five simple productivity tips

16 August 2013

I found this article during the week and thought I’d share it with you guys!

While I don’t own a home business now, I found these tips from Modern Mint Designs hugely helpful for someone like me who spends a lot of time working on my own. And really, I think these tips work for anyone who has a flexible schedule that needs to be planned out each day.

I can’t wait to implement these tips into my daily routine and watch my productivity skyrocket! I’m especially going to have to work on the one about waking up early (; I love the idea of having extra hours to get work done, so I can spend my evenings relaxing and hanging out, because who doesn’t like having more time to have fun, right? (:

Which tip are you planning to try out?

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Life is often full and busy. But I like to take time to enjoy some of my favorite things. So Friday Favorite is a weekly series where I share my favorite(s) for the week. Check out my other Friday Favorites here.

Of home + nationhood

9 August 2013

Taking a break from Friday Favorites today because we’re celebrating 48 years of nationhood!

National Day Parade, circa 2009

This National Day, I’m putting the criticism + imperfections aside, and pausing and reminding myself of how blessed I am to have a place to call home, a place with the people I love, doing the things I love, And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happy National Day!

I hope you have a good one, remembering freedom + security + the things that matter most.

Hello, August

1 August 2013

image source via At Home in Love

Where did time go?

I thought it was just not too long ago that I wrote a Hello, July post. And now, we’re already into August. Which is pretty crazy when you think about it. But I suppose, time flies when you’re having fun (;

But it’s August, and I’m unabashedly happy to say goodbye to statistics and probability and welcome a new semester instead.

So hello, one more month of twenty-one. Hello, to more DIY projects and doing whatever I can of the 21 list. Hello, running motivation and getting fit + healthy. Hello, fall + school. Hello, to laughing + friends, and celebrating Singapore + freedom. Hello, to new friends, and ‘see you later’ to old ones.

Hello, August. Let’s make you incredible.

Right now // Thursday

25 July 2013

image source

Remembering to just breathe and not let my to-do list get the better of me.

Trying not to stress out.

Feeling like there’s always so much to do, but so little time.

Working on having a better routine so I can accomplish more.

Pressing on because I’m halfway through summer school!

But itching to travel the world (or just anywhere, really) and see new sights.

And needing a little vacation, maybe.

Having tons of ideas and attempting to make them happen despite being busy.

Learning to embrace each day + week because it feels like time is flying by.

Panicking a little after the realization that I barely have a month to train for my next run.

Dreaming of big plans + endeavors.

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Enjoy Thursday, you guys!
Go out and make BIG things happen.

xx.

Wednesday Words // no . 010

24 July 2013

{Words to live by}

image source

This week, I saw beauty through an act of kindness shown to me.

On Monday, I was privileged to receive a short + sweet note attached to a yummy slice of lemon meringue pie. It wasn’t anything earth-shattering or life-changing. In fact, the giver probably didn’t even think much of it or that it was even a big deal at all.

But it was the thought behind it that really touched me – the unexpected love and encouragement at the end of a long day; it certainly made my day and week.

And it made me realize how it is the little moments in life that add up to the big ones. It is the small acts that make a difference. It reminded me of how blessed I am, how grateful I can be for the people who choose to make a difference to my life with small acts of kindness.

There is so much beauty to behold in this life, if only we would open our eyes to see it.
Happy Wednesday!

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Every Wednesday, I share a quote + some thoughts that have been especially relevant in my life during the week. Read more Wednesday Words here.

Friday Favorite no. 009 // rules of a creator’s life

19 July 2013

Today’s edition of Friday Favorites is short and sweet – The Rules of a Creator’s Life + The NEW Rules of a Creator’s Life.

Creating is one of my favorite things. And these rules are a good reminder to keep creating.
And maybe this time, these rules aren’t meant to be broken (;

Happy Friday – time to put these rules to the test!

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Life is often full and busy. But I like to take time to enjoy some of my favorite things. So Friday Favorite is a weekly series where I share my favorite(s) for the week. Check out my other Friday Favorites here.

Friday favorite no. 007 // phone wallpapers

5 July 2013

I know I shared some desktop wallpapers for June for Friday Favorites only just a couple of weeks ago. But I stumbled upon these free graphic phone wallpapers on Pinterest during the week and they were too awesome not to share!

Click on the image or go here for the link to download these.

All of these are so lovely and well-designed that I’m pretty much spoiled for choice as to which one I should have on my phone. Right now, I have the sunshine-y yellow lemons of no. 16 as my wallpaper – bright, happy and cheery, just perfect for summer. But I think I might just change it up every couple of days so I get to enjoy all my favorites (:

Free AND pretty phone wallpapers – what’s not to love?

Happy Friday! And happy belated Fourth of July to my American readers! (:

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Hello, July

1 July 2013

image source

Every month, I marvel at how quickly time flies by. But I love anticipating whatever is ahead in the coming month.

So hello, July.

Hello to the second half of twenty thirteen. Hello, two months left of twenty-one. Hello, summer school + hard work. Hello, reinventing routine + going running. Hello, busyness and choosing right priorities. Hello, sunshine + rain (but please, no more haze).

Pretty unbelievable that it’s actually July.
But let’s do this anyway.

Right now // Thursday

27 June 2013

image source

Plodding along with my first week of summer school.

Persevering and pressing on with the assignments that stump me.

Keeping my head up despite everything that may get me down.

Trying to focus, get motivated and back into the routine for school.

Hoping that all the planning from the past week pays off.

Choosing to just breathe, and not stress out.

Needing to sort and print photos.

Making more to-do lists.

Thinking about how quickly the week is flying by.

Attempting to be productive and making the most of each day.

Working hard.

Avoiding procrastination.

Planning to go back to running soon.

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“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.” – John Burroughs

Here’s to Thursday and almost being the weekend! xx.

Friday favorite no. 005 // super fast class – handwriting

21 June 2013

While scrolling through my twitter feed last week, I came across a link to this video by Kristina Werner, which left me pretty inspired.

Growing up, I didn’t always have the nicest handwriting and I was constantly in envy of the girls in class whose cute handwriting made me wish I wrote better. As I got older, my handwriting became a little bit better and I started actually liking my writing. But somewhere, somehow, this writing of mine started getting all scribbly and messy again and now I don’t like it so much anymore.

I must say, with all the influx of technology nowadays, maybe all the time I spend typing on my computer and scrolling through my smartphone doesn’t give me much opportunity to practice writing with a pen (or pencil) anymore. So hmm, maybe technology is all to blame.

Still, I really hope that I get back to the phase of having better writing and liking my handwriting again.

But until then, I’ll just have to keep practicing, take every opportunity I have to use a pen to practice and try to make this handwriting as good I can get it.

I think I might just be busy practicing this weekend. Happy Friday!

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