Add Fun to Your To-Do List With These Food Apps

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Weekends are great for crossing off to-do’s, but you can’t forget to add fun and relaxation to the list.  Going out for a date night or hitting happy hour with your co-workers are fun ways to unwind from a stressful week. Here are some (free) dining and drinking apps to try out:

                                                             

                                                       Drinking Apps

Untappd: If beer is your go-to drink, this is a great app. Not only will it give you a list of the most popular local bars but you get to share and read beer reviews. Whenever you try a new beer, snap a photo with your phone, upload it, and review it. The app keeps track of all the brews you’ve tried and gives you suggestions.  You can also follow friends to see what they are drinking and you can earn badges for your beer tasting!

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Bad Productivity Habits That Are Good For You

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“Bad habits die hard” as the saying goes, but there are some you really don’t have to kick to the curb in the name of productivity. No more feeling guilty about that mid-afternoon nap or holding off that work proposal until the night before.

These “bad” habits can actually help with your productivity and get you motivated to work hard:

1. Procrastination: A pending deadline looming over your head, can actually be one of the biggest motivators. It can be stressful to wait until the last minute, but this can really get the creative juices flowing and spark that adrenaline rush you may need to complete a task. I found that there are three crucial times when procrastinating works the best – check them out here.

2. Napping: Feeling tired after that huge lunch or didn’t get enough ZZZ’s the night before? Take a nap! Yes, I said it! Bring back the kindergarten days and take a snooze. You may feel like you are just wasting precious time, but napping for 20 to 30 minutes can really rejuvenate you.

3. Leave the Dishes in the Sink: If cleaning is on your to-do list daily, feel free to skip over it every once in a while.

4. Texting and Checking Social Media: No need to turn off your phone when you are busy working away.

5. Distractions: Surf the web for cute puppies, read the news or watch an episode of your fave show! Distractions can take us away from work, but can also be a great way to take a break. If you feel stuck let yourself wander, it may spark a new idea and relax your brain. Set time limits for yourself so you don’t get carried away. For instance, I sometimes reward myself with an episode of Breaking Bad after checking off a certain amount of to-dos. It keeps me motivated as well as stopping me from binge watching.

6. Stressing Out: When we feel stressed the first thing we want to happen is for it to just go away!

But according to Heidi Hanna, author of the book “Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship with Stress”, stress can stimulate us. She says, “It gives us the energy to get things done. A lot of people procrastinate because the stress of that deadline actually fuels that energy. It gives us a surge of adrenaline which, in the short term, is fine.” Heidi warns that stress does become a problem when you begin to use it all the time. So it’s not something that you should be dependent on but once in a while it’s okay!

So don’t break these bad habits, just learn to use them in moderation. Be sure to comment below if these productivity don’ts work for you!

Easy Meals to Get on the Table Quickly

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Fresh vegetarian pasta (2528005054)

Fresh vegetarian pasta (2528005054) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you are having a crazy-busy work day the last thing you want to do when you come home is slave away in the kitchen to make a decent meal. I know when I’m mentally exhausted from the day, I don’t want to think anymore, so I end up ordering out and spending way too much money. To kick the dine-out habit, I found some awesome quick and easy meals to make that require little ingredients and not too much brain power!

Here’s my list:

1. Avocado Chicken Salad:

Ingredients: 2 cups of shredded chicken, 1 avocado, 1/4 cup of diced onions, juice from half a lime, 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (optional), 1 tablespoon of basil leaves.

Preparation: Just mix everything together well and you have a yummy meal 🙂 (recipe from Real Food Enthusiast)

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Get Motivated With A Productivity Playlist

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By now you’ve probably heard about the Coachella festival. I can’t avoid it — it seems like all my favorite celebs (like Giada) are there soaking up the sun and listening to some amazing tunes.

Coachella is an awesome annual music and arts festival that has been going on since 1999. This year’s festival inspired me to make up my own productivity playlist.  Listening to music can get you pumped up to get the mundane everyday to-do’s done, while having fun!

ListProducer Productivity Playlist

1. Happy – Pharrell Williams
2. Crazy in Love – Beyonce
3. Feelin Alright – Joe Cocker
4. Only the Good Die Young – Billy Joel
5. Burn – Ellie Goulding
6. Everyday — Dave Matthews Band

7.White Noise – SimplyNoise.com (Sometimes all you need is to drown out everything around you!) Read more

Being Productive Outside

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Studying outside Burrows

Studying outside Burrows (Photo credit: pennstatenews)

Being stuck in a stuffy office all day can totally kill your productivity. Sitting at your desk for eight hours (usually even longer) and only moving a few feet to get a another cup of coffee or hit the break room for lunch isn’t enough mental stimulation. A change of scenery and some fresh air is all you need to get the juices flowing again!

So here are some ways to get outside of the office yet still be productive:

1. Walking Meetings: A colleague of mine is always asking me to meet her for a “walking meeting.” I thought that this was a a really strange request but once I tried it I really loved it. It gets you out of your chair, offering a great break, but at the same time you are still getting things done. Note taking can be a challenge though so make sure to reserve this type of meeting for certain topics only.

2. Have Lunch Outdoors: Instead of sitting in the break room, take your lunch outside with you.  Or try something different and get to that little cafe you’ve always wanted to test out.  I love eating alone at restaurants — I know a lot of people don’t enjoy it but I love taking my time, ordering whatever I want and enjoying some peace and quiet.  If you’re using your lunch break to continue working — bring your laptop with you and enjoy the sunshine or if it’s rainy head to Starbucks or somewhere with free WiFi.  A new perspective could be all you need.

3. Talk A Lap Around the Block: If your eyes are starting to flutter mid-afternoon — get up!  If you get your body moving it will wake you up. You don’t need to take a long break, five minutes is all you need to get your blood moving and your brain working!

4. Bring the Outdoors to You: If your office isn’t really in an area equipped for a quick walk, you can bring the outdoors inside. Decorate your office space with some real plants and flowers.

Now hop out of your chairs and go get some fresh air!  Let me know how it felt to take a break and enjoy Mother Nature.