Life Update: March 2024

It feels like everytime I do one of these life updates it’s after I get burned out and then sick. But hi, I’m back (kinda. Still trying to conserve energy but at this stage I’m not sure if it’s me recovering from the flu or an iron issue).

So what have I been up to? Besides getting sick. I WAS trying to get into cozy hobbies (I love them so much) in an attempt to connect with my inner child and keep my stress levels down. Cozy hobbies are big on TikTok and I love that community so much. Cozy hobbies can be stuff like adult colouring books, novels, video games, etc.

If you haven’t tried cozy hobbies, I strongly suggest you do. As an adult, I feel like all we do (okay well in this case, all I do) is work and pay bills. Cozy hobbies are a cute way to return to the joy of childhood. And this time no one can tell you no to your cozy hobby because it’s your money. This may or may not be a bad thing.

I don’t have energy for extended screen time which is why I haven’t really been blogging. Blogging/writing for work is difficult enough without adding this blog to it but I am hoping to get back into the swing of things.

Well that’s my life update. Hopefully I will be back with more blog and bookish content soon.

Book Review: The Catch by Amy Lea

The Catch by Amy Lea

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for a free review.

This is probably my new favourite romance book.

Fashion influencer, Melanie visits Canada in an attempt to capture content and restore her dwindling brand. Unfortunately for her, Fate throws her in the way of a grumpy fishman, Evan (though his grumpiness might have something to do with Melanie insulting the inn that he works/live in). Melanie instantly grows to love the people in the small town but an accident leads to Evan’s family thinking that he and Mel are engaged

Hoping that their fake engagement will bond their family and make them forget about past issues, Mel and Evan agree to fake an engagement followed by a very public break-up.
Eventually the two of them fall for each other. But if I haven’t made it clear by now- Mel and Evan have absolutely nothing in common. Mel is a fashionable city girl while Evan is a surly fisherman who loves the outdoors.

One of my favourite things about this book is how Mel and Evan make zero sense on paper but it’s clear that they’re head over heels for each others. This was a fun cute romance and I’m really disappointed that it’s over.



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6 Job Interview Red Flags

Once upon a time, applying for jobs was my part-time job.

Atleast that’s what it felt like. I would apply for anything and everything that came my way. I actually aimed to have atleast one interview a month.

Bizarre right? But I was young and desperate to escape the toxic environment I worked in.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that the jobs had major red flags seemed to hint that it was a toxic work environment. Now that I’m older and a more experienced job hunter, I know better. So if you’re in the process of interviewing for a new job, here are 6 red flags to keep an eye out for.

1. These Four Questions

These four questions absolutely should not be asked. If they are, you already have reason to be alert for more red flags. Sometimes people ask these in an attempt to get to know you but these questions more often than not lead to bias.

2. Vague or unclear job description

Marketing Gurus, Digital Ninjas and Unicorns unite. If the job description doesn’t clearly state what you would be doing, chances are great that this company is going to give you a medley of tasks that might not even fall under your responsibility.

3. The Interview Process Drags On

An unnecessarily long interview process- especially for a junior or middle position-is either a sign of dysfunctional HR/recruitment or a really picky company. In these cases you can check who held the position before you and for how long. It might be that the company has unrealistic standards.

4. The Interview is Too Short

A interview that is too short or even an interview process that is too short is a MAJOR red flag. This company might be desperate for a hire. Ask yourself why this is. This is something that I fell for only to later discover that the previous employee vanished (okay she didn’t vanish- she quit but no one talks about it and I find that super-suspicious. She was also referred to as “problematic” by the recruiter- which if you didn’t know is another red flag).

5. The Staff are All Relatively New

This is often disguised as “we’d had quick growth recently so we have hired many new people”. This could be true but it could always be number 6 down below.

6. The Company is Always Hiring

Another thing passed off as “we are growing so fast we just can’t keep up”. In cases like this you can locate previous employees via LinkedIn and question them about the company. They might not be able to come straight out and mention that the job is problematic but you will be able to gauge this from their tone and response.

Job hunting is tough especially if you’re stuck in a toxic role or unemployed. But moving from bad situation to another is not the solution. Use this list to evaluate your next interview to reduce the chances of you landing in a toxic work environment.

5 Budget Friendly Ways to Upskill Yourself

So you’ve decided on a career change or you want to learn something new? But the prices for formal education is a bit much for you. No problem. Here are 5 easy ways to upskill yourself without harming your wallet.

1. YouTube

Okay this may or may not be news to you but YouTube actually has pretty helpful tutorials. I dismissed YouTube as a learning source until I discovered that tons of Marketing organisations have YouTube channels with really helpful videos. Simply search the topic you’re looking to learn more about and let the social media algorithms do their magic.

2. Spotify

Spotify has a great array of podcasts on almost everything. If you’re a Spotify user, this is an easy way to upskill yourself while you’re commuting or running errands.

3. Udemy

Udemy has courses on everything and they are always having sales. Simply add courses to your wishlist and you can purchase them when the price drops.

4. Free Resources

Ah, the good old-fashioned way to learn- the library. Pop in to your library and see if they have a book on the topic you’re looking to learn more about. Be warned though, if your library is anything like mine (i.e outdated) you might not find exactly what you’re looking for. I went in for a Copywriting book and while they weren’t able to assist, I did come back with a book on writing Sales Letters (close enough).

5. Free Online Resources

Lots of websites or blogs have resources that can help you learn more. For example, Hubspot has great Marketing resources. Scour your social media network of choice (Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok) and connect with creators or brands who offer free online resources.

Are you going to look into upskilling this year? What is your favourite educational resource? Let me know below.

Book Review: The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini

The Woman on the Ledge: A Novel by Ruth Mancini

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


WHAT A RIDE!

I loved this book so so much!

Unreliable narrators are always my favourites and honestly this narrator got on my nerves. It’s clear she has something to hide but what? Why is she hiding? What is she hiding? Is she guilty or not? I could not read fast enough. I hated that her story kept changing and I did not trust him but I have never connected to a character like this.
At several times while reading, I screamed out loud in frustation.

“The Woman on the Ledge” tells the story of Tate, a temp employee who may or may not have pushed someone off a ledge. Tate claims the lady was suicidal. Tate claims she didn’t know her. Tate claims to have been inside the building. Tate claims to have been nowhere near the building. Whatever the truth is, it’s clear that Tate has some part in this whole thing and something to hide.
This book came together piece by piece and I loved it! I devoured this book in one sitting and no matter how much I didn’t trust Tate, I was still sad when this book ended.



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How to Do a No-Buy Challenge

I did a post a while back talking about how I did a No-Buy year and it changed my life. Every so often I revisit the challenge when I feel like my spending is getting out of control. And with Janu-worry on the way, there’s no better time to do a No-Buy challenge. Interested in trying your own challenge? Here’s a few tips to help you get started:

1. Think about what you hope to accomplish from this challenge:

Do you want to change your spending or are you saving for a specific goal? A No-Buy challenge is a great way to kickstart your savings or start saving for a big purchase.

2. What are your problem areas?

Are you an impulse spender? Do you buy expensive gifts? Do you shop as a way to deal with your emotions? Identify what your triggers are. This can be done by tracking your spending for a few days or weeks before you start your challenge officially.

3. Define rules for your challenge

Based on your triggers, decide on what you can and cannot buy, Maybe you want to spend less on gifts or maybe you want to stop splurging on Dischem every month (because, same). Will you be limiting unecessary purchases or will you have to stay within a strict budget? How long will this challenge last? (I usually do this for 6 months but you can try anywhere from 1 to 3 months just to see how it goes). Remember this isn’t to drastically change your finances- we’re trying to make better money habits.

4. Reward yourself for hitting smaller goals.

Instead of going completely cold turkey, make small changes and reward yourself for hitting these smaller milestones. Went a week under budget? Celebrate it! You can do this by buying yourself a SMALL treat or even better, find a no-buy way to treat yourself. Some of my favourite no-buy activities are walks, at home spa days and binging a new book or TV series.

A No-Buy challenge is pretty difficult to get through at first but once you get used to it, it’s a fun way to get extra money and get creative with your spending.

5 Symptoms of Burnout (and How to Combat Them)

Not every day at work is going to be perfect. Trust me- I love my job but there are days where I just wish I had stayed in bed. That being said, if you’re having more bad days than good, you might be suffering from burnout. Here are a few symptoms that I use personally to tell when I am burning out and tips on combating them. Note that this is to fix symptoms. Fixing burnout itself takes time and effort. This is basically my band-aid solution until you are able to take time off for yourself to heal.

1. You’re irritable or impatient.

You might be incredibly cynical or critical at work. This is one of my personal triggers and the second I start losing patience with colleagues, I start to question if it’s just a bad day or if I am on the way to burnout.

The Fix: Notice when you keep getting more annoyed than usual and track your triggers. I do this by keeping a journal. When I know it’s burnout season, I try to be kinder both to myself and others.

2.You lose interest in your job.

You feel like going to work is a huge effort and so is doing your job itself. Again, everyone has bad days but if this is happening more often than not, you might be experiencing burnout.

The Fix: Make a list of all the things you like about your job. You wouldn’t still be at your job if there wasn’t something positive about it. This is also a great time to start gratitude journaling. I remember one coworker who was having a tough time at work and her gratitude list started off with “Sushi”. (TBH the work environment was super-stressful but I loved that she could find a positive aspect).

3. You’re struggling to sleep

This one is probably the most tricky to fix. Maybe you’re having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Maybe you’ve been using your bedtime as a form of revenge procrastination, pushing it further and further until it’s 2AM and you realise you have work in a few hours. Whatever it is, sleep is vital for your performance as a functioning human.

The Fix: Try to keep similar sleeping and waking times. Keep your bedroom dark and cool. Come up with an unwinding routine that brings you joy. I absolutely love tea followed by 30 mins of reading.

4. You’ve developed unhealthy coping mechanisms like food, alcohol or shopping

This is another one of my trigger items and honestly all I can say is keep an eye for it. This is another tricky one but helps if you have a partner to hold you accountable.

The Fix: Try to get a buddy to monitor when these get out of control. I work virtually but my friends and I have the habit of checking on each other when it comes to lunch because we’re guilty of skipping meals when things get busy.

5. You have physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches or body pain

Physical symptoms can either result from you working too hard or in an uncomfortable position. Or it can be a result of the stress.

The Fix: Again, track what your triggers are. Are you taking regular breaks away from your desk? Are you sitting in one position for too long? Does your chair need an upgrade?

The best way to combat burnout is to analyse what is going on, what is causing your symptoms and fix the root of the issue. But if you can’t or you’re not willing to put in the time (talking to myself there but the year end is right around the corner), treating the symptoms will help…up to a point.

The faster you treat burnout, the faster you’re able to be you again.

5 Tools I Wish I Knew as A Beginner Blogger

I remember starting my blog and being so proud of myself. I had a little piece of the internet that belonged to me. But as time went on, I started realising things about my blog that were off. For starters, I had no pictures. Or links. How were other people doing that? Was I a bad blogger? As with most things in life, blogging is something where you learn by doing (or lots of Google). I am hoping to save you some time by sharing the 5 tools I wish I knew about as a beginner blogger.

1. Canva

Canva wins first place because I had zero clue how I managed as a blogger before Canva. Canva can be used to create design assets for your blog, email, social media and so much more. I use Canva for work, for blogging and even for wishing family members on special days. If you don’t know what Canva is or haven’t tried it yet, GO NOW!!!! This is an excellent way for non-graphic designers to create designs.

2. Planable

Soo full disclosure…November and December posts have been planned on Planable- which I have only just discovered. I’ve been blogging for over a decade. I do not know why I am only finding Planable now (hey, we live and learn, right?)

3. Buffer

Buffer is great for scheduling social media posts. And if you haven’t started scheduling social media posts, I strongly suggest you look into this. It is SUCH a game-changer. Simply draw up a social media calendar (or decide how often you want to post), and use Buffer to schedule these posts in advance. Not sure which social media platforms you should be using? Here’s a few steps to choosing your social media platforms.

4. WordPress App

Using the WordPress App is a quick and easy way to draft out blog posts. While I don’t typically post live from the app, I do love using it to write on the go (some of my more emotional posts are done on the app while the content-heavy blog posts are done via laptop).

5. Google Analytics

Google Analytics gives you access to cool information such as where is your audience located, what devices are they using to access your blog and which are the most popular blog posts or pages on your blog. By simply signing up, Google will walk you through the steps for connecting your blog and voila, instant access to user demographics.

Do you use any of these tools or do you have your own set of blogger tools that you’re obsessed with? Let me know below!

5 Signs Your Job Might Be A Bad Fit

Not every job is for every person. And that’s okay. You’re going to spend a huge chunk of your life at your job so it’s important that your job fits you and vice versa. Here are a few signs that your job may not be a fit for you:

1. You Feel Disconnected From the Job

Early in my career I came across someone who “didn’t value their job” (I’m quoting management here). At the time I couldn’t explain what the issue was but basically they did the bare minimum. They didn’t even open their email. Since this was someone I knew for a few years, I asked her about it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the job. She just didn’t feel like it was for her. This made perfect sense to me. I knew at the time that not every job was for every person (I had left one call center during the training stage just to go work for another call center based on “it just feels right”). I ran into this person a few years ago and she’s working in HR and loving it. Being disconnected from your job isn’t a bad thing. It just means there might be something else out there for you.

2. Everything Feels Overwhelming

When opening an email- or even just replying to a message- feels like too much, this might be a sign that your job is a bad fit for you. Back when I worked in Customer Care, there were so many emails that I eventually stopped opening them all. Only to then be faced with “I sent you an email. Did you get it?” (Yes but which one of the 100 is you?)

3. You Dread Waking Up and Going to Work

I used to wake up and my first feeling was dread. I used to actually think “Oh dear God, why me?” It’s okay to not look forward to a day at work or even a few days (long-term stressful projects do take their toll on you) but if this is your primary state, it might be worth looking for a new role.

4. You’re Living for the Weekend

If the only thing getting you through the week is the thought of the weekend then your job is definitely not the one for you. Yes, weekends are amazing but if that is the only thing pushing you through. this is a major red flag.

5. You Lack Passion for the Job Itself

It’s okay to not be passionate about your job. Lots of people are able to work jobs they’re not passionate about. But lots of people are also unable to work jobs they’re not passionate about. If you feel like you lack passion combined with the other signs listed above, it might be time to update your resume and start looking for a new job.

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