Five on Friday: Lazy Girl Life Hacks

I think any sense of motivation I had left when the summer did so I've been trying to hold on tightly to some little things that make me feel accomplished during the day. Check out my list below!

Stretching in the Shower

Starting your day off with a good stretch helps to clear your mind and get your prepared for the day. Stretching in the shower is a double whammy because the warm water and steam help to loosen up your muscles. 

Squat and Pee

Each time you go to the bathroom, do ten squats! You'll find yourself doing a ridiculous amount of them and will definitely be sore the next day. If you're feeling adventerous  try push ups too (against the wall of course).

Cleansing Water

Some night I have zero energy to remove my make up, wash my face, put on moisturizer, etc so I have found cleansing waters to be a really good and quick solution. Right now I use Bioderma, put some on a cotton pad and I am done!

Laundry Service

I might get some judgey eyes on this one but I am okay with that. There was a time earlier this year where Tim and I were without a washer and dryer and because of our work schedules we used the laundry service at our local laundromat. Honestly, I was okay never getting a washer and dryer back. It was quick, efficient, and affordable. Just make sure you tip, after all they are washing your underwear.

Prepared Food

The casino close to my house just opened up a prepared food store where you can buy pre-made meals that you just stick in the over. On the nights that I don't want to cook or put together anything elaborate, I just grab and go and it helps me avoid eating popcorn and hershey kisses for dinner.

Do you have any lazy girl hacks that make your life just a little easier?

Career: Should You Let Your Employer Know You're Looking?

I've only changed organizations once in my career so I am by no means an expert on this topic but I think it's an important question to ask yourself when you begin to explore other career opportunities. I've heard stories of an employee having their resume posted on Monster only to come to work the following day to be let go because they were "looking" elsewhere. This type of scenario begs the question of whether or not it's a good practice to let your employer know you may not be happy.

If you read my last post, you'll know that I resigned from my job and honestly, since I've done that, I think it's not a bad thing to let your Manager know you're not happy. Now it definitely depends on your position. Often to protect company information and property, you very well could be walked out so it's important to prepare for the worst case scenario. Most importantly is that you go about it in an incredibly professional way. Below are my tips to prepare yourself for that conversation.

1. Dissect your reasons for wanting to leave the company

They are going to ask you why so be prepared with your answer. Make sure you can communicate it clearly and confidently. Also be prepared to answer some follow up questions.

2. Be prepared for a counter offer

Some companies will counter offer if you put in your notice for another job, especially if they want to keep you. Handling a counter offer well will depend on how well you've thought about the reasons you want to leave. If it's strictly due to money, give the counter offer a solid thought.

3. Don't ever burn bridges

You always want to be able to use past employers as a reference so don't make any moves that would hurt a connection. This includes sharing some of the real reasons why you want to leave with your co-workers. Word travels fast in every organization and bad press could shorten your notice.

4. Be confident

Go into the conversation with the confidence that you are making the right decision. Wear a power suit that day, have a typed up resignation letter ready in the event they try to talk you out of it. Believe in yourself that you are making the right decision.

The D Word

All I wanted to do was buy a new iPhone. I had made up my mind and that's what I wanted to do in that moment. When I could not buy a new phone because of some "authorized user" nonsense, I could feel the shift in my body. My face got hot and my shoulders became tense.

I walked to my car, parked it a few spots away from any other cars and proceeded to have the most heart wrenching cry. I felt disconnected with myself. Out of control.

Later that night, I laid my head on Tim's chest and cried again. The second I realized what I was feeling, I couldn't keep myself from loosing it. Tim ran his big hand through my hair.

"I think I'm depressed and I'm scared" I told him.

I am no stranger to struggles with mental health and I always could tell when I needed to get back into therapy. The second I start to feel anxious (aside from the every day anxieties) or down, I would text my therapist and make an appointment. But for the first time in my life, I felt as though I couldn't see the forrest through the trees. I was in the high season at work which meant very little time and didn't feel the normal ease of snapping myself out of it. And that's what scared me.

I had forgotten all about the importance of self care and as a result, found myself in a really rough spot. The Monday following that experience, I committed myself to the steps I needed to take to get myself back on track. I decided that I needed to resign from my position at work. I made an appointment with my therapist. I am taking deeper breathes and slowing down the moments to get myself back to a better place where self care is a priority.

I am redefining my life, setting boundaries and as Jenny puts it "deciding what I want more of in my life."

I write about this topic because it's important for women to realize that they are not defined my their career and it is easy to lose yourself by focusing only on your paycheck or title. I encourage each of you to take a step back and evaluate where you are in this moment. Are you practicing self care and do you have enough of what you need in your life?

Five on Friday: Tips for Job Hunting

And we're back! I've been in a rough patch lately....lack of creativity, time, motivation, all those excuses ya know?

Here are my five tips when you're job hunting.

1. Don't give up!

It's so easy to get down on yourself when you don't hear back from that job that you really wanted. Or the one that you thought you were the perfect candidate for. What I've learned in life is that it always works out how it's supposed to and that job that passed on you, really wasn't the best fit anyways.

2. Be thorough

I'm not sure why but it seems as application processes for organizations are getting longer and longer! Although not ideal, spend the time on an application. This is your FIRST impression. Make it a good one. If the job ad looks for a cover letter, write up a cover letter. If it asks for references, send them. Don't pass up on a potential new career just because the application process is annoying.

3. Look for alternatives

When you can't find your perfect job, look for alternatives. Not all job titles do a good job reflecting the job itself. Dig a little deeper into the job description and discover if your skills would be transferable. Also look into alternative work set-ups. Telecommuting and home based jobs are out there and certain companies are known for offering those arrangements like Dell and ADP.

4. Create a new e-mail

I can't tell you the amount of times I have viewed resumes with e-mails like sexychick@hotmail.com or ilove420@yahoo.com. Make sure you are using a professional e-mail so that your experience stands out and not your immaturity.

5. Be patient

Sometimes candidates send a resume and then call two days later to follow up. Be patient with organizations. Allow them at least five business days to view your resume.

There is much, much more that goes into job hunting but I hope these tips help you on your way!

The New Adult

I've reached a really strange point in my life....the point where I feel like I am a true adult. When I say adult, I don't mean that I am 26 and in the sense of life that means your an adult. I mean that I am reaching a point where sometimes I feel more responsible than my parents. Or the point where I'm watching the performance of my 401K and getting excited by gains.

I think what brought this on is my dad is flying up from Florida this week and he's STAYING with Tim and I. My parents recently divorced and normally he would stay in the home I grew up in but they are in the process of selling it so it's literally EMPTY. So I offered our house and it's making me feel really strange.

For 26 years, I've relied on my parents. To always have a place for me to stay. To always be there if my bank account is at $3 and need money (at 26, this still happens sometimes). But now, my dad is relying on me for something.

Maybe this is the shift in life that happens with every adult where the people you once relied on, now rely on you more and more.

Circle of life I guess.

Weekend Bucket List: Coventry Farmer Market

Two days off felt like a full week of vacation and I wanted to make the most of it. I created a list of things that I wanted to do and it really helped me not fall into the excuse of staying in bed or throwing into the work I took home. Although it was a rainy weekend, it was a rather fabulous one as well.

Saturday morning I went to the gym and then volunteered at Friday's Rescue Foundation to get my puppy fix in. I found this rescue while I was on PetFinder and realized they are only about twenty minutes away. Being there fills my heart to the brim to not only know I am helping but to get to play with the dogs and the puppies.

Tim and I had some AH-MAZING BBQ for lunch then ran some errands at Home Depot. One item on my bucket list was to plant some herbs, so I bought some soil, gravel and plants to house my mint, parsley and chive seeds.

This morning we took a ride out to the Coventry Farmers Market. I've been wanting to go here for over a year since it's the largest farmers market in New England and it definitely lived up to that reputation regardless of the weather. We found some delicious pasta sauce, goat cheese, garlic scares and fresh bread. Of course we hit up the food truck (I think every single one) and enjoyed a taco, grilled cheese, poutine and cupcakes.

For some reason I've had an obsession with scones this week so I wanted to make some homemade. I used the garlic scapes and goat cheese and they didn't come out too shabby!

It was a wonderful weekend and a great way to head into a crazy work week!

I hope you all had a just as wonderful weekend!

The Jump

I think my favorite thing about blogging and attempting to inspire other women is finding stories that are worth sharing and connecting with those that live these stories. I love hearing how people came to land where they are, what motivates them, the risks they take and what their experiences were like along the way. These stories excite me and I have a really inspiring story for you all.

I received an e-mail from a dear friend who I hadn't spoken too in a little while because she was traveling the world and living and incredibly exciting life. In this e-mail she wrote:

I don't know if I mentioned this, but I'm engaged, sold my house in record speed, and moving back to Europe in a few months. 

I kind of had a "holy shit" reaction. Holy shit I want her life. Holy shit I want to move to Europe. Holy shit is the grass actually greener on the other side of the pond?

When I really thought her story through, I realized it should be holy shit, she's bold. She is bold enough to take what I call The Jump.

The Jump to follow your gut.

The Jump to follow your heart.

The Jump to follow what makes you happy.

As females, we all need to find that boldness. It's so easy to be apprehensive and filled with fear about our decisions. But when you jump is where I think you find your true happiness.

Be bold babes.....be bold. 

Five on Friday: Five Things I Can't Wait For This Weekend

I've got a jam packed weekend full of fun and I can't wait for 6pm on Friday. Here's what is rocking my world this weekend.

Graduation
I am graduating with my Masters on Saturday which is pretty special. I didn't walk for my undergraduate degree so this time I am participating is all the pomp and circumstance.

Food Truck Festival
Two words....food trucks. There is a local food truck festival with cupcakes and bbq. It's basically the on earth equivalent of heaven.

Girls
I am very lucky to have four incredibly close girlfriends and whenever we are all able to be in one place I often end up crying, professing my love to all of them. They are my soul sisters and I can't wait to see them.

Pre-Summer Weather
The shoulder seasons of summer are probably my favorite times of the year. I love the temperature beings in the 60s and 70s and the sun shining all day. I can't wait to be able to actually enjoy it!

Celebrations
I'm so excited to have all my favorite people together in one place to celebrate graduation. It doesn't happen often but there will be food and pictures and dancing and an open bar. BOOM.

Not Your Normal Friday

I was inspired to skip the usual Five on Friday to write about something that's been taking up a lot of time and space in my mind.

A few months ago I was fortunate to get a mini leadership training from JC Thompson at Aspire Marketing. JC taught me the concept of Self Limiting Beliefs and when people are in "panic mode" they transition to the following belief systems:

I must win
I must be right
I must be comfortable
Everyone must love me

I realized that my self limiting belief is that everyone must love me. I coincide this self limiting belief with my overall belief that I am not good enough. I am not smart enough. I don't work hard enough. I should and could do better.

I think that once I finish school, my next goal is to focus on accepting that I am enough. I'm not quite sure how to tackle this endeavor but I will get there. The next adventure will be myself.

Five on Friday: Financial Tips to Help You Save

I have always been horrible at saving my money. I hold the mindset that I can't take it with me so if I want something, I should get it. When I turned 26, with graduation and my student loan debt coming for me, I decided that I really needed to kick it into gear. Below are some tips that I've found useful in saving.

Have More than One Bank Account
I have a handful of different bank accounts that I use for different things. One I use for spending, another for paying bills and a third for saving. I try not to ever look at the one for saving in an effort to not spend it. Now obviously you don't want to have twelve different bank accounts because that will be a lot to take care of. I would say keep it to a minimum or two or three.

401K
I mentioned it before in another Five on Friday but for the love of your retirement, sign up for your 401K. You'd be surprised how quickly the money will add up and you'll thank your young self when you're pushing 65 and looking to become a snowbird.

Direct Deposit
If your company offers it, set yourself up with Direct Deposit. It makes things a lot easier if you don't have to go to the bank and be tempted to take out extra money.

Credit Cards Can be the Devil
Don't be tempted to open a credit card at each of your favorite stores. That's one trap that I fell into and now I am working to pay them all off. Let me tell you, it takes a LONG ASS time. Save yourself the trouble and avoid opening up any if you don't have to. If you do, find ones that have low limits.

Remove Automatic Credit Increases
If you are someone that has credit cards, call them and ask them to remove any automatic credit increases. This will keep you from building up a $5000 credit bill before you know it. It's all psychological. If you have a high credit limit, you'll be more tempted to use it.

Happy Friday all!

The Struggle Is Real Friends

5am workouts? Not this girl.....

I am struggling FO REALS to get my behind in gear when it comes to fitness and eating well. I was on the treadmill today for the first time in about two weeks and I was reminded how good a workout felt. To continue my fitness high I went to stop and shop and got some veggies, sweet potato and organic chicken.

And then I blew the high all away at the Easter buffet.

I know exactly what I should be doing. I read Shape. I follow a crazy amount of fitness gurus on instagram. But yet I can't seen to maintain any type of consistency.

Maybe it's a commitment that I'm not quite ready to be all in for. I want it. But maybe not enough in my life right now. Passing my Masters program is kinda on top of the list.

Any tips from other bosses on how you make it work?

Five on Friday: New York State of Mind

If you ever have the opportunity to go to NYC and you are traveling alone, there are a ton of amazing ways to experience the city. Don't be hesitant to go out and explore especially just because you may be alone. Go out there and tramp through the streets of the city like you're a local.

Eataly
200 Fifth Avenue

The most beautiful Italian market can be found at Eataly. This indoor market hosts authentic pasta, gelato, wine, sandwiches and my favorite, charcuterie. It's an amazing experience for the senses that you must check out when you're there. If you're feeling extremely boss like, sign up for one of the classes that they offer.

Public Transportation
The subway in NYC can be so scary. Admittedly, the first time I traveled to the city with Tim, I refused to take the subway because I was so afraid but quite honestly, it's something that every woman should be able to navigate. There are definitely some shady boots on that subway but it's an easy way to get around the city and you should definitely experience it.

Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is a beautiful way to see the city. It's about a mile walk and as you get closer to the center you start to see "love locks" which totally pulls at your heart strings. If you're not familiar with the Love Lock Bridge in Paris, France it appears that visitors to the bridge are trying to encourage the same type of symbolism.

INGLOT Store in Time Square
If you travel a lot, you NEED to go to the INGLOT store. I've never seen any close to where I live so when I saw it in Time Square, I knew I had to check it out. Their shadows and blushes are extremely pigmented but the best part is their Freedom line which allows you to complete customize a pallet of your choice. Everything is magnetic so they are easily interchangeable and great for travel. I made a blush pallet and a nice neutral pallet. It was fun to create what works for me!

Hole in the Wall Pizza Places
Get out there are try the variety of food that NY offers. Pizza places can almost be found on every corner. Try them all! It's definitely worth it.

A City for a Boss

I am in NYC this week attending the ATD (formally ASTD) Master Trainer program. I am so, so, so excited because it's just another thing to add to my resume.

Being a working sponsored trip means that I need to continue to do work-work while I am here. As I'm sitting here in my hotel room working on some prep material for the training, I started to feel like a real boss lady. I think it has something to do with the city of NY and but mostly to do with the fact that I am here, by myself.

There is something strangely empowering of being able to experience new things because of your job. I love the fact that I can travel and that I can do it alone if I want to. There is no one holding me back.

It's a very bad ass boss lady feeling....

Five on Friday: Travel Items That are Easy to Forget

Traveling in the near future? I'm heading to the big city this weekend and I'm including some things I always try to pack but are also easy to forget.

Q-Tips
Clear your ears, fix your make-up. Multipurpose beauty tool. Just pack them.

Band-aids
Blisters....nuff said.

Extra Hair Elastics
I always wear a hair elastic on my wrist to put my hair up whenever it's driving my nuts. The worst day of your life is when it snaps and you don't have a back up. I always try to pack one or two extra in with some bobby pins as a just in case.

Tweezers
That pesky eyebrow hair that stares you right in the eye every time you look in the mirror will drive you nuts during your vacation. Pack some tweezers so that you can pluck anything that decides to show itself.

Nail File
Hang nails, broken nails, whatever it may be that is bothering the shit out of you. File it down. I keep one of these handy in my purse so I'm pretty good at not being without.

Do you have any "must haves" when you're packing for a trip? Share below!

Humble Abode Series

Now that I am bordering on middle age, I've begun to feel like now is the time in my life to pursue homeownership. I thought it might be fun/interesting or potentially boring to chronicle the process for others that may be interested in finding out some information. Today starts the first post of the Humble Abode Series.

The first thing I did was ask around on what the first step would actually be because I wasn't quite sure where to start. Many suggested that I reach out to a mortgage broker to get an idea of what I would be pre-approved for meaning how much I would have to save and how much I could realistically shop for.

I found this gentlemen through someone I worked with and reached out via telephone. It was quick. He asked for my social, income and address. He took a couple of days and got back to me with a figure that I would be "prequalified" for with a FHA loan. He offered to provide me with a pre qualification letter which I guess would be important support when I go to actually look at houses.

To be honest, I was disappointed with the number he gave me. I asked him to explore some other loan options but I think it made me realize that I really need to get my debt under control and save, save, save.

I'm proud of myself taking this first step and getting an idea of what I can afford. I will keep you all posted on the next phase of the Humble Abode Series!

Five on Friday: Loving Lady Bloggers

An inspiration for starting the blog was all the blogs that I've come to love over the last few years and I thought it was important to share them with you! Each has their own special thing that I love!

Can You Stay for Dinner?
This was all over Pinterest a few years ago so you may have seen it already. Andie Mitchell lost over 100 pounds and wrote about her journey all while being a food blogger. Her site is beautiful and the images are delicious looking. She recently published her first book as well!

MamaLaughlin
I am sure you will get the sense that I love weight loss blogs and Mamalaughlin is another great one! She's got a great sense of humor and shares the struggles and triumphs in her life. Her newest adventure is the competition world and she looks AH-MAZ-ING.

Skinny Meg
I found Skinny Meg's blog through MamaLaughlin's blog since they are both from Texas. This mommy of two talks all about her parenting and weight loss fun and struggles. She posts a lot of videos and workouts on Instagram which is great inspiration.

Cupcakes and Cashmere
Home, life, love, baking, babies...Emily shares it all. She's had her blog for years so there's a lot of wonderful posts to read through.

Essie Button
Essie Button is basically my blog girl crush. She's a Canadian native who fell in love and moved to London with her boyfriend Aslan. They have a adorable greyhound Reggie and she blogs all about make-up and skincare. She's all over YouTube too so you can double Essie Button!

Do you have any bloggers that you love to follow? Let me know in the comments, I am always looking for a new read!

Training with Mickey Mouse

This past February, I was fortunate to attend the Disney Institute's Approach to Recruitment, Training and Engagement course in Orlando, Florida. It was an amazing four days of training where I was able to learn the Disney way of finding the best talent, training those new cast members and then keeping them through engagement. I've added a few fun photos from my trip!

The first night the whole group dined at Sanaa in the Animal Kingdom and it was so interesting. They served our table family style with traditional African food. It was all so delicious and a great networking opportunity for the group. The restaurant jets right up against the savannah in the Animal Kingdom which has a fire pit and night vision googles to find the animals at night!

The training was held at Coronado Spring Resorts so my hotel room was there as well. This place was HUGE and by HUGE I mean it was a half mile to walk from my hotel room to the gym.

We were so lucky to be able to enter the Magic Kingdom before it even opened! Main Street with no guests was amazing.

Disney's custodial staff do an amazing trick called Water Mickey. We met with a gentleman named Chris who showed us what it was all about. He was amazing!

Graduation day! It was an inspiring training and a lot of fun! I highly recommend investing in the opportunity.

Five on Friday: Employer Benefits You NEED

Working in Human Resources, I've come to realize that many employees know little if anything about the benefits their employers offer. It's so important for us to have a solid understanding of the options that we can elect. Below is a brief run down of five benefits you need!

401K
I've had more than one person tell me that one of their biggest regrets is not saving for their retirement. If you employers offers a 401K, ENROLL! Especially if they offer matching. You know what that means? Free money. You don't need to be a stock market genius in order to see your money grow. If you start early enough in your career, you will be able to save up plenty.

Life Insurance
Life insurance is generally pretty affordable and if you employers offers it with the option of having the costs taken out via payroll deduction, that's event better. We would all like to live forever but honestly, you never know. Make sure that you designate a beneficiary.

EAP
EAP stands for Employee Assistance Program and is probably one of the most under utilized benefit I've seen offered. EAPs are normally free for employees and can offer mental health and financial counseling, referrals for doctors, elder care assistance and even legal counseling at a discounted rate.

HSA
Health Savings Accounts allow pre-tax deductions to be distributed into an account to use for either qualified medical expenses or qualified health care expenses. It's a helpful way to prepare to expenses that you will have over the course of the year. You just need to be careful but they are often "use it or loose it" plans.

Wellness Plans
Look into your health insurance plan because you can often find hidden benefits in the form of gym discounts, gift cards for participating in wellness surveys and weight loss programs. Also, don't forget that as part of Obamacare, us ladies get our annual lady bit exams and physicals with NO copay.

SAD

Most days I love living in a place where we get to experience all four seasons. We get the long warm (sometimes too hot) days of summer and then the crisp air with the first snow of the winter. Especially living near the water, the seasons tend to be more vibrant than in other places.

Although I enjoy seeing all four of the seasons, the winter can feel particularly long and dark. I definitely get a little bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder in the winter when the days are short and it feels like the snow just won't back off. I get fatigued and lethargic and can sense my motivation lacking more than other times of the year.

I am sure there are other women who experience some of the symptoms of SAD. Luckily, I have found a few tips that make it a little easier for me to make it through the long winter.

• It can be tough to motivate myself during the winter to exercise but it always feels better after.   Getting in a  good daily sweat not only makes me feel better physically but it helps mentally as well.
• I always up my supplements in the winter knowing that the shorter days are coming. B12 and Vitamin C & D are my three must have in my vitamin regiment for the summer.
• Light therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for SAD. I like to call them happy lights and they really can work! You can get ones for your desk or even an at home alarm clock. (I've used this the Philips Hf3470 Wake-up Light, White)

Do you have any tips to make it through the short days of the winter?

**I am not a doctor. You should consult your doctor if you feel as though you suffer from SAD.

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Five on Friday: Beauty Things I'm All About

Benefit Cosmetics "Puff Off!"

This is one of those products that you think could be a gimmick but it's definitely not. It's almost like a concealer mixed with a tingly eye cream and it works wonders for mild under eye circles. Plus the packaging is wicked cute.

First Aid Beauty "Ulta Repair Hydra-Firm Sleeping Cream"

My skin gets super dry in the winter and this night cream is great. It's thick but doesn't feel heavy when you put it on. It's also essentially scent free which for a night cream is a must have.

Cuticle Trimmer

I often don't have time to make it for a manicure after work and this helps my nails to feel trimmed and fresh and makes for an easy manicure at home. It seems like some type of waterboarding tactics but I promise it's painless. You simply run the trimmer along your cuticle and it takes care of any excess.

Eye cream

I have an intense fear of aging and when I turned twenty five I decided that I an eye cream was a necessity to add to my skin care routine. I'm not quite sure what it's doing other than giving me peace of mind that I am halting the aging process. Right now my go to is Philosophy "Hope in a Tube"

Urban Decay De Slick

I have been cursed with oily skin and any trick that will help my make-up stay on and keep the oil in check is my new friend. A girlfriend got me hooked on Urban Decays "De-Slick Make-Up Setting Spray." It this magic juice that you spray on your face to set your make-up. Not only is it refreshing but it doesn't a nice job keeping the make-up in place.

All Mighty Dollah

"I love tax season!" Said no one ever...

Just kidding, I happen to enjoy tax season. Not only because I used to work in a tax office but because I love getting a big fat refund. 

I read somewhere that if you do it right, you really shouldn't be getting a tax refund at all. This means that your weekly tax deductions match up with you tax liability when you file your taxes. Quite honestly, I'm not about that shit. Taxes are like a savings plan that you don't even have to think about.

My lovely tax accountant called me today to let me know what my refund amounts would be. I feel like when you get that call, it's like an STD test results call.

Positive: You Owe

Negative: Refund city

Lucky for me, I tested negative. 

Then I was tasked with the biggest decision of my week, what the hell am I going to do with all this extra (not really) money. I decided that I am going to spend a little, save a little and pay down a lot! My man turns 30 this year so some of it will be used to help celebrate, save a little for my future and then use the rest to pay down some of my credit cards/student loans/other life shit.

It had me wondering what the trend is amongst ladies and their tax refunds. What do you gals do with that pretty penny? Do you treat yourself to something special, save it for a rainy day or deal with real life and pay down some debt?

Disconnecting

I have always had an unhealthy relationship with my career. E-mail on my phone, long hours and late nights and taking things to personally have always been part of my work life but at the same time I think they have also led to my great success.

I think there's a part of me that believes that in order to be successful, I need to devote so much of myself to my work which is why I've allowed the lines to blur significantly.

This weekend though, I took the first step towards establishing the boundaries between work and personal life.

I removed work e-mail from my phone.

Now this is a BIG, BIG deal. I always like to be accessible and in the "know" with what was going on at work. But this weekend, I realized the impact it was having on my peace of mind.

I was sitting in the parking lot of Whole Foods with my boyfriend and literally had to ask him "for a minute" because an e-mail I had just received had be fired up. I put my fingers to the bridge of my nose, hung my head and had to take a couple deep, deep breathes.

Nothing was on fire, nothing was time sensitive, but I allowed that e-mail to control that moment for me. And in that moment, my chest was tight and I was anxious and annoyed. I decided I needed a boundary.

I still have my work e-mail on my iPad and can connect remotely via my computer but it requires the conscious choice to look at it. It's no longer connected to my cell phone that I carry with me everywhere. And I can tell you that it feels REALLY, REALLY good.

Do you allow yourself to disconnect or do you find yourself being devoted to your work e-mail?

Five on Friday: Five Things You Should Keep Up to Date

Happy Friday! I don't think there is any better feeling knowing it's 5 o'clock on a Friday and you have the whole weekend ahead of you.

Each Friday, I will be posting five tips to keep you relevant in the business world and to maintain a kick ass career, boss style.

To start off, there are a few things you will always want to keep current no matter where you are in your career.

Resume
Your resume is your story to future employers and you always want to keep it fresh and current with what you're doing. Make sure that you remove things are outdated. You're employer doesn't need to know that you were a Scout Master in the Girl Scouts back in 1988.

"Me" File
That Employee of the Month Certificate or that kick ass review you earned five years ago, you should definitely keep those things. I call it a "Me" file. All those things that make up the high points are important to keep for those moments where you may be feeling low.

Business Cards
No matter where you go, you should always be able to market yourself as a viable business person. Whether they are company issued business cards or personal ones made on Vista Print, keep them in your purse at all times! You never know when a connection you make could turn into a serious career opportunity.

Linkedin
Ah, the Facebook of the working world. Keep your profile up to date with a current picture. Don't just create a profile and never look at it again either. There are great networking opportunities and articles that are out there via Linkedin .

Interview Outfit
You want to feel your best in an interview and the worst thing is pulling a suit out of the back of your closet to find it doesn't fit. Panic. Keep your wardrobe current and always keep an interview outfit readily available. Pick something that makes you feel like the strong and powerful woman you are!

I hope you all have a fabulous and relaxing weekend!