Play. Work. Repeat.

Because play should always come first.

Career

TUESDAY TIDBITS {05.12.20}

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Read :: I’m deadline driven. While I have lofty goals of reading for pleasure, I will typically find anything else to do if I don’t have a deadline to meet. As a long time reader of How Sweet Eats, I was excited when she introduced a book club. Excited to give it a go with the first book, The Happy Ever After Playlist!

Organize :: We’ve purchased more board games since going into quarantine — which is great at killing boredom, but wreaking havoc on my house with all of the boxes. Saw a genius idea on Pinterest to switch the (many, many) boxes for a vinyl mesh zipper pouch. So doing this.

Learn :: My husband and son gave me a Dyson Airwrap Complete for Mother’s Day this year. I’ve been watching YouTube videos to figure out how to use it, but after one go-round, I can report that it is GOOD. I get the hype now. Fun fact: I asked for an apple tree for the backyard so we didn’t have to go to grocery store as much in the Fall. This is where I am in my life now.

Develop :: Boundaries. With work. I’ve been working long hours on top of homeschooling, and my head was just about ready to explode last week. I decided to take this past Friday and Monday off to regroup. It was glorious. The benefits to just setting aside some time for yourself — even if it’s just so you’re not trying to juggle ten things at once — makes a difference.

Tuesday Tidbits {02.04.20}

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See :: Anne with an “E”. A fan of the books and the 1980’s movies, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this retelling. It’s darker, for sure…diving deep into Anne’s abusive childhood with flashbacks and sending Gilbert on adventures most adults wouldn’t brave…but two seasons in, I’m addicted. Devastated there is only one more season to go, which won’t nearly cover the romance between Anne and Gilbert. I’m in the “depths of despair” over this.

Do :: Update your LinkedIn profile. If you haven’t updated the content of your profile in some time, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Your skill sets may have expanded, you may have spoken on an emerging topic or you may just not look like that headshot you had taken straight out of college anymore. The new year is a great time to revisit how to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

Read :: The Official DC Super Hero Cookbook: 60+ Simple, Tasty Recipes for Growing Super Heroes. My son is an INSANELY picky eater. Seriously, thank goodness for breakfast foods, chicken nuggets, yogurt and vitamins, because it has been the only thing keeping him alive for years now. He originally found this book at the library and loved it so much that we purchased it from Amazon. He actually wants to make — AND TRY — food from this book. Even if it’s only a taste, we’re trending in the right direction. So far, he loves the Superman smoothie — which is the first bit of spinach to hit his body in about five years.

Learn :: All of the travel hacks for our upcoming cruise vacation. Facebook groups, forums, Pinterest — I’m am hitting them all for the best ideas as to what we should bring with us on our upcoming cruise. While the hubs and I were avid cruisers BC (before child), this is our first time back on the high seas with our wee man in tow. And we’re taking him on a cruise, where literally all there is to do is eat. Here’s hoping that superhero cookbook works miracles.

F5 :: FIVE FOR FRIDAY {01.03.20}

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Welcome to 2020, friends! Self-care comes in many forms. While there are many factors outside of my control, here are some of the ways I am setting myself up for a less stressful year.

::1:: Decluttering. The great purge is upon us, people! Toys, clothes, baby items — so much of it is being donated or trashed entirely. Why I thought it was a good idea to hold onto that sweater from college, or those baby clothes with stains on them, is beyond me. The madness stops now!

::2:: Time management, especially at work. It’s so easy to get distracted at the office, and I often find myself staying late as a result of all those unexpected interruptions. In order to maximize my time in the office, and *hopefully* turn off more at night, I’m going to try this Pomodoro Method – block out chunks of uninterrupted time on my calendar and avoid distractions at all cost.

::3:: Schedule more playdates. This is less of a de-stresser and more of a challenge. I’m an introvert, and notoriously the worst at scheduling playdates for my son. He’s an only child, so these interactions are important, but I find the anxiety of reaching out to moms to set up these playdates overwhelming at times. It’s time for me to step up for my kid and help him nurture and expand an already wonderful support system of great friends.

::4:: Take the time to learn new things. Podcasts, e-learning certificates, books…anything that I can realistically make time for in my schedule.

::5:: More exercising, less sugar/booze. I have veered far from the path to healthy living, and I’m FEELING every ounce of it. My clothes are tight, my energy is all but gone and it’s affecting my skin. My intention is to do something active — take a walk, use the Peloton currently collecting dust, run around the yard with wee man — at least 3-4 times a week. It doesn’t have to be a formal form of exercise, it just has to be SOMETHING…and I’m holding myself to that goal with my Apple Watch (I hate when it’s disappointed in me!).

And you know that Disney review I never finished here? It will be done by 2021!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

F5 :: FIVE FOR FRIDAY {7.27.18}

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This week seemed like a marathon. Corporate events, industry events and…you know, work in general…had this home body living for Friday all week long. With those seemingly impossible deadlines nearly behind me, I say a very hearty “welcome” to the weekend!

New York City

::1:: I’ll admit it, I’m a fangirl of America’s Got Talent. I first watched the show in 2016 and became instantly hooked. I absolutely cannot wait for the live shows, but am also very happy the human fountains are behind us so I can hold down my dinner on Tuesday nights again.

::2:: In other amazing television news, this BBC America gem, Killing Eve, is a must watch. The acting is stellar, the storyline is fascinating and the characters are so compelling. It will be interesting to see how the season ends!

::3:: During a sale this Summer, I bought a Beauty Bioscience GloPRO. I’m not going to lie…I was TERRIFIED this microneedling tool was going to hurt, so it sat for a couple of weeks before I (drank a lot of wine first and then) used it. I swear, it does not hurt and I feel like I’ve seen results even using it only sparingly. I wouldn’t lie — this body has ZERO threshold for pain.

::4:: Speaking of pain…why, why, why are corporate events SO PAINFUL for marketing staff?! The industry in which I work is not known for its happy employees, but the amount of complaining at an incredibly successful event was at an all-time epic level this year. Perhaps if they knew complaining was bad for your health, they would start to smile every now and again.

::5:: In practicing what I preach, writing a list of things I’m grateful for and excited about every day has been helpful in rewiring my mindset in a more positive direction. You must be so sick of me saying it, but this Panda Planner has truly been life changing.  What surprised me was how hard it was — especially at first — to come up with even one thing I was grateful and/or excited for. And my life is pretty darn good, but I was so focused on trying to mitigate the negative that I wasn’t seeing the positive right in front of me.  Just like an instrument or language, a positive mindset requires practice.