3 Tips to help prep for a busy week

The last two weeks of my professional life have been nothing short of extreme, PR craziness. From coordinating media interviews to handling multiple social media crises, I couldn't be more happy for things to slow down (fingers crossed!) once we enter April.

But as I look back on these last two weeks, when I fell off the working out / blogging train a bit, I realize there were a few things I did well and I few things I could have done differently.

PR is a fast-paced industry, so it's inevitable that there will be weeks of time where my job kind of consumes my life. (Also see: advertising, accounting and pretty much any high-pressure career out there.) What I'm learning is that there are steps I can take to help sustain my own sanity and my happiness, despite my crazy work life.

Here are my best tips for prepping for a crazy work week:

1.) Eat healthy. The likelihood of making it to the gym after a 12-hour work day is slim. So if you stay on track with your diet (or even be a bit more of a health nut than usual), you can still feel like you're on track rather than feeling depressed because you've fallen off the wagon.
My goal for next time: Ruling out carbs from my diet when I know things are going to heat up at work. That way, I'll have a sense of accomplishment in terms of my healthy living regimen although I'm not able to make it to the gym.

2.) Give yourself a reward. If the end is in sight (and even if it's not), give yourself a light at the end of the tunnel by coordinating something to look forward to. Whether spoiling yourself with a manicure, new shoes or (if you're a male), perhaps a sporting event or night out with friends, knowing that something good is coming soon will help the busy days go faster.
How I did it: Lucky for me, I was able to take off work last Friday (scheduled way in advance, but just so happened to work out perfectly!) That way, I had a day to myself to relax, see the Hunger Games (of course!) and do what I needed to regroup after a busy couple of weeks.

3.) Be selfish. Yes, I said it! You need your sleep, and you need your sanity during these busy times. So when friends ask you to meet for dinner, your mom guilts you out about hanging or your significant other wants to chat for 30 minutes before hitting the hay every night, it's okay to say NO. Your sanity is #1 right now, and they'll eventually understand.
What I could do better: My issue is that I can often be a people-pleaser. Being in the company of others genuinely makes me happy, so it's often easy to forget what a little "me time" can do for my peace of mind when I'm especially busy at work. Next time, I'll give everyone around me a heads up so the expectations are set on both sides.

What are your tips for coping with a busy work life? What do you think you could also do better?

The #Unplug Challenge

In our overly connected, technology-savvy world, "unplugging" is kind of laughable. When I tell people I'm "unplugged," what I'm really saying is, "I haven't checked my Blackberry in the last hour, but logged into e-mail this morning, tweeted about 20 minutes ago and am sending a text message about once every five minutes."

Let's be serious - unplugging today just doesn't happen. We love our smartphones, iPads and laptops, and connecting with each other is just what we do.

That's why I'm so excited for Reboot's #Unplug movement beginning tonight at sundown - a challenge to truly unplug (no laptops, iPads, smartphones, etc.) for 24 hours. No tweeting, Facebook-ing, texting or downloading of any sort for 24 hours straight - caveman-style.

After an initial, "Cool! I'm in," I realized what this would really mean - how will I make any plans tonight or tomorrow? How will I know where to meet my friends for dinner? What if I get lost and need my GPS? And most pressing of all, what if I just really need to tweet? (You know, something super important like the 10 weirdest pins on Pinterest.)

But then I remember - that's why this is a challenge. Because challenges aren't meant to be easy.

So join me - sign the pledge, turn off your phone and experience life for 24 hours without the technology we cling to so dearly.

Good luck!

Gearing up for spring

To put it simply, clothes make me happy. It may seem shallow, but there's something fun about putting yourself together - especially with new clothes in your closet.

So, as I feel confident about the new direction I'm headed with working out, eating right and feeling more connected to my faith, I realize there's just one thing left to complete my happiness - new spring clothes. ;-)

Unfortunately, a big shopping spree isn't on the budget. But I've decided to let myself splurge with just a few key items this season. Here's what I'm thinking:

Jardin Lace Blouse, $48.00

NastyGal.com

Large Stone Necklace, $6.80

Forever 21



Dimpled Knuckle Ring, $3.80



Forever 21



Wide Leg Linen Pants, $59.50 

**Heels with these are a must since I'm so short!

Ann Taylor LOFT

Leather Pointy Skimmer, $34.00

Urban Outfitters

Getting more from doing

In light of my new do-er mentality, I decided to do something different this Lent. Instead of giving up something like meat or listening to the radio, I'm doing something to enrich my faith by setting aside time with God every day.

For some, this might be reading the Bible or attending a daily service. For me, in my online-driven, busy life, this is best served in a format I know best: a blog post. Lucky for me, the guys at First Baptist Church are already two steps ahead of me! They've created a blog that does just that - encourages readers to take 10 Minutes with God every day to reflect on various passages from the Bible and what they mean in a modern context. By signing up for e-mail updates from their blog, you'll get daily e-mails on every new reflection, which is Monday through-Friday, five days a week.

Behold, my perfect Lenten resolution was born. Every weekday, I devote 10 minutes to my faith by reflecting on the wise words of these three pastors. As an added incentive to stay on top of my commitment, my boyfriend and I try to make it a point to send our personal reflections on each day's post to each other to see how we can apply these teachings in our own daily lives. It's been a really refreshing, eye-opening process that has truly challenged me to live differently in my daily life.

I know what you're thinking - "But they're Baptist, and you're Catholic!" Maybe so. But the Bible is the Bible, and being a Christian is being a Christian. We're all in the same family, whether we like to admit it or not. At the end of the day, if I'm growing closer to God and being inspired to be a better Christian, I don't really think it matters which church service I decide to go to. I'm rediscovering my faith, and that is a really good thing.

So we should ask ourselves, Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran or other - there are 1,440 minutes in every day. Can you give 10 to God?

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