7.12.17 30

5 Things That Help Me Work Smarter

Working with a baby is hard. I’ve talked about it here how I get work done with a new baby. But there are things that help me work smarter, which means I get more done and feel a LOT less stressed!

5 Things That Help Me Work Smarter

Apps: Using apps for my blog that REALLY help me work smarter are Tailwind, Boardbooster, Buffer, and Planoly. These are great to schedule and plan social media content and can be done in batch work. I try to spend one day a week scheduling pins, tweets, and Facebook posts.

Editorial Calendar: I have spoken at great lengths about my love of editorial calendars and why they are necessary. I work smarter with them because I see exactly what needs to be done when. I can plan out content months and months ahead of time and know what needs to get done, when and how. This is also helpful with sponsored content. If you do not currently use an editorial calendar you should change that.

Batch Work: Like I mentioned above, I schedule social media in batches. I also take photos for Instagram and my blog this way. I tend to take about a months worth of photos over the span of a weekend. This way they are done, edited, and on my computer so when I am writing I can easily grab them.  Doing batch work can really streamline you blog.

Smart Snacking: When I am doing batch work I tend to focus for 5-6 hours straight. This can mean I forget to eat sometimes. Hey it happens. Especially if I am gulping down coffee. I have been addicted to Pistachios lately. They are a smart, healthy snack and I love them. Thankfully I have Wonderful Pistachios on hand to fill that love. These are perfect to keep in my work bag. If I am working from home I have them handy and they are very easy to take with me to coffee shops, or anywhere I am getting work done outside the house. This helps me work smarter because I am snacking smart, eating something healthy, and I am able to easily stay focused. These would be a great snack to take and keep in an office or at your house to grab when you need something to munch on. I also love that Wonderful Pistachios have a No-Shells variety in Roasted & Salted and Lightly Salted flavors. Perfect for when your hands are full with a baby and you need a snack or to put on yogurt or in a salad! As I have talked about I am working really hard to lose the baby weight so this is great for me because I can satisfy cravings for something savory and crunchy without compromising my healthy eating goals.

Have you heard of The Pistachio Principle? The Pistachio Principle is a simple mindful eating concept that may help you fool yourself full without feelings of deprivation. Because pistachios are in-shell, they may help to slow down consumption time. The empty shells may serve as a visual cue reminding snackers to eat mindfully. They are also one of the highest protein and fiber snack nuts that are part of a heart-healthy lifestyle and one of the lowest calorie and lowest fat snack nuts. Wonderful Pistachios are the perfect snack to stock your work snack drawer with!

Routine: I stick to a pretty solid routine. The days I have help I make the most of the hours and work as much as I can. On weekends I get other things done that I need Andrew’s help with, like blog photos. This routine works great for us. Having Liam on a good routine means the rest of us are on a good routine.

What do you do to help you work smarter? 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wonderful Pistachios. The opinions and text are all mine.

Leave a Comment

30 Comments

  1. I’ve heard of the Pistachio Principle, but never knew it had a name. I get the whole concept though, and it’s something I try to adopt into my daily snacking routine because I always overeat during my afternoon breaks. What can I say – it really helps!

    And actual pistachios are tasty as heck!

    Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
    http://charmainenyw.com

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  2. robin rue wrote:

    An editorial calendar really helps me stay on track. Especially as all those new emails come in – it makes it easy to see what I have going on.

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  3. Christine wrote:

    Man, I love pistachios and had not heard of that principle before. It makes sense though and it’s a great way to stay mindful when I otherwise mindlessly snack. I’ll also be checking out your editorial calendar post… intriguing and something I need to use!

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  4. Rachel wrote:

    I’m working on making better use of my time and time blocking/working in batches has come up quite a few times. It’s definitely something I’ll test out.

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  5. Lindsay wrote:

    These are fantastic tips Neely:) O definitely do think that apps make it so much easier for us bloggers when it comes to being productive! O loved your idea of batch working – never thought of that before? I think I’ll try it soon?

    Lindsay | http://www.faithfullyme.co.uk

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  6. maria Long wrote:

    I adore pistachios. These are really great tips as well. I am awful about taking photos.

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  7. Ivanna wrote:

    Great ideas for working smarter. I love these pistachios I have them at my desk and I snack on them as well. I find they keep me filled up until lunch so I’m not distracted by hunger.

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  8. Those are my sisters favorite snack! Every time I visit her at college I always bring her some!

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  9. Felicia wrote:

    Using an editorial calendar and batching tasks are literally the best!

    xx
    The Felicia Renee | a minimalist lifestyle & beauty blog

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  10. Ngumabi wrote:

    A calendar and a routine work for me
    But I sometimes get bored with routines so I don’t plan too far ahead

    N’Graffi Blog

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  11. jamie wrote:

    All about streamlining the workflow, without sacrificing quality! <3

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  12. I LOVE those pistachios – they’re my favorite! I’m lowkey addicted actually…LOVE a good healthy snack!

    Coming Up Roses

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  13. Mercy wrote:

    I like the idea of batch work and it’s something I am working on. I just came up with a blogpost calendar for a year. It has really organized my schedule. Great tips!

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  14. Nellwyn wrote:

    Batch work and editorial calendars really help me as well. I also make a list on Sunday nights of everything I need to accomplish by the end of the week so I can visualize my workload and spread it out over the five work days.

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  15. Divya wrote:

    I always buy bags of those and stuff them everywhere. In my car, in my desk drawers, in my purse. They’re such a healthy snack to have on hand!

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  16. Natalie wrote:

    I really need to start using an editorial calendar more consistently! This list is great!

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  17. I usually snacks on dried fruits or mixed nuts but pistachio is yummy. It’s much expensive than regular nuts but I don’t mind if it’s really good. Great post!

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  18. I absolutely cannot focus when I am hungry because my blood sugar drops. I am all about healthy snacking to work smarter!

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  19. Kori wrote:

    Thank you so much for this post!!! I read this at just the right time!!!

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  20. I’ve definitely got to smart snacking! Great idea!

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  21. Krysta wrote:

    I hear so many good things about batch working but I just can’t seem to do it! I know I will eventually when I quit being lazy lol. One thing I do to try and work smarter is put my phone on do not disturb. I’m the type of person that will check every single notification right away and that can be really distracting and not be good for my work day at all.

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  22. Jenny wrote:

    Batching really helps me. I enjoy being able to have content written out weeks in advance.

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  23. Mistle wrote:

    All great tips Neely!! Using apps are a major time saver! Also, having an editorial is so helpful. I typically batch work when it comes to taking all my photos.

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  24. Liz Mays wrote:

    Your batch work system sounds like it would be really helpful. I definitely think that pistachios are good snacks for when you’re working!

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  25. Jenn wrote:

    I need to create an Editorial Calendar. Those pistachios looks amazing I love to eas them while working.

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  26. Rachel wrote:

    I love pistachios! And I really need to work on my batching – I think it’d help a lot with time!

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  27. Love this post, Neely. The creativity of this sponsored post rocks! I love pistachios, and so does my husband! I try to batch for photos, but I’m so freaking picky it only works for about a week’s worth of photos haha

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  28. I have an editorial calendar plugin on my blog that I love. I can just drag things where they want, it’s very helpful.

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  29. kallie wrote:

    omg but seriously, I love pistachios. I like them pretty much anyway you wanna serve them!

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  30. Babita wrote:

    Pistachios are one of the snacks we love to have around the house. My girls love to crack them open and once they are done, they place with the shells.

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