LauraEarnest.com

​

​

Deliberate Living Made Simpler.

50 Rules To Change Your Life Ryder Carroll put together a great video about 50 (Short) Rules To Change Your Life. It’s a great summary. One of the things I took to heart: pick a notebook that is not too “precious” to write in. I often don’t use a notebook because I’m “saving” it. (For what?) The thing that really hit was having one source of truth. I work in data. and this is a really important concept that we ended up having to battle early on in the days of our department. Accounting had their spreadsheets, which were inevitably out of date or inaccurate, but they resisted using the data warehouse. Finally, after many instances of proving our data was right, the organization settled on the warehouse as being the source of truth. It helps everyone use the same things to talk about. Check it out. ​

Tool Spotlight: Calm

I have less energy reserve these days than I had before the cancer. When I am tired, I can’t push through like I used to. I have become much more aware of optimizing my physical state in order to get the most out of each day. One of the things that helps is getting enough sleep. But my sleep is often disturbed as a result of the medications. I have come to rely on Calm not only to help me fall asleep quickly, but to help guide me back to sleep if I wake up in the middle of the night.

I also use it to play nature sounds when I need to concentrate and/or drown out other sounds. (For some reason, maintenance always does loud actions when I am in the office. It’s like they save it up for me)

Pricing: Calm offers a free version that is limited in content. It also offers a 7 day trial for the premium membership. Premium membership is $79.99 per year. They do have a lifetime membership as well.

Quick Productivity Tips

1. Clean The Desktop: We often forget to clean our work surfaces. Now that you have put away all the junk, today you are going to clean that empty surface. Grab something damp (like a paper towel from the kitchen or a disinfecting wipe) and get rid of the dust bunnies, pencil marks, and sticky spots.
2. Label Your Computer Cords: If you have ever looked at the pile of cords behind your computer and had no idea what led to what, you need to label your cords. Today, use a label machine or old bread bag tags to label the cords behind your computer.
3. Set Up An Inbox: It amazes me that so many people don’t have a place where others can dump loose paper. Whether it is at home or at the office, paper ends up spread over multiple surfaces because of this. Today set up an inbox. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

​

What’s Happening On The Blog

I am busy updating old articles and freebies. I am shifting the way that I use Kit (my email provider). Rising costs and a very low ROI have me moving more things to my blog. You can expect to see that anything I used to offer for an email address is going to be in my store for free.

I am also looking at additional channels for my content, so more about that as it progresses.

I did a series on surviving a job loss. If you want the free ebook summary of the articles, please check it out in the store here.

Articles This Month:

• How I Use Notion: I share how Notion transformed my blogging workflow, from organizing ideas to publishing polished content. Discover why this versatile tool became my dedicated writing platform and how it might work for you too!
• Dealing With A Job Loss Introduction: In my job loss journey, I faced shock, fear, and uncertainty, but emerged stronger by responding thoughtfully instead of reacting. This starts a 5 article series with some tips on how to handle job loss - by someone who has been there.
• Dealing With A Job Loss: Getting Through The First Days: Losing my job led to rediscovery beyond work identity. Through grief and adjustment, I found new skills, passions, and perspective. This challenge became an opportunity to grow in unexpected ways.
• Dealing with a Job Loss: Cutting Back Expenses: I reduced my expenses during unemployment by cutting services, entertainment, and food costs. I cooked more at home, packed lunches, shopped smarter, and limited discretionary spending, which helped stretch my limited finances.
• Dealing With a Job Loss: Home Workload and DIY: During unemployment, I effectively managed home workloads by taking on lawn care, household repairs, and creative projects, which reduced my husband's stress and gave me purpose during that challenging time.
• Dealing With A Job Loss: Starting the Job Hunt: I navigated the challenges of job searching after being laid off, strategically applying for positions that aligned with my skills while maintaining focus on my personal priorities and career goals.
• How To Set Up A Google Calendar For Planning: I used Google Calendar for planning to keep my goals and tasks separate from my regular appointments. It helped me track deadlines, set milestones, and visualize my progress all in one place while keeping my main calendar uncluttered.
• OneNote: Removing Data Easily: I extracted my craft patterns from OneNote, removing them to organize on my hard drive, making it easier to find what I need when searching for projects.

What Patrons Saw Why You Need A Tickler File​ Tickler files are still essential for managing time-sensitive information in both physical and digital forms. It’s Just For Now​ I'm learning that most decisions don't have to be permanent. I can choose differently next time and adjust my path as I go. Become a Patron Supporting the blog on Patreon gets you exclusive benefits reserved for patrons. Check out the list of benefits and levels here.