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Archives for February 2020

My Super-Secret Productivity Hack

Written by Cassie · February 25, 2020 · This blog generates income via ads · This post may contain affiliate links

My Super Secret Productivity Hack | CassieRauk.com

I am a gal who gets things done. I have a super-secret productivity hack that I have used for years to be productive and efficient. Curious? Keep reading!

My Super Secret Productivity Hack | CassieRauk.com

I have a productivity secret. A super-secret productivity hack. One little thing that can change how much you get done. It can make you a better boss, employee, board member, and all-around person-in-the-world.

For a long time, I kept this productivity secret to myself. But if I share my secret, then everyone would start doing it, and I would lose my edge. Right?

But you know what? It is too good not to share. So lean in, and I will whisper it in your ear.

Stop fucking around and do the damn work. You can use every productivity app, every notebook, every planner in the world, but all of that doesn’t mean shit if you don’t sit down, focus, and do the work.

Earth-shattering, right?

And even if everyone in the world read this post, most would still not become more productive.

You want to know why?

Because doing the work is boring.

Doing the work isn’t sexy. There is no balloon drop or a shower of Champagne. It is just you and a pile of work.

If you want to write a book, you need to sit down at your computer and type out your shitty first draft.

How about that closet? If you want to declutter it, you need to pull out all of your clothes and start making decisions.

If you want to pay off your credit cards, you need to make a budget and stick to it.

You need to do the work.

PS – Self-Care at Work.

My Super Secret Productivity Hack | CassieRauk.com

Filed Under: productivity + time management, VIP, work + money

A month without Shopping

Written by Cassie · February 18, 2020 · This blog generates income via ads · This post may contain affiliate links

A Month Without Shopping | CassieRauk.com
A Month Without Shopping | CassieRauk.com

On December 31st, I decided to go for a month without shopping. There was not one single thing that pushed me to this decision; it was more me being curious about if I could do it.

I kept my challenge simple – I wasn’t going to buy anything but food for January. I gave myself the option of purchasing household items(like laundry detergent) only if we were entirely out.

I, of course, would pay bills and put gas in my car.

But that was it.

It was hard until it wasn’t.

In the first two weeks, I realized just how much time I spend scrolling through Amazon, searching for clothes on Thred Up, or mindless looking at baskets on World Market.

Whenever I caught myself in that trap, I closed my computer and went for a walk or picked up a novel. That helped.

Toward the last half of the month, I swung the other way, wondering how long I could go on this way. I was gleefully tenting my fingers in a Mr. Burns fashion when I caught wind of how much was in my checking account.

To be completely candid, I didn’t make it till the end of the month. That last week of January, a bathroom vanity, that I had my eye on for months, went on sale. It wasn’t a puny 20% off either. It was half off, which amounted to almost $400 in savings.

So, of course, I bought that bitch with a smile on my face.

So really, a month without shopping is a misnomer. But I stepped into February with a better understanding of my spending habits. And a bit more clarity on what I actually need (and what Instagram ads tell me I need).

Have you ever done a spending fast? I would love to hear about it.

PS – Shop your house first.

A Month Without Shopping | CassieRauk.com

Filed Under: goals + habits, work + money

My three top organizational tools

Written by Cassie · February 11, 2020 · This blog generates income via ads · This post may contain affiliate links

My Top Three Organizational Tools | CassieRauk.com

There is no end of productivity tools and they keep coming. It is best to keep things simple. I have tried many and these are my top three organizational tools.

My Top Three Organizational Tools | CassieRauk.com

I may be lacking many social graces, but I am organized. There are many tools and software programs out in the world to keep you organized, and most of them are incredible. But there is one small problem – you have to use them regularly to make them work. And the more tools you use, the more unwieldy and time-consuming getting organized becomes.

There are three tools I used every day to help keep me organized. To be completely honest, I use more than three, but these are my MVPs, the ones that I cannot live without.

Full Focus Planner

I have been using this planner for over a year now, and I am OBSESSED. The Full Focus Planner is set up for goal achieving with the added benefit of self-reflection. The planners run on a quarterly cycle, so that means four planners a year. Each new book scratched my new notebook/planner itch that I get every couple of months.

Since you have to re-setup your planner each quarter, you have time to think about your goals and accomplishments and adjust your outlook to fit your needs currently. So you are not bogged down by the goals you set for yourself while buzzed on champagne at the NYE party.

Google Calendar

I use a shared GCal with my hubby for all our non-day job-related appointments. You will find everything from Dru’s vet appointment to when bills are due. Since Jesse and I have weird work schedules, I schedule them all out in the calendar too.

I have been using GCal for years, but getting Jesse on board was a game-changer. He is not much for pre-planning and if he is making plans with a friend or picking up shifts; he can quickly check the app on his phone to see if we already have plans or if I am off work that day.

Notion

I am a huge fan of task management software. I love me a task list and a kanban board. This means that I am always trying to find the next best thing. So I spend so much time moving projects and tasks from one system to another that I don’t actually get anything done.

My planner helps with this (see above), but so has using Notion. Notion pulls task lists, note apps, wiki, and calendars all in one place. I have a workspace set up for blog stuff, personal things, and school projects. I have a kanban board set up for our remodel projects, a recipe database with links for all of my favorite recipes from around the web, a general task list where I can dump items that pop into my head before I forget them and, well, you get the idea.

The options are endless, and the part that I love is that you can create a wiki or a kind of homepage that will link all of our calendars, boards, and task lists for you on a beautiful and tidy page.

They have a pretty robust free version. It is worth checking out.

The easiest way to stay organized is to keep things simple. And with these three tools, I can keep myself and my life organized and on track.

My Top Three Organizational Tools | CassieRauk.com

PS – Four things I have done to simplify my life.

Filed Under: productivity + time management

How I stay healthy in the winter

Written by Cassie · February 4, 2020 · This blog generates income via ads · This post may contain affiliate links

How I Stay Healthy in the Winter | CassieRauk.com

Trying to stay healthy this winter? Me too! I am one of those lucky people that doesn’t get sick much. Want to learn how I stay healthy in the winter? Read on!

How I Stay Healthy in the Winter | CassieRauk.com

I am one of those lucky people that don’t get sick often. (knock on wood).  

My dad always said it was because my sisters and I were farm kids. We played in the dirt and ended up eating our fair share of it. He put it this way, “When you have been outside all morning sorting cattle, and someone hands you a sandwich, you don’t say I have to wash my hands first. You eat the damn sandwich!”

There is probably some truth to that.

But I also take particular care of myself in the winter to prevent myself from getting sick in the first place. Here is how I go about it.

I get lots of sleep.

Winter is cold and dark, so why not spend some extra time in bed? My theory is that when you are sick, you need to rest, so if you get plenty of rest that you won’t get sick the first place. Right? Well, the Mayo Clinic agrees with me.  

I take walks.

When I was a kid and was sick enough to stay home from school, my mom still made me do my afternoon farm chores. “The fresh air will make you feel better,” she told me. For the most part, she was right. Now I make it a habit to get fresh air every day.  

Minnesota winters make this hard sometimes. Last year around this time, it was so cold that the air hurt your face, but what are you going to do. On days like that, I might limit it to the time it takes to walk my dog out to his spot to do his business, but on nicer days, we spend a bit more time trudging through the snow.

I drink all the wellness teas.

I am a massive fan of SleepyTime and Traditional Medicinal teas. My tea drinking started way to keep my hands warm in the cold warehouse and it morphed into obsession, During the winter, I switch to Echinacea teas to help boost my immune system. I drink Gypsy Cold Care in the cold afternoons and Echinacea Plus before bed.

Wellness teas may be a bit woo-woo for some people. But I think it helps. And drinking warm liquids when you are sick makes you feel better.

I am not a hugger.

Cold and Flu season is when my year-around standoffishness pays off. I am far less likely to be exposed to germs when I am hugging every sick aunt and cousin that comes to visit. But in all seriousness, the easiest way to not get exposed to viruses is to stay away from sick people. If they do get into your orbit (or sneak attack hug you) was your hands after.

I also want to say that if you do get sick, do your family and coworkers a favor and stay home and get well. No one wants to get sick, and most coworkers would much rather pick up your slack then get your flu.

Just a few easy lifestyle changes can mean the difference between spending the winter surrounding by spent tissues and moving forward with your life.  It’s worth a shot, right?

How I Stay Healthy in the Winter | CassieRauk.com

PS – How I prepare for winter.

Filed Under: self care + wellness, VIP

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Howdy, I’m Cassie

Rural Gal. INTJ. Voracious Reader. 8w9. Enthusiastic Eater. Questioner. My sarcasm is on point and I am loud for no reason at all.
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