a productivity genius in your own right, and that is clarity. Clarity in what you are supposed to be doing and when you are supposed to be doing it. This is where your Filofax can be an asset or a liability. Making sure your planner is set up for maximum productivity isn’t always an obvious thing, but here are my top 5 tips for organizing your Filofax like a productivity genius.

1. Use dividers and page markers to quickly access sections

The concept of using dividers in your planner is nothing new. They help you to keep your information sorted and arranged so that everything is easy to find with a turn of the page and the flick of your wrist. Make sure you have all your information properly divided out and that any and all pages of importance are marked within those sections so that you can quickly access information you need at a moments notice.

2. Keep a running list of tasks by context

Through the study of David Allen’s Getting Things Done, I learned about this concept of “contexts” for the tasks we need to complete. Essentially a “context” is the setting or set of circumstances that apply to your task. Many tasks that we complete regularly have the exact same context and therefore should be grouped together so that when it comes time to take care of a task, instead of doing one single task you have a group of like items to work on at one time. This inevitably saves you time because you aren’t jumping back and forth between different contexts and situations and therefore are able to batch your work. So, if you have an inbox full of emails to respond to, don’t just write one email and then move on to a completely different task in a completely different context. Instead, complete a batch of emails at one time while your mind is in “email mode”. Obviously, email or digital tasks don’t necessarily need to be listed out on your planner as individual tasks unless they are very important, but for other tasks that you may deal with often, keep a running list by context on individual pages in your planner. That way, when it comes time for you to run a report on x, you can refer to your planner and see a running list of all the reports you need to run so that you can batch the work and cross a number of items off your list at one time!

3. Organize Projects into their own dedicated section

Keeping a dedicated project planning section is a great way to keep related tasks clearly organized. Often times when it comes to organizing and managing projects, we start with a list of obvious tasks and then new tasks pop up as we progress. So keeping a page for your project with notes and space for additional tasks and items to be added is a great way to keep organized and stay efficient. Obviously you will want to group these project planning pages all together in one section of your planner so that when the time comes to review the overall progress on all your projects, you just need to flip through this section and take note of any gaps in your projects and outstanding items that need to be completed. If you are looking for some Filofax specific project planning sheets, make sure to check out these from my shop!

4. Keep spare notepaper and sticky notes in the front of your planner

When it comes to my planner and the frequency of it’s use, by far the number one task I use my planner for is to jot down quick notes. Because of this, I like to keep spare pieces of notepaper towards the front of my planner so I can easily jot a note down for future reference or review. I also like to keep spare sticky notes in the front as well, that way I can make a note and stick it to a particular page in my planner that it applies to or use those sticky notes to quickly flag a page that I may need to reference. Remember, it’s so important that you are capturing all the tasks, information and ideas that come to you in a day that you want or need to act on, so these simple tools can be productivity gold!

5. Store useful extras in a pouch or DIY folder

One of the hallmarks of a productivity genius is that they are prepared for anything! So, make sure you utilize your planner as a toolbox of sorts, storing extra supplies and tools in a dedicated zip pouch or DIY planner folder! Tools like a small pair of scissors, postage stamps, paper clips, and writing utensils can help to keep you organized and productive in the office or on the go when you know you have everything you need stored neatly away in your Filofax. DIY folders, like the ones I have made tutorials on, are also great places to store extra notepaper for jotting down and sharing notes, as well as great storage solutions for receipts and paperwork that you may need to fold up and keep in your planner. Make sure your planner has all the storage you require so that you can keep important and frequently used items with you at all times. I know many people use a separate pen case for these sorts of extras, but that pen case is one more thing to have to take care of, and a productivity genius knows that it’s important to keep your supplies lean so you can keep focused on your tasks!

I hope these tips help you to set up your Filofax in the most productive manner possible so that it becomes an essential tool that keeps you on track instead of being a time waster and a major liability to your efficiency! Remember, if your planner is taking too much time to use, you really want to reevaluate your system and decide which areas are causing you the most strife and adjust as necessary! I’d love to see your planners set up using these methods, so please snap a picture of your planner, post it to Instagram and be sure to tag me @MissTrenchcoat so I can see them!

xoxo,

books

What the Successful Know About Habits is Why You’re Not Achieving Your Potential

If you remember my On My iPhone post from the end of March, you may already know that I have been listening to a very popular business book called The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. I actually recently finished the book and I have to admit it was pretty eye opening to hear about the role our habits plan in our lives and specifically how this pertains to success. Not just success as in a vague representation of our lives, but in terms of how often we as individuals are able to achieve the things we set out to do. I know I’ve discussed before that people often comment to me that they believe I am a very focused and disciplined person, an observation that never fully made sense to me until I was exposed to this book. The book basically explained to me the key information about habits that successful people know and use to their advantage, including how my own habits were bringing me consistent success without me ever feeling like I was “working hard.” Since childhood I have been operating under a certain set of habits that were instilled in me as a child and basically have defined my work ethic ever since. So, the fact that I am constantly achieving my goals, while obvious to outsiders as being a result of disciplined action and focus, just felt like normal day to day life to me. Now, if you feel like you are someone who is not achieving their potential, guess what? I have good news for you! You can change your habits so that success is a habitual activity for your. You just need to understand what successful people know about habits, something I fully realized while reading this book, and am going to share with you today!

Successful People Know that Our Lives are Ruled by Habits

You may think that you have control over your life, but when you boil down your days everything comes down to your habits. Humans are creatures of habit that rely on a sense of regularity to their lives in order to survive, but successful people are able to leverage knowledge of their habits and use these instinctive procedures to make them better at what they do. You can argue against this point if you want, but just accepting the fact that habits play a major role in our lives will make changing them to your own benefit that much easier. Everything from our work, sleep, social relationships, and diet are based on our habits and unfortunately, habits are a hard thing to break. If you have ever tried to quit smoking or implement a new diet or excursive regime, you know first hand that it’s hard to change habits because they are part of an overall routine. When you just try to start or stop a habit cold-turkey, you fail because the overall routine kicks in, resets itself and brings you back to your old habits fast, but when you swap one habit for another strategically, you find that success is achievable!

Successful People Know that You Achieve More when You Don’t have to Think

Remember back to grade school when you were learning math and the teacher taught you how to add and subtract. But it wasn’t enough that the teacher would teach you HOW to perform addition and subtraction, they always went a step further and forced the whole class to remember lines of equations repeatedly. 1 + 1 = 2, 1 + 2 = 3, 1 + 3 = 4, etc and so on. Well, if we knew how to add and subtract, why did we need to basically memorize addition tables? Wasn’t it enough that we knew how to add, so that if we were faced with the situation of having to add 1 + 1, we could figure out how to get to 2? Well the answer is no, it’s not enough, and the reason is because it’s always easier, quicker, and more efficent to know information or to perform an activity when the outcome is a knee jerk reaction as opposed to having to think. Thinking requires effort, it’s a process in and of itself, so when it comes down to having to complete an action, it’s actually more efficient when you know what to do, as opposed to having to think about what to do. When you have to think, time is wasted, errors can occur and questions can even arise in your own mind of whether or not you are correct. When things are an automatic response, its much simpler and smoother of a process. This is why successful people have systems and routines in place that allow them to remove the burden of thought from their lives and work so that important tasks are habitual and therefore more efficient and accurate. Then they can reserve all that mental energy that they would have used on thinking and put it to good use working on solving problems and developing new sources of income!

Successful People Know that You Are What You Repeatedly Do

Aristotle said it best “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” If all our actions in life boil down to our habits, then being a person who is aware of and in control of their habits is almost like a litmus test for success. If you can control your habits enough to achieve success once, you can do it again, and soon you can become a person who seemingly succeeds at all they do. Success and achievement are recipes, they are not the same for each and every person, but once you find the recipe to success in your own life, the sky is the limit for what you can achieve once you apply that knowledge and routine to other aspects of your life. This is actually the reason I purchased this book to begin with. As an online entrepreneur, I noticed that other successful entrepreneurs had many of the same habits and once I started seeing the pattern, I knew I needed to learn more about how to control my habits so that I was achieving at a higher level! If you look around and notice that all the people you look up to seem to have habits and routines in place that you are currently lacking, it may be time for you to change your habits as well!

Overall, I think that The Power of Habit was a great business book, and I’m certainly glad I purchased it! I will say, it was a very fun book to listen to on tape as I did, via Audible.com and I would suggest for other entrepreneurs or anyone else who categorizes themselves as a life long learner, that you sign up for an Audible membership because you are seriously able to devour more books and knowledge this way! I’m not sponsored by Audible or anything, you guys know that when I find something I like, I love to share it with you all, and so far Audible has been an excellent tool for me that I plan to use to the fullest extent!

xoxo,

Business

3 Times You Need to Invest in Your Business!

Next week is Tax Day in the U.S., and although I finished my 2014 taxes back in February, I have been giving a lot of thought lately to how I intend to strategically grow my business over the next few years by reinvesting a certain percentage of my profits back into the business. As a business owner, turning a profit is obviously something of a big deal, but almost equally as important is finding legitimate tax deductions, especially within the first three years up and running. I’m certainly not someone who spends money on their business for no reason other than to get a tax deduction, I tend to be very conservative with my income, however, their is much to be said for reinvesting in your business. After all “you’ve got to spend money to make money,” as they say, and it’s certainly true! So, what exactly are the situations where you should be reinvesting your profits into your business? There are 3 times I believe you should be investing in your business if you have the money to do so, so let’s review each!

#1. When you need new tools: Running any type of business usually requires many different tools, from computers and programs, to paper and pencils! Depending on your specific business, you may have certain tools that would help you to be more productive or more successful overall. I believe it’s important to make sure your systems, hardware and software are all up to date so that you are staying current with the latest technologies, so reinvesting business profits into these areas of your business are never a bad idea. Likewise, making sure you have all the basic office supplies you need to keep your business running smoothly is a great investment into the future success of your company. You may not have started off with a high quality printer/scanner/copier, but once you have some money streaming in, it’s definitely a good idea to invest in items like this that will help your business come together professionally.

# 2. When you need additional support: As businesses grow and begin to turn a profit, it’s often a key time to think about brining on additional support for in terms of employees or contractors. Depending on the work you do, you may find that hiring an assistant to do some part time work can help you free up valuable time for you to strategize and focus on growing your business. Or, perhaps you would like to hire a professional to work on your business website and upgrade some key features you have been lacking. Investing in people resources is definitely a key step that successful businesses will find themselves contemplating and if you have the money coming in to cover the expense, it’s often a good idea to get help for your business in one form or another.

#3. When you need guidance and information: When you are starting off with a new business, no one expects you to know everything their is to know that would make your business a success. For many business owners and entrepreneurs, it’s a trial and error process to figure out which business strategies work and which don’t. Lessons like this can take years to learn, so if your business is turning a profit or you want to make a strategic investment to help your business grow without spending the time and energy getting first hand knowledge yourself, investing in courses and coaching programs can really help you get a leg up. Many business coaching courses, programs and consultants exist out in the market specifically to help small businesses learn key information and strategies for success that have been well researched and tested. Take my Empire Building Program for example, I have spent years online figuring out the best ways to market a business and grow a community of customers online, and this is information that other small business owners really need to become successful. While you could theoretically spend years learning the lessons and testing different strategies for creating your own successful business, it makes better business sense for a small business owner to purchase my program and have me deliver the information in a nicely packaged, easy to understand format. After all, I’ve not only been there and done that, but other small business owners can see how well I am doing, and although I don’t believe their is any “secret” to success, people definitely need to know the information, tips and tricks I used to take my business from a part time hobby to a full time income source that is making me more money than I ever made working in sales and marketing for a Fortune 50 company. Will my program guarantee you success in your business? Not necessarily, but learning what I know can save you so much time, effort and money in the long run that it’s worth the investment to work with me. So, if you feel like their is more you need to learn in order to build your business to a certain level of success, investing in a business coaching program or course can be a real game changer!

With many things in business, there is no magic bullet or secret formula to success. Business owners need to do what they can with what they have and if you find that you are in a situation where you can afford to invest money into your business strategically, these are the three times where that choice is a no-brainer! Your business is an investment in your future, so make sure you are regularly reinvesting in it so that it grows strong and successful! If you would like more insight from me on how I run my business, make sure to check out my Plan Like an Entrepreneur Series over on my YouTube Channel. And of course, if you are interested in working with me directly to build your online business, check out my Empire Building Program today!

xoxo,

Letter from the Editor

Letter from the Editor: Welcome to Spring

Hello my Strange & Charmed Ones! April is here which means the first quarter of the year has come to a close. I’m not sure about you, but I had a wonderful start to the year and I am feeling energized for the Spring. The weather in the Northeast of the U.S. where I live has been slowly starting to turn from blistering winter to a much calmer spring like season, which I’m looking forward to! I can’t wait to go on daily walks with Starbuck around our neighborhood and finally leave the house without my winter coat and lots of layers. Although this winter was pretty brutal, I would say that it was still very productive for me. I was able to accomplish many of the goals I laid out for myself at the start of the year, which makes me proud! I hope you as well were able to make some headway on your goals as well, and if your start wasn’t as successful as mine, I hope you are able to regroup with the change of season and get down to work!

In case you haven’t seen it yet, my April free printable is up over on my shop. It is a Spring Cleaning Essentials Checklist with 30 commonly overlooked tasks to help get your home clean and in order this season! Tackle one task per day or spread it out over the next few months to get a fresh start feeling in your home!

Another piece of fun news I wanted to let you all know about is that today actually, an interview is going live with me on the Fearless Launching Show Podcast with Anne Samoilov! Anne is a business launching guru whom I have been getting to know very well this year, and she had me on her show to discuss how I was able to successfully launch my business using my social media community and no email list- which is something of an online marketing faux pas! I would love it if you would check out the episode of the podcast and let me know what you thought! I’m still getting used to doing live interviews so your feedback would be awesome for me!

Also speaking of live interviews, in case you missed it, you definitely need to check out the hour and a half long Google Hangout that Lisamarie from Paper & Glam and I had last night. We have started a series called “Glampire Chat” where we talk about building a business and firing it all in with a busy life, and last night was the first episode where we discussed starting your #sidehustle. If you are not familiar, the #sidehustle is a term for a side business that you may start as a passion project or with the hopes of building it up into your main job one day, but in the meantime you still have a traditional 9-5 or other full time job that is your main source of income. Both Lisamarie and myself started our businesses as a side hustle and while I was able to take my business full time, Lisamarie is currently rocking the side hustle as she works by day for a Fortune 500 company. If you are interested in starting a business and would like our advice, definitely check out the video!

So, I think that is everything new with me! Now I want to hear what has been going on with you! How did Q1 of 2015 pan out for you? Did you feel productive and energized or did you fall short on some of your goals? How can I help you to achieve your goals through blog posts and content in the future? I would love to know so leave me a comment down below!

xoxo,

On my iPhone

On My iPhone {March 2015}

On my iPhone is a monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

So this month, I have a bunch of fun iPhone related news for you all. In case you hadn’t noticed, I actually just recently upgraded to the iPhone 6 Plus for my birthday! It was a present to myself and also a much needed tool for my business ever since my iPhone 5 really started taking a turn for the worst. This month I also embraced a lot of fun apps I had always wanted to try and even brought back some oldies that I forgot that I loved so much!

Currently Playing, Headspace: This awesome app was a recommendation from Pat Flynn that I had to check out! It is a guided meditation app that basically helps you manage stress and live in the moment. I actually have really been enjoying the app, which is basically free for the first 10 sessions, but then you have some subscription options to get more guided meditation regularly. I think the plans are pretty well priced, especially for the fact that it really feels like you are in a one to one guided meditation session. Definitely check it out if you want to start meditating or get a little help from your iPhone.

Currently Reading, Flipboard: Okay, so Flipboard is an app, not a book, but I have been loving reading articles from it, none the less. This was actually one of my favorite apps once upon a time but for some reason I stopped using it. Now that I have rediscovered the app I can’t live without it. I try to read a few articles a day in the app, which you can customize to bring you a dedicated feed of articles that fit the topics you enjoy!

Currently Watching, West Wing: My husband and I are always looking for a new TV series to get involved with that is on demand so we don’t have to bother with TV schedules and all that jazz. We were thinking about it and realized that we really enjoyed political dramas, so we decided to start watching the West Wing, which is another throwback show that I used to watch years ago, but to be honest, I can’t remember much of what I watched, so this is like discovering a hidden gem! Definitely check it out if you were a West Wing fan or if you enjoy political dramas!

Currently Surfing, AlexBeadon.com: As you know, I am always on the lookout for great female entrepreneurs online that are hitting it out of the park. I love following them for inspiration, tips and insights, and I recently discovered Alex Beadon through a client. Alex is a photographer turned online entrepreneur who is something of a girl after my own heart. She shares her business tips and tricks via her blog and YouTube channel, so definitely check her out if your looking for great female business role models!

Currently Listening, The Power of Habit via Audible: I really enjoy audio books, but as you may already know, they are pretty pricey! I was actually surprised when I learned how affordable and practical an Audible membership was, for some reason I didn’t realize that once you downloaded an Audible book, its actually yours forever (I previously had thought you were essentially renting the audiobooks with your monthly membership) which really changed my perspective on the service and I just had to sign up! Luckily, I was also able to sign up with an incredible offer of not one, but TWO FREE BOOKS with my trial membership, so if you would like to give Audible a shot and would like to take advantage of this super offer, click here and sign up for free today!

iPhone Case, Kate Spade Diagonal Stripped Hybrid Case: Of course when I bought my new phone I had to get a new iPhone case to go along with it and I found this perfect case from Kate Spade at my local Best Buy! Unfortunately, it looks like the case is currently sold out, but if you’re looking for a similar case for your iPhone 6 Plus, check this one out from Kate Spade, it was my number two choice!

Things I Read & Loved

So now for the second part of this post, a selection of articles I read from around the web that I loved.

xoxo,

Productivity

This One Productivity Tip Helped Me Do a Week of Work in 3 Hours

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!