This morning has been a particularly stressful one. What I wouldn’t give to go pop some bubble wrap. So seeing Happy Slip’s video on Twitter made me smile. Bubble wrap is happiness indeed.

Did you know that the last Monday of January is annual Bubble Wrap Day? I missed it by eight hours, but it’s not too late to celebrate by sharing this video with you guys! Happy Slip’s tips are funny and practical. I particularly like the line your crisper with bubble wrap tip. I just don’t know if the bubble wrap will make it to the refrigerator intact. Must. pop. bubbles.

So thanks for making my morning better, Happy Slip, even if I didn’t have any bubble wrap with me right now. Must. search. for. bubble. wrap.

And, uh, Christine? Where’d you get all the bubble wrap you used for your shoot? That’s enough to make anyone go bubble wrap crazeh!

Electroman!

How do you recharge yourself during a workday?

I have a snack box on my office shelf. It’s a little plastic container that contains chewy candies, different kinds of chocolate, gum, a small pack of cereal, and just this morning, three pieces of fruit bread. It’s my go-to box for energy. True, the sugar doesn’t sustain my energy that long, but it helps perk me up especially after lunch.

Lucky you, coffee drinkers. I miss coffee. I cut down on coffee when I was pregnant, and still don’t drink much of it now that I’m breastfeeding. I have a one-coffee-a-week thing for myself, and reserve that reward for the most dire of situations. Or if I’m offered a cup of coffee during a meeting and I simply can’t refuse.

Other things that help recharge me: a walk up the stairs. Instead of taking the elevator, I take the stairs to get in and out of our office. It wakes me up and in the long-term, will be friendly on my waistline too.

Then there’s the brush-your-teeth-for-no-reason reason. Even if I hadn’t eaten anything, the minty break wakes me up and I go back to my desk cool and refreshed. Well at least my breath is.

What do you do to recharge yourself during the workday? Tips must appreciated. Happy Monday!

When I was still in school, I’d prepare my clothes the night before to save on time the following morning. After all, wouldn’t it be better to take in a couple more minutes of snooze time in place of the minutes  having to decide what to wear?

So by the closet door hung my uniform, undies, socks and school shoes. In the uniform pocket was my handkerchief. On my vanity table were the accessories I’d wear with it. Ready, set, go to school!

Image credit: Darwin Bell

Cut to Mommyhood. Mornings with the baby can be chaotic. Because of mid-morning feedings, I’d hit the snooze button more and end up frazzled when deciding what to wear. Sometimes the baby would feed so long that I’d lose closet time, so I’d just grab whatever looks decent together. Hurrah for neutrals. So I’ve rediscovered this old school habit when I went back a couple of weeks after maternity leave.

Preparing your clothes the night before is a chore you can easily handle ahead of time. The more things you prepare the night before, the easier your mornings will be. So by my closet door each night hang my office clothes, shoes, undies, and by the vanity are accessories, toiletries that I’ll use. No more “What do I wear today?” debate that costs me a lot of time.

The only thing I fight against? Feeling like wearing red in the morning when I’ve prepared a black-and-white ensemble the night before. Uh-oh. Maybe I should prepare a back-up ensemble when these things happen.

Have you ever prepared your clothes the night before? Does this help you ease into the mornings better?