The Monogrammed Life: July 2017

Monday, July 31, 2017 1 comments

Friday, July 28, 2017 3 comments

I've mentioned this before but this is the first time I've ever done something school related in the summer. The closest I've gotten is doing a May Study-Abroad trip but since I did that right after finishing my sophomore year it didn't entirely feel like I was on summer break at that point so I don't fully count it. Come the end of senior year once my student teaching practicum I felt like I was so far removed from school and productivity since I didn't have any finals that getting back into the routine of doing that now is a bit of a rude awakening.

Over the past couple of months I have started to learn how to be more productive in the summer (despite wishing I didn't have to).

top (similar) // earrings (c/o but you'll get a discount with the code prepinyourstep

While I'm sure there are so many ways to help you stay on task and be productive here are my top five:

Get Dressed

I love being able to do work in my pajamas. It seems like such a luxury but when I wake up early in the morning to get stuff done before class I tend to be in no rush to leave my bed and pajamas after grabbing my cup of coffee (key point is that I already have my coffee). However, getting dressed and ready for my day definitely puts me into a more focused mindset and is worth it in the long run. While there is no way I'm putting on a pencil skirt and heels to look professional office ready putting on a cute outfit or even just taking the time to do my makeup makes a big difference. This makes me treat whatever I have to do with a bit of a more serious attitude which helps me to better tackle the task at hand.

Create a Routine

If you didn't see last week's post about What It's Like To Be Friends With A Blogger then you amy not have picked up on the subtle jab from my friends about how early I was up (and sometimes how late I stay up but I'm working on that). This summer I have forced myself into making an early wake up a part of my routine. I know that I am most productive in the morning and I do my very best to take advantage of that. I know that I'll have about an hour and a half of solid work time before class to get things done which has certainly helped with my productivity. Knowing when you work best will definitely help you to be more productive as you can hopefully structure your schedule (which will eventually become your routine) around that!

Have a Dedicated Workspace

Hi my name is Dorothy and when I wake up at 5:00 I usually let myself do work in bed until 6:00...So now that we've established that I am a walking contradiction do as you please with this knowledge. The one thing I wanted in my new apartment was to be able to have a desk in my room and I can't begin to reiterate how much more productive I am at that designated workspace than in our living room (or in my bed). Having everything I need within arms reach eliminates distractions and better helps me to crank out work. Be sure that wherever your workspace may be that you are able to eliminate distracting things from your reach to capitalize on the time you have there.

Time Yourself

Starting a project that you know is going to take a while to complete can be very overwhelming. As much as I'd love to be able to sit down and knock it all out at once sometimes I just don't have that luxury. While I don't necessarily work best under pressure I've found that I am more productive when I know how long I'll be doing something. With that in mind I've learned to time myself for about 30 minutes at a time with no distraction to attempt to get as much done as I can within that time frame. The key to this is making sure that you're working nonstop from the time you set your alarm to when it goes off and rewarding yourself with a quick brain break afterwards!

Allow Yourself to Take Breaks

It is summer after all, you deserve a break just for having to be productive in the summer! Whether it's a workout to clear your mind, a snack break with friends, or even a drive to a different location breaks are essential. If you go from start to finish without breaks you won't have time to really think through different aspects of things you're looking to accomplish meaning that your work may not be of the highest quality. By stepping away you are giving your brain a chance to regroup and process your ideas which will hopefully help you to be more productive the next time you sit down to get work done.

I'd love to hear your tips on being productive in the summer!

Written by Dorothy from Prep In Your Step

Wednesday, July 26, 2017 1 comments

Monday, July 24, 2017 No comments

Happy FRI-YAY. We are going to round off this week with an inspirational post for my ambitious ladies (and you don’t even have to be blonde to relate). I have been told a lot in my life by various people that I’m too “ambitious” or I should really “tone it down” a little. I get excited easily when I talk about my passions, I take on a LOT of projects, and I work really hard. It shouldn’t be a bad thing. So if those things sound like you, this letter is for you.

SHOP MY OUTFIT:

An Open Letter To The Ambitious Woman

Dear Ambitious Woman,

If Sharpay’s “I Want It All” song from High School Musical 3 is the song you relate the most to, this is probably you (it’s definitely me).

You have decide that you aren’t going to wait for the world to give you what you want, you are going to work your tail end off until you get it for yourself. You probably don’t have a lot of connections, because you are used to working for something instead of it being handed to you.

You always have your eye on the target, and you aren’t afraid to push ahead to the front of the back. You’re smart, funny, sociable. You are GREAT at meeting new people and charming your way into the hearts of important individuals.

Remember: It’s okay to have big dreams. If you shoot for the moon, it’s okay to want to land on the freaking moon. Forget the stars.

If you shoot for the moon, it\’s okay to want to land on the freaking moon. Forget the stars.

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But, my dear ambitious woman, being overly ambitious can get you into some trouble if you aren’t careful. Don’t feel like you have to say YES to everything. I know you think you can do it all (and you can probably do a LOT) but nobody can do it all. Your mental health and relationships will suffer if you aren’t careful. Quality will ALWAYS beat quantity. Pick a few awesome projects and work your heart out on those. Yes, it’s true, some opportunities only come once. But stop blindly grabbing everything that floats by you. Be purposeful in your decisions.

If you are like me, you are ambitious AND an overachiever. I loved being top of my classes, I like being first at competitions and I like winning board games. “Second place” is like my personal favorite swear word. But, because this is my personality, I’ve had a LOT of humbling experiences. You can’t win everything. You will never be THE BEST at everything. Trying to achieve that will turn you into a jack of all trades, but a master of none, to be cliche. Focus your talents. Hone your skills. The bigger your dreams, the harder you will hurt if you fail. My father in law used to tell my husband, “plan for the worst, hope for the best”. I’ve adopted that into my life, too.

You probably have a LOT of discipline. That’s good. You know how to make goals, follow steps and see situations out to their completion. It’s a wonderful skill to have. But make sure your goals include mental, emotional and physical health. I would work myself into the ground. Late nights, no sleep, little food, etc. when I work on a project if I’m not careful. Respect the hustle, but schedule out time in your day to make sure you eat right, exercise and spend time with your loved ones.

When you are an ambitious woman, prepare yourself for judgement. It’s coming, I promise. If you work while having kids, JUDGED. If you stay home and forget your career, JUDGED. If you dive headfirst into your dreams and don’t get married right away (or ever), JUDGED. If you get married young, JUDGED. I mean jeez. It doesn’t matter what you do, you’ll be judged for it. Decide now that you are going to forget the haters and live your life. I have been judge many times over for decisions I have made. It’s okay. I let them roll off my back. If I’m happy, and my husband’s happy, then that’s all that matters to me. In the end, you have to live with the decisions you make, nobody else. SO who cares about their opinion?

Just remember, if you REALLY want something, you’ll never settle for mediocrity. Nothing less than perfection will work for you.

if you REALLY want something, you\’ll never settle for mediocrity. Nothing less than perfection will work for you.

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So blow everyone’s mind, ambitious girl. I’m rooting for you.

– T

PIN THIS FOR LATER:

I hope this gave you the pick-me-up you needed this afternoon. I feel totally refresh after reminding myself what a blessing it is to have this type of personality. You have the drive and motivation you need to work hard for yourself. To provide for yourself and your family. To make ALL your dreams come true.

Let me know in the comments below if this resonated with you. I want to hear your stories!!

Friday, July 21, 2017 1 comments

An Open Letter To The Ambitious Woman

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