by Joey | Feb 10, 2016 | Throwback
People are either talkers or doers. Very few are both. In the last few years, I believe I’ve transitioned from talker to doer, but I’d started to lose my edge recently. I had this general sense of OMG I have so much to do, but couldn’t ever pin down exactly what it was that I needed to do. Tell me you feel me on this.
I have a lot going on right now. I work a full-time job outside of my home. I run this blog, creating new content three days a week, sometimes more. I’m writing a novel. I’m writing a non-fiction ebook. I’m launching a new website. I’m building a new business. I’m recording a podcast in collaboration with a friend and preparing that to launch.
It’s easy for me to get swallowed up in the overwhelm. To give up. Or to simply have no life because I’m busy working every minute of every day. I don’t want that.
That’s when I found Wunderlist. My number one issue with productivity was that I knew I had a lot to do, but when I would sit down to do it I wouldn’t know what to do.
Nothing fuels procrastination like the lack of a plan.
So what is wunderlist? Okay, let me break it down. Side note: you’re about to get a real, honest look into my life. Ready? Good.
Think of it as your todo list on steroids. I think of it as the gate-keeper to my success. I plug in the formula and failure is not an option. Okay, let me explain that to you.
If something is on my todo list, broken down into actionable tasks,
I will do them.
With Wunderlist, you can create different categories and add lists into those categories. Take my Hodgespodges Inc category for example. Hodgespodges Inc is something I have set to launch summer 2016. Within Hodgespodges Inc, you’ll find the blog, a few non-fiction ebooks, and a podcast (at least when it first launches. There will be other features launched after).
Those are all pretty big projects. And for about 5 months, they left me completely paralyzed. I had the ideas, but I wasn’t taking any action because to be honest, I didn’t even know where to start.
But once I could break everything down into categories, and then break each of those projects down into actionable todos, with specific deadlines, life started to feel a lot easier. I started to be so freaking productive!
There are several ways to view your todo lists and projects. My favorites are today, which is demonstrated in the image above, and the week view.
The weekly view helps me the most when I’m creating my iCal blocks for the week.
I can search by the hashtag, too. I break my iCal blocks up into #write, #focusedwork, and #unfocused. This helps me know what needs to get done during each blocked off period of time, and how much time I need to block off.
#write is pretty obvious. It’s writing.
#focusedwork means no distractions, headphones in, preferably alone.
#unfocused means if I find myself with a spare minute here or there, do one of these projects. Or if I’m sitting watching tv. It doesn’t need my total, uninterrupted attention. This usually includes emails, social media scheduling, photo editing, etc.
Setting deadlines is key, so do it. I aim high, but life happens. Sometimes you get invited out to do something. Sometimes you don’t feel well. Sometimes you’re just too dang tired. Or whoops, you sleep through your alarm. Don’t set yourself up for failure.
If you miss a deadline, it’s okay. This app helps me prioritize everything. Having a visual representation of everything that has to get done helps me make wise choices. It’s helped me have a better grasp on balance. With so much going on, it’d be very easy for me to work every second of every day. Wunderlist helps me make sure I’m still a friend, and a wife, and a young woman who lives in a fun city while planning to take over the world.
Features:
-Free downloadable app across all of your devices. I use it with my macbook, iphone, apple watch and ipad. I believe it’s compatible with android and others.
-Syncs across your devices
-Additional features available with a monthly membership. I use the free option.
*This isn’t a sponsored post. Wunderlist has no idea who I am. But when an app can completely turn my productivity around, I believe in sharing it with all of you. Because we all have dreams and plans and lives, and if something can make all of that a little easier to manage, then you need to know about it.
by Joey | Feb 9, 2016 | Throwback
Good morning. This post is coming to you in real time.
Remember when I said 2016 was going to be a good year? That I was going to push myself to do things I was scared to do? Well, considering my New Year only started on Feb 1, I’d say we’re off to a good start!
I don’t have a normal Coffee With Joey post today, I’ll make up for it on Friday, but I did want to share a little bit of life with you today.
You all know adulting is hard. I don’t have to tell you that. But if you would have told me this time last year that I would have just bought a car all by myself, I would not have believed you.
I know that might not seem like that big of a deal, and it probably isn’t, but I believe in celebrating the wins in life. And yesterday was a win.
We’ve had a rough go of it the last year. Leaving football and exploring new avenues has left us keeping our heads above water, but just barely. They call this type of situation a growing season in football. When you have a brand new roster and everyone is just trying to find their place. So for us, 2015 was one hell of a growing season. Just trying to get our feet on solid ground long enough to take a deep breath before the tide pulled us back under.
I don’t know when exactly it happened, or how, but we’re standing on solid ground.
I’ve been working my butt off the last year. And yesterday, it paid off.
Finally, I bought myself a car!
by Joey | Feb 4, 2016 | Throwback
Gather round, it’s story time.
So I got a Fitbit Charge HR for Christmas. It’s what I wanted, and having had a Fitbit flex for over a year, I knew I’d be happy with it. The one I got had a malfunction and stopped charging properly. No big deal. I called Best Buy to determine if I needed a receipt to exchange it for one that worked.
Well, while I was on the phone with them, I found out that the Apple Watch was on sale for $250. Just $100 more than the Fitbit. I was intrigued.
And as I admitted on Tuesday, I’m impulsive. I immediately decided I just had to have the Apple Watch. I quickly went online to see which locations had the one I wanted in stock. Just one store, and it was a half hour away. So what did I do? I ordered that sucker online and opted for store pick up. That watch was mine!
I get the confirmation email from Best Buy: your order is ready for pick up. So I hop in the car and set off on the 30 minute journey.
I walk in. Return the Fitbit. And ask to pick up my order.
Imagine my surprise when…they don’t have it.
But I got the confirmation email. The clerk frantically searched about. He found one, but it had someone else’s name on it. But I already purchased it. You have my money. And I’m in the store now. No luck. They wouldn’t give me the watch.
After some further digging, he found an open box one that he could sell me for a discounted price. Is anything wrong with it? No, I was assured. Okay, sold.
Luckily, I chose to set it up in my car in the parking lot. Turns out, the watch was still paired with the original owner’s phone. And you know what? There’s no way for Apple or Best Buy or Geek Squad or any of the Geniuses in the entirety of the world who can unpair that watch except for the original owner. Awesome.
So now, I was getting annoyed. And unfortunately, I was leaving town the next morning for an undetermined length of time (if you’re new here, read over some of my posts from early January).
The clerk, frantic to save the sale, threw out a hail Mary pass. I’ll tell you what–I’ll sell you one online for the open box price, and you’ll just pay the expedited shipping, making the total the same as the brand new watch. You’ll get it tomorrow.
Okay, I thought. I could live with that (remember here, folks, I’m impulsive). He works out the sale, and I’m off.
A little while later I thought you know what? No. Best Buy just put me through the ringer. This is on them, not me. So I called up customer service to cancel my order. I didn’t want to give them my money anymore.
While cancelling the order, the rep asks Okay, so are you cancelling because this item is on back order?
You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.
So yes. I cancelled the freaking order. Luckily, while on the phone, I happened to check my bank account. You guys? I had been charged for three Apple Watches.
That’s over $750 for a product I never received.
And get this.
It was over a week before that money was ever put back into my account.
And that, my friends, is why I’ll never shop at Best Buy ever again.
That day didn’t end in a total loss, though. I did manage to find the watch I wanted in a Target nearby. I called, asked the guy to put his hands on it for me. He did. Okay, I said, now write Joey on a post it note, and tuck that sucker away for me. He did. Ten minutes later, I walked out with a brand new, perfectly perfect Apple Watch.
So the moral of this story? Target beats all, always. Duh.
Also, in case you’re keeping count, that means I purchased 4 Apple Watches in one day.
According to our bank account anyway.
My husband really loves being married to me.
Man, we need a sarcasm font.
Just kidding.
He loves me.
I think.
On another note, do any of you care for a review (like, was all this hassle even worth it in the end)? Or care for a post on how I use it? Let me know.
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by Joey | Feb 3, 2016 | Throwback
I’ve been absolutely obsessed with Lush bath bombs lately. One of my favorite things to do is to relax in a nice scented bath and binge Netflix. Lately, it’s been something I look forward to all day. I love climbing into bed all fresh, clean and relaxed.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, though. Bath bombs are freaking expensive. And when you’re taking baths every single night (guilty over here, they’ve practically replaced showers all together), you’re looking at about $50/week just for baths. Unacceptable. That’s more than my coffee habit. Whoops.
So Kim and I got to chatting. How cool would it be if we could make our own? Well, we did the research and put the recipe (adapted from here) to the test. And guess what? It’s totally possible! It’ll cost you a fraction of a Lush bath bomb, give you a fun activity to do with a girlfriend, and it’ll make your entire house smell heavenly. Win win win!!
This post is in collaboration with the sweet Kim of The Vintage Modern (who turned out to be my freaking neighbor…hashtag: Charlotte really is a small town)! Go show her some love!
DIY Bath Bombs
Yields 2 bombs
*You can easily multiply this recipe to make more bath bombs. We just made multiple batches since we wanted to use several different oils.
What You Need
4 oz. baking soda
2 oz. corn starch
1 1/2 tsp water
1 1/4 tsp coconut oil (olive oil works, too)
food coloring (optional–amount varies depending on your color preference)
What To Do
- Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Whisk until it’s a soft, clump-less mixture.
- Combine wet ingredients in a glass bowl. I recommend a large measuring cup — the spout comes in handy. If you’re using coconut oil, you’ll need to microwave it until it’s in a liquid state.
- SLOWLY pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing constantly. If the mixture starts to fizz, you’re going too quickly. Take your time here. This is when it came in handy to have an extra set of hands.
- Once mixed, test the mixture by taking a small amount in your hands and squeeze. The mixture will still feel dry, but it should stick together. If it doesn’t stick, slowly add more water until it does.
- Fill each half of the *bath bomb mold until slightly overflowing. You want to pack this lightly. Do not pack too tight.
- Press the two halves together. This might feel unnatural, but trust me. This is what will “pack” your mixture down. Immediately remove one half of the mold gently.
- Place the bomb, mold side down, on a pan. Allow to dry out slightly (10-15 minutes), then GENTLY remove the other half of the mold. I found it easiest to flip the uncovered side into my palm, then gently lift the mold from the bomb. These are very fragile, you need a gentle and light hand.
- Let dry completely for approximately 8 hours. I recommend just letting them sit out overnight. Store them in a sealed ziplock baggy or container.
Tips
- If the mixture falls apart while you’re removing the mold, don’t worry. Simply toss the mixture back into the bowl and start over.
- If the mixture cracks, you can “mold” it back together by pressing it into shape with your hands. Just don’t squeeze too hard. That makes a mess 😉
It was an experience for sure. We learned some things along the way. This recipe totally works, but it takes some strategy and patience. There was a lot of testing and changing along the way. You’ll find your groove after your first few, promise.
I’d recommend researching the oils before selecting which ones you want to use. We didn’t. We went with oh this smells good! and oh! we could make that one a pretty color! That works, sure. But it might not be the best route to take.
What Did We Make?
Lavender. I’d recommend this. It’s a lovely scent, calming and relaxing. Lavender is known for eliminating nervous tension, reliving pain, enhancing blood circulation and treating respiratory problems. It also helps induce sleep, which worked wonderfully for me. I had a lot of trouble finding relaxation and sleeping through everything with my dad, and I slept very soundly after using this bomb.
Lemongrass + Peppermint. This one smelled amazing, but uh…I wouldn’t recommend mixing these two oils to bathe in. Both oils are excellent for relieving sore muscles (which was a happy accident that I used this one the night after getting back into running), but the two together made me feel like I was bathing in a cold bath (I wasn’t). You know that feeling you get from icy hot? Yeah, it was like that. Use these on their own, and you’ll still get a great bomb. I should have split the halves.
Eucalyptus. This one was lovely. We made it a beautiful blue shade (not pictured), and it smelled so nice. Eucalyptus is good for mental exhaustion (definitely experienced some of that lately). It’s also an excellent deodorant (bonus) and acts as a decongestant. Perfect for this time of year.
Overall, we had so much fun with this project. I’d totally recommend giving it a try. I ordered all the ingredients from Amazon Prime, and we’ve put them in a special place because we are definitely making more bath bombs here in the near future!
by Joey | Feb 2, 2016 | Throwback
There hasn’t ever been anything in my life that I wanted that I didn’t somehow make happen. Before you click out and think I’m an asshole, bear with me.
I’m a compulsive person. I think I want a haircut? I need it that afternoon. I decide I want a lipstick? I’m jumping in my car without a bra on to run to the store. My husband has been on so many wild goose chases with me in search of lord only knows what (ask him about the great clutch adventure of 2007. No really. I dare you).
When I want something, I don’t pass go. I don’t collect $200. It’s mine. So let me ask you a question.
Why was I that way with practically everything else in my life, but not with what I want for my life. I would see people accomplishing different things, and I’d think to myself that kind of stuff doesn’t happen for someone like me. What the hell is that voice? Who is that voice? And why couldn’t it be me?
I don’t know where that belief came from. I really don’t. I’m sure a psychologist could have a field day working through some of the things I innately believe for whatever reason. But the process of retraining my brain to believe it could be me has been…exhausting. Eye opening. Nauseating.
Because here’s the deal. Anything can happen for anyone. No, really. Anything can happen for you. You just have to be willing to put the time in. The work in. The effort in. You have to do the work.
I see these seemingly overnight successes pop up everywhere. You see them, too. I know you do. And I know you ask yourself why isn’t it me? I know that because I was right there with you.
But the reality of it all is, if you’re willing and able to do the work, you can do whatever you want.
I’ve hinted that I have some big projects coming soon. And over the weekend I met some friends for lunch who asked the ever constant so what have you been up to question. And as I sat in that booth explaining my vision, my plans, my projects, I could practically feel my heart exploding.
Congratulations! my friend said.
Don’t congratulate me yet. It could all totally flop.
And that’s the truth. All this effort. All this work. And it could really be all for nothing. But maybe it’s not about that. Maybe it’s about the process. Maybe it’s about the work, what I’m actually doing. The fact is, I want to do these things. And if they fall short, then so be it. I can live my entire life wanting to do these things, wishing I could do these things, or I can just do them.
I’m almost 30 years old. My life looks nothing like I thought it would when I dreamt this world up as an innocent teenager. But the dream isn’t over yet, people.
The dream’s not over.
So get after it.
What’s stopping you?
