work life balance – Legally FAB

Apr

InspoFab: Corona Getaway!

No Concerts, No Sports, No Movies, No Trips, No Museums, No Restaurants, No Weddings, No Parties, No Beaches and No Gyms.

We are all stuck inside because of the Corona Virus Pandemic. Just 40 days ago our lives were so normal. The worldwide stay at home orders are leaving some people depressed, scared and frustrated being stuck on the inside with no end in sight. Here is what I did to give myself a break from my home environment while staying safe.

1. Pick the best area of town where you live or travel to your second home or vacation home. For example, I chose Malibu. If you do not have a personal home somewhere else rent a hotel suite or nice Airbnb full of plush amenities.

2. Plan your meals ahead of time. Order from restaurants that deliver through Uber eats, Door Dash etc. Order all your favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner foods. I am a seafood foodie so most of my meals had seafood items like crab rolls, shrimp cocktails and oysters. For breakfast, I also did plenty of fruit, nuts, cheeses with standard items like pancakes and french toast. To top it off I had different types of Mimosas with several juices and in the evening had selection of red and white wines.

3. Plan your staycation activities. Since you are currently at home watching mostly TV and on the computer and on social media all day, stay away from these draining activities and instead choose reinvigorating and relaxing activities. If your staycation home has a pool or jacuzzi, swim during the day and relax in jacuzzi at night. My home was on the beach so I had the benefit of walking along the beach and falling asleep to the waves. I also exercised during the day, read books and listened to music during the day. As a special treat, my nail tech with masks and gloves performed mobile in house services so I had mani and pedi spa day during my stay. In the evening, I chose to unwind some nights to some popular of Oscar movies with popcorn and gave myself facials with sheet masks I purchased from Target and CVS. My staycation partner also convinced me to do my first Tik Tok videos that gave me a chance to act and dance something I hadn’t done in months!

The takeaway is make sure during this time you do not stay at home day after day. Take even if it is just a weekend to change your environment, relax and reset!

Apr

InspoFab: My real life CBD Journey with Brown Girl Jane!

It’s 2 am, I can’t sleep. I’m tossing and turning. After pure exhaustion I finally fall back to sleep only to wake right back up at 6am. During the day I can not focus. I’m not starting and completing as many tasks as I did before. I feel overwhelmed and anxious. This has been my life since October of last year. After several personal challenges including recovering from a knee injury, fighting off a stalker, my brother being shot in a drive by, dealing with a business partner dispute and relocation after a breakup, I was at my ropes end.

One day I just so happen to being scrolling down my Instagram page and I noticed my best friend from high school and her sister had launched a new CBD line of drops and scrubs for anxiety and sleep. I immediately called her to reconnect and tell her what symptoms I had been suffering but also to express my concerns with CBD. I had never smoked marijuana let alone inhaled it so I was afraid I would be walking around high as a kite! To my surprise and relief she said CBD was not weed! CBD (a calming cannabinoid) unlike THC which is contained in weed, has no psychoactive effects. There is no “high” or other mind-altering effects from CBD. On the contrary: CBD on its own has calming, anti-anxiety effects—one of the reasons why it’s been identified as a useful supplement to treat insomnia and other sleep problems. However, CBD can have several positive effects including it may help you feel relaxed. That can feel a bit like a high, though it’s not intoxicating.

Within 24 hours of trying the “sleep” drops I immediately felt relief and could sleep. And during the day it took about a week for me to start feeling the calmness the “balance” drops gave me but I definitely regained my focus. Trying to run 3 companies and balancing my brothers recovery has been the hardest thing I have had to since my dad’s passing 5 years ago. Asking for help is not in my nature and prior to these CBD drops I was not an advocate of aides like prescription drugs that people tend to become addicted to. That’s why these drops are a miracle and have really SAVED my life. So glad I tried CBD! I also like that her drops were made in mind for the busy professional woman especially women of color. If you are interested in trying CBD this is a great starting place! Visit Browngirljane.com to purchase and learn more! Leave a comment below on your CBD journey!

Jun

InspoFab: Be Intentional In All You Do!

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Do you feel unfulfilled? Are you struggling with organization? Do you want to have a more happier life?

Growing up, in my faith I was told to be intentional when I prayed. In other words, be more specific so I got exactly what I wanted. This concept can be applied to all aspects of your life not just your spiritual one. I recently applied this to my professional life when I was seeking more legal remote work. The minute I stopped applying to everything that was not that I landed the remote position I desired!

What does it mean to be intentional?

Being intentional means you purposefully interact and engage with your life for your ultimate desired outcome. This means you are purposeful in every word and action.

You respond instead of react. You love instead of fear. You embrace instead of expect. You accept instead of resist.

Why be intentional?

Drake has a rap lyric that says “Everybody dies but not everyone lives.” Be intentional because you want to do more than just get by. Be intentional because you dream and want to have a happy, successful and fulfilling life.

How to live an intentional life

1. Practice consistency with small steps. Create an ideal day and begin to execute some quick and easy actions that reflect that ideal. Whether it’s morning prayer, gym time, or reading a few pages of a book, small consistent action is more important than immediate results because it leads to long term success in the bigger things.

2. Express gratitude. Life is lived in this moment, enjoying what you have here and now versus what will be in the future will lead to a happier life everyday.

3. Take a Breathe. Pause before you make a decision. Taking a moment to reflect before making a final decision will make you more proactive than reactive.

4. Know Yourself. What’s important to you? What do you love to do? Which people are meaningful to you? What inspires you?

5. Discover Your Choices. You may feel stuck sometimes but the truth is you have unlimited choices. Widen your perspective and make a list of your choices so you have a visual for best path for you to take.

6. Declutter your life. Rid yourself of those things that hold you back from living a purposeful and fulfilling life. This can be bad habits, negative attitudes, situations, and people that do not add value to your life. Like the song says, “I can do bad by myself!”

7. Forgive. Forgive yourself, forgive others. Holding onto resentments holds you back.

8. Stop comparing yourself. It may sound cliche but it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. We all have our own paths in life. Even those that appear to have a perfect life DON’T! Do what’s best for you- whether it’s marrying later so you can marry the best person for you or holding out for the job you are truly passionate about. Do what’s best for you!

Nov

InspoFab: Hustle or Align?

We have all heard of the saying, “Work SMARTER not HARDER.” Destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. Embrace the concept that rest, recovery, and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful and ultimate happy life.

Here are 7 tips to help you ALIGN instead of HUSTLE!

1.HIRE AN ASSISTANT OR INTERN.

Whether you a career women or entrepreneur having a team that consists of someone other than yourself is CRUCIAL. Some of my girlfriends tell me they can’t afford to pay an assistant. So my solution to that is hire an intern. I have had 3 companies: a production company, consulting company and a law firm. All of them had interns! I quickly learned you could go through the career office at your city’s colleges and universities and post internship opportunities in exchange for academic credit. I even throw in a written professional reference at the end of my internships. You get free labor and they get experience and academic credit to graduate! Its a win-win.

2. GET MAID SERVICE.

You’ve worked all day, you have to cook dinner, you may or may not have kids, and you still have to clean your house. Trust me, it’s not happening. Forget this “SUPERWOMAN” mentality where you have to be strong all the time and do it ALL. It is recommended that you get maid service twice a month, especially to do the deep cleaning you can not get to because quite frankly you are mentally, emotionally and physically drained.

3. STOP TRYING TO BE A JACK OF ALL TRADES.

Yes, you are smart, savvy and a quick learner. But why stress yourself out and try to teach yourself everything when you could hire someone to do it and save time in the process. For example, I am a producer but also had some writing experience authoring a book and writing a show episode. When the opportunity came to develop my film idea, I toyed with the idea of just writing the screenplay myself. But this would be months of work and the final product could have turned out horrible because of my lack experience. I realized it was better to just to hire someone where this was their craft. At the end of the day use your time, energy and creativity to do the things you love and to focus on your strengths.

4. REMEMBER THE 80/20 RULE-AS YOUR GROW INCREASE YOUR PRICES!

The 80/20 theory was first introduced by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who in 1906 observed that 80% of Italy’s land was controlled by 20% of its population.

The 80/20 rule is a rule of thumb that states that 80% of outcomes can be attributed to 20% of all causes for a given event. In business, the 80/20 is often used to point out that 80% of a company’s revenue is generated by 20% of its total customers. Therefore technically 20% of your work/clients can produce 80% of your income. Unfortunately, many of us do 80% of the work, for 20% of the money.

For example, I read there was a women earning only a $1,000 month writing up to 14-17 articles a month for 7-9 clients for on average $50 an article. She was killing herself for pennies. Then one day she decided to up her prices and therefore could reduce the number of clients and increased her monthly earnings to $4,000 a month.

So its simple- instead of working with over 7 client’s night and day and making peanuts, find your 2-4 clients/projects that can pay you 80% of the revenue for 20% of the work.

Besides who would you want to hire- the $500 cosmetic surgeon or the $2500 cosmetic surgeon? The $2500 one of course because the higher price indicates that you are actually paying for something of value and more importantly it will be done right.

5. TAKE TWO DAYS OFF.

As a career women, but especially as a entrepreneur we feel guilty when we are not working because that time off is looked at like it could be used to make more money. However, money is not everything if you are not around to enjoy it once it comes! Taking time off to reset your mind, body and soul is MANDATORY.

6. STOP REINVENTING THE WHEEL

Align or partner with a mentor or established business that has experience or already has a customer base your business can benefit from.

7. STOP WORKING FOR FREE!

If there is nothing else you remember from this please understand that if you do not know your worth know one else will. So when that family member, friend or associate is expecting you to work for absolutely free not only are they not respecting you or your time you are wasting your time on them when you could be making money doing something else!

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