Ways to Get Holiday Cards Under Control

I’m a stationery junkie — I love it! There’s something so nice about hand writing out a letter or card.  I’ll admit though — writing out holiday cards can be overwhelming. But I start months in advance to make it less daunting.

I have an ongoing document that I use to print out address labels.  I add to it throughout the year and change addresses when someone on the list moves.  I keep it in Dropbox so I can access it anywhere, anytime.  Then I start filling out the cards slowly — a little every night.  That way it’s not too much of a chore and I actually enjoy it.  Then I stuff, seal and stamp slowly too.  And here we are at the very beginning of December…and I’m done.

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Sniff This to be More Productive

Lavender

Lavender (Photo credit: Iakobos)

Turns out certain scents will boost your productivity power. I’ve never tried it but it’s worth a shot especially because these smells are pleasant. Entrepreneur.com checked in with Beverley Hawkins, owner of the Vancouver-based West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy for her favorites:

  1. Lemon
  2. Lavender
  3. Jasmine
  4. Rosemary
  5. Cinnamon
  6. Peppermint

Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that can help relax, destress and empower, through the use of products such as a Scentsy Scent Circle, room sprays and essential oils.

There’s no need to go over the top and spray down the entire office. Just put a few drops of any of these essential oils on a cotton ball and sniff.

For more on why these scents will have you finishing up your work in no time — check out the original article here.

Evernote: An App to Organize Your Life

I basically tell anyone who will listen to me about how amazing Evernote is. It’s an app and website that keeps track of nearly anything you want it to. A friend who is also obsessed with it once called it an “extension of her mind.” I think that’s pretty accurate. Anything you want to keep track of but might forget — should go into Evernote.

Here’s how I’m using it: Read more

Love Productivity Apps? Join my Virtual Meetup

iPhone apps pages

iPhone apps pages (Photo credit: Marc Duchesne)

If you love apps that help you get more done then you’re going to love tonight’s virtual meetup.  From 8:30pm-9:30pm eastern, I’m hosting a small virtual meetup to chat about productivity apps!  There are only a few slots left so please sign up and make sure you have a Google+ account to participate.  We’ll chat about:

  • Best apps to keep to-do lists
  • Time-saving apps
  • Apps to keep books, restaurants, travel information, etc.
  • And more!

Hope to see you there!

Mom Turns Kids into Foodies One List at a Time

Recently my two worlds of TV producer and blogger crossed paths at the BlogHer conference.  I took a seminar about incorporating video into a blog that Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious.com, was teaching.  Brilliant stuff and I plan on adding some more video here soon!

Anyway — I’ve also done segments with Catherine about healthy eating and getting kids to be better eaters.  She started out as a food blogger and has uploaded hundreds of videos to her website Weelicious.com. Now she has a book called “Weelicious: One Family, One Meal,” and I’ve even tried some of the recipes even though I don’t have kids!

Turns out — all that recipe making and brand building has been possible because of list making!  Love that! Check out Catherine’s list-making secrets:

Q: Why do you call yourself a compulsive list producer?

A: As a working mom and wife, if I wasn’t armed with a list I’d be in big big trouble! Read more