Think Smart, Work Smarter

This post is sponsored by smartwater. All opinions are my own.

Eat, sleep, work and blog. That’s what it seems like my life has been lately — add on the fact that my fiancé and I are gearing up for our wedding in less than two weeks and you can basically remove sleep from the equation.

Not that I’m complaining … this is, hands down, the most exciting year of my life and I plan on soaking up every second of it.  The only caveat: no one ever said it would be easy.  Whether you’re planning a wedding, running a blog, or just getting started, here are a few tips that I use to keep it all together:

1. Know your limits and keep yourself in check.  I’m a notorious procrastinator — just ask anyone who knows me. I’d like to think that I work better under pressure — the closer to a deadline I get, the more productive I become. But that doesn’t mean that I’m running around like my head cut off at the eleventh hour. I keep myself in check with a good old fashion to-do list. It gives me a clear snapshot of everything on my plate and helps me prioritize what I need to get done stat.  (Expert tip: the cuter the stationary, the better!)

2. Stay inspired by leading an inspiring life.  Scrolling through Pinterest or flipping through magazines is great for a quick fix, but I prefer something longer lasting. That’s why when I’m in a rut, I try something I’ve never done before. A new experience or a change of scenery is just what your mind needs to jumpstart itself. Most recently, I went to the Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden and felt inspired by all the gorgeous colors. Next up, I want to try cooking classes with my fiancé in Brooklyn and try my hand at new cuisines. New experiences equals new inspiration!

3. Be thoughtful and act with purpose. On any given day, I stay late at work, hit the gym, come home and cook dinner and then finally write my blog post for the next day. By the time I’m ready to pass out, I look back and wonder where the day went. It’s easy to forget your long-term goals when you’re busy enough with the daily grind. Believe me, there are days when writing blog posts feel like a chore and times when wedding planning makes eloping in Vegas seem like a good idea (just kidding, Mom!). But then I think about the big picture and remind myself of what I’m trying to accomplish.  The more you inject purpose into your day-to-day, the more fulfilling the small tasks feel.

I hope you found these thoughts helpful.  Lots of major moments and projects to come and I can’t wait to share them all with you!

This story is brought to you by smartwater, who believes in making progress every day little by little and sip by sip.