Don’t you wish you had a personal assistant just like your favorite celebrity?
5-7 mins
Honestly, I feel that I’m writing this post for me. Right now, I’m juggling between studying for an exam that’s in two weeks, working on my YouTube channel and blog (you’re reading it!), dealing with an annoying ear infection (went to the doc the other day), trying to avoid eating #allthesnacks in my house, making sure I moisturize my face after I shower, and working a full-time job. The list goes on!
Some days, I wish I have an intern or a personal assistant to sort out all the things I need to do. Perhaps a personal chef wouldn’t be too bad too. Plus, a personal fitness trainer. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Maybe one day. But for now, let’s focus on the things that we need to get done. Since we’re dealing with more things than ever before, now that the lines between work and our personal lives are blurred together, it’s so easy to be overwhelmed.
Take a deep breath, hold it in for four seconds, and exhale it out. I’ve recently learned about “box breathing,” which is used to reduce stress. Here is a link for more information on techniques and benefits.
Here are 5 Practical Tips to Help Manage Your Life and #GetItDone:
Shoutout to @vnstphnie for suggesting this topic! For future topic requests, DM me via my Instagram @tiffihearts.
I’m a skincare junkie, no question about it. While my skincare collection hasn’t reached levels to that of people featured on Hoarders, I do have a lot of skincare products. I enjoy testing out different formulas and I try my best to be diligent about my skincare routine.
Not only does it feel good when I’m slathering on some yummy-smelling moisturizer (#amirite), but I find it important to be investing in your skin’s future. Take care of your skin now to prevent problems later. You don’t want to look back and wished you should’ve taken better care of your skin five years ago.
In my recent blog post, I showed an unexpectedly useful item I use – my jade roller. I really like the jade roller since it helps to de-puff my face, increase circulation, and develop glowy skin. I’m not an skincare expert, but these were the things I’ve seen when I use the jade roller frequently.
How to Prep Your Jade Roller for Use:
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Time to burn off the bag of chips you ate the entire day!
5-7 min read
Did I really just eat that entire bag of chips? Quarantine life might’ve got you feeling some type of way, especially if the only workouts you’ve been doing are from your fridge and to the couch. If you’re like me, I like to munch on things when I’m bored and being at home makes it so much easier to eat everything within my reach. Chocolate chip cookies, aka my weakness, are only 20 steps away. Yikes!
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It takes a lot of effort to be mindful of what you’re eating and make sure that you stay on your diet and fitness track. If you’re trying to avoid getting the “pooch” around your stomach area, you’ve come to the right place. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve tested out at-home workouts that don’t need a lot of space or equipment.
I live in a high-rise building in the heart of San Francisco and having space is a luxury. My husband and I try our best to limit the things we buy (except for necessary and useful items, of course) to avoid cluttering our space. I personally have found that over time, we tend to accumulate so many things – clothes, shoes, decor, and random gadgets. When I was moving to and from apartments, I really had to de-clutter and let go of many items since there was too. much. stuff!
What helps to keep me motivated is that my friends and I like to work out together via a Zoom call. It’s a lot more fun when you have friends that keep you accountable in working out. We work out together once a week and try out different exercise routines. When you do your next workout, why not bring your friends along for the ride?
Below are my top picks that are becoming my go-to workout routines. I also add in some Vinyasa yoga every once in a while.
Making your life better, one useful thing at a time
3-5 min read
I’ve collected quite a few things that I think you’ll find useful. Honestly, I purchased some of these items on a whim and was pleasantly surprised at how much I like them. What other unexpectedly useful things do you have?
1. Jade Roller
Trust me, I was initially skeptical of the jade roller. I thought it was a gimmick, since it seemed like it was a rolling pin for your face. But after I’ve used it for a couple of months, the jade roller has been a consistent part of my skincare routine.
I like to pop it in the fridge overnight and use it first thing in the morning. Or, I use it as an afternoon pick-me-up. It definitely helps to de-puff my face! I’ll make another blog post to show you how I use it, so stay tuned. To stay in the loop, you can enter your email address on the bottom right-hand side, if you’re on mobile (after you click Close and Accept), or on the top right-hand side (desktop).
2. Wick Trimmer
I love lighting a candle a couple times a week. Not only do I like the fragrance, but I also appreciate that it zaps up any lingering smells after a major cooking sesh. I love my Volupsa candles, but I have been lighting these candles (in the photo above) that my husband and I made together at a candle-making workshop. It was a fun date activity, where we customized the scents!
I noticed that when I light a candle, the wick can get really wild. It looks like that it can cause a potential fire hazard if anything gets accidentally caught in the flame. I used to cut my wicks with scissors, but it would nick the candle and leave dents. Over time, it was not a pretty sight. By using the wick trimmer, those nicks are minimized. You also don’t have to touch the wick that you just cut, since the wick trimmer catches them (how convenient). If you’re a regular candle user, I really recommend getting it!
3. Easy Grip Jar Opener
I’ve had so many jars that I’ve struggled to open (pasta sauce jars, canned jars, and jars that I closed while hot and won’t open when cold). When I lived by myself, I had a jar of peanut butter that I left in the fridge for 3 months since I couldn’t open it! Recently, I’ve discovered that I can make my life so much easier by getting an easy grip jar opener.
I purchased the easy grip jar opener (shown in the picture above) and my parents have this one. My jar opener can fit different sizes since it’s more of a grip cloth. My parents’ jar opener is sturdier, and fits most, but not all, sizes. It is so much easier to open jars now. I wished I had this years ago!
4. Cable and Cord Case Organizer
I have way too many cords, cables, memory cards, and USBs. Previously, I had it all organized in a drawer, but I quickly realized that it was still difficult to find certain cables. In the process of trying to find one cable, other cables would get tangled together in the process.
I bought this cord case organizer from Amazon and it was such a great purchase! It helps save me time and effort to find the cables that I need, when I need it. Every cable and cord has its own spot and there are no more tangled cords. Hooray, no more headaches!
5. Lodge Cast Iron Scraper
I love my cast iron skillet, but cleaning it can be quite challenging. I like using the cast-iron skillet to cook meats and I use it at least once a week, so having the right tools to clean the skillet is a must. I have been using these, where I purchased them at my local Target. I was surprised at how well they work to scrape off all the gunk out. And for $3, they’re a steal.
Hope you enjoy these useful things, you smarty femme! Let me know which of these things you’d like to try.
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Because ain’t nothing like a dance party, amiright?
~5-8 mins read
THE WEEKEND. IS. FINALLY. HERE! Way to go #smartyfemme, you survived another week of work / housework / chores and now you get to enjoy the weekend!
You’re probably thinking about the adventures you’ll have this weekend, aka traveling from your bed to your couch to your kitchen and back to your bed. I’m thinking of channeling my inner chef this weekend to see what I can cook up for Easter lunch. Chef Tiffanié, in the house!
Below are the songs on my playlist designated to fit whatever M O O D you’re in. Enjoy!
HEAVEN by EMILEE
Mood: Good morning, sleepyhead. You’re casually journaling in your pjs, overlooking a window. Likely to be daydreaming your thoughts, hopes, dreams, plans, goals, etc.
BURNING BRIDGES by ELLA VOS
Mood: I’m ready to start being productive! I’m such in a good mood! I’m going to make pancakes for breakfast! No one can stop me! I’m reading The Smarty Femme now!!
Mood: Let’s make a TikTok so you can show your dance skills to the world!
2 hours later…
Wow, this is harder than it looks.
I LOVE MY FRIENDS by STEVE AOKI
Mood: Checking your phone 836492457 times to see if your friends have responded from the texts you sent this morning. Finally, someone replied back. I LOVE MY FRIENDS.
WORTH SAVING by JESSIE REYEZ
Mood: In the shower, door closed. Steam everywhere. Time to pour your heart out by singing this ballad, complete with coordinating hand and body motions. This is your moment to shine, you smarty femme.
JUICE by LIZZO
Mood: In a Zoom call virtual happy hour, where your friends challenge each other to a dance-off. Werk it!
RELACIÓN by SECH
Mood: Post dinner, SUPER full. You don’t really understand what this song is saying but this is probably what my dog thinks of me when you’re trying to talk to him. Whatever, you still like it!
FLAMING HOT CHEETOS by CLAIRO
Mood: How did it get to 1 AM already? Wiping the tears off your face because somehow you have all these feels. Some of the hot Cheetos crumbs you were eating accidentally rubbed off on your face. Okay, it’s time to call it a night.
Have a terrific weekend!
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Blooming in uncertainty is difficult, but not impossible
~ 2-4 mins read
I’ve been working from home the past couple of weeks and it’s definitely been different. It feels different. The shelter-in-place order feels like I’m living in a dream and I can’t get out. Inception, anyone?
I didn’t think that we’d be living part of 2020 staying inside, 100% of the time. At the start of every new year, you hope that the year will bring you great things. Maybe you thought that 2020 was going to be the year where you traveled the world, discovered new heights, and pursued your passions. Once the order came around, it seemed that all was lost and our future was grim.
But, does it have to be that way?
While it took some time for me to accept the new normal, I discovered some tips to help ease the transition:
Think positive. You can’t change your situation, but you can change your mindset, attitude, and actions. Think about it.
Know that other people are struggling too. You are not the only one that feel the way that you do. Call up your friend and say “hi.” Maybe they need it more than you think they do.
Pray and have hope. We don’t know when things will get better, but it will. How do I know? I don’t, but I have hope.
Hope this helps, and that you’re staying safe!
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The Smarty Femme 