Taylor's Tips

I'm back with more tips on how to get your butt down to business at home.

I've touched on this subject before but my relationship with my job and how I approach it is ever-evolving so I thought I'd add more as I've learned different things. These tips can help anyone whether you work from home or not. I know a lot of people struggle with being able to get things done when they're at home too whether it's homework or just extra work assignments.

There are pros and cons to working from home and I deal with both each day but as of lately, I've begun to enjoy it more and more.

Working from home can make you feel a little disconnected from the world. You don't leave during the day (and you can't because you have to get down to work!) You also don't have to get dressed or even shower which, while pretty awesome, can make you feel a tad bit useless.

On the other hand I love being able to just hop out of bed, head to the kitchen and enjoy a nice breakfast before work without having to worry about missing my bus or having time to shower. It's a pretty relaxing environment.

Some of my favourite things about working at home are getting to listen to my music all the time and always having delicious coffee at my disposal.

If you want to create a successful work environment at home follow these tips:

1. Create a workspace
Whether it's at the kitchen table or in your bed, or in an office, you need to create a space to get your work done. I've worked for almost everywhere in our apartment but I've found lately that my desk is the best place for me. It's a place that I know will help me focus and get things done.

2. Make it a comfortable environment
I love being able to play my own music all day long. I listen to the radio or put on records and just get to work. It's a good treat.

3. Find something that makes working from home feel luxurious
One of my favourite things is being able to have coffee any time of day. I love just sitting and sipping on a nice big mug of Joe while I'm working away. It makes me feel relaxed and happy. Maybe that can come from doing something different for you like sitting by a fire while you work, or having a nice snack. Enjoy something that people who work in traditional circumstances might not be able to.

4. Avoid distractions
I've learned that there are TONS of distractions around the house that keep me from being my most productive. Don't even try and fool yourself into thinking that you can be as productive as you need to be while sitting in front of the tv. It will just keep you working for double the time. I've also found that sitting in common areas in my apartment can lead to a lot of time spent talking and not a lot spent working. Instead I stay in my room all day and come out every once in a while to say hi and maybe make a coffee. It really cuts down on a lot of wasted time.

5. Have a clean environment
Messes are a distraction. I'm the type of person who can't work if there's mess around me. I use cleaning as a procrastination method. When my room is clean I can't waste time by cleaning it and there is nothing to pull my eyes away from my work.

6. Make lists
I can't say enough about making lists. They're so important. Not only do they help you plan your day but they keep you on track and keep you from getting distracted because they help you see what you have left to do for the day. Lists are the best tool for anyone at work!

Working from home definitely has it's ups and downs but for now I have a love affair with working from home and you should too!

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Pyjama Wearing Worker

A Month Without Sweets

<< I have a very strong relationship with my sweets >>

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am doing a six month health challenge with my friend Tessa. You can find the post here.

Month one was no chocolate, candy, chips, lattes or baked goods. I am proud to report that I made it through the entire month without one slip up. Tessa had a latte so she has one mark against her (muaha).

The way the competition works is that each slip up you have leads to one mark against you. Marks are tallied up at the end of the six months and the winner gets a prize that is yet to be decided upon.

Life without chocolate, candy, chips, lattes or baked goods was easier than I expected. I'm the kind of person who's better with not being able to have something altogether vs. only being able to have a little bit of it. It felt hard because I have a huge sweet tooth but I learned to curb it with fruit. Mostly I'm proud of all of the things I passed up during this time. I know there are times when I would have eaten cookies that were just lying around or reached for some chocolate, but the competition kept me from it.

Now that the month is over I'm trying to keep some restrictions going. I know I can say no so I want to continue to. I do allow myself a chocolate every once in a while (it's my guilty pleasure), but I know how crappy it makes me feel so I try to stay away. Tess said she's trying to keep going as well and keep her intake to a minimum.

This month was SUPPOSED to be to drink 8 glasses of water and  have one servings of veggies a day but I messed it up. I thought it was to drink 8 glasses and to have one serving of protein. I didn't realize until a few days in so Tess was kind and let me just switch up protein for this month and do veggies next month.

Sadly, I have a mark against me. I was sick on Tuesday and only drank ginger ale all day so my water consumption did not happen. Now we're even.

I highly recommend trying to cut out chocolate, candy, chips, lattes and baked goods for a month. It's the perfect combo because you can't curb your sweet cravings with chips or vice versa. It really keeps you from falling back one something else that's still unhealthy.

Until next month!

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Water-drinking, protein-eaching, chocolate-shunning maniac!

Who's Your Valentine?

Whether you have a Valentine or not, today there's someone you should most definitely show some love to: yourself! You deserve love too!

Some great ways to show yourself some love this Valentine's Day:

1. Spend some time with yourself!
    You deserve a little "me time!" I've spent ALL DAY in bed watching tv and it's been wonderful! I  
    happen to be very good company, as it turns out!

2. Treat Yourself
    Whether it be by eating chocolate or by making a delicious meal for yourself (or both)! Give yourself
    a little something special today. I recommend this or this! Your taste buds will thank you!

3. Workout
    I worked out today and it felt wonderful. What better way to not only make yourself love yourself
    more, but to also show yourself how much you love yourself? (Sheesh that was a lot of "yourselfs"      
    for one sentence…but you get the point.) Oh…and it may make you feel better about that chocolate
    you treated yourself with!

4. Give Yourself a Gift
    Had your eye on something lately? Go buy it. You deserve it. Happy Valentine's Day to you, from
    you!

Love is a wonderful thing to share, but we can forget to show ourselves some love. You don't have to be single to do these things for yourself! There's more than enough love to go around!

From the desk of:
Taylor Brown
Spreader of Love

Drinking on the Cheap

Your twenties are a time to get your career in order. To put you nose to the grindstone and start yourself from the bottom so that by your thirties you're comfortable in your career and starting to settle down.

Your twenties are also a time to have FUN! You'll never be more independent and have less responsibility than you do now so grab a hold of that opportunity and go have fun!

Drinking can unfortunately, be kind of expensive. Especially when you live in somewhere like Canada where let's face it, liquor prices suck. Even worse is when you're buying drinks at the bar, which tend to cost about as much in their weight as fine diamonds.

I've become a pro at a cheap night out. What can I say? I got bills to pay!

Some tips for a cheap and fun night:
- Wine is pretty cheap if you can find a kind you like! It's about 10-15 dollars for a decent bottle and goes a long way.
- Drink before you go out! I cannot stress this enough. DO NOT go to the bar and expect to get drunk without spending a ton of money. Like seriously, at least $50.00 (which could be also used for about a week or two worth of groceries.) Drink at home and get a good buzz going so that you only have to buy a drink or two at the bar to keep you going.
- Find a place without cover. You may lose out on going to certain places but cover can be KILLER. Paying $20 before you even get in is just crazy. Not my idea of fun.
- At the bar shots are cheaper and will give you more bang for you buck but a mixed drink lasts longer so it's all about what you'd rather.
- Take public transpo! Never cab. It's a HUGE waste of cash. If public transportation is done for the night you can also try to get a fixed rate for a cab. I had a friend once who went through a line of cabs bargaining with each until she got the best price. She put them in competition with each other and we ended up getting home for $25 cheaper than usual. Genius.

Have fun but don't blow your bank (remember, you're still a struggling twenty-something!)

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown
Fun-Haver (On a Budget)