You probably saw this title and went "huh?" but hear me out first.

Photo: homelife

Hello guys!

How's your weekend looking? I hope you're getting the rest you need!

So, let's get to the matter.

I have constantly found that myself and a few other people I've had conversations with, had the same issues with washing plates. If you conducted a poll today, this chore will probably have the highest or second highest percentage of chores that people hate. Don't get me wrong, I still hate washing plates, but seeing as they have to be washed and it would be totally wasteful for me to use my plates once and break them, I decided to create my own structure.

Speaking of polls, I think I should conduct one on Twitter and write the next blog post on that. What do you think?

I'm sure that others like me have also been able to devise a means to deal with washing plates, but I'll just share mine and you guys can let me know what methods you use for yours in the comments.

I simply sing any song.

Gif: pypnyc

I don't think my voice is that great, but that's not the point. There's a special place I travel to when I'm washing plates. Being a very forgetful person, I suddenly remember other things I'm supposed to do that I must have neglected before and start to take note of doing them. I do a lot of things oh! I talk to myself, wonder how I'm now at a certain point in my life or laugh at the innocent goals I used to have and how I hadn't achieved them.

This will probably sound weird, but you can go the most places and experience a different type of peace while doing the dishes. Just try it and tell me how it feels. Being a Saturday, I wanted to touch on home care and I hope you have been able to take a thing or two away from this.

Most importantly, how do you feel about doing the dishes, and what technique do you apply when dealing with the fact that you have to do the dishes? 

Did you read yesterday's review? If you haven't, what are you doing? Please go and read it, plis dear.

Stay winning,
See you in my next post!

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Hi guys!

Hope you had a great weekend?

I was at #BookHubTheEvent on Sunday and was really happy to see some of my favorite poets and my friends again. We discussed Poetry and Social Media and it was quite an enlightening session. I also bought two books: Chimamanda Adichie's "We All Should Be Feminists" and Okey Ndibe's "Arrows of Rain". I started reading the latter yesterday morning and I'm enjoying its direction so far. Did you go for the event? How did you find it?

Usually around this time and especially on some work days, stress could set in. A few people have favorite days of the week, saying it's Monday, but a whole lot of others will disagree. When I'm stressed or bored at work, I do any one of these five things. They're pretty basic and easy to do and depending on the type of person you are, you just might find one of them useful or even strike a balance between two or more options.

1. Doodling

Doodling is my to-go thing to-do when I'm stressed. I have always been quite artistic but, I promise you that doodling doesn't require any artistic experience. When you just keep drawing random lines and shapes on a sheet of paper, it takes you out of your current state. It relaxes you and takes your mind off things that might be stressing you. Remember you aren't doodling for an art exhibition, so it might as well look like a baby's fascination with a pen when you're done; at least the goal has been achieved.

2. Give in to distractions

You will always need distractions for times like stress. This is because, they are exactly the things you don't want, but are very necessary because they take you away from the fire that stress has created in your head. Distractions give you a clean slate. It comes in different variations and can help place your head anywhere else but the task that's stressing you out.

3. Rubix Cube

Try solving a rubix cube; consciously or unconsciously. The unconscious part would do just what the first two points do: take your mind off things and calm you down. The conscious part helps you to see the stressful task differently. You probably have been stressed because you have been limiting yourself to only two methods of problem solving or strategy. The rubix cube is a decision making type of "game" that could open your minds to the many possibilities you hadn't even thought of.

4. Music

This is probably cliche, but even as a writer, music helps me sometimes to do certain things creatively. When I'm stuck on a certain brief and I'm stressing myself too much with not knowing how to execute it well, one of the things I do is turn to music. I sort of feel the beats speak to me and from there, I somehow am able to concentrate on the lyrics I've always listened to, but never paid much attention to. Then I think of the brief again and somehow I'm able to coin something from it.

5. Take a dump

Absolutely the funniest thing because you can't just call excreta whenever you want. I can unapologetically say that this is one of my most effective ways to reduce stress from a task. This might only work for certain people, but I get most of my ideas (when it comes to writing) from the loo/toilet.

I honestly don't know how it happens, but I go in with an empty book and a pen and come out with scribbles. I think the toilet creates another world for you, away from the familiar faces and whatever their facial expression might do to heighten the already high pressure on you. The toilet tells you that you control this space and there are no bosses there. Just you and your task.

These methods might or might not collectively work for one person, but you could also find ways to tweak them to your taste; make it work for you. Look stress in the face and tell it to sit somewhere because you call the shots.

Image source (Apart from poster): Google.

What do you do to reduce stress at work? Which one of these would you try?

Have you read my last post?

Till Friday, xx

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Hi Guys!

Happy New Week :)

I know some people resumed work last week, we just resumed today and it's looking good. How has work been for you since inception this year? 2017 has really started and somehow, I see nothing other than a promising path so far. I hope your year is kicking off well and your January is on lock-down? I have a post from last week on how to lock January down.

I'm not sure if some of my readers are still in school (else I would have written an entire school related post) hence, the title. For a great start at work in a new year, here are ten back to work essentials just for you:


1. Stationery

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Items like Notepads, pen, sticky notes are fantastic tools for effective role execution. They are great for recording notes and ideas that tend to leave your memory quickly. You can get a pair of creative notebooks at a very affordable price here.

2. Rubbish books

I cannot STRESS how excited these make me! Trust me, there aren't any printing companies that produce rubbish books, you just need an empty notebook where you can write thoughts and ideas and cancel things out like you don't care!

It delights me to see my note like this because it just tells me I have gone further than where I was before and there's potential for whatever I'm trying to get out of my head. You would barely see me with a correcting pen, it's just because I want to see the rubbish! Do you also do that, or am I the only one in this boat? (I hope not).

3. Jacket

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If you're someone like me with a tissue paper skin, you definitely need a stay-in jacket. They're perfect for times when the office air conditioner decides to go berserk on you, thinking you can't do anything about it. Show it what you got, a counter jacket!


4. Sling bag

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There's something my female colleagues do in the office, where they have their everyday items in the office and put things they need in their sling bags. It reduces the stress of having to carry heavy bags to and from the office. I'm quite stubborn in this department because, I might end up blaming myself for leaving something at the office when I suddenly need that thing later (even when I have convinced myself I didn't need it). I think it's a nice idea for those that will like to try it, so why not?

5. Mugs

For coffee, tea, hot/cold water, garri, anything! If you're feeling creative, you can get cool and specially picked mugs here for affordable prices too. I have a gigantic water bottle my colleagues still tease me about, but who cares? I don't use my gigantic water bottle for garri though. Just putting it out there.

6. Coffee

I'm sure some of you were expecting to see this. Well, maybe not, but like I mentioned in this post, I got initiated into the coffee society (I don't really know any cool coffee names yet though), but it is a great thing to pair with work. For me, everything from the smell to the way it feels after I've taken it, is a life on its own and I think you have a right to such magic life too. My friend @AishaSalaudeen on Twitter sells great, amazing coffee. Just give her a shout out to purchase one (This is NOT a sponsored ad)

7. Stress relief items

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Two of these items that I know about are stress balls and rubix cube. They help you to think about creative ideas, while taking you away from your current reality. We all do need to reduce the stress once in a while, don't we? Any other stress relief items you know of apart from these two? Let me know in the comments below!

8. Lint-roller

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Those annoying hairs that suddenly show up on your clothing can't stand a lint roller. It helps you get your suit prepared and sharp for important meetings that usually shows up at later times of the day, especially after you might have been stressed.

9. Mouth spray

In a typical office work space, we tend to be silent for like half of the day and this causes the mouth to emit certain odors after being closed for such a long period of time. Mouth sprays are perfect for those moments, especially when your crush decides to show up on the day you didn't expect you'd see them.

10. Events to attend for the month

At least one or two events in a month. Remember your goal is to go out to more informative events? Well, maybe not, but it's a great advantage to do that so; in light of events to attend, my friend Haneefah Adam will be having her first TEDx Talk in Surulere this month on the 27th. She's an amazing creative artist and you can learn a whole lot about her journey at the talk. Details in the flyer. I hope to see you there!

P.S: If you are still in school (whichever one) and you're a reader, let me know if you would like to see school related post here :)

What other suggestions do you have for back to work? Let me know in the comments below!

Till Wednesday, xx

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