productivity must-haves…
because you are either wishing for the future or working towards the future
Because a goal without a plan behind it is really just a wish. *mic drop*
Okay, so here’s the scoop—I am a working nurse, I am actively getting my doctorate full-time, and I am running a blog. Whew. The days are full, but I genuinely do not feel busy. I bring this up because so often people ask me HOW I am working and studying and running a side hustle, and I just want to be clear—it is because I PLAN for it. I am crystal clear on what needs to get accomplished—and stick to it. But I need some help in keeping me accountable and the tools below are absolutely irreplaceable in helping me get bleep done. :)
office + productivity must-haves
The Daily Page planner: The only planner I’ve ever seen that combines wellness and productivity. It has juuuuust enough structure to keep you accountable, while having enough blank space and freedom to customize to your life. From tracking your water intake allllll the way to schedules and “top 3” tasks of the day, this simple design sets the framework for every day—both for health and productivity. I reached out to ask for a coupon code from the maker (it is a small, lady-owned business, woot woot!) and she was nice enough to give you 10% off a purchase with the code KATE10. I am a paper and pencil gal, but there are electronic versions, printable versions, notepad versions… find one that works for you!
anyone else weird about their laptop camera being watched by the FBI or something? kidding. but serious. i bought this little laptop camera sliding cover and i LOVE it.
The timer cube: Okay, sooooo simple but so impact. Simply flip the cube to whichever time increment you want (5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes) and it’ll automatically start! Whenever I have a task at hand that I need to accomplish, I’ll flip my cube and get working. As someone who can get distracted, this little cube keeps me on track—and most importantly EFFICIENT. Because howwwww many times do we drag out a task that should take 15 minutes, but we let it take an hour? Never underestimate the power of a few minutes of pure focus. It’s only $18 and it is amazing. I LOVE this thing.
FAVORITE pen: am i the only one that has a ride-or-die brand of pen???? this ink is SO smooth. no smudgies. perfect feel in the hand. only thing i use.
if you work at a desk…: this little neck massage tool is GAME. CHANGING. for long days spent hunched over the laptop. i have gotten so many of my friends hooked on this weird thing-a-ma-jig. only $12 bucks on amazon :)
the 2 money apps i am obsessed with
…because future you is gonna be reeeeally happy that current you committed to saving money
Here’s the thing. I am not a millionaire. By many standards, I’m just your average girl, financially. I grew up in a middle-income family. Both of my parents worked. I completely paid my own way through college. I worked minimum wage jobs in high school. (Note: I realize that saying this is “average” or “normal” comes from a place of privilege in its own right—I started out with sooooo much more than many people do.) But my point here is that I was raised to be financially independent and support myself. I don’t have a big fancy inheritance or anything of the sort. I’m just a girl with a normal job, who seems to have figured out a few financial things in her mid-twenties. My husband and I have tens of thousands of dollars in savings, we bought a house at ages 23 and 25, we contribute a large percentage of our incomes to retirement, we travel often…and still have some money left over. And I can honestly say the above two apps were MAJOR in making this happen. Without further delay, here are the only 3 financial apps I use! SO. GOOD.
Qapital: I found this savings app over 3 years ago and it was GAME CHANGING for my finances—let’s just say we used it to save all the money for our wedding, our down payment, my grad school, our travels...yup. Everything. Qapital is an app that allows you to set personalized, specific money goals and the app automatically starts saving your money for you. SAY WHAAA? Chances are you’ve heard me ramble about this app before but it’s just that good. I went from having quite literally $0 in savings to thousands in just a few months…without even really thinking about it. The best part? If you set up your account now with this link you get anywhere from $5 to $20 fo’ free in your Qapital account. (They change the bonus sign-on gift alllll the time but you’ll AT least get $5 if you use my “refer a friend” link!)
Acorns: We all know the saying slow and steady wins the race, correct? Welp. That applies to investing. If you’re like me, investing used to intimidate the crap out of me. But then I just took the first step. Before I did allllll the “fancy” things like setting up my rothIRA and other investments, I dowloaded the app Acorns. This is just one facet of my investment portfolio, but it is soooooooo simple and impactful that I couldn’t not talk about this. If investing scares you—get this app. You’ll see how easy + effortless it can be! (You could use this if you are in high school, college, a young professional, a working mom—whoever!) BONUS: use this link to get $5 in your account for free!
Personal Capital: Okay, one of the trickiest parts about money is managing allllllllll of the various accounts & knowing how much money you *actually* have. Personal Capital allows you to link up and see a comprehensive overview of all your accounts— in. one. place. PRAAAAAISE. This has saved me so much time of having to log in & reset passwords & find specific URLs & blah blah blah. Simply put, it used to take me A LOT of time to check in on all my various money accounts & this one website has simplified all of that. One place. One login. and access to ALL of my money accounts in one place. This has given me a way more comprehensive understanding of my finances and has allowed me to strategically budget, keep track, and record progress. Bonus! If you use this link to set up an account, we both get $20 for free! Even if this refer-a-friend deal didn’t exist, I’d still be telling you to get a Personal Capital account. It is a GAME changer.
business & blogging tools
the 4 money books you need. like, now.
…because taking charge of your finances is one of the ultimate forms of self-care
“I Will Teach You To Be Rich”: This. Book. WOW. This is “money 101” but also soooo elevated. How to save, how to invest, which credit cards to get, what to look for in a bank…it somehow manages to cover the basics but give you “aha!” moments throughout the whole thing. Very straightforward, and “Oh! I actually understand this,” kind of book. It is a 6-week program that *actually* works towards building wealth. If you couldn’t tell, I highly highly highly recommend this one.
“You Are A Badass at Making Money”: If you have more interest in manifesting wealth or cultivating an abundance mindset with money, you have to read this book. Sooooo much of money is working on your mindset, and this book is the how-to guide of how to attract money like a magnet. It singlehandedly transformed how I look at my finances. Worth every bit of hype—pinky promise.
”Smart Women Finish Rich”: Written by financial advisor David Bach, this book is a financial how-to written FOR. WOMEN. *praise hands* I have listened to soooo many podcasts with this guy, and finally got his book. And it DELIVERED. This book shows allllll women how how to take control of their financial future and finish rich. (See also: “Smart Couples Finish Rich.”)
“Dave Ramsey’s Complete Guide To Money”: I know, I know…but Dave Ramsey is a phenom place to start with your finances. Some of his methods are kind of intense, but Adam and I just pick and choose and modify what works for us—and we have loved it. Adam and I took his financial course when we first got married and this book came with it. Personally, I liked the book A LOT. I didn’t really see it as a companion to the course, but almost a replacement. It is super in-depth and concrete and gives you all the Dave Ramsey wisdom!
don’t laugh at me, but…
nothing feels more “adult” than investing in luggage😂
The time had come…. my trusty old bargain suitcase had lived its last day. After a few years of wrestling with a terrible, broken zipper— the wheels officially jammed up and stopped spinning. Self…. it’s time to buy your first “real” suitcase. Adulthood beckons.
Insert: a googling rabbit hole. Trying to find a sustainable suitcase that would last me for years to come. Insert paravel— soooo timeless, unique design, and material made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles. I am absolutely obsessed with my suitcase and ramble about it to anyone that will listen. Check them out here!