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Back to the Office with Desk Accessories

Posted on by Jenna

August is back to school time but many of us adults are also dealing with heading back to the office. New desk accessories can help ease the transition to more in office days.

Some of us have been working at home for the past year and a half and workplaces are starting to call people back into the office. I am settling into my new schedule of three days in the office and two telework days each week. 

Being at my work office more, I’m realizing how boring it is compared to my home office!

Over the past year and a half, I’ve added more EC desk organization to my home office but my work office has some old, sun-faded items I bought at Target about 10 years ago (maybe more)! I’ve been debating if I upgrade my home office and take the old stuff to work. Plus, I’ve realized going back and forth I need a different setup at work.

desk accessories

What do I use at home? So much.

I may have a slight obsession with pens and highlighters so I have plenty of pen holders. My favorite is the hexagon in navy and pool. I also love the clear trays that came in the MCC acrylic set. The little one is great for small post-it notes and credit cards and the long one holds my gum, eraser, white-out, extra staples, and my work cell phone. The letter holder has a lot of stickers. 

desk accessories

I think I need another acrylic set for my work office.

I also use the triangle paper holder for all my work folders. At work, I have a standard, boring black one. Might need to upgrade that! And lastly, I have the layers desk organizer. I might take this set to work and replace my home one with the new color blends set. 

desk accessories

What desk accessories would you grab to update your work office? 

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Monthly Dashboard: A Thorn in all Planners Side

Posted on by Jenna

Monthly dashboards are a big topic in the planner world.

Every week someone asks, “what do you do with your monthly dashboard? I need ideas!”. No one quite seems to know what to do with them at first. The dashboards can be a bit of a mystery to work out. 

There is no right or wrong way to complete a monthly dashboard.

It can take months or even years to perfect your dashboard. With a lot of trial and error. You may not even refer back to it throughout the month. And that’s ok! We’ve all been there and we’ve all had the struggle of figuring out the blasted monthly dashboard.

Erin Condren dashboard a few years ago titled the blocks and it didn’t seem to work for anyone. Everyone either ignored the headings or put stickers over them. Since then EC has removed the titles. It’s better to not have those headings but it also makes it harder. 

No one knows what to do with the blank spaces!

Blank spaces are great but they can be a struggle if you have no direction. It’s like a painter staring at a blank canvas or a writer at a blinking cursor. 

Starting is the hardest part. 

If you want to focus on one area to improve, like fitness, the dashboard can be a great place to track goals, weight, workouts, and many other health or fitness-related items. I’ve been working on my dashboards in my running binder all year and I’ve finally got a good groove going!

My focus is running and weight loss but you could also use the dashboard for steps, weight training, whatever your main focus is. You could track almost anything on the dashboard. The dashboard has a large blank square, and two smaller boxes (one with four bullet points and one with lines), and a dot-grid rectangle.

monthly dashboard showing a quote, goals, weight tracker, and mileage tracker

As you can see in the photo above, I used the large box for a quote this month. I’ve varies what I use this space for each month. I’ve used it to track races (in-person and virtual) and I’ve also put reminders for the month (like marathon training starts). This space is a bit flexible for me. 

I use the four bullet points for goals. Obviously, I don’t write the entire goal but a quick note to remind me of my goals. I use the lined box to track weight fluctuations. I weigh in on Saturdays and record weight, body fat, and BMI. I’m thinking of dropping BMI as I know it doesn’t mean much on an individual level.

Lastly, I use the dot grid to visualize the miles I have ran. I don’t do anything fancy but you could definitely get creative with tracking miles. Highlighting each mile after I finish a run helps me track my monthly miles. 

You could use the lined box for tracking weight-lifting PRs for the month. Write out bench press, deadlift, squat, etc where I have the date and then track each week’s weight. You could track steps, water, weight changes in the dot grid area as well. I’ve seen graphs with weight changes on dashboards. 

Get creative and start using your monthly dashboard to reach your health and fitness goals!

Let me know, how do you use the monthly dashboard? What health and fitness ideas do you have for the different boxes? Drop them in the comments below.

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run your life

Change of Plan!

Posted on by Jenna

Sometimes you need to step back and re-evaluate your plan.

I recently had to face the music and change my marathon plan. I had been doing a plan which included speed work. I love doing speed work but it was becoming too hard in the summer heat and humidity. I struggled to hit paces, walk or stand to recover, and not want to go out for those runs.

Which is not like me. 

I usually look forward to going out for speed workouts (well, except tempo runs but that’s another story) and knew something was wrong since I was dreading them. Even my favorite, 400-meter intervals. 

I thought about switching plans and discussed it with my best running friend. She thought switching to the Just Finish plan for August was a great idea. I also did an Instagram poll that said it was determined I should drop the speed work and go with the Just Finish plan.

So that’s what I did.

It’s not my first choice because I would love to finish a marathon in under five hours. But my main goal is to just finish a marathon so it makes the most sense. I still plan to try for under five hours.

I set aside some time and updated my running binder* with the new plan for August, September, and October. I also plan to find a way to get more strength training and yoga in. I want to do two days of strength and one of yoga. I will probably add yoga to Sunday after my long run. I like getting an extra stretch in after.

I’m struggling with strength though. I need an actual plan I can follow. But all the plans I have are for four or five days, not two. I don’t want to adapt a plan to two days a week. I’ve done that and right now I need something like “two day strength training for dummies”. 

Does that exist?

Do you have a strength program that is set up for twice a week? Drop it in the comments! I have dumbbells, bands, and a bench at home so I can do a lot (or find similar exercises).

Have you ever had to switch up your training plans? Why? And how did you handle it?

*This is an Erin Condren Affiliate Link. If you shop and buy through this link Erin Condren will pay me a small commission. It does not cost you anything beyond what you choose to purchase. Browsing, shopping, and purchasing through my link help keep the cost of creating content down a bit for me and tells Erin Condren you like my content!

How to Run in the Summer Heat

Posted on by Jenna

Running in the summer heat is tough, both mentally and physically. But if you put in the time and take steps to stay cool, you will reap the rewards come those fall and winter races!

I’ve been running in Phoenix since 2009. I started focusing on running outside and all year round in 2012. I’ve been there, done that, and here are my top 10 tips to staying cool in the summer heat.

  1. Go early (or late). I used to go for my runs at 8 pm after the sun had gone down. Of course, that was before I decided I wanted to be an endurance runner. It’s hard to go out on a Saturday or Sunday at 8 pm and run for a few hours. I now run in the morning when the lows are 85 or 90. When I work at home I can go at 5. If I have to go into the office I go at 4. 
  2. Hydrate, hydrate hydrate! Why three hydrates? Cuz you need to be hydrating before, during, and after. How much is dependent on your location and needs. I carry water on every run in the summer because of how dry it is here. Other people in different climates could probably get away with no water on shorter runs. I also supplement with electrolytes. For long runs, I take a bottle with me. Sometimes if I can tell I am more dehydrated after a run I will do an instant hydration drink. It’s really about paying attention to your body and trying to stay ahead of it.
  3. Wear protection. Especially if you will be out when the sun is. Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, bug spray.
  4. Wear light colors and light-weight clothing. Moisture-wicking is also great. Darker colors tend to absorb more sun and heat you up. 
  5. Go slow. In the summer my pace is slower than in the cooler months. Your summer pace might be 1-2 minutes slower than your usual pace.
  6. And with that said… Take walk breaks as needed. I walk a lot more in the summer. On long runs over 10 miles, I tend to run 2-3 miles then walk while I enjoy my chews.
  7. Plan your route based on shade, sprinklers, and other spots you can cool off at. I have stopped at a local park with a drinking fountain I can shove my head under. I run certain spots when I know the HOA is running the sprinklers. I try to have the sun on my back towards the end of my run because for me running towards the sun makes me feel hotter.
  8. Adjust your run schedule. Do you normally run 6 days a week? Take an extra day off from running and do an indoor cardio workout. Last summer I got an indoor bike and took one day off from running to ride instead. You don’t have to buy a bike. Look around online for video classes. You can find some for free on YouTube or get a subscription like Les Mills or Peloton. 
  9. Lower your expectations. It’s great to have a plan but also know you may not be able to do it exactly. Summer heat is tiring so maybe you can’t do track intervals but you can do a few sprints towards the end of an easy run. 
  10. Lastly, and most importantly, listen to your body! If you’re tired take a day off. If you need to walk, walk. Hell, I’ve sat down on 18 miles runs in July because I needed to let my body cool down a bit. 

I’ve tried a cooling towel but it didn’t work for me. It dried out in about 2 minutes. I think it’s too hot and dry here for it but it might be something that would work for you! They aren’t super expensive (this is $9 for two) so it might be worth it to try out. 

I know a lot of people will put ice in their hats or sports bras. I haven’t tried that yet but maybe I’ll test it out this summer. I’ve also heard people freeze their water bladder. I’ve added ice to mine, which keeps it cool for a short while. I may try freezing the bladder for those 16 milers. 

Let me know, what are your favorite ways to stay cool in the summer?

Did you know I have a youtube? You can head over there and watch this as a video!

Goal Refresh

Posted on by Jenna

We are six months into the year. How are your goals coming along? Be honest. It’s ok to have dropped the ball a bit (or a lot). We all get busy. The days turn into weeks and the next thing you know it’s July.

How to refresh your goals in five easy steps:

  1. Find the goals you set way back in January. I hope you wrote those down and remember where. Been there, done that before. It’s ok if you didn’t write them down. You probably have a general idea so go ahead and write them down now.
  2. Think if your goals are still relevant. It’s 100% ok if find a goal or two that is no longer relevant. It happens. Our priorities change within different seasons of your life. If a goal no longer fits, toss it.
  3. Find your why for the goals you still want to work on. Without a solid you want to achieve it, you will struggle to get it done. Your goal needs to be important to you.
  4. Come up with a new plan to achieve your goals. You fell off the wagon but nows the time to get up, dust yourself off, and get back on track. Write down your goal, your why, and steps to get it done.
  5. Put it on your calendar. Set up a goals notebook with your steps and when you will do them. Pick a day each week to sit down and plan your week. Each day, look over your plan and do whatever you had planned for that day.

Remember, there will be setbacks. We all have them. The important thing is how you respond. You miss a day or two? No worries! Pick up where you left off. You didn’t achieve a milestone? Don’t give up. Keep going!

What are your goals for this year? Are you going to take a moment to refresh them this month? How do you plan and track your goals?

Looking for a way to track your goals? Check out the or . Both have room to write out your goals, set up daily actionable steps, and a spot to review your progress.

Links are affiliate links. If you use them, the company will pay me a small commission at no cost to you. I would love it if you use my links to help me keep producing content!

Gluten-Free Camping

Posted on by Jenna

Summertime usually involves vacations! It’s a great time to shake up routines and see somewhere new. Vacations should be a worry-free, stress-free time. 

But what about those of us with dietary restrictions?

It can be hard to know if the place you are traveling to will have options for you. Or if the airport and plane will have something you can snack on. It can be stressful. But what can you do to guarantee your needs will be safely met? How about a road trip and camping!

You are in control because you bring all the foods! 

Make sure you have your own grill to guarantee there is no cross-contamination. You never know what was made on the campsite or parks fire pit grates before. Plus, with fire restrictions, you may not even be able to use your fire pit! We use a propane grill for both of these issues.

We tend to keep our meals pretty simple and do as much prep work before we head out. For breakfast, we make either scrambled eggs or oatmeal.

For the eggs, we save an old coffee-mate creamer bottle. We make one day of scrambled eggs, pour the mixture into the bottle, then mark the bottle with a sharpie where day one is. Repeat for as many days as needed. In the mornings when we make eggs we add meat, usually chorizo or bacon, diced onions and peppers, and chredded cheese.

We buy Picky Bars pop-up cups for oatmeal. They are flat and easy to pack and you just boil water, open the package, and add water! It’s simple and filling.

Of course, we always have coffee with breakfast. We have an all-in-one French Press. We boil the water and then add the coffee. It’s not the greatest coffee but it gets the job done.

We keep lunch simple: sandwiches, fruit, baby carrots, and single-serve bags of chips. We buy a tub of lunch meat and a package of cheese and assemble our sandwiches the day of so nothing gets soggy. We keep our bread in individual zip lock bags since one of us has gluten bread.

For dinner, we pre-season steak and chicken and use our FoodSealer to vacuum seal. We either have a salad kit or foil potatoes for a side. To make the potatoes, buy cans of sliced potatoes at the store, make a tin foil packet, season (we usually do garlic powder, onion powder, and chili flakes), onion & peppers, and cheese. You can use your favorite seasonings and whatever toppings you like. They can go on the grill with the meat. We usually flip them when we flip the meat. If you wanted, you could add sour cream after cooking as well.

We keep it pretty simple but when we are hiking and off-roading we want filling foods that are gluten-free and easy to prepare.

What tips, tricks, and hacks do you have for camping foods? Drop them in the comments because we are always looking for fresh ideas!

Amazon links in this post are Amazon Associate links. If you purchase through the links, Amazon pays me a small percentage. It does not cost you anything extra to buy through the links. 

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June at Cafe Noir

Posted on by Jenna

June did not go as I expected for books. I had a plan but as usual, my reading plans went out the window. I did finish two of the books I had planned so go me! I had one DNF this month. I used to force myself to finish everything I started but I’ve realized life is too short to read books I can’t get into. Some of them I may attempt later because maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace but some are just awful. 

I needed a fiction break so I grabbed an Amazon Prime Read book and LOVED it but then my library book came up so I added another fiction book into the mix. The library book wasn’t expected until July but I had put a hold on it in April so I snatched it. It’s the first in a series so I really wanted to get it so I could read the other books. LOL

I finished three books, DNF’d one, and have two that will move into July with me. 

What did you read this month? Drop it in the comments with your thoughts!

The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby

Summary:

Learn about photography as if you are talking to a friend.

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Scott Kelby’s books are always easy to read and understand. I always learn something new and am reminded of something I’ve forgotten. 

Food Photography: A Beginner’s Guide to Creating Appetizing Images by Corinna Gissemann

Summary:

Tips and tricks to help you become a food photographer.

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Overall, I liked this book. As someone that already knows photography, there were several sections aimed at beginners. I read them, skimmed a few spots. I really enjoyed the information on setting up and designing the shoots. I learned a lot about prepping and using dummies that as a landscape/travel photographer I had never thought of. 

The book was well written and easy to read. I would recommend it to someone interested in food photography. I think it will help with an upcoming project I have. 

Becky: The Heartbreaking Story o Becky Watts by Her Father by Darren Galsworthy

Summary:

A grieving father writes about his beloved daughter being murdered by her stepbrother. 

My Thoughts:

DNF/5

I couldn’t get in to the writing. I understand it was her dad writing it but he often went on rambling tangents that didn’t really keep me connected to the story. 

I thought the personal connection would be interesting but it dragged on. I also didn’t like how they would tease the audience with current news stories of the even but then we are learn about Dad’s childhood for an entire chapter. 

Lying Next to Me by Gregg Olsen

Summary:

Adam Warner’s wife Sophie is abducted in broad daylight while one vacation. Adam can see it happening but can’t get there in time to help.

My Thoughts:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

All of the main characters were assholes and insufferable. But you gave it five stars?! Yah, just because characters are awful people doesn’t mean they were poorly written. Gregg Olsen knew exactly what he was doing. 

I would say more but I’m afraid it would give some things away.

Travel Journal

Posted on by Jenna

Summer means travel. But how do you make sure you don’t forget important details or items? How do you remember your amazing adventures? 

Enter the EC petite travel journal! 

Sure, we all think we will remember the fun adventure we just had but do we really? The small details start to fade as the months go by. You ask yourself, did we eat at that restaurant when we visited Philadelphia? Did we see that art at the Guggenheim?

With an EC travel journal, you can write down all the important details from flight info to packing lists to your daily expenses. Each petite travel journal can be filled with four, seven-day trips. If you take a trip a quarter one journal will cover your entire year!

What all is included you ask?

Each journal comes with a sticker sheet. Because who doesn’t like decorating with some flair! Each of the four sections starts with reservations and to-dos. You can fill in all the important info about your trip, plan what you need to do before leaving, and everything you need to pack. After that are the places to visit and the trip itinerary page. The places to visit have spots for landscapes, entertainment, shops, and restaurants where you can write in all your pre-trip researched spots to hit up! The itinerary has days 1-7 where you can write in your known (or ideal) plans for each day. 

After that are seven pages for your daily adventures. There is a spot to record the weather, day of the week, today’s outfit, and any reservations. You can also write out what you will be seeing and track your meals. Then you have a spot for your favorite moment and space to write a little about your day. There is also a spot for an Instax-type photo (but I often use that as more writing space. And lastly, you can track your expenses. 

At the back of the journal is a spot to record landmarks, entertainment, shops, and restaurants you didn’t get to but want to hit up next time. This is followed by four pages of dot-grid paper for any other notes, ideas, to-dos, whatever you might have. 

Overall, the EC petite travel journal is a great size for tossing in your bag and writing a bit at the end of each day. You can throw on a pencil pouch* and have all you need to journal your trip together! If you want a little more room, you can use a planny pack* instead. 

Interested in getting your own EC travel journal as the summer travel season starts? Use my affiliate link and head over to EC* to get your own!

Where are you traveling to this year?

*All links are affiliate links. They will not cost you anything additional. EC will pay me a small commission if you use my link.

Top Five Reasons to Head to a National Park

Posted on by Jenna

I love a good National Park. I have a goal to visit every single one, including National Monuments, Historical Parks, etc. There are 63 National Parks and a total of 423 National Sites. There is definitely one out there for everyone. It will be tough to visit all 63 and even hard to hit all 423 but I am determined.

But why you ask?

Why would someone want to spend all their vacation time and eventual retirement traveling the US, trying to visit every park, monument, and site?

Everyone could probably come up with their own reasons and we’d have as many reasons as National Parks. But since it’s just me over here I am going to give you my top five reasons to visit a National Park. Feel free to leave your reasons in the comments! I’d love to hear (read?) them!

My Top Five Reasons:

  1. The scenery is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Seriously. Some places photos do not do them justice. You really need to see it for yourself. You also get to see a variety of ecosystems from an active volcano to a large hole in the desert to glaciers. Plus sometimes you get lucky and see the wild animals that inhabit the parks.
  2. Activities! You get to be active. There’s a lot of walking and hiking to be done. Some parks have water activities such as kayaking or snorkeling. 
  3. It’s affordable family fun. You can get an annual pass for $80 and bring a carful of people to any and all of the parks! You can hit up all the parks in your state (or nearby) in one year and only costs you $80 plus gas, lodging, and food. And if you camp at or near the National Park? You got some cheap lodging and you can bring your own food!
  4. You can learn about native plants and animals in the area. You can also learn some interesting scientific facts, like how hoodoos are formed. And you can learn about conservation and saving this ol’ ball we are flying around on because it’s the only one we got!
  5. Lastly, you can relax in nature and improve your mental health. It’s proven that being out in nature can improve your mood, clear your head, and reduce stress. 

So, get out there and explore the National Parks! Why would you want to head out to a National Park?

Helpful Links:

All National Parks https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/explore-parks/all-parks 

National Park Systems https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/national-park-system.htm 

Nature Makes You Happy https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature 

marathon

Time to Train!

Posted on by Jenna

June is here which means I will be starting marathon training for virtual Boston.

May didn’t go as well as planned and I’ve definitely been struggling if I can really run a marathon. It’s the eternal struggle and I just need to put in the work and prove to myself that I can do this. 

I mapped out all my marathon training from June through October in my planner. I did it all in pencil because plans change. My goal is to stick to the plan as close as possible, even if it sucks. 

I have started cleaning up my diet. It helps. I know what I need to do but wasn’t actually doing it. So now I am focusing on fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. I am trying to hit my calorie goal each day, not go over or under. I want to fuel my body.

I also have an idea in my head of the route I want to do. It’s hard to map out and get the mileage because parts of it are on trails or through neighborhood parks that mapmyrun and strava make it difficult to track. I am planning an out and back.

I need to work on a hydration and fueling plan as well. I have a general idea from past training and races. It will still be warm in October so water and sports drink will be needed. The problem is how do I carry everything? I will most likely be self-supported. If I have someone available that day, I’ve got places in mind that I can meet up and swap empty bottles for refills. 

My goal is to break 5 hours. 

Based on past races and my current paces it is totally do-able BUT (and there’s a couple of big but here LOL) 1) it’s virtual so I won’t have the energy and nerves like in-person races have and 2) the average high for October is about 90. So even if I start super early like I’m planning (HAHAHAAHA) it will get warm fast. Once the sun comes out, the heat will come. I will slow down and most likely need more walk breaks.

Please send me all your positive marathon vibes! 

If you saw my latest YouTube video, you will know my confidence, self-esteem, whatever is shot right now. I’ve been struggling and my brain keeps telling me I can’t do this. I keep trying to tell it, yes I can. I just gotta put in the work. But my brain is not believing me.

What big goal are you working on right now? Do you have a plan in place? And if you do, do you have contingencies because we all know things never go as planned!