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      in health and weelbeing

      4 Reasons to Ditch Your Perfectionist Streak for Good

      by

      I have jumped awake at 3:52am more times than I can count. As a former editor who worked years of evening shifts in newspaper publishing, I was supposed to be able to gracefully manage time, words, and people each night to turn out a perfectly polished product for readers every morning.Most of the time, it went fine, or at least fine-ish. But even if I felt pretty confident about the newspaper I’d helped put together hours earlier, I’d still jolt awake in the dark, absolutely sure I had forgotten something important and would be judged for it.
      In my predawn terror, I was starting to realize that my perfectionism wasn’t just about maintaining my own high standards. It was coming from a place of deep, deep fear. 
      What if someone judged me in the morning or found my work lacking? That would be awful. Maybe I would never recover from the embarrassment. So I played it safe, never taking risks or exploring outside my narrow comfort zone. 
      Over time, though, that zone actually became a lot less comfortable. I was scrambling every day to live up to others’ expectations, afraid to use my own voice. And you know what the worst part was? Nobody whose opinion I valued had ever judged me. The expectations I imagined others had for me were just that — imaginary. 
      That’s when I realized that, as scary as it might sound, living in the real world as the flawed human I was (and very, very much continue to be!) was the only way I could learn and develop my skills and confidence. I was learning what experts already know: Perfectionism can be the very thing that holds us back from being the best version of ourselves. 
      Need more reasons to ditch that perfectionist streak once and for all? Try thinking about what it doesn’t do for you. 

      1. It doesn’t raise your game
      First, those high standards we hold ourselves to? They don’t have to disappear. Striving for excellence and being conscientious is something we should be proud of. But there’s a simple reason that perfection isn’t worth chasing. Our goals have to be achievable, and perfection just isn’t. 
      Take it from Dr. Brené Brown, the bestselling author who studies shame, vulnerability, and leadership. “What emerged for me in the data is that perfectionism is not about striving for excellence or healthy striving,” Brown told Oprah, according to HuffPost. “It’s… a way of thinking and feeling that says this: ‘If I look perfect, do it perfect, work perfect and live perfect, I can avoid or minimize shame, blame and judgment.’”
      If you’ve been hanging on to that perfectionist streak because you think letting go will lower your standards, breathe easy. It’s time to set new goals — ones that challenge you, inspire you, and leave you feeling proud of your progress.

      2. It doesn’t help you grow
      Consider adopting the mantra of entrepreneur and life coach Marie Forleo: “Go for progress, not perfection.” On her blog, Forleo admitted that she could easily polish her posts and other products all day. Like many of us, she wants her work to be as good as it can be.“However, perfectionism is an insidious trap that can grind your output to a halt and suffocate your soul — if you let it,” she wrote. 
      That’s because all that endless tweaking doesn’t give you space to grow. Put your best effort out there and be done with it until you’re ready to make real improvements, Forleo argued.
      “The goal is to always keep yourself in a growth-oriented mindset where you’re focused on learning and experimentation and getting better and just putting shiz out there,” she told viewers of her show, Marie TV. 
      Perfectionism is a defense mechanism that’s more about seeking external approval than it is about doing your own best work and learning and growing in the process. The latter tends to be more meaningful, so remind yourself from time to time that progress — not perfection — is the goal. 

      3. It doesn’t support your health
      If you brush off the rest of these reasons, listen to this one. Perfectionism does zero favors for your health.
      “Recent findings suggest that perfectionism is highly prevalent among children and adolescents, and perfectionism can be quite destructive in terms of its links with anxiety, depression, and suicide,” the summary of a 2014 report on perfectionism begins. 
      Other studies support those findings. They connect the dots between perfectionism and depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and more. If perfectionism is becoming more common, as studies suggest, more people are at risk.
      An increase in perfectionism doesn’t indicate that we’re all just getting better at everything, as BBC Future noted. It’s actually a bad thing.

      4. It doesn’t enrich your life and relationships
      Psychologists say there are a few types of perfectionists. Some — self-oriented perfectionists — may need to know that they’re working at their full potential all the time. They may be disproportionately bothered by making a mistake. They may even expect themselves to be consistently perfect. 
      Other-oriented perfectionists hold others to high standards, expecting the people around them to be perfect. They may not be able to delegate effectively, needing to retain control of work so that it meets their own standards. 
      Socially-prescribed perfectionists are fueled by pressure and others’ expectations of them — real or imagined. They may base their self-worth on whether they can meet those high standards, even if they’re not realistic.
      Each one may struggle with life and relationships in different ways. We are all on our own imperfect journey, like the one that’s described in one of my favorite childhood stories. In it, the Velveteen Rabbit and its friends are discussing the process of becoming Real and truly loved by a child. As they explain, it’s not a journey that has room for perfection — only for being authentic and unique. 
      “It takes a long time,” one toy explains to another. “That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
      Take it from Brown. She believes that in order to genuinely connect with others, we have to show them genuine versions of ourselves — struggles and all. The truth, she argued, is that we are naturally interested in people who are authentic, who are honest about their imperfect lives.
      “Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it’s a shield,” Brown noted in a CNN op-ed. “Perfectionism is a 20-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from being seen and taking flight.” More

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      in health and weelbeing

      Why Imposter Syndrome Can Make You Your Own Worst Enemy

      by

      I speak fast when I’m nervous. Scratch that: I always speak fast, but when I’m nervous my speed kicks into high gear to the point where it can be difficult to understand me. The first time I had to give an important presentation in the workplace, I was understandably nervous. As part of my training, I knew my colleagues were planning to give me feedback post-presentation, which made me even more nervous. Once the presentation was over, I received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The only negative feedback? I spoke too fast. Sigh.It was at that moment that I realized that being nervous about doing a good job led to my nerves getting in my way. From there on out, I realized that a lack of confidence and those creeping feelings of imposter syndrome did nothing but hurt me. Now, even if I am nervous about a job interview or an important meeting, I push those nerves to the side. I know that if I give into them, they’re just going to get in my way, which in turn gives me one less thing to worry about.
      Being excited about an opportunity, feeling nervous, and lacking confidence can all lead to falling head first into an imposter syndrome black hole. Here’s why you can’t give into those feelings.

      Imposter syndrome isn’t productive
      There’s a dangerous perception spreading around the inspirational spaces of the internet that you have to shut imposter syndrome out completely, and that you can never let those feelings of doubt or insecurity even cross your mind. That’s a really unfair standard to set, and one that can make you feel even worse when you are struggling with imposter syndrome. It’s OK to have feelings associated with imposter syndrome, as long as you can set them aside before they begin to harm you.
      For example, if you’re scrolling through LinkedIn and see your dream job pop up, it’s totally understandable to worry you aren’t qualified based on the job description, but it’s not OK to choose to not apply because you don’t feel like you deserve your dream job. You can feel insecure when pitching a potential client, as long as you don’t lower your prices drastically just because they have a different idea of what your time is worth.
      Imposter syndrome is so unproductive, so acknowledge your feelings, remind yourself of where these feelings stem from and why you’re ready to move past them, and then go ahead and check imposter syndrome off your to-do list.

      Source: Gabriele Gzimailaite

      Skip the self-fulfilling prophecy
      Similar to how I learned that my fears about doing a bad job while public speaking make me actually do a bad job while public speaking, there are countless ways that imposter syndrome can lead to the exact results you were afraid of. If we tell ourselves we aren’t worthy of an exciting new opportunity, don’t put ourselves out there at networking events, or are afraid to start that business because we’ll never sell a single product, then what will happen? We won’t gain the new opportunity we wanted so badly; we won’t make any valuable new connections; we won’t ever start that business. If you succumb to imposter syndrome, you end up with the same results that imposter syndrome makes you feel will come to fruition. So what’s the point in giving in instead of taking that shot?

      Source: Andrew Neel

      You owe yourself more
      Nowadays, I don’t have to do much public speaking. As a freelance writer, I tend to stick to the written word, but there are countless other ways imposter syndrome creeps into my daily life. Is it a waste of time to pitch that really cool publication? Does anyone want me to share my work on my Instagram Stories? Can I really ask for that rate? I can’t get an answer to these questions unless I move forward. I won’t know if a publication will reject me until I pitch them. I won’t know if I can raise my rates until I try. I won’t get feedback on my work until I put it out into the world. One day I realized I owed it to myself to try. Do I get rejected? All the time. But rejection gets way easier to deal with once you’ve faced it a few times. Not to mention, by putting myself out there more and more, I don’t have all of my eggs in one basket, and don’t find myself as disappointed if something doesn’t work out.
      We all owe it to ourselves to try. This sounds cheesy, but do you really think at the end of anyone’s life that they wished they didn’t put themselves out there as much? Probably not. You without a doubt owe it to yourself to stop letting imposter syndrome be your own worst enemy. I know that is so much easier said than done, but try to remember that next time imposter syndrome is about to take hold. You’re a total badass and you’ve got this, no matter what that voice in the back of your head says. More

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      in health and weelbeing

      I’m a Black Woman and I Don’t Know How to Celebrate My Accomplishments

      by

      “You are your ancestors’ wildest dreams, you are the epitome of what Martin Luther King Jr. marched for,” said my friend Steven. This statement took me back for a second. I knew what he was implying with his statement, I just didn’t know how to feel about it. During that moment, I started to think about how this a common feeling I had since I graduated high school. Hearing these words brought back a lot of feelings that have plagued my mind since I started my undergraduate studies. Were my accomplishments really that powerful that I made my ancestors proud? Was I really “making my ancestors proud”? Which is a popular saying in the Black community. I always had some of my family and friends hype me up about the opportunities that I have been fortunate to have. But honestly, I always felt like I still wasn’t good enough. It sometimes felt like I was living a double life. I was successful, put-together, and happy on the outside, but on the inside I was crippled with self-doubt, anxiety, and self-pity for some of the decisions I made and how my life turned out. 
      Feeling like I “made it” gave me sorrow about Black people who would never know the feeling because they had the opportunity to live to see their full potential. Feeling like I “made it” gave me doubt about what my future held since I accomplished a lot in my early 20s. The feeling of accomplishing a goal was never an easy feeling for me. I would feel immense gratitude for how far I came, and then a rush of sadness came over me because it was a voice in my head telling me I just got lucky and one day it would not always be that way. A feeling of self-doubt would tell me that I was not worthy of the dreams I had in my head. Anxiety told me that I was only achieving my dreams because I was the token Black girl and I made white people feel comfortable. Not knowing how to celebrate my accomplishments started when I was in elementary school. 

      Were my accomplishments really that powerful that I made my ancestors proud? Was I really “making my ancestors proud”

      In elementary school, I loved reading, and my mother did too, so we would go to the library every weekend to find a good book to dive into. Reading became my safe haven from the world and let me explore life beyond the subsidized housing I lived in. I was able to put myself in someone else’s shoes for a short period of time. I was able to learn about things that “project kids” never had the chance to learn or experience. Since I loved reading, this helped me excel in school and get ahead of many of my peers. I was always praised by my parents for my good grades and excelling in different subjects in school. 

      It sometimes felt like I was living a double life. I was successful, put-together, and happy on the outside, but on the inside I was crippled with self-doubt, anxiety, and self-pity for some of the decisions I made and how my life turned out. 

      The praise and congratulations went on into high school and college. I was always made to feel like I was on top of the world. In retrospect, I have learned that this was a contributing factor to why I felt like I couldn’t slow down and appreciate my wins. I always felt like I had to achieve more, go harder, and not settle too much on what I had accomplished or the opportunities I had opened up doors for me. I always had to think 10 steps ahead, and never get too comfortable with what I had. This is a problem that not only I deal with, but the reality of what people of color, especially Black people, have to deal with. When you are a Black person—a Black woman—society and systematic oppression make you feel like you no one cares about what you accomplished and that you need to always stay on your toes. If we celebrate, there is always something in the back of our heads telling us that it could be taken away or we don’t deserve the fruit we bear because we are not worthy of hitting that “glass ceiling” (whatever that means) that we see so many non-people of color hit. 

      I always felt like I had to achieve more, go harder, and not settle too much on what I had accomplished or the opportunities I had opened up doors for me. I always had to think 10 steps ahead and never get too comfortable with what I had.

      I recently spoke to a friend of mine who expressed on social media that she always felt like she wasn’t doing a good enough job at work and the pressure she always felt at work, regardless of what her superiors told her. She said that the hardest part about being a Black woman in corporate America/non-profit is, “We aren’t afforded bad days, passion, frustration, or disappointment. Every negative emotion we may have is an attitude of aggression. We aren’t even allowed to be introverted or shy because then we are mean, stand-offish, or unapproachable. This is especially problematic in the non-profit sector because of the emphasis put on the donor opinions and experiences.”
      When Black women constantly feel this way at work, it often seeps into our personal lives. We often think our accomplishments or wins won’t matter when the dust settles because it’s always “what’s next.” We never get extended the grace to reel in what we accomplished and the life we have built for ourself. If we get the job, the house, the man, or the promotion, we always get the rebuttal of “When are you going to get a man?” or “What do you even do?” I asked my same friend, “Would you say you know how to celebrate your accomplishments? And she expressed to me it is difficult for her to acknowledge them. “Honestly it is difficult. A lot of times I look at things like ‘this is what I was supposed to do.’ This is no different than what Black women also feel in their personal lives. Society looks at us as being the “strong” one because of what they have made us endure and what we keep allowing. But when you feel like you are already a minority, you already know you have to work 20 times harder than anyone else, Black and white people included, we often feel like being strong and enduring what is thrown at us is what we are designed to do. 

      When you are a Black person—a Black woman—society and systematic oppression make you feel like you no one cares about what you accomplished and that you need to always stay on your toes. If we celebrate, there is always something in the back of our heads telling us that it could be taken away or we don’t deserve the fruit we bear because we are not worthy of hitting that “glass ceiling” (whatever that means) that we see so many non-people of color hit. 

      In most of my jobs, relationships, and friendships, I always felt like I had to know how to take pain and suffering as the first step in order to reap the rewards. As I sit back and think of what I have accomplished and how I accomplished it, it all was derived from pain. I wanted to excel in college because I know most people like me don’t get the opportunity. Pain. I moved to New York to have better opportunities and felt ostracized and dealt with systematic racism. Pain. I found one of my passions for working in Diversity and Inclusion, but if I had not attended a predominantly white graduate school and faced racism and prejudice for the majority of my days, I wouldn’t be where I am today. But it was all derived from pain and suffering that America chooses as a weapon to make Black women feel inadequate for what they want to accomplish.

      We never get extended the grace to reel in what we accomplished and the life we have built for ourself. If we get the job, the house, the man or the promotion we always get the rebuttal of “When are you going to get a man?” or “What do you even do?”

      Sometimes it’s hard to decipher whether something is right for me if I didn’t have to suffer first to get it. This is an ongoing struggle for not just Black women, but also Black people. We always work 20 times harder, we are always thinking about our next goal, what we are going to do next and if suffering or obstacles are not attached to them—it feels too good to be true. 
      Black women don’t get the same grace from a society that we give everyone else. It is a never-ending cycle that we have to go through in order for people to see our worth. Just because you think we are strong, doesn’t mean we have to always showcase that trait every day. 

      Black women don’t get the same grace from a society that we give everyone else.

      There is no right solution to make Black women feel like they don’t have to wear the weight of the world on their shoulders. It is a learned habit that America and the people who have made up their own idea of what a Black woman is before getting to learn them. It will take years and decades to untwine the idea of what a Black woman is or is not. 
      Black women deserve the same dignity, rights, protection, and grace that is given out so freely to everyone but them. In order for Black women to get the chance to heal, feel, celebrate, and accomplish their desires, society has to change the narrative that has kept Black women in a box.  More

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      in beauty and fashion

      Meet the Powerhouse Public Health Expert Behind Beauty Company BLK + GRN

      by

      When you add any face mask, deodorant, or body scrub to your BLK + GRN cart, you’re not only buying a top-notch addition to your self-care arsenal—you’re also buying a product that’s non-toxic and made by a Black artisan.Dr. Kristian Edwards, DrPH, the founder of this online marketplace for all-natural beauty and lifestyle products from Black-owned businesses, is on a mission to make living green and shopping Black easier and more transparent. All of BLK + GRN’s products—from makeup to multivitamins to moisturizer—are vetted by Edwards personally, she said, plus aestheticians, dermatologists, makeup artists, and other professionals (since, as anyone who’s explored ‘clean’ beauty knows, just because a concealer or deodorant is made with natural ingredients doesn’t mean it necessarily works).
      Edwards hopes BLK + GRN serves as an educational platform too. Shoppers can get to know the entrepreneurs behind a favorite candle, lipstick, or lotion, and find research-backed information on the benefits of switching to products sans potentially harmful chemicals.
      The idea for BLK + GRN came to Edwards, a professor of public health at George Washington University, after coming across research showing that beauty products marketed to Black women scored lower in potentially harmful ingredients than those aimed at the general public. Because the report found that Black women appear to buy and use more personal care products, this could mean they’re being exposed to more of these potentially dangerous chemicals.

      Source: @blkandgrn

      Edwards felt she had to take action. With the report finding that ingredients in these commonly-found products may be linked to cancer, hormone disruption, allergies, and other serious health conditions, she felt the potential risks were too dire not to. She started by overhauling her own medicine cabinet, seeking to fill it with less harmful products. Around the same time, Edwards read Our Black Year by Maggie Anderson.
      “I was convinced of the importance of Black people, and people in general, supporting Black-owned brands, that every dollar should be a vote,” she said. She combined the two goals, looking for natural products that also came from Black makers.
      After testing boxes and bottles galore of sunscreen and shampoo, discovering lesser-known brands along the way, her mission expanded. “I wanted to create a space to make it easier for people to find them,” she explained. Edwards launched BLK + GRN in 2017.

      Source: @blkandgrn

      What started as a solo operation, with Edwards packing up every order herself from her Maryland home, has grown to a team of six selling more than 90 wares from 71 artisans and counting. Hearing from customers who say ditching toxic products thanks to BLK + GRN has changed their lives keeps Edwards going. So, too, does growing alongside the business owners whose goods the marketplace stocks. “They’ve become family at this point,” she said. 
      As the site has evolved, Edwards said she’s committed as ever to providing information on cosmetics and creators. There’s a BLK + GRN podcast, a blog and resources such as a list of 20 potentially harmful ingredients you won’t see in products on the site (Edwards recommended printing it out and taking it with you if you shop elsewhere). Social media, too, is a way Edwards and her team hope to spread the word on clean beauty. “We always try to talk to customers wherever they will listen,” she said. 
      One such discussion is about the higher prices of natural products. Instead of viewing these products as luxury items, Edwards hopes people see buying better ingredients as an investment in health.

      Source: @blkandgrn

      “What are you worth? What is your value? Is making that choice now better for your health?” she said. “We try not to tell people what to do. We just want them to think about it, we try to get people to have those conversations.” 
      Eventually, Edwards said she’d like to establish relationships with more farmers and suppliers of natural ingredients, so she can connect her artisans more directly to the ingredients they use. 
      She’d also like to start an accelerator program to provide training and capital to Black-owned businesses, which, especially those owned by Black women, are historically underfunded.

      Source: @blkandgrn

      Below, check out some of BLK + GRN’s top-selling products. As Edwards pointed out, just because BLK + GRN’s products are made by Black women, that “doesn’t mean they are specifically for melanated skin. Anyone can use them.”  More

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      in lifestyle and culture

      10 Email Mistakes You Should Always Avoid

      by

      One of the most important career lessons we can learn is that work is not synonymous with email. Treating email like the tool that it is rather than making it the end-all, be-all is essential to bring some sanity to our days. For many of us now living in this always-on virtual work world, our inboxes can feel like they run our lives. If you’re making these email mistakes, now is a good time to reset.
      1. The “reply-all” catastrophe
      There is no horror like the horror of a reply-all fail. Whether it was your error or you are bearing witness to someone’s quick trigger finger failure, it’s painful. If at all possible, train yourself out of any reply-all habit. Make a single reply your general default, and anytime you are inclined to reply to a group, ask yourself, “Does everyone on this note really need to take action or be immediately informed of this development?” The answer is almost always no.

      2. Unclear takeaways
      Email is an enabler, not a task unto itself. With that in mind, try to stay disciplined and not fire off emails without a clear call to action. Do recipients need to schedule a meeting? Make a decision? Act on a client need? As you would any other compelling communication, close your email with the exact action item you need from someone, using their name, what you’re expecting, and by when. “Amy, Could you be sure to call the client with this update before 5pm tomorrow and let me know their response?”

      3. Super long emails
      In the same way that many meetings “could have been an email,” sometimes we find ourselves in an email chain that a quick call or huddle could fix. If you find yourself three or four replies into a group conversation, suggest cutting the thread short and putting everyone on the phone for a “huddle.” Use the time to drive toward decisions or clarity, and keep it 15 minutes tops.

      4. Getting the tone wrong
      Being too formal or too casual can blow up an email. As a rule of thumb, the less you’ve worked directly with a person, the more you should have a formal and professional email approach. Seniority also still matters here. Your manager’s boss, or others up in the organization should get your best foot forward on an email, even if it is a quick ask. It’s also important to bring a little humanity to your emails as your relationship with people grows over time. “Hope you had a good weekend!” can go far with a closer colleague when you’re firing off a note over an early Monday morning need.

      5. Not sleeping on it
      If there’s a shred of controversy in your note and you don’t need to send it immediately, sleep on it. I have yet to meet an email that I haven’t made better by giving it another 18 hours to think through. Even if you’re not actively crafting a new note, you’ve stepped away from a possibly heated response or complicated question, and your subconscious will come back to it with a better version.

      6. Misusing BCC
      BCC is a tricky beast. There’s definitely a shred of embarrassment when a recipient realizes they weren’t in actual copy, but responds to a larger note. Be really thoughtful about your motivations for using it. If you’re trying to keep a message private, a forward with a caveated note may be better. Another smart way to use BCC is to call attention to moving people into the BCC line and announce the gesture. “While we go back and forth on meeting details, dropping Sarah and John to BCC to spare their inboxes! We’ll come back with a final plan.”

      7. Leaving the subject line static
      Especially after vacation, piles of responses tied to the same subject line is dreadful. (The cleanup feature in Microsoft can help.) However, it’s always such a joy when you’ve found a note where someone has gone to the trouble of amending the subject. Did you add an attachment? “With Meeting Notes” gets added to the subject line. Is someone giving a new perspective? “Including Audit Team for Comment.” These little nuggets are also my own useful trail for finding where ideas diverge in a mountain of sent emails.

      8. Being unaware of time zones and holidays
      One of the most thoughtful signature blocks I’ve ever seen included the line “I’m sending this email because it suits me and my time zone. I do not expect responses outside of your normal working hours unless expressly indicated.” In our especially global world, it can be hard to stay on top of people’s respective time zones, relocations, and personal holidays. Adding an indication that you know they may be otherwise occupied and clearly stating your timelines is both professional and courteous.

      9. Being the first one to reply
      There are definitely moments where you’re the best one to jump in with an addition or reply. However, most of the time, sparing yourself as the first response pays dividends. First, if we truly run our workday like email is not our job, you shouldn’t be in your email all day. That means that realistically, hours could go by before you get to an email. Try testing the waters in a small way here if holding off on responses feels uncomfortable. Start with notes where you’re in a group of respondents. You may find it surprising to see how self-sufficient people are, or how effectively a conversation advances without you needing to jump in.

      10. Rushing the send
      “Rushing the send” is the sister of being the first to reply. Slow. Down. All of us are going a million miles an hour these days, but taking that extra few minutes to edit something is hugely beneficial. Are all the right people on this email? Does it have a clear, actionable purpose? Is it as long as it needs to be, but as short as it can be? Giving yourself a little personalized email checklist before you hit send can sharpen your communication skills and your professional profile. More

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      in health and weelbeing

      4 Reasons Why Multitasking Is Not the Best Option

      by

      Allow me to recap what my morning has looked like so far.I answered a couple of emails before starting a load of laundry. I answered another email, jotted down a few thoughts in an article outline, scrolled through Instagram, and then returned a couple more emails. I changed the laundry loads while on a phone call and then turned my attention once again to that article outline I promised myself I’d finish that morning.
      That’s pretty much standard for me — and I’m willing to bet the same holds true for you. When there are seemingly endless things to get done during any given day, multitasking is our new normal.
      But, in case you haven’t already heard, as irresistible as multitasking might seem, it’s really not the most efficient way for you to get your work done. Here’s why.

      1. Multitasking makes you less productive.
      This seems counterintuitive. How can doing two things at the same time actually make you less productive? Well, for starters, you aren’t actually doing two things simultaneously. Scientists say that’s almost impossible for humans to do well (hence why rubbing your stomach while tapping your head is such a beloved party trick). What you’re doing instead is rapidly switching between two tasks. You jump from that email to that project, and so on and so forth.
      Not so bad, right? Consider this: That constant switching counts as an interruption. You’re ripping your focus from one task to dedicate it to another. And, those constant disruptions come at a pretty high cost. Research shows that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to refocus on the original task that was interrupted.
      So, if you task switch just four times each workday (and, let’s be honest, you’re doing it far more than that), you’re spending nearly an hour just trying to get yourself re-committed to the project at hand. See? Not so productive after all.

      Source: @brooklynblonde1

      2. Multitasking hinders your memory.
      The other day, my mom called me to remind me of something important I had to do. “Oh, that’s right — you need to remember that,” I recited to myself while hanging up the phone. I figured I’d crank out one quick email before tackling that reminder. But — you guessed it — before I managed to circle back around to that, I had entirely forgotten what I was supposed to be doing.
      Sound familiar? That’s because our compulsion to multitask is actually sabotaging our memory. Research from the University of California San Francisco found that multitasking negatively affects our short-term memory — which is also referred to as our “working” memory. Your working memory is what enables you to remember an important deadline someone just told you or the fact that you need to call and schedule a dental cleaning.
      So, if you find yourself forgetting your lunch in the fridge after you told yourself eight times to grab it or not being able to remember a friend’s phone number when she just told it to you, you might be able to blame your multitasking habit for those lapses in your memory.

      Source: Colorjoy Stock

      3. Multitasking leads to poor work.
      Another danger of not being able to commit all of your focus to something? You’re increasing the likelihood of errors. Dr. Paul Hammerness and Margaret Moore, authors of Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life, discovered that multitasking increases your chances of making a mistake or even missing important information or context entirely.
      It makes sense. I’m far more likely to let a typo slip through in an important email if I’m writing that message while also watching TV or talking with a friend. While your urge to rapidly switch between tasks might make you feel like a productivity superhero, it’s probably actually leading to lower-quality work than what you’re capable of producing.

      Source: @alabasterfox

      4. Multitasking makes you feel frazzled.
      How does constantly hopping back and forth between different emails and assignments make you feel? Personally, I feel totally stressed — my eyes feel bleary, my heart rate quickens, and I end the day feeling like I got nothing of real value accomplished. Compare that to spending a couple of dedicated, focused hours to making progress on a big project. How do you feel at the end of that work session? Probably a whole lot different.
      According to David Meyer, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, that’s because multitasking has been proven to boost your stress levels. When you’re trying to accomplish a bunch of tasks — particularly highly important ones — simultaneously, your brain responds to those seemingly impossible demands by pumping out a bunch of adrenaline and other stress hormones.

      Your brain responds to seemingly impossible demands by pumping out adrenaline and other stress hormones.

      The even worse news? A steady flow of those types of hormones can threaten your health. That means multitasking isn’t just sending you into a mental tizzy, it can actually be throwing your body out of whack as well. This only scratches the surface on all of the potential pitfalls related to multitasking. From stifling your creativity to negatively impacting your relationships, this compulsion to cram as many tasks as possible into one time slot doesn’t have a lot of benefits.
      That being said, stopping this natural tendency can be tough — particularly when you’re saddled with a to-do list as long as your arm. The next time you feel the urge to multitask (which I can only assume will be within the next five minutes or so), challenge yourself to stay focused on the task in front of you. You can also experiment with different time management techniques — such as task batching or the Pomodoro Technique — to see what makes you feel your most productive.
      Whatever you do, it’s sure to be a lot more beneficial than constantly switching gears.

      How do you resist the urge to multitask? Let us know! More

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      in lifestyle and culture

      A Branding Expert Shares the Most Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

      by

      Since I started my freelance design business back in 2015 (which feels like three decades ago by now), I’ve created a lot of brands—including logos, submarks, color palettes, typography, icons, and all the jazz that comes with creating a full brand identity. And while I always think it’s worth investing in the look and feel of your brand, sometimes when you’re just starting out, you simply don’t have the capital to hire a brand designer. I know from experience that the first year of your biz—whether it’s full time or a side hustle—can leave you pretty darn broke. To help, I’ve compiled a few strategic tips to help you DIY a brand that feels both elevated and authentic to who you are and what your business is all about. From how to use your fonts to selecting your color palette to setting up a simple yet sophisticated website (with my go-to platform, Squarespace), read on for the frequent branding mistakes I see and how to fix them. 

      Missing your core brand mission
      As a designer (and an Enneagram 4), I’m always conscious of how a brand looks and feels. But I think there’s a general misconception that branding is only about aesthetics when in reality, the best brands communicate something deeper and intrinsic about that company and what it values. Which is why when I start branding projects with my clients, I always have them fill out a questionnaire about their company, both for my benefit and to help them organize their thoughts about the mission, ethics, and meaning behind their brand. 
      Before you start thinking about your own brand’s visuals, take a beat. Grab a clean sheet of paper, open the notes app on your phone, or print out our downloadable worksheet and think about what makes your company or brand special. What do you bring to the table? What is your core mission? Who are your ideal clients and what do they believe in? Having these values outlined beforehand will help you make decisions later on—both about what you want your branding to say to your customers as well as other important decisions you’ll make each day for your business. 

      Forgetting to incorporate your audience 
      Now that you have your business mission and values outlined, you should have an idea of your ideal customer. You want to keep your customer or reader in mind as you’re thinking about your brand visuals. Keep the following things in mind: 
      Make a moodboard 
      Start by creating a board on Pinterest with images that you think reflect your brand and that would resonate with your audience. These don’t have to be logos or brand elements you like (though they can be). Pin anything and everything that catches your eye. Once you have a good amount of images, start reviewing the board and delete anything that no longer makes sense within the context of all the images. You should start to see patterns emerge. Maybe you pinned tons of images with a similar warm color scheme. Or maybe there are handwritten scribbles or elements throughout several of the pins. Note these patterns for elements you’ll use in your brand. 

      Consider color theory 
      Now that you have a moodboard of inspiration imagery, pull out the shades that reoccur. These are typically the shades you’re drawn to—you can see in the snippet of my brand’s moodboard above that I’m drawn to warm beiges, soft muted greens, and faded charcoals.
      Squarespace 7.1 comes with one of my favorite features, which allows you to select your desired color palette within the Design editor and then utilize that color palette throughout your site by selecting the pencil icon and choosing “Colors.” This saves so much time and ensures your shades are consistent throughout your site. 

      Once you have these colors, consider color theory. Which colors match the keywords you associate with your brand? If your brand is all about harmony and trust, try incorporating shades of blue that flow with your moodboard. If you’re more about energy and positivity, try shades of yellow. Refine your shades until you hit on a group that you like (keep it to around seven or less). Make sure you save the specific colors for future use—here’s a great tool on finding the hex code of a color from an image if you don’t have any design software like Photoshop or Illustrator.

      Incorporate your brand copy
      While you’re considering your brand look, it’s also a great time to hone in on a few strategic pieces of copy for your brand. How can you distill your mission down to its purest form? That becomes your tagline. For example, my freelance business is primarily a branding and print shop focused on creating heart-forward design for creatives and small business owners. To communicate that feeling in fewer words with an impactful punch, I distilled that mission down to a simple tagline: Crafting visual love letters. As you fill out our worksheet and think about your audience, jot down a few ideas for a tagline or condensed mission statement you can utilize across your website and branding materials (like business cards, etc.). 

      Equating minimalism with “boring” 
      You know that old Coco Chanel adage that you should take one thing off before you leave the house? Branding is like that. It’s really easy to overdo it, especially if you’re creating it for yourself. Sometimes you might think that more = better, when in reality, a more pared back and minimal design will be easier to nail as a brand newbie. And by minimalism I don’t mean that you have to only use one font or just use black and white as your color scheme. It’s more about letting the simplicity of something speak for itself. So you can still use bright, bold colors or incorporate fun elements like hand-drawn graphics or icons or bright, poppy photography while being more minimal. Some key things to keep in mind as you’re creating your brand look: 
      Keep the number of fonts to three or four 
      A really easy way to overdo it and make a brand look unnecessarily busy or visually confusing is to use too many different fonts that are all competing with each other. When I create brand identities for clients, I usually choose three or four fonts that they will use across their website and brand collateral in the following hierarchy: 
      Heading: This is the font you’ll use for the biggest text on your pages. This is the text you want your viewer to see and read first. You can get funky with your heading fonts because they generally make up a small-ish amount of text. I like to play with display serif fonts (like this) or this is a great place to incorporate script fonts and those with more personality than a standard font like Open Sans or Times New Roman. 
      Subheading: This is the font you’ll use for the smaller text that might live under a heading. You’ll see in the example below that my heading text is my name and the sub-heading text is my title. I usually use san serif fonts for subheadings (fonts without any flourishes on the ends of the letters—like Helvetica, etc.) and frequently do the font in all caps for more impact at a smaller size. 
      Body copy: This is the font you’ll use for any larger paragraphs of text. You want this font to be very easy to read because you don’t want your audience to get confused or navigate away from your site because the body font was too funky to understand. 

      Tagging your text like this on your website also helps with indexing and SEO (win, win)—learn more about that process here! 

      Don’t overcrowd your elements 
      One of my favorite tricks to give non-designers is about negative space. Whenever you’re creating something for your brand, consider the room each element has to “breathe” within the design. Just as you wouldn’t take a photo with the top of someone’s head cut off, you want to leave space around the elements (text, images, logos, etc.) of your design to avoid anything looking or feeling too cramped.  
      One of the reasons while I love Squarespace and frequently recommend it to my clients is because they make it so easy to create balance with negative space. You can add spacer blocks between photos or text to make sure nothing is too tight together or use one of the pre-made Squarespace layouts or templates that have strategic negative space built in. 

      Letting perfectionism get the best of you
      Last but not least, as a recovering perfectionist myself, I think there is such an impulse to wait until everything is “perfect” before you can launch your brand or put your business out into the world. And while I don’t think you should launch before you’ve done a few strategic things, there unfortunately isn’t a magical time when everything is perfect and you feel 100% ready. And that goes for your branding and visuals as well! Even as a brand designer myself, I’ve re-branded a few times over the years, which I think is completely natural and an extension of your business growing and evolving. 
      So don’t be afraid to create something for yourself initially and think you’ll be stuck with that look or visual identity for the rest of time. Start with something simple (I always say you can’t go wrong with simply typing your business name in a really great font—boom, instant beginner logo) that you can build off of in the future. And remember that re-branding also doesn’t have to mean scraping everything and starting from scratch. Sometimes I’ll refresh my own brand by updating the colors slightly or changing around or further customizing my Squarespace template to better reflect where my business is at that moment. Have fun with it and play around, especially at the beginning! There is always room for experimentation and discovery. 

      This post was sponsored by Squarespace, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. More