My Work Essentials

Now that I've been at Westchester Magazine for six months (though it somehow feels like I've been working there for both two years and only two weeks), I know what my everyday work essentials are AKA what I need to do my job. As a social media coordinator I obviously need to be connected to the internet pretty much 24/7, but I also need to be organized because I post for both the marketing department (the events) and editorial department (the online and in-print magazine), so here's what I use every day.

Computer -- I can't do my job without this fine piece of equipment. I have a PC at home, but I've been enjoying using a Mac at work, and I have to say I definitely like it.

iPad -- This is my personal iPad, but I use it everyday at work. I also use it at work events for live-tweeting and using Instagram.

Sticky Notes -- I've discovered that sticky notes help me keep things straight. I use sticky notes to right down my to-do lists that ways it's right there near my keyboard.

Notepad -- For long-term to-do lists I keep these on a notepad. It's also where I keep random information that I need to keep on hand.

Pocket Calendar -- There are lots of events and I have to go to all of them, so it helps to write them all down on this small calendar that way I know when I'm busy or not.

Mug -- I drink a lot of water at work. What is it about staring at a screen that makes me so dehydrated? I try to drink as much water as possible during the day because I forget when I get home.

Zipper Pouch -- Obviously for corralling my lip balms, lipsticks, and pens.

Extra: My Camera -- I may have bought my camera for personal use (and for this here blog of course), but I use it for work events as well.

P.S. -- What's in my work bag!

What are your work essentials?

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

Quotes

Last month was pretty busy and I was hoping that October would be calmer, but of course it's an even busier month for me, both work-wise and personally. Lots of events and lots of things to do. I'm not complaining, but I'm not used to having such a full calendar. I feel like I'm constantly on the go. 

Today I thought I would share some of my favorite quotes after Wild Hearts + Green Tea posted three of hers.  

(via Free People)

(via Pinterest)

(via HP Lyrikz)

(via Pinterest)

(via Pinterest)

(via Dribble)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

Looks I Love {Spring Work Wear}

Happy Monday, ladies! Now that I'm a working girl, I've been pinning work appropriate outfits to my new Job {Outfits & Info} Pinterest page. The dress code is business casual, but since it's a magazine I could probably get away with being a little more creative (ie. fun prints, brighter colors, print mixing, and maybe sometimes jeans). 

Now that I (mostly) sit all day, I can wear heels, so I'm a little excited about that! I'll definitely be keeping flats in my car though for the drive there and back. 

I also realized that I have one pair of black pants, so do you guys have any recommendation for not-too-expensive trousers for short girls?

Two-tone jacket for professionalism + polka dot skirt to add some fun!

{Rach Martino}

Creative and professional outfit

{The Modern Austen}

I'm in love with this sky blue blazer!

{Dressed with Soul}

Blue blazer + white dress + leopard print heels = love

{Miss Melissa}

Professional but still fun

{Extra Petite}

Mint + blue

{Kendi Everyday}

Feminine and classic (and I would work for a job event!)

{Selective Potential}

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

Work Wishlist

Technically, I don't have my own desk. I share a space with the two interns and sometimes I have to move my laptop to where the graphic designer sits when she's not there. It might be weird to get cute desk accessories for a space that isn't really mine, but a girl can dream. I might get a standing organizer (like the black and white one below) in order to store my growing pile of papers. 

Wishlist:
♥ Patterned pens -- Yay for cute pens
♥ Personal blender -- I bought this because I would love to have smoothies more!
♥ Desk organizer -- I reach for sticky notes way too often. I use them for daily to-do lists.
♥ Floral notepad & red border notepad -- You can never have too many notepads
♥ Patterned paper organizer -- Need a pretty place to store all my paper
♥ Cute pen -- Yep another pen
♥ Happy mug -- Because I aspire to be happy everyday!

What do you have on your desk at home or work?

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

What's In My Work Bag

Although I'm still looking for a full-time job (more like waiting for my boss at my part-time job to set up a meeting so I can hopefully make it a full-time job), I have my work bag all ready for my first day. I guess I like to be prepared. I use this bag here and there (how can I not when it's so pretty?) when I need to go somewhere and take more than what my everyday bag can hold. 

What's Inside:

• Target bag {similar, similar}
• L.A. Fresh facial cleanser wipes
• Notebook & pens {can't go anywhere with those!}
• Old Navy owl coin purse (gift) {so cute, right?}
• Maybelline Color Whisper in Pink Possibilities {such a pretty color}
• Sugar Rose lip treatment 
• Eos lip balm in Pomegranate Raspberry
• Chewable orange-flavored aspirin
• E.l.f. mattifying face powder
• Zesty Notion polka dot zipper pouch
• Metal case with my blog business cards {I need to hand these out more}
• Strand pouch 
• Ipsy Glam Bag pouch
• Not pictured: iPad Mini, a light scarf & random papers

What's Inside:

• Benefit's Some Kind of Gorgeous (small version) {awesome concealer}
• YU-BE moisturizing skin cream (sample) 
• Baby Lips Dr. Rescue lip balm in Pink Me Up
• Wet N Wild eye liner 
• Kaba Products I'm Okay pocket kit
• Floral mirror

What's Inside:

• Mini notebook
• Hand sanitizer
• Lots of pens & a pen light
• Tissues & gum
• Bus timetable 

P.S. -- Have you seen this funny illustration about what's really in your bag?

What's in your work bag? 

Anything you think I should add to my bag?

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

Blog Business Cards

I've been wanting blog business cards for a while now and if you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen them already, but I wanted to show you how I created them in case you were thinking of getting your own business cards. 

It all started one day when I saw Gabby of Essentially Eclectic's tutorial for making her blog business cards. I fell in love with how easy it was to make my own business cards and how she had designed hers. The look was so simple, but still colorful and cute. This is definitely why mine look similar to hers. (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say.)

Before when I used the free Vistaprint business cards, I would use the ones with a cute background and don't get me wrong I still like them, but it makes it harder to focus on the meat of the card, which is your information. With a white background, the focus is the words, not the picture in the background.

I don't need to rehash all the details since Gabby does the tutorial beautifully, but I downloaded the business card template with the blue lines (so nothing gets cut off during printing), opened it in Photoshop, played around with where I wanted my information, added a QR code (go to Google and type in "QR code generator" to make your own!), and when everything was perfect I saved it. 

Per Gabby's recommendation, I went to Overnight Prints and got my business cards printed there instead of at Vistaprint. At Vistaprint, the lowest amount of cards you can get made is 250. That is way too many for me. At Overnight Prints, the lowest is 50, which is what I got for under $10. 

Anyway, what I'm really trying to say is Gabby has an amazingly helpful tutorial and you should check it out! Thanks, Gabby!

Do you have blog business cards?

Will you be getting them?

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

Is It Wrong to Have Job Standards?

Soon I'm going to start looking for a full-time job. It's scary and real and I'm nervous about making the jump from a student to an actual adult who works.

 

Although I'm anxious to send my resume around and go to job interviews (eek!), I'm excited to have a job that I look forward to going to everyday (even if I have to have one or two crummy jobs first). I would love to work in publishing because the idea of helping create books would be like a dream come true for me, though I'm unsure what job I want to do. Of course, my first job might not be in publishing and that's okay.

 

But I don't want to take just any job.

 

Since I've been working at Triboro, a manufacturing company (aka an office job), for five years I would like to continue working in an office setting. This is probably a terrible thing to say, but I would feel like I was going "backwards" by going from an office job to working retail. There is absolutely nothing wrong with working retail at all. Most of my friends have done it and a few still do, but I don't think it's for me (unless it was my own business or storefront).

 

I guess what I'm saying is that now that I've worked in an office, I have work standards. To put it nicely, I'm a job snob. Along with those standards for myself comes money standards. I wouldn't want to go to a job where I make less than I do now.

 

Do you think it's wrong to have job standards and not want to go "backwards" work-wise?

Bloglovin ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest ♥ Instagram

A Commuter's Guide

I've been a commuter for the past five years now, so going back and forth to school has taught me a lot about patience and what to bring with me before I leave the house. Whether you take a bus, a train, or travel by car, there are several things you might want to have in your bag, just in case. You never know when you'll get a headache, when the train will be colder than usual, or when the bus will be late.

Here's my guide to being a commuter...

{Click for item info}

• Bag -- a place to put all your goodies and the things you need
• Travel umbrella -- sometimes sunny days turn out to be not so sunny
• Sunglasses -- sometimes not so sunny days turn out to be very sunny
• Scarf -- if you get cold or want to hide a bad hair day
• Lip balm -- sometimes those lips needs moisturizing
• Tide To-Go Pen -- a lifesaver if your food didn't make it to your mouth
• Book, tablet or audiobook -- for when you're waiting or driving
• Face / body wipes -- if you need to feel refreshed
• Shine Eraser -- to get rid of oil but keep your make up on
• Painkiller -- to ease the headache you got from listening to your teacher's or boss' voice
• Snack cup or snack -- for when hunger strikes

Not pictured:

• Cards -- credit card, I.D., metrocard, business cards
• Hair ties -- to get your hair out of your face
• Cash and change -- if you need to buy something now, forgot your metrocard, or need to park at a meter
• Make up necessities -- if you need to reapply anything later in the day
• Charger -- for phone or tablet
• Water bottle -- for when thirst overtakes you
• Hand sanitizer -- for after you touched something that someone else touched
• Keys -- to get back into your house

Anything else you guys bring with you? What did you think of my guide?

Shop ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Pinterest