This Little Trick Will Double Your Productivity ASAP

Photo: Smith House Photo

If you are an entrepreneur, you likely spend your time feeling like a cocktail of inspired and deflated, generative and stuck, or focused and scattered. Sound about right? You may be familiar with the reality that being busy is different than being productive, yes? You want to work smarter, not harder.

So, whether you work for yourself at home in your sweatpants or are part of a high-profile startup hustle (or both!), here is a great way to maximize your productivity and clarity. Time batching. It’s an über-simple technique that can change the way you work. It can help you get more done by helping prevent you from spending twenty minutes deciding what to focus on!

Here are four easy steps to set yourself up for success.

“Time batching is an uber simple technique that can change the way you work.”

1. Time Batch

Sit down with your week’s commitments, deadlines, tasks, and errands. Use small pieces of paper, and write only one task per paper. Write down everything you can think of. No task is too small. Include everything that you want and need to have happen in your workweek. Once you’ve gathered them, sort them into these three popular categories of work themes (or, make up your own!):

• Marketing & Managerial Mondays: This would include writing emails, scheduling meetings, all marketing and PR tasks, event planning, anything sales related, purchasing plane tickets, submitting applications to events and jobs, strategizing business development, continuing education, making phone calls, managing mailing lists, scheduling social media for the week, printing for the week, preping for clients and meetings.

• Word & Website Wednesdays: Write blog posts and all content for the week, update classes and events on website, write and send newsletter, draft/complete all writing commitments, graphic design for all materials, track last week’s web analytics, reading and research for clients and obligations, create content on all upcoming projects, branding tweaks, anything that involves writing!

• Financial & Follow-Up Fridays: Follow-up on all relationships, emails, projects, and events, tie up any loose ends before the weekend, send out thank-you cards, send invoices, accounting and book-keeping, track PayPal and bank accounts, log all tax-related expenses, pay quarterly estimated taxes, tally mileage from the week for deductions, manage investments and debt, pay credit card, deposit all checks.

2. Track It 

Now that you have three thematic piles of work tasks, automate and log them. Apps are a great way to keep track of your to-do lists, and have them with you and synced throughout all devices. Create the three main lists (M, W, F) and then fill in all tasks from your paper piles. Once you’ve logged everything, look at each item and set deadlines for those that have them. Also, some things are one-offs, while others happen weekly. Set the appropriate repeat settings for weekly tasks.

3. Schedule Time Blocks 

Schedule blocks of time to get your batches in. Most successful productivity experts agree that unless it’s on your calendar, it’s basically imaginary and it’s not happening! Ideally, find at least two to three-hour chunks when you can focus on one list. Some choose to batch every day, some prefer a few non-batch workdays. Your other days without time batching can be more organic, perhaps you take the day off, or you let your schedule be more fluid and muse-honoring.

4. Work It

When you sit down to start your batch session, review your list and pick the three most urgent and important tasks. Don’t get distracted by urgent things, important is the key word here. Begin with those. If you have a super-session and power through all three tasks, you can always revisit your list, or go do a handstand and call your mom. Regardless, the feeling of completing your focused three-task list will encourage continued focus wizardry on your next session.

Truth: A massive part of working with time batching is remembering something that is “off-topic” when you are in “batch mode” and adding it to the necessary list, instead of completely switching gears to blog your magical new matcha donut recipe when you should be updating spreadsheets. (Just make sure to post your matcha donut recipe, because that sounds delish.)

An original version of this article appeared Darling magazine, written by Abbi Miller.

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This story was originally published on April 22, 2018, and has since been updated.

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5 Tips to Have the Most Productive Day Ever

Photo: Andrea Piacquadio for Pexels

Time waits for no woman, but who says you’ve got the hours to hang around and wait for time? We’ve all got meetings to take, conference calls to make, places to be, and deals to close. But mastering the art of time management in order to cross everything off your to-do list every day is easier said than done.

In fact, studies show that business leaders waste an average of 21.8 hours a week. We repeat: A WEEK. Instead of getting consumed by the hours in the day, or the lack thereof, here are five ways to watch the clock and have your most productive day ever. Here’s how to make every minute count, from the time you wake up to the time you log off.

1. Pick a Realistic Time to Wake Up

You know your body and you know how much sleep you need to feel rested and ready to take on the day. And yet, we all tend to get a little overzealous when it comes to setting our alarms the night before. If I set my alarm an hour early, we rationalize, I will get a jump on my day.

Call it wishful thinking or good intentions, setting our alarms earlier than needed has the opposite effect than intended. When the early am hits, we hit snooze, falling in and out of that interrupted sleep until the moment we dash out of bed in a hurry. It’s a terrible way to start the day.

One, it makes us feel like we already missed our mark. That even though we didn’t need to wake up early, we should have. This mentality creeps into the rest of our day and doesn’t allow us to be our most productive or confident selves. When you start the day disappointed in yourself, it’s that much harder to recover.

Two, alarm-hitting snooze sleep is almost worse than no sleep at all. You’re groggy and multiple studies have shown that this kind of sleep inertia reduces productivity and focus.

So be realistic about what time you need to get up. Pretending you’re going to rise at 6 am is not useful when you could sleep until 7 am and wake up bright-eyed and ready to get after it.

“We’ve become so concerned with rapid-fire quick responses that our emails are lacking in quality.”

2. Turn Your Internet Off for 45 Minutes Each Morning

Scroll through your emails on your phone quickly to make sure there is no pressing emergency, but once your computer comes to life, switch the internet off.

Give yourself 45 minutes to respond to emails in a thoughtful and valuable manner. We’ve become so concerned with rapid-fire quick responses that our emails are lacking in quality. If you’re the type to email the way you text, this pause will prove productive.

Not only will you think through your answers with more clarity, but you won’t be distracted by other incoming messages, emails, or lose yourself to a Facebook news feed.

3. Time Batch It Out

Time batching is a simple way to approach the day that reduces clutter and increases focus. Group activities together (emails, phone calls, blogging—i.e. writing multiple posts at one time) and see how it improves your product.

By batching out the tasks in your day, you can see exactly where your hours (like your money) are going.  Productivity breeds productivity.

“If time was an app, it’d be Postmates. We use it without realizing how much we’re spending.”

4. Think About What “Time Well Spent” Means to You

If time was an app, it would be Postmates: We use it without realizing how much we’re spending.

You can’t purchase more time. Taking stock of your day and looking at how you spend your time will move you into the following days with confidence. If you’re really spending your time “well”—which is different for everyone—it’s infectious.

We don’t want to know how much time we’ve wasted scrolling social media for “research” or texting a colleague.

Watching the clock doesn’t have to be a negative. In fact, watching the clock can help you, professionally speaking. Keeping track of your time worked and just how much you’ve accomplished in a day can be helpful in assessing where you are losing valuable hours.

5. Stop Watching the Clock

OK. Disregard *for a second* what we said above. 

Time batching and keeping track of your hours is important, but only to a point. Within the time that you’ve allocated for yourself, don’t check the clock like a kid waiting for the lunch bell to ring.

Being productive is more important than checking to make sure you’re being productive. If you’re in the swing of it, by all means, keep rolling.

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This story was originally published on February 3, 2019, and has since been updated.

Up next: This Little Trick Will Double Your Productivity ASAP

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4 Unexpected Ways to Make Mondays Less Manic and More Productive

Photo: Plush Design Studio for Pexels

Too often we have that dreaded feeling of obligation on Sunday about all of the things we have to do, should do, or don’t want to do at work the next morning. Some people refer to them as the Sunday scaries or the Sunday blues, but no matter what they’re called, feeling anxious and stressed—especially when you’re not working—is no fun.

While Mondays can be notoriously manic, and ending the day with no real work accomplished is definitely a possibility, it doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, they can be quite productive, which is less about getting just anything done and more about getting the RIGHT things done—the stuff that will help you grow your expertise, your brand, your career, and your business’s bottom line.

So if the weekend has been feeling five days too short, here are some tips to get you excited for your work week.

1. A PRODUCTIVE MONDAY STARTS ON FRIDAY.

Instead of shutting down your laptop early on Friday and daydreaming about how you’ll spend all of your free time, take 10 minutes to debrief how your week went.

Make a list of:

• Your wins. What went really well? Make sure you celebrate these and enjoy them.

• Unaccomplished tasks. Are they important enough to be carried over to next week? Does it make more sense to delegate them to a team member? Or is it no longer important at all?

• Which situations/tasks feel challenging. A great starting point when writing this list is to think about what you’ve been procrastinating on. Oftentimes, just by writing it down, you’ll see why it’s been so difficult and will be able to understand what you need to move forward.

• Who you want to connect with next week? The success of a small business is all about the community you surround yourself with, so make a note of who you want to reach out to next week and cold-email.

By taking time to review what worked and what didn’t, you can be mindful of your priorities, understand how you can improve your workflow, and get a better idea of what’s been standing between you and that big goal you want to achieve.

2. HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON.

In the early days of my business, I remember being at war with my need for sleep and my ambition to grow my business. I know that many of you feel that same way, especially if you love what you do—but the number one thing you need to have if you want to create meaningful work in this world is endurance. The most effective way to build that is through hitting the pause button.

Take the weekend to practice self-care in whatever form is best for you—go for a walk, reconnect with family, or read that novel that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand.

3. DEFINE HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL.

Ask yourself these two questions:

• How do I want to feel on Monday?

• How do I want to feel on Friday when the week is over?

When you take some time for this kind of self-inquiry, you can get crystal clear on what you need to make your week work for you. Visualize your Monday morning with you feeling whatever emotions you chose—excited, focused, passionate—and then visualize what you’ll feel like Friday afternoon.

Visualization is a proactive way to help you have more control over your workweek instead of allowing you to passively get by in a stress-induced state.

4. SAY “NO.”

While many of us struggle with saying “no,” it’s a critical component of increasing productivity. Think about what tasks you dread come Monday morning or during the week and figure out how you can stop doing them.

You can split this list into two sections:

• What you are able to stop doing today?

• What are you going to stop doing in the future?

Some things take a little more work to let go, delegate, or outsource. But when you commit to no longer doing things out of obligation, you’ll find that you have more free time to spend on work that actually matters.

Mondays don't have to be manic. They can be our most productive day of the week if we plan for them. Instead of spending your Sundays dreading Monday, take these 5 steps and put them into practice. You'll be amazed at how quickly your view on Mondays turns around!

About the Author: Tara Newman is a Leader of Leaders. Through her podcast, The Bold Leadership Revolution as well as her association, The BRAVE Society, she supports leaders as they embrace their ambition and leave the grind behind. Using decades of entrepreneurial experience and a Master’s in Organizational Psychology, Tara is uniquely qualified to teach leaders to run businesses without sacrificing their health, relationships, or integrity by establishing behaviors, habits, and rituals aligned with their vision of success. Connect with Tara on Instagram @thetaranewman and listen to the Bold Leadership Revolution Podcast on her website.

This story was originally published on May 12, 2019, and has since been updated.

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6 Things You've Never Done to Save Time, But Should

Young professionals are busy. Between work, friends and finding time for self-care, it feels like there’s little left in the day for anything else. Worse, there are probably dozens of things you’re doing that are zapping the little time you do have—and you don’t even realize you’re doing it. The good news is there are many ways to take that time back, but you’ve probably never tried them before. Stop dealing with this time-crunched life. Try these ideas instead.

Find Someone on TaskRabbit

If you’ve never used TaskRabbit to outsource time-consuming to-do list items, now is the time to try. While the service is most commonly known for tasks like delivering food or drink items to your house or finding affordable handyman services, you can use it for just about any task you can think of.

PureWow suggests “Taskers,” as they’re called, can do all the following:

● Put together your Ikea furniture
● Wait in line at a restaurant
● Nitty-gritty wedding planning details
● Deliver flowers
● Hand-write thank you notes
● Help hang your gallery wall
● Re-organize your closet
● Cook a week’s worth of meals
● Bartend your next BBQ
● Plan your next vacation

And that’s just a short list. The best part, all of these tasks cost anywhere from $19 to $40 per hour. For those of us that are more time-crunched than we’d like to believe, these services would make a huge dent in time spent during the day.

Track Your Time

If you keep feeling like you’re running out of time—at work, at home, wherever—it’s time to start tracking what you’re doing, and how long it’s taking. There are dozens of free time trackers available, including RescueTime, Toggle, and iTrackMyTime. All you have to do is fill it in with the tasks you do most often and then start the clock when you do.

At the end of the week or month, look through your time tracker to see where you’ve spent the most time. You may be shocked to see you spent four hours watching T.V. every night, but can’t seem to find time to read more. Suddenly, you’ve found your time-saver: watch less T.V. or read for 30 minutes before you flick it on to wind down at night.

Pick Up the Phone

Texting, emailing and in-app messaging is convenient when you’re having a casual
conversation. When it comes to making plans, however, nothing beats a traditional phone call to save time. Instead of going back and forth on details, or waiting for a response on a timely question, you can hash it out right then and there.

Video calling makes this even more fun—so next time you’re making plans, pick up the phone, hop on a video call and plan it out together. Paired with a glass of wine, it will feel like you’re planning in the same room together.

Use Wash and Fold Service

Laundry is a necessary evil. According to CD One Price Cleaners, it’s also a time consuming one. They found that it takes 100 minutes to do a single load of laundry—and no, that doesn’t count folding it too. Don’t let this chore take up any more of your free time. Instead, use a wash and fold service once a week, and look for one that offers same-day pick- up. If you live in a major metropolitan area, this will be easy to find, as most cleaners now offer this service. Then, just drop your clothes off before work and pick them up on your way home. Now you have the whole night to enjoy, whether you want to curl up on the couch or head out
with friends.

Make Idle Time Productive Time

While it’s nice to have downtime, if you often have unoccupied time during the day—think: traveling on public transportation, standing in line at the grocery store, waiting at the doctor’s office—rethink how you use it. By being more productive during this otherwise unused time, you free up space later in the day to do other things that are important to you.

In these moments, focus on small tasks like, texting your mom back or reading through a long email from your boss. Anything that you’d normally put off for days at a time, but that can be done quickly with your phone.

If you know you’ll have idle time on your hands that week or the next day, make a short list of things you can get done. When the time comes, open your to-do list and knock them off.

Stop Your Social Media Scrolling

How often do you turn to your phone to scroll while a page is loading (I’ve already done it three times while writing this article!) and then you stay on it for another 5 minutes because you get sucked in. This is a tough item to add to your time tracking because it’s often in short spurts, but those can add up quickly.

To get your scroll habit under control, and stop wasting time, check out AntiSocial. This app tracks your phone usage and lets you know how you compare to others. You’ll also get a usage score and tips for reducing how often you reach for your phone. You may find you’re spending way more time on your phone than you think, but the data may be enough to help you cut down, saving a little (or a lot of) time each day.

Save Time Once and For All

Get your time-wasting habits and chores under control. Use TaskRabbit to outsource waiting for a table at your new favorite restaurant. Drop your clothes off at the wash and fold when you know you have a busy week ahead. Pick up the phone to make plans instead of texting. All these tasks are simple, yet hugely helpful when it comes to saving time. Better yet: use the time tracker so you can see the progress for yourself.

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Jessica Thiefels has been writing for more than 10 years and is currently a full-time writer, content marketing consultant and business owner. She’s been featured in Forbes and Business Insider and has written for Manta, StartupNation, Glassdoor, Lifehack and more. Follow her on Twitter @Jlsander07 and connect LinkedIn.

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How To Reclaim Your Time & Your Meetings

If you were super-duper, pep-talk in the mirror honest with yourself, how would you answer this question: Where are your eyes during a meeting? Are they on your phone? Scrolling through emails?

Liking photos on Instagram…

We’ve all been there, to the point where we at C&C have a company-wide policy that at all-hands meetings, it’s all hands off phones. That’s right. They stay in our pockets or at our desks. Because ACTIVE listening is how we truly get into action.

And while you might be thinking, hold up, wait a multi-tasking minute. That’s how I stay productive. Studies show that you’re not actually getting as much done as you think while “multitasking.” The truth is, our brains can’t handle jumping from task to task.

Just. Not. Possible.

However, thanks to Bamboo, we've found a solution to the meeting madness. They introduced us to the idea of Mindful Meetings and their new smartpad is unplugged digital note taking at its finest! All you need is the Bamboo Folio and the accompanying pen, and it does the rest-- tracking your notes, sending them to your device-- it will even auto-type your handwritten notes with its Inkspace app. It’s been a HUGE timesaver for us. It also helps us focus on the meeting at hand. And the less you’re distracted in meetings, the less meetings you have to have! Who isn’t keen on that? (Your boss will love it, for one.)

And speaking of bosses, we asked 3 successful CEOs their best advice for having more mindful meetings in the office. This is what they said.

WEEKLY TEAM MEETINGS

"Something Social values weekly meetings to their core. We meet weekly to discuss major team goals, updates on clients, new initiatives, and more. While it may seem really easy to do all of this while also being on your laptop and phone, we make sure we don’t waste this time by fully focusing on the conversation. We leave our laptops and phones at our desks. Oftentimes, we’ll also take a few moments to discuss personal goals as well as professional, which helps us tie our work to our personal growth. Ironically, one of the things that most helps us stay mindful at the office is a piece of technology – the Bamboo Folio. The Folio lets us write meeting notes and ideas with a pen on any paper and then save the work as a digital file with the touch of a button."

Cali Cholodenko, Founder/CEO of Something Social

Read more on Something Social’s mindful office practices here.

TIME BLOCK YOUR SCHEDULE

"If you’ve been around these parts for a while, then you know time blocking is a method that I absolutely swear by! I give each hour of my workday a specific task and I focus solely on that task during that allotted timeframe. This keeps me from spending hours in my inbox or getting caught up on one client project that eats away my entire afternoon. Plus, having a consistent schedule for my workday allows me to plan accordingly and know what’s next. Rather than floating from task to task, I know that I’ll spend 30 minutes answering emails, one hour working on client design projects, 15 minutes brainstorming future content ideas, etc. If you haven’t tried time blocking before, I highly recommend it!"

Bonni, Founder/CEO of  B is For Bonnie Design

Read Bonnie’s Time Management Tips + Tools For Running A Business here.

STAND UP!

"When your body is active, so is your mind! Have a standing, no-tech meeting. You’ll be surprised how fast people will try to get things done in that meeting. You could also invest in a standing desk. We use them for when we are really ready to bust out tasks. Plus, it’s easier to do a victory dance when you’re already standing."

Promise Tangman, Founder of Go Live HQ

Read more on how the Go Live HQ Team tackles their to-do lists.

Want to learn more about how you can apply mindfulness to your office culture? Read more about Bamboo’s Mindful Meetings movement + see what their Smartpads have to offer. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

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How to Rejoin the Workforce After Extended Time Off

Courtesy of Bloguettes

Figuring out how to get back into the workforce after extended time off can be frustrating. Many jobs want to hire candidates with recent work experience, and if you don’t have that, the job application process can be extremely daunting.

While it may appear as if you’re stuck in a perpetual state of unemployment, there are many ways to get back into the workforce after extended time off.

STAY ACTIVE 

Even if you’re not working for profit, one of the most important things to do when you’re trying to get back into the workforce after extended time off is to stay active. Start volunteering at a local charity or at local businesses/community centers.

When you have a large employment gap and you’re looking for a job, the worst thing you could do is sit around. Staying active in your community will give you something to put on your resume and it will help you network. You never know who you’ll meet and who will notice your work ethic. A recent government study found that volunteering is associated with 27% higher odds of employment.

Volunteering isn’t only about networking, but it gives you something current to put on your resume. If your last position ended years ago, your resume may often get overlooked simply because of the fact that there is nothing current on it. However, if you start volunteering, you can use that to fill in the time where you weren’t working. Even if you volunteer once a week or once a month for a span of time, you can use that to fill in employment gaps.

NETWORK

According to studies done by Glass Door, referrals are associated with a 2.6 to 6.6 percent higher chance of an accepted job offer. Reach out to recruiters, friends, and industry professionals to put the word out there that you’re looking for a position. Often people won't know that you’re in the market for a new role, and if they don’t know, they can’t help you. It’s a very small world, and you never know who might have an industry connection or information on an upcoming availability. 

Go out and get coffee with friends or family in your industry. Pick their brain and ask if they have any suggestions for how to brush up on your skills and get back into the workforce after extended time off. They may know of an opportunity which you can use to boost your resume or skill set.

Similarly, reach out to recruiters. People seem to have this notion that it’s better to get a job on your own instead of working with a recruiter, however, it is the complete opposite. Recruiters often have inside knowledge on positions that haven’t been posted to the public. They also have direct interaction with hiring managers and will be able to get your resume in front of someone immediately. How do you get in touch with a recruiter? Do a simple google search or look for recruiters on LinkedIn. Recruiters are always looking for strong candidates, so if you can reach out and highlight your motivation or skills, they will almost always be willing to help with your job search.

TAKE A CLASS

Are you volunteering and networking but still find yourself with extra time on your hands? Take the opportunity to learn a new skill or brush up on old skills by taking a course. If you want to get out of the house and have somewhere to go, look into community college courses. Don’t want to make that sort of commitment? Go for online courses which you can do at your own pace.

Platforms such as Lynda.com charge a small monthly fee and offer courses in many different areas. They’re all video based and let you take your time to finish them at your convenience. Aside from giving you something to do, this gives you the opportunity to add more to your resume. Have you noticed that a lot of the positions you want to apply for require knowledge of a specific software? Look it up and watch a tutorial video so you can put that you’re familiar with the software on your resume!

EXPLORE CONTRACT OR TEMP POSITIONS:

While there seems to be a negative connotation with the words “temporary” and “contract,” these positions can open many doors for you. Contract and/or temporary work can help you in 4 main ways:

• It will give you current work to put on your resume
• It gives you immediate income while you’re searching for a long term position
• It lets you network with industry professionals
• It gives you the opportunity to show off your capabilities

There is truly no downside to temporary work. While it’s not always smart to take a position in an industry or path you’re not interested in, temporary work gives you the opportunity to explore your options and networking opportunities.

__________

While it may be intimidating and daunting, there are many ways to get back into the workforce after extended time off. The most important things are to stay active and highlight your skills and abilities. Don’t be stagnant and wallow in your sorrows. Take charge of your life, get out there, and make something happen!

A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.

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10 Steps to Have the Best Morning, Every Morning

With the hustle and bustle of life it’s easy to push aside the true importance of a morning routine. Even though waiting until the last second to crawl out of bed and rushing out of the apartment with spilling coffee in one hand while emailing with the other is of the norm it’s not a beneficial way to start the day. The basic fundamental is this; you have to set yourself up for success if you are serious about achieving your goals. Taking care of yourself mentally is just as important as taking care of yourself physically. If it isn’t already, it should be a priority to start off your day on the best foot possible.

Here are 6 simple adjustments to make to your morning routine that will have a huge impact on your day:

GO TO SLEEP AT THE SAME TIME EVERY NIGHT

Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is the first step in waking up ready to kick ass. I know that it's one of things that is easier said then done, especially when you get sucked into Stranger Things, but getting your body on a sleep schedule is like winning a gold medal. Give your brain the suggested seven to eight hours of sleep to decompress so when you rise you are ready to grind.

SET YOUR ALARM 15 MINUTES EARLIER 

Giving yourself the coveted extra 15 minutes in the morning will make you feel like a whole new person. Instead of hitting your alarm and rushing to get out of bed and speed out of the house like a mad person soak up the time to stretch and mentally prepare yourself for the day ahead.

NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED

I recently set a new rule for myself: I will not check emails + social media until my feet hit the floor in the morning and from my personal experience I can tell you it absolutely changes how I start off my day. I used to lay in bed and before my eye balls were even fully opened I would be multi tasking between double taping a Insta post I missed while dreaming and reading emails that make me want to throw my phone across the room. So, before I even got up to brush my teeth the mood of my day would already be set because of someone else. No ma’am, no more of that!  Your morning should be reserved just for you. Do yourself a favor and before you go to sleep turn off the notifications on your phone so when you wake up and roll over to turn off your alarm you aren’t bombarded by technology before you even realize it’s time to wake up!

MAKE YOUR BED 

Turns out your mom had a reason behind nagging you every single morning before school. Making your bed helps you get started on a productive path before you even walk out the front door. Starting your day off on the right foot, with a made bed, will put you in gear to check off your to-do list.

#QOTD

Reading a motivational quote every morning can provide a solid framework for the day ahead. Soaking in positive words will motivate you to stay in the right direction and not get detoured by negative thinking.

BUT FIRST...

I know that drinking coffee is what all the cool kids do but I have news for you, there is something else you should be drinking in the morning. Do yourself a favor and swap out coffee for lemon water. Lukewarm water with fresh squeezed lemon juice has numerous benefits; starts your metabolism, cleanses your mouth and throat and also gives you that extra kick of energy that you may need in the AM. If you’re looking for a dash of daily detox, add a tiny amount of cayenne pepper to the water.

PEP TALK 

Sometimes you just have to look yourself in the mirror and give yourself the pep talk,”Hello beautiful. You’re a bad ass babe, you got this. Love you.” I’m not even trying to be funny, you gotta do what you gotta do! The world can be a big bad scary place sometimes so reminding yourself that you got your back isn’t the worst idea.

SWEAT IT OUT

There is no denying that starting off your day with a killer workout helps set the mood for the day. If you are one of those people (guilty) that can get up and check a workout off the list before the sun rises then all the more power to you. If you prefer to work out after work, I won’t judge you too much ;) either way, getting a little movement in before breakfast is always a good idea. Suggestions? A two-minute plank or 20 jumping jacks; whatever gets your blood moving.

SPREAD THE LOVE 

Whether you’re kissing your dog, roommate, boyfriend or calling your mom,spreading love provides you with a positive start and keeps you focused on what’s really important, even through the stressful days.

SET + INTENTIONS

You don’t want to do all the above just to walk out the door unsure about your next move. What is top priority? What will make you feel most accomplished by the time you lay your head back down on your pillow? What is the one thing you should do today that will get you one step closer to your goal? Whatever those answers are, make it happen. No excuses.

"ALWAYS REMEMBER TO FALL ASLEEP WITH A DREAM AND WAKE UP WITH A PURPOSE."

rise and shine,

chels

Chelsea Briche runs the popular blog The Millennial Miss. A platform for young women surviving their twenties with grace and a lot of humility. The platform is Chelsea's "pledge to you, the ones who haven’t quite figured it all out yet. That we, together, will immerse ourselves in every single thing possible; explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground."

An original version of this story appeared on Millennial Miss. 

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Boost Productivity & Concentration with One Simple Switch

It’s 2 PM, you’re on your 3rd or 4th coffee, perplexed as to why you’re still not percolated.

In fact, you’re nodding off, ready to head home and clock out for the day, even though you still have a solid amount of work to get done. It’s a common mistake to think that caffeine will help us stay energized throughout the day, when in fact it’s often doing quite the opposite.

Sorry to break the coffee bean bad news to you, but all the vanilla lattes and black coffees are probably sending you on a vicious cycle of jitters and crashing that’s slowing down your productivity. You feel sluggish, because it’s real. 

Part of the problem is that we’ve grown to love the crash and burn; the 2 PM java run is part of our work culture. Think of how many times a week you turn to a colleague and say, “Want to go grab a coffee?” It’s fun, it’s a break from the grind, but it may be the last thing you need. 

At a certain point caffeine addicts can’t feel its effects anymore. Beyond that, adding on one espresso shot on top of the last, can dehydrate you— another major flaw in caffeine’s DNA. Dehydration is known to reduce concentration and diminish productivity. Why coffee? We thought you were our BFF for life. 

So while it may not be as fun to ask your workmate if they want to head to the water cooler for a late afternoon boost, test it out. Save yourself the java drama and see how water can help you stay just as alert as a shot of pure, heavenly espresso.

DITCH THE 2PM CRASH & BURN

We know that our bodies depend on water. But though caffeine stimulates our sympathetic nervous system and gives us the temporary jolt we need, it also does something else: it make us need to relieve our bladders. The problem with this, is that it is incredibly dehydrating. Every time we use the restroom, we lose water. The less water we have in our systems, the thicker our blood gets and the slower it moves through our veins. That sluggish feeling you’ve experienced? It’s actually happening when our bodies use oxygen at a slower rate. 

Coffee also stimulates us in ways we aren’t aware, so though it may not be giving you the boost you need to make it through that Keynote presentation, it could be the reason you’re tossing and turning at night. And without a good night’s rest, you’re going to be tired the next day…hence, more coffee. So, how do you break this cycle? With water. 

Good ole H20 hydrates you for mental focus and doesn’t make you want to crawl back into bed. With Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water, you can power up with its naturally infused electrolytes and minerals that will give you the clarity and creativity to get you through the day. Plus you can feel good while drinking it because it's ethical and sustainable. 

CHARGE UP + CLEANSE YOUR BODY WHILE DOING IT

Coffee may be a diuretic, but it’s not flushing out the right toxins that can help our bodies feel revitalized. Also, the more coffee Water, on the other hand, can do that, and manage to keep us awake without the crash. The more water you drink, the more you help your body by flushing out toxins (coffee and caffeine included). Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water is loaded with potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium, along with many other minerals that make the water naturally alkaline, which helps balance out the over-acidic environment of our bodies. Not something coffee can really fight since it’s pretty acidic itself. The truth is in the science. 

MAKE DRINKING WATER A HABIT

Step 1: Hide the Keurig. Step 2: Hide the coffee mug. Step 3: Invest in a water bottle. 

It might sound silly, but once you start using a water bottle, especially one with a sipper or straw, you’ll find yourself sipping from the bottle every five minutes, ’til you find yourself drinking five or six bottles of water a day. Your body naturally needs water, so it won’t be a surprise when you find yourself refilling your bottle every hour.

"Need to boost concentration? Step 1: Hide the Keurig. Step 2: Hide the coffee mug."  

Tweet this. 

This also becomes easier when the water you're drinking, tastes great. Not all water is bottled equally. When your water tastes like chlorine or feels lifeless, you'll be less inclined to drink it. But a good source of water is key when establishing a habit of hydration, and you'll be surprised to find that you actually crave water the way you once did caffeine. 

And trust us, the regular visits to the restroom won’t be as bad as the 2 PM crash. You need to get up and move anyway.

Link Up: What we're reading, watching & lovin'

From "Why Live Streaming is the Future of Fashion Week" on Racked.com

Your weekend reading material right here: Everyone goes to fashion week, anti-fashion is still fashion, The Rock saves puppies; and following your head or your heart.

Why Live Streaming Is The Future of Fashion Week: With IMG is streaming 51 shows, this will be the most watched NYFW yet.

Why Americans Dress So Casually: A fashion historian's interesting and academic take on why everyone's in sweatpants.

Amuse: i-D magazine x Vice's new platform. They state that nobody's perfect, but this new site is pretty close. We're obsessed with all of their content.

Choose Your Own Adventure Instagrams: These are our account director Drea's jam right now. She got sucked into one Weiden + Kennedy created for Old Spice, and also recommends Rick and Morty Rickstaverse. Play on your phone to get the full experience.

We're Not Nearly As Busy as We Pretend to Be: Something to think about, and will FOMO soon be replaced by JOMO, the joy of missing out.

The Rock rescues drowning puppies: Cements status as world's favorite person ever.

Are you a head person or a heart person?: How you answer could say a lot about you.

What emotionally intelligent people don't do: Including indulging in indignant passivity and not recognizing indifference.

What Everyone Thinks It's Like To Start a Successful Startup: When do we get bought?

Pro Tip: Jaclyn's Top Apps for the Modern #Girlboss

The millennial proverb “there’s an app for that” is both terrifying and amazing. We truly are living in an on-demand society—pretty much anything you want delivered to in an hour or less. While I don’t plan on exploring the larger implications of this phenomenon, I will say that as a busy entrepreneurial female, there are a few apps that have made my life easier. Way easier.  So get ready to boot up your iPhone and download these life savers.

SHYP

Hate the post office? Who doesn’t. Finding a box, locating packing tape, drive, wait in line, get into a casual altercation in the parking lot... No, thank you. Shyp takes all of that away. You just snap a photo of an item (any item!), and they will send you back shipping options, take your pick and someone will show up at your door to take your item, pack it, ship it, and sending you tracking information. Plus you can Shyp your first item free so #whynot. We use it for everything in our office. (Editor’s Note: Next week, read about a blogger/author who self-published and used Shyp to mail out all his book orders!)  

BLOOMTHAT

Flowers on-demand. No longer are you a slave to the antiquated 1-800-flowers nightmare of 6-day delivery for $100. In 45 minutes, your special someone (or clients!) can have a fresh, adorable bouquet in their hands.

STYLISTED

The magic that is a fresh blow-out and makeup on-demand is one that I cannot get enough of. Within in hours, you can have your own personal Glam Squad at your house, office, car (ok, not your car, but wouldn’t that be great?). Try it ASAP. It’s fun to play Kardashian for a day (or a special night out)! Stylisted will also be on-site all day at #createcultivateCHI doing braids & lips, so if you haven’t gotten your ticket: you’re doing it wrong.

VENMO

Splitting the bill at lunch has never been easier with venmo! All the girls in our office are constantly Venmo-ing each other for coffee-runs, after work drinks, etc. It’s easy and fun—plus if you have freelancers, it’s an easy way to pay them out vs having to write checks!

LUXE

Luxe promises to make you "fall in love with parking" which, I know, seems impossible. Have you ever arrived to a meeting 15 minutes early, only to find out there is absolutely no parking, only cash lots in sight, you’re fresh out of cash, and then suddenly—you’re 15 minutes late, sweating from the walk, and fumbling over your words to apologize. No? Just me? Well, consider Luxe your own personal valet.