Browse Tag by students
Adulting, Blog, School, The Home

Top 5 Strategies for Increasing Productivity

 

Increasing productivity in your workspace, whether it’s a home office or an open cubicle, is so essential to effectively using your time and making the workweek a bit more manageable. These 5 strategies, focus on increasing efficacy and efficiency, and all incorporate the same themes: self-care and self-awareness – both of which are super important for healthy & positive productivity. If you’re ready to rev up your workspace, let’s get started:

1.Learn your distractions…and beat them.

Y’all, it took me forever to realize that visual clutter is a huge distraction and source of anxiety for me. Cleaning up that clutter is a great way to procrastinate from what really needs to be done since it makes you feel like you are doing something productive. Technically, yes you are, but in all reality, you’re just putting off what you need to be working on at that time. Once I figured this out, I made sure to clean up my desk space at the end of every day. Coming into a fresh and clean workspace each morning has boosted my productivity so much, especially on days when I know I there’s a ton of work to finish. So whether it’s clutter, or checking social media too often, learn your distractions and create methods that limit them.

2. Focus on your five senses. 

Sight, touch, sound, smell, and taste. OH yes, the big 5 within the top 5. Sight = Creating a space you don’t mind (at minimum) but actually enjoy spending time in for work. Work is work, so it isn’t always fun. Simple touches, like a favorite pillow or fun print hung on the wall can go a long way to boosting your mood. Touch = If you are uncomfortable physically, you won’t be at your best mentally. Is your back hurting? Invest in a good desk chair, seriously it’s worth it. Mine is by Serta and it has honestly been one of the best & most important purchases for the home office. Sound = Learning what helps/hurts your productivity (see #1 again). Some people can work well with the TV on in the background, while others need absolute silence. Personally, I love to have acoustic guitar songs streaming on Pandora. Find your groove and use it to your advantage. Smell = Y’all already know how much I love diptyque candles (from this post) and 90% of the time that’s exactly what I have burning in my workspace. However, sometimes when I find I’m getting a little too cozy I will put a couple drops of lemon essential oil into my diffuser instead. Lemon is supposed to be helpful in increasing energy and focus, and I know that at the very least, it wakes up my senses and makes my space feel extra fresh. Lastly, Taste = Fresh mints in your desk drawers are lifesavers (hehe see what I did there?) lolz sorry, but seriously it’s the same idea as teachers passing out mints before tests – something about how refreshing they are promotes clarity which means better productivity for you.

3. MOVE!

If you work from home or are currently holding a job where you are required to be in a seat all day, try to incorporate movement as much as possible. Set reminders on your computer, phone, or tablet. These can either be hourly, or at specific times during the day. Personally, I set mine for 10 am & 3 pm everyday because that tends to be the time I hit a wall and begin to slump in productivity. At home, I keep a stepper beside my desk, as well as a bike desk that I purchased last year during Amazon Prime Day (SO worth the investment). If your office space doesn’t have room for either of those options, a mini cycle that fits under your desk may be ideal. This one is essentially silent; so even if you are in an open cubicle, you won’t be disturbing the person next to you. (WIN)

4. Know your tasks before you begin.

Often, if we sit down without a plan, what we had in our heads the night before turns into an hour of browsing Amazon, and another hour or two scrolling through social media and sharing funny videos with friends. Make a list, stick to the list, and keep it where you can see it. This agenda by Kate Spade is huge and holds all of my important dates as well as daily/weekly/monthly tasks & goals. I also keep a mini bullet journal in this notebook – it’s the perfect size to throw in my purse or keep in the car when I’m on the go and need to jot something down quickly.

5. Encourage yourself. 

You are your own biggest cheerleader, and you are also your own worst critic. If you spent more time than you meant to checking your email or completed a task totally wrong, don’t beat yourself up about it. Keep reminders in your space that you can do this, whether through quotes, notes from friends, or even favorite photos. If you feel yourself going down the slippery slope of self-doubt even with those reminders in your space, take a 20 minute break and go somewhere else in your home or to a coffee shop you love. Learning what hurts and helps your productivity can take time, and that’s okay! Some things that work for others may not work for you & that’s okay too! You got this. (For cute DIY memo holders to brighten up your space – check out this post)

That’s the end of my top 5 methods for increasing productivity in the workspace. What are your favorite strategies? I would love if you shared them in the comments below!

 

 

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Blog, DIY Projects, Home Decor, Party Decor, The Home

DIY Gold Unicorn Memo Holder

 

Happy Wednesday, y’all! We are halfway through the week, so officially almost to the weekend (Woo!) Today’s DIY is SO fun for many different reasons – it can be used for holding pictures, encouraging notes, a to-do list, or even as someone’s placeholder in a themed party, the options you have out of this simple 3-step DIY are endless 🙂

To get started you’ll need:

Supplies 

Rust-Oleum Gold Spray Paint

Hot Glue Gun & Glue

Gold Paperclips 

Unicorns

 

 

Step 1: Get out your paperclips and plug in your hot glue gun! For this part, you can choose to either straighten out one side of the paperclip or leave as it is depending on where on the unicorn you want your clip to be. Once you’ve decided, glue it into place. Repeat this step with as many as desired.

 

 

Step 2: In a well-ventilated location (preferably outside if possible) begin spray painting your unicorn memo holders. Lightly spray the first layer, letting it set for about 10 minutes or so before continuing. Repeat until desired coverage is reached – after which wait about 40 minutes before handling.

 

 

Step 3: Decide what you will use your new gold note/memo/photo/place holders for! I’ve included some ideas below:

 

(Marble & Gold vanity tray DIY linked here)

Getting ready to complete this DIY? Don’t forget your supplies!

 

 

& if you liked this post – sharing is caring  🙂 – please feel free to pin/tweet/text/share the image below: 

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Beauty, Blog, Fashion

The Best Pre-Summer Sale You Won’t Want to Miss!

EEK we are so close to summer y’all! With Memorial Day weekend celebrations, warm weather, bare feet, and fireflies at night, I can barely take the anticipation! Yet, even though I love this season so much, I am definitely a “Fall wardrobe” kind of girl – meaning my closet is bursting with sweaters and skinny jeans, but not necessarily summer wedges, shorts, and dresses. Thankfully, Nordstrom is having an AMAZING sale right now through June 4 that helps anyone stock up on summer essentials, AND snag a great Father’s Day gift!

After stocking up my shopping cart, and my wish list, I thought I would share with y’all my top selections  from this sale! (Click any image to shop!)

Dresses

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  • This first dress I am obsessed with! Off-the-shoulder is a huge trend right now and these colors are gorgeous on any and every skin tone.
  • This second dress, the One-Shoulder Ruffle by BP is equally fun and flattering and is a total steal for less than $30!

Tops

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  • First, this flowy Lush tunic is perfect for even the most humid of summer days – comfortable, breezy, and flattering – I’m in love.
  • Another major trend this season is the cold shoulder look! This featured Lush Cold Shoulder Top  (less than $22!) is one I love. It shows enough skin to enjoy the summery season, yet is totally appropriate for a variety of settings and events.
  • Last but not least, Satin yes please –  gimme all of it! Sometimes it’s way too hot in the evening for a normal cardigan but you just want something on your arms, and this Hinge Satin Kimono Jacket is perfect for exactly that (seriously counting down the seconds till mine arrives).

Shoes & Accessories

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 Home Decor

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What are some of your favorite looks? I’d love to see!

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Blog, The Home

Spring Update Home Office Tour

| Marble & Gold Tray | Glass Pineapple | Laptop Stand | Laptop Case | Wireless Keyboard, Mouse & Pad | Linen Office Chair |  Lamp Dupes | Chalk-Painted Desk Tutorial |

| Linen Storage Bench |  Gold Leopard Pillows | Slay Girl Pillow |

 

 | Mirror Dupe | Louboutin PumpsSunnies Organizer |Valentino Flats  |

| Marble & Gold Tray | Glass Pineapple | Laptop Stand | Laptop Case | Wireless Keyboard, Mouse & Pad | Linen Office Chair |  Lamp Dupes | Chalk-Painted Desk Tutorial | Mirror Dupe | Louboutin PumpsSunnies Organizer |Valentino Flats  | Linen Storage Bench |  Gold Leopard Pillows | Slay Girl Pillow | Blue-Gray Tufted Pouf | Sheepskin Rug |

I am constantly updating and restyling the DIY Marble and Gold Ikea Hyllis Shelves  & love how versatile they’ve been in this space. One of my favorite things to do when seasons change is to move furniture and decor around to freshen up the room. Since I spend the majority (only 98%) of my day in my home office, that’s usually the place that gets the spring treatment first 🙂

 

Do you have any favorite traditions for the start of Spring and Summer seasons? I would love to hear them!


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