Author Archives: B

Baking with B: Classic Chocolate Fudge

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Everyone should know how to make chocolate fudge, everyone, because it’s one of those recipes that seems way harder than it actually seems. All of your friends will be impressed by your super-awesome candy-making skills and you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you made a sweet treat in less time then it will take you to burn off the calories from one piece.

Classic Chocolate Fudge (makes 64 squares)

500 g. (about 3 ½ c.) best quality dark, milk or white chocolate, coarsely chopped

300 mL can sweetened condensed milk

Line the bottom and sides of a 8×8-inch pan with 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap, letting wrap half over sides of pan. Combine chocolate and milk a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium setting halfway through until chocolate is almost melted, 3-4 minutes. Remove and stir until evenly mixed and smooth. Scrape mixture into prepared pan and press down, smoothing top. Fold overhanging ends of plastic wrap over fudge to completely cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Fudge keeps well, refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Happy baking!

B

KBwB-BFlower-50Baking with B appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. And for even more recipe inspiration, check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.

Have Yourself an Organized Little Christmas

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The day after Halloween should be its own holiday: it’s the first day that we can officially talk about Christmas without feeling like its way too soon.

(Americans take note: we Canadians already had our Thanksgiving so we’ve got almost two months of nothing to do except plan for this.)

In actual fact, a lot of the Christmas displays have already been up in the stores for a coupe of weeks. I hate to admit it, but there’s a part of me that’s growing excited. A lot of people may argue that Christmas has become too secular, or too commercial, but I can’t help but feel that there’s some kind of Christmas spirit that lingers out there all the same this time of year. People become kinder, more thoughtful. The daily grind starts feeling a lot more cheerful.

And everywhere there’s this urge to connect- with family, friends and neighbors. Maybe I’m just imagining it, but it’s the one time of year that I feel more than ever like part of a community.

There’s a downside as well to the holidays- the pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” and give the most expensive gifts, host the most fabulous parties, and decorate until your house looks like Santa’s little workshop. It’s a lot easier when you plan ahead a little and keep yourself organized. Last year I shared my trick for organizing the Christmas cards I send, and how I organize my holiday shopping. I love figuring out way to become more productive and organized and this season I’ll be sharing a lot more on tips on last-minute gift ideas, party planning and taking time off of work to help things run smoothly.

This isn’t a happy time of year for everyone- the holidays can often bring up old memories and grudges, and many people still have to face life’s challenges despite all the cheer the holidays have to bring. I shared a story about one particularly lonely Christmas last year on the blog, and in the coming weeks I’ll be sharing more ways that I’ve been able to find inner calm and gain perspective during this busy season.

We can’t really talk about Christmas without talking Christmas baking either, and the Swedes have a special tradition every year of making seven different types of cookies. (Eating sweet things makes you nicer, apparently.) Part of my background is Swedish so I’ve invoked this tradition in my household again. I’ll be posting this year’s selections some time closer to the holidays but if you’re looking for inspiration in the meantime, my Swedish Gingersnaps, Maple Butter Cookies, Jam Slices, Rugulahs, Orange Crunch Cookies, Vanilla Horns and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies were all big hits last year. (These posts are all updated with new information, and brand-spanking-new pictures!)

And don’t worry- I’ll still be blogging about business, books and all things keeping busy (not just holiday-related!).

I hope you’ll join me on my quest this season to have an organized little Christmas, and to make the most of this special time with friends and family.

KBwB-BFlower-50I like to talk about the Christmas holiday on the blog because it’s what I know, and what I grew up with. It’s a special time of year for me, but for some of my readers I know it won’t hold the exactly the same meaning. I don’t want to be presumptuous either, and write about other holidays or traditions from other religions or cultures for fear of misrepresentation.

Having said that, I’d love to hear about all of the other celebrations my readers participate in, in their own words! Comment below and let me know what kind of meaning time time of year holds for you (if any!). Or drop me a line at keepingbusyb@gmail.com and let me know how to be more inclusive to my readers. Perhaps you’d like to collaborate on a post with me?

And as always, I’m happy to hear your comments and ideas over Twitter, or share some of your holiday projects you’ve been working on with me on Instagram. Pinterest is an especially dangerous place for me this time of year, and I’d love to see what you’ve been obsessing over as well.

Operation Crisis Management: How to Work When You’re Depressed

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kbb_dead_treeIf you’ve stumbled on this post because you’re feeling depressed and/or suicidal, please know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. It may be hard to wrap your head around this when you feel lonely and isolated, but every day there are millions of people who struggle with similar challenges as you, including myself. However, this story is only reflective of my own experience. If you are in crisis I urge you to stick with me until the bottom of the page, where I’ve included further resources and information on finding support. Overcoming these thoughts and getting through your day may seem impossible, but I’ve made it through 100% of my days so far. You can too. Help is only a click away.

Let’s get one thing straight: depression is not “the blues”. It’s not a contest about the number of sad things going on in your life, and it’s not about an individual’s capability of dealing with life’s ups and downs (although it certainly doesn’t help).

Take me for example- if you knew me in real life you’d know that I sing constantly, I love doing colorful crafts, and when I find something really, really funny I have this loud, braying laugh that the neighbors can hear in the apartment upstairs.

But when I get sad, I get really, really sad. I cry a lot, and often for no good reason. Most days I have to will myself to get out of bed, because even after a full night’s rest I’m sometimes still so tired I swear I can feel it in my bones.

It’s easy to see then why I’m fascinated with productivity and learning more about how other people get through their days. I’m amazed at all of the things that people can achieve when sometimes even taking a shower feels like a battle to me.

It’s not easy for me to talk about this because I’m a perfectionist and I like to get things done. In some ways I think the practice of keeping busy has saved myself from some of my darkest moments. On the other hand, the insane pressure I have put on myself has not always helped with my productivity, or my self-esteem either.

The key is finding a balance.

Slowly I’ve started to learn that part of finding that balance does involve talking about it, about recognizing what brings us down and buoys us back up again. I’m not suggesting a total psychoanalytic breakthrough to help your productivity. But the more you understand yourself and your moods, the better equipped you are at coping.

Because the sucky thing is this: life goes on. You’ve got a job, kids, chores, and other responsibilities that can’t be ignored. But how do you do this when you feel like there’s a giant weight dragging around behind you?

Building a support system that combines non-judgmental mentors, colleagues, friends, family, community members, spiritual leaders and healthcare professionals is very important because it’s so much harder to go it alone, and these people can provide you with an objective perspective when your darker thoughts start getting the better of you. They also may be able to offer you advice on how to spot emotional triggers and develop healthy coping mechanisms. You may choose to have some of these people act as advocates when you are incapable of making rational decisions for yourself. Please don’t shut these people out. They are among the people that love you the most and will hurt the most if they lose you.

Make your coping mechanisms your secret arsenal by keeping running a list, and maybe sharing it with a trusted friend. Some of mine include taking my dog for a walk, having a hot shower and blasting music on my headphones. And baking. Have I ever mentioned baking to you before?

Build coping mechanisms into your routine can be as simple as storing a stress ball in your desk at work, or choosing your outfit the night before to avoid morning freak-outs.

Even paying attention to your emotional triggers and energy levels can help you structure your routine to minimize panic attacks or major mood swings. This could look like opting for a later shift at work if you struggle with getting up in the morning, or putting aside some downtime for yourself after a stressful family event.

If my mood is good and my energy is high I try to make the most of it, and get as much done as I can to help my future self focus on getting through the rough times. Sometimes this involves a little strategic planning on my part- I often don’t schedule anything after events I consider stressful, for example, and I never, ever try to make my day too full.

If you’re equipped with a little more knowledge about what you’re dealing with, and you have support and resources at your fingertips, the better you’ll become at managing your symptoms, and coping through your darker days.

 

KBwB-Flower-50Thanks for sticking with me until the end of this post. I want you to know if you ever need anyone to lend you an ear, I’m here for (anonymously) at keepingbusyb@gmail.com. Please do email me if you have any solutions to share that have worked for you, or comment below for other readers who might be going through something similar. We’re in all this together.

Here’s that list of resources that I promised you. There is help out there if you make the decision you need it. If you have any resources to add to my list, please let me know and I’ll try to include them in an updated post.

If you’re a Canadian (like me), The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention is a great resource for those experiencing suicidal thoughts and loss related to suicide. It also features a crisis center search function if you live within Canada. Similarly, the Canadian Mental Health Association provides information on suicide prevention and where to get help.

If you’re in the United States, SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) provides resources for those who are suicidal, suicide survivor and for the friends and families of the loved ones affected. They also offer a tip sheet for those concerned about a friend or family member in crisis. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers information and research on suicide, and where to get help.

For those who live outside North America, SAVE also provides a list of international resources and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (an NGO associated with the World Health Organization) has information on where to find help anywhere in the world. Suicide Hotlines also offers a comprehensive list of how to find help internationally.

For those of you who are looking for help online, here are some places to start:

  • Metanoia has a great message to read when you’re in a dark place, information on where to get help and advice on choosing what kind of help is right for you.
  • Canadian-based website Mindcheck offers quizzes designed to gauge your moods and offers helpful tips on developing healthy coping mechanisms and practicing self-care.
  • The Bright Side offers positive messages, personal stories and insights as well as resources and information on a variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety and grief.
  • Although it’s designed with Canadians in mind, The Lifeline app is designed as a guide for those in crisis and connects those in need with a hotline in Canada at the touch of a button.
  • Claiming to be the world’s first-ever public screening measure with risk and response protocols, the Suicide Prevention App acts like a diagnostic tool and connects users with more information and resources.
  • If those weren’t enough resources for you, check out this article I found with 81 different online websites and apps to help people manage symptoms and access resources to help them on their road to recovery.

Operation Crisis Management: How to Work When You’re Sick

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Before you read this post, please note that I am not a medical professional of any kind. You should always check with your healthcare provider before taking any medical advice!

No matter where we come from, what we do for a living and how much money we make, we are all bound to get sick at one point in time or another. I see it often enough where I work- no one is impervious to germs, and if you are, well this post is not for you. (But please let us in on your secret.)

For those of who do get sick from time to time we know what a drag it can be, not just because you’re not feeling physically well, but also because of the havoc it can wreak in your life. The kids still need feeding, the laundry still needs doing and unfortunately the bills still need to get paid so many of us find ourselves still working- in a personal or professional capacity- even through we’re still ill.

It can be tempting to jump right back into things at the thought of all the backlog that awaits your return, but if you’re able to do it, try to take as much time off as you need. Remember that asymptomatic people can sometimes still be contagious, so it’s always a good idea to consult with a doctor about returning to work safely.

If you do get time off, treat it as a gift- an opportunity to pamper yourself and recover. Workaholics take note: taking care of yourself is more about getting rest and plenty of fluids, not catching up on your paperwork. The body needs time to recuperate.

Of course it’s not always possible to take a lot of downtime for yourself when you’re feeling under the weather. If your employer is flexible, you might be able to negotiate a slower return to work, or make up extra hours from home. Even if you have to face reality a little sooner than you’d like, it’s a wise idea to take things slow and be kind to yourself– you’re not going to be the most alert, clever or productive employee when you’re not feeling your best. That’s ok.

If you’re lucky you have caring and supportive friends, family and co-workers that can come to your rescue during your time of need. They may not be able to wave a magic wand to make you feel better, but you’d be surprised how much a helping hand can boost your spirits, even if those helping hands are only doing a load of dishes.

Help people to help you by letting them know about what’s going on with you. Keep the lines of communication open and let everyone know when you expect to be back at work, and how they can help facilitate your transition back at the office. Remember that you’re not the only one that could be inconvenienced by your illness so make sure the appropriate people have the necessary information to cover for you, or continue a project in your absence.

It’s no fun being sick, but there’s no reason it should turn into a complete crisis. If you’re prepared, and you make sure you’re covered at work, the only thing you have to focus on is getting better.

And I really hope you do feel better soon.

KBwB-BFlower-50

Are you feeling run down or sick all the time? It could be experiencing burnout. Click here for more solutions on how to achieve a healthier work/life balance here.

Operation: Crisis Management

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KBB_elastic_bandsOnce in awhile, you will find yourself in a tangle.

If you are reading this, then maybe you’re in the middle of one right now. Or maybe you’re reading this because you’re hoping to have the information in case you run into trouble one day.

Either way, you are not alone. We are together in this. I am here for you.

I got the idea of “Operation: Crisis Management” from an English teacher I had way back as a senior in high school. She was incredibly sensitive to the overwhelming pressure we faced before graduating and she’d watch as even the best of students (including myself) would crumble under the enormous workload. Every once in awhile, she’d take one of us aside after class, sit us down and declare, “You need crisis management!” Looking back on it, I’m amazed how often she took the time out of her own busy life to go over our assignments with us and decided what we needed to prioritize in order to get the most important things done. It’s something for which I now I am incredibly grateful.

All of us will eventually need to evoke “crisis management”- whether we’re catching up on work after an unexpected illness, coping with a family emergency, or experiencing personal problems. These are all crises, and you can work through them.

The most important thing is that you find your helpers first: a team of friends, family members, colleagues or members of the community who are willing and able to provide the resources that you need in order to manage whatever you are going through. If you do not have access to these resources, find someone you trust and ask them to help you. At the very least, you owe to the people who care about you to let them know that you’re working through something difficult. They want to be allowed the opportunity to help.

Professionally speaking, it’s important that you maintain honest, direct and appropriate communication with your superiors and your colleagues about your capacity to perform at work. Maintaining boundaries is important and healthy, but a few quick words with your boss about your break-up, or the death of a grandparent is better than taking time off without warning, or spending the majority of your shift crying in the bathroom.

Now more than ever, it’s important to be mindful of your own needs. People are over-scheduled and over-worked as it is, and dealing with a crisis lowers your mood, zaps your energy, and in some cases makes you sick. You are allowed to take a break, which means learning to say no to anything that’s not an immediate priority during this time. Delay and delegate tasks whenever possible– it will allow you the breathing room you need to complete whatever needs to be done, and hopefully give you time to recharge. Eating right, drinking water, exercising, fresh air, meditation and getting enough sleeping all help with burnout. (For more tips on how to deal with burnout, read this post. I’ll also convince you to sleep more here.)

Sometimes crises will come up and they will be unexpected, or inevitable. Personal crises such as deaths, physical and mental illnesses, break-ups or other emergencies will, unfortunately, happen to all of us.

Once in a while, we come across people who always seem to be in crisis whether it’s because they’re overwhelmed by their dysfunctional family, burdened with continuous relationship problems, or constantly take on too many projects at work. You may be one of these people yourself.

Bad things happen to everyone. It’s how we cope with them that counts.

As difficult as it may seem, each challenge we face comes with a learning opportunity that ultimately helps us understand and grow as human beings. Sometimes there will be things that happen that are circumstantial, or out of our control. Sometimes they are sad and unfair. But we have a choice as to how we handle them.

If you begin to notice the same patterns occurring, and the crises you seem to face over and over again are similar, it may be time to revisit your own behaviors and choices. Be honest with yourself and ask what you may be contributing to your own crises. Do you avoid making decisions? Are you saying yes to more things than you can handle? Instead of beating yourself up about past actions that you can’t control, figure out how you can use this information in the future. Maybe it means learning how to set better boundaries, or learning when to say no. You have the power and the self-insight to develop your own coping mechanisms in the best way you see fit, as long as it doesn’t inflict any harm on yourself or others.

J.D. Salinger once said, “On particularly rough days when I’m sure I can’t possibly endure, I like to remind myself that my track record for getting through bad days so far is 100%, and that’s pretty good.” I’ve survived 100% of the bad days as well.

You can too.

KBwB-BFlower-50Sending lots of love and good feels out over the interwebs to anyone that’s going through anything. I hope this post helps you in some small way.

Even though I write a blog with the word “busy” in the title, I still feel like we do way too much stuff. Part of keeping busy is finding a balance, so sometimes I blog about that here. I hope you take the time to find balance, too.

 

 

 

 

 

C is for Cookie

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Cookies don’t last long at my place, and I hear it’s a problem in other households as well. It’s easy to see why they’re so popular- cookies are so small and inoffensive that it’s easy to fool yourself into thinking that you’re just going to have one. The next thing you know, you’ve eaten half a dozen (and that’s just for breakfast!).

Tell me I’m not the only one that’s done that. Please.

So you understand now why it was pure torture for me participating in this week’s bake-off hosted by Sweet Spell. (Wanna see what we did last week? Click here for some outta-this-world cakes.) It was hard enough picking a recipe from my archive and the other contributions are all so delicious that the thought of them all in one place is enough to turn me into a blue, fuzzy monster. (We all know which one I’m talking about.)

Call me old-fashioned, but these Classic Oatmeal Cookies are still one of my go-to comfort foods, which is why I contributed it to our collection. Here’s what some of the other cookie monsters have been up to: (clockwise from top left)

These Shortbread Flower Cookies from I Want to Be a Cook are almost too pretty to eat, but you guys know that I love anything involving flowers.

Chiara’s Cream Cookie recipe over at Chiara’s Baking sounds so light and simple that I’m actually thinking about baking them this afternoon.

If you’re all about that chocolate, Natalie’s recipe for Triple Chocolate Cookies on her blog, Natalie Autumn, will satisfy your need. The peanut butter chips just make the whole thing!

I’m all sorts of jealous about Sweet Spell’s wicked baking skills especially when it comes to these Chocolate Shell Butter Cookies. My attempts at piped cookies have been nowhere near as good.

Pumpkin Pie and Me contributed a recipe for Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies that sounds ooey-gooey-good. Plus it’s just in time for Halloween!

If you’re in the mood for something completely different, Foodie on Board’s Olive, Rosemary and Parmesan Sablés sound like the perfect savory cookie to show off at your next gathering. I bet they’d also make great gifts.

Oh hey! There’s my Oatmeal Cookies again…how did those get in there?

Last but not least, The Recipe Hunter shared her tried, tested and true recipe for Chocolate Cookies. Yes, those are chocolates melted on top of the cookies. Yes, I’m already thinking of ways to use up leftover Halloween candy. (Who am I kidding? There’s never any leftover Halloween candy.)

 

Many thanks to Sweet Spell for once again rounding up a great collection of recipes (and great bloggers!) It’s a great way to make new blogging friends, so if you’d like to participate in a future link-up party give me a shout at keepingbusyb@gmail.com. I always love to hear from and/or drool over your baking pictures!

KBwB-BFlower-50

Original baking party post found here. For our cake round-up, click here. My column Baking with B usually appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. I hope you’ll join me for the next one!

Read at Your Own Risk

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I’m not really a scary movie person; around this time of year when people invite me to re-watch some of the classics with them my response is usually, “I’m fine, thanks. My imagination scares me enough as it is.”

It’s not a line- this is 100% absolutely, totally true. As a kid I was plagued by crazy, reoccurring nightmares and as I grew older and learned about the horrific historical events that paved the way to our modern society- wars, genocides, holocausts, disease. These things almost scared me more than the ghosts and demons I conjured up in my imagination,

Hearing and watching these stories always shook me to the core- to this day, I still can’t stand watching people torture and kill each other, even if it’s imaginary. War movies are out. I was a mess at the end of Game of Thrones’ sixth season. No, really.

It seems silly to accumulate a list of scary books when the things that frighten me seem like no big deal to other people. “Read at your own risk” is more of a warning then to those of us softies who find this sensitive reading material. Even if you have seen your fair share of blood and guts, I hope my selections are still enough to disturb (if in a quieter, more subversive way).

Patrick Suskind’s novel Perfume is subtitled “The Story of a Murderer” but really should have read “The Story of a Sick, Sick Man That Will Make You Shudder in Equal Parts Horror and Disgust”. It makes you wonder what kind of guy Suskind is in real life, although I’m sure he’s very, very nice.

So Much for That by Lionel Shriver is kind of the modern-day horror story that’s uncomfortable to read because at the back of your mind you know that every procedure that she details, and all of the suffering she describes is actually real, but it’s worth the read for the light it sheds on the frightening reality we live in.

You have to have lived under a rock if you haven’t heard of Room yet. Canadian author Emma Donaghue’s novel was a smash hit that got turned into an award-winning movie and it’s easy to see why- it’s both gripping and tender, funny and frightening. Even so, it was still a tense read for a sensitive soul like myself.

I read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne when I was baby-sitting one night. (It’s so engrossing and short that I’m sure you could, too.) As it happened I reached the end just before the parents came home, so when they walked through the door they found me sobbing hysterically. Needless to say, I had to include this book for the shock it gave my system. The ending was like a sucker-punch.

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell sounded like the kind of quirky, fun read that was right up my alley and at first it was. Russell’s writing makes the heat of the swamp shimmer off of the page; it’s so easy to get caught up in the heady landscape that when things start to get sinister it feels like the slither of an alligator inside you. I ended up being so disturbed.

Honorable Mentions

I couldn’t talk about creepy reads without listing a few of the books that have made my blog before. They’re worth a second mention for the chills they gave me.

  • Even if you’ve seen the movie Gone Girl, the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn is worth the read so you can see just how psychotic her characters were intended to be.
  • The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is the classic unreliable narrator mystery, and it feels particularly disturbing reading it as a woman watching the main character submit over and over again to addiction, and leaving herself vulnerable and exposed. It’s a reminder that women’s safety continues to be an issue.
  • I have to include the novel Blindness by José Saramago as the premise alone is enough to give me the chills.
  • The Clothes They Stood Up In by Alan Bennett is a short, yet devastating read.
  • If it’s magic and things that go bump in the night that you want, then Andrew Pyper’s The Demonologist is for you.

KBwB-BFlower-50

I love to read and I love sharing my favorite books with you. (For more reading inspiration click here or here.) Don’t forget to friend me on Goodreads either! Btw: These lists are totally my own creation and I was not paid or perked to share my opinions with you by any author or publishing company.

Let Them Eat Cake!

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If Marie Antoinette and I have anything in common, it’s that we both love our cake. There’s something so satisfying about embarking on a big, elaborate recipe and once I’m done baking I’m always left with the feeling on having accomplished something. Cake makes me feel good even before the eating part!

Sweet Spell (who nominated me for the One Lovely Blog Award) asked me to participate in a link-up party this week featuring some of the best cakes around the blogosphere. My Honey Mandarin Orange Cake is in there (perfect if you’re experiencing if you’re feeling blue about the colder weather). These fine bloggers have some great cake recipes as well:

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Sweet Spell made this decadent looking Date Cake that looks like it would go perfectly with your morning coffee.

cooking-without-limits-date-cakeI’ve been following the blog Cooking without Limits for a while and this Pear Cake is still one of my favorites. The inside is just stunning!

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Chiara writes in both English and Italian on her cooking blog Chiara’s Baking and her Buckwheat Cake with Jam is simple, sweet and classic to Italy.

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Paradise Cake sounds just like that- paradise- and the recipe for it can be found over on the blog Searching for the Good Life.

foodie-on-board-chia-cakeFinally, Foodie on Board has baked the most beautiful Orange and Chia Seed Cake with Sugared Rosemary. I bet you can’t even taste how healthy it is!

Many thanks to Sweet Spell for rounding up all of these great recipes (and great bloggers!) If you’d like to participate in a future link-up party as well give me a shout at keepingbusyb@gmail.com. I always love to hear from and/or drool over your baking pictures!

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Original baking party post found here. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. My column Baking with B usually appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. I hope you’ll join me for the next one!

The Procrastination Solution

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A little while back I wrote a piece for my blog about embracing your procrastination habit. Then I wrote a little bit about the reasons why we get into this habit in the first place.

I happen to think you’re halfway there to solving a problem if you can acknowledge that you have one, and the reasons why you do. The other half, of course, is figuring out a solution.

Changing the way we do our work and the environment in which we do it are both helpful ways to combat procrastination because they force us to examine the external realities in our lives and the ways in which they affect our productivity. Learning how to design our workflow to fit our schedules, eliminating distractions and interruptions and breaking down projects into smaller pieces can help to control these outside factors so they’re not controlling us.

But what about those moments where it’s just you: alone in a room at a desk, completely organized and distraction-free, trying to figure out how a whole hour went by and the page before you is still blank?

What if the real problem is you?

Look, some people thrive under pressure and that’s great. Maybe you’re under a lot of pressure too. It’s normal and (in some cases) necessary. But at the root of that pressure is the underlying feeling of fear. Maybe you’re not capable of getting the project done on time. Maybe you’re not capable of completing the project. Maybe you’re not capable of anything at all.

(You are, by the way. You’re awesome)

The fear, unfortunately, might always be there. We’re conditioned from an age to want to meet other people’s expectations, and the expectations we have of ourselves. But there are ways of tricking it so it no longer prevents us from getting things done.

For example, if you just can’t seem to get started on a project you may want to try hammering out a fast and sloppy version, just to get something down on paper. Give yourself a time limit and you’ll be surprised to see how fast the time actually goes.

Giving yourself time limits on difficult tasks as well can help you from feeling overwhelmed by a project’s breadth or scope. Or you may want to try things a little backwards and select a smaller, or easier project-related task to get the ball going.

If you’re procrastinating on finishing a project that’s particularly long and arduous it’s a good idea to give yourself some breathing space to focus on why you’re really working on that project in the first place. It’s easy to feel like the end is nowhere in sight, but reminding yourself of your past successes can give you the confidence you need to complete the task at hand.

And combating procrastination is a task and a half!

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I procrastinated on writing this post so don’t make the same mistake that I did when commenting below or writing me at keepingbusyb@gmail.com. I always love to hear from you, and I’d love to hear more about what’s helped you with your procrastination habit.

If you like what you read, I’m serving up two other pieces of the procrastination pie here and here. Want more ways to get your workflow organized? Feast your eyes on these posts here and here.

One Lovely Blog Award

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The Internet is truly the coolest. Since starting my blog I’ve had the opportunity to connect with so many wonderful and interesting people from all over the world and all walks of life. But the one thing that brings us bloggers together is our passion for what we do. That’s why I’m so honored to have been nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by the folks over at Sweet Spell. (Reader advisory warning: the pictures on that blog alone are almost too delicious to look at.)

For those of you visiting for the first time, my name is B and I keep busy working an office job, running a freelance business, and caring for my dog G. To decompress, I like to bake and read and blog all about my (mis)adventures trying to keep it all together.

Part of accepting the nomination is telling you a little bit more about myself, so here’s some things that my Internet friends, both new and old, may not know about me:

  1. This is not my first time at the blogging rodeo. Way back at the dawn of the Internet I may or may not have had a fan fiction blog. Yes, a boy band of the time played a starring role. No, I will not tell you which one it was.
  2. Obviously, I’ve always loved writing but for a while there I thought I was going to be a linguist because I was fascinated with languages. Turns out becoming a linguist is more than just embracing your inner J.R.R. Tolkien (apparently he knew 14!) so I stuck to dabbling around with them- I still have working knowledge of a few!
  3. You’d think that blogging and baking and drooling over books would be enough to keep me busy, but I’m actually doing all of those things while simultaneously singing my face off. Which brings me to my next point…
  4. I can sing pretty much every Disney princess song. No, really. It’s my one and only party trick. The only one I haven’t seen is The Princess and the Frog. I blame my parents, because there was always music in the house growing up.
  5. It was my mom that taught me how to bake, and I made my first batch of chocolate brownies at the tender age of seven. To this day, baked goods are still my kryptonite.
  6. Part of the reason I love baking is because I love making things for other people. If you’re my friend in real life you’ve probably received a homemade card from me at one point in time or another.
  7. If I could have any other job in the world (other than being a superstar-celebrity-entrepreneur-philanthropist) I would want to be the one who comes up with the names for colors on paint chips, or crayons. I love playing with words like “cilantro” or “persimmon”.

Now that I’ve accepted my nomination by telling you seven different things about myself, it’s time to nominate some of the other wonderful blogs that I hope you think are truly lovely as well.

Here are the rules for accepting your One Lovely Blog Award nomination:

  1. Write a blog post accepting your nomination.
  2. Show the blogger who nominated you how much you love them by thanking them in the post and linking to their blog. (Thanks again, Sweet Spell!)
  3. Tell us seven things about yourself.
  4. Nominate other blogs that you think are totally rad.
  5. Let the bloggers you’ve nominated know about they’ve received an award.
  6. Post the rules again to let those bloggers know how it works.

My Nominations

I love keeping up with Lydia as she cultivates a stylish life over at The Artful Attempt.

Tracy of The Culinary Jumble bakes all the Swedish things my mom and I used to make.

You’ll flip out over the incredible costumes Tanya sews over at It’s All Frosting.

I can’t help but smile every time a new post from Clairely Happy pops up in my feed.

Pola at The Escritorium has a talent with words, both real and imagined.

The gals behind Owl Machine are smart, hilarious and the authority on all things Disney.

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive and can’t possibly include all of the other amazing bloggers I have met and continue to meet on my blogging journey. Writing this blog is one of my favorite things in the world to do and it’s readers like all of you that make the blogging experience a special one.

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Many thanks again for Sweet Spell for nominating me and congratulations to all of the other recipients that were nominated: Mrs. Twinkle, Goan Imports, The Creative Life in Between, Electric Blue Food, Love Served Daily, Twindays, milkandbun, The Millionaire’s Digest, A Pug in the Kitchen and Snapshots in Cursive. They’re all worthy blogs that you should go check out now!