Favorites on Friday - Vacation, All I Ever Wanted!

Favorites on Friday

I made it through the week! Sorry for the delayed post.. Today has been go-go-go. I flew back home bright and early for a short day in the office. After not even 6 hours in Kansas City, it was back to the airport. But at least this time it was for a personal trip and not for work! Vacation is here - and it can't get much better than that. So here are some of my favorites from this week!

~A Freaking Fun Week Ahead~

-With this crew, there are sure to be lots of laughs, games, great food, and freaking fun. Britt's family kindly invited me along for their lovely vacation once again. I am so excited to spend some quality time relaxing and enjoying good company this week. 

~The Best Mexican Food in SLC~

-The 45 minutes wait was totally worth it. When you finally get a seat at the Red Iguana in Salt Lake City, they treat you like an extra special guest - bringing out samples of their famous dishes and joking with you like you are an old friend. So if you are ever in Salt Lake City, go check it out! ..just don't go when you are absolutely starving. From what I hear, there is always a long line wrapping around the small building.

~Even though I'm not quite 29...~

-When I clicked on What I Know Now at 29, I thought 'Ah, just another list'. Don't get me wrong. The '..x number of things I learned from y..' articles always draw me in. They are usually pretty standard, but just entertaining enough to keep me going back for more. This particular article by Serena Dyer had a few gems in there that I couldn't help but share. 7, 8, and 9 were spot on. 

Do you have any big plans for the week of the 4th? Comment below!

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

PTT: Is being on vacation 24/7 a job? How to avoid burnout.

Professional Tip Tuesday
4 days. 4 days until my first real vacation since I started working last July. Britt and I are heading to a lake in Wisconsin with his family - and I cannot wait to spend some quality time with some of my favorite people!

Between that, and an awesome weekend in Virginia Beach with my family.. it is almost impossible to get back into the workweek. I have been living for the weekends lately, and the weekdays are just dragging on.

Soaking up the beach life in Virginia last weekend.

Burnout is a real thing.
The Mayo Clinic describes it as, "a special type of job stress — a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work."

That is the opposite of what I want to be feeling right now. Okay. So that's a little dramatic for my current state of mind. But as a 20-something trying to figure out my passions in life, it's easy to get a little stressed about an entry-level job.

So needless to say, I read 5 Ways to Stop Getting Completely Burnout at Work at just the right time.All of these tips are great reminders to give yourself a little break and celebrate small accomplishments to get yourself back in the grove.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Focus on a single task.
• Although as a female I am very proud of my ability to multitask - forget trying to to do it on days you are feeling a little down. Plug in your headphones, listen to some motivating music, and power through.. one thing at a time.
• And while you are at it, start with the small things.
• Make a list of a few things you want to get done in a day. Tackle the easiest items first. It will make you feel so much better about the day just by being able to cross a few things off the list!
• When all else fails, get away from it all. 
• The article takes this one a little far, saying it's time to call it quits. But really even taking a few days to yourself can do the trick. Turn off your work phone, don't check your email, and just get away from it all. 

What are your tips for avoiding burnout? How do you help yourself feel rejuvenated and ready for the workweek? Comment below! 

Favorites On Friday - East Coast Adventures

Favorites on Friday

This weekend's adventure? Virginia Beach, Virginia. We switched up our typical West coast adventures and headed East! I flew in from my second home of Salt Lake City and Britt flew in from Kansas City. After a lot of stressful delays for both of us, we miraculously both made it late last night at 4AM. So now, just a few hours left of the workday before we can go and enjoy the beautiful beachfront! 

~Oceanfront Workday~

We left the beachfront balcony for a little work with a side of fries.

-A workday isn't half bad with the sound of the ocean waves right outside. ..Or at least that's how the day started. Britt and I were working away on the balcony of the oceanfront hotel my parents are staying in when the internet dropped. So we had to make a quick move our only other option - a McDonald's across the street. The atmosphere here isn't nearly as nice, but it will do the trick while we finish up a few things!

~Return to Neptune~

If you ever find yourself at Virginia Beach, head to
31st and Atlantic to see massive King Neptune guarding the sea.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia RadioFan

-This beach has to be one of my favorite spots. My uncle moved out here a few years ago and every trip has been such a blast. The beach and boardwalk are something to remember. So we're back at it.. ready to be beach bums and stroll the boardwalk!

~Pantene's #ShineStrong Series~

"Not Sorry" from the Pantene #ShineStrong series.

-I can't say I use their products, but Pantene's girl power ads are killing it recently. I saw this one a while back on Facebook. My new favorite is the one you see above that was posted on HuffPost Women - "Reminding women to stop saying sorry when they didn't do anything wrong." Check it out and feel empowered.

So as I write this from a noisy Micky D's Cafe, I am realizing it's definitely my most random makeshift workplace.. What's yours? Comment below! 

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

PTT: Goal-Setting for the Millennial Mind

Professional Tip Tuesday
Why is goal-setting so scary? My very first annual review is coming up soon, and along with that - we have to set our 'annual imperatives'. Oh boy, am I struggling with this daunting task. Thinking about goals for too long could scare anyone.. at least a little.

But the 'millennial mindset' makes it even harder to form that 'What's next?' question into (the very intimidating) SMART goals. Our generation has constantly been told that we can do anything - so no wonder it's difficult to put all of those possibilities into a just a few goals!

So how can you set goals in your first year of the real world?
I have learned so much in my first year as a working gal. But a year doesn't make me a seasoned vet. I still have so much to learn - and all of it has to do with setting goals.

My ultimate career goal.
Access Dubuque asked what my dream job was at a college career fair. 

So when Goal-Setting has you down...
Think about what you are good at, and what you have done well.
     - If you think about what you have succeeded at in your job, it might help you figure out what you enjoy about your job. This gives you a great place to start. Personally, I want to work towards a goal that lets me do the things I like to do!

Think about things you are getting good at.
      - The tasks that you are just starting to master are great for goal-setting. It's something you are already excited about - so set a goal around it, and use it to your advantage!

Think about what your company wants.
     - Look at your company's mission statement and goals. Use these as inspiration and drop some buzzwords into your goals. This will help you to develop goals that align with what your company needs!

Something to remember: Writing a goal isn't the same as committing yourself to a career path. This has been a scary exercise for me because I don't know what my 'next steps' are yet. But just by keeping these tips in mind, along with making small and attainable goals - I am able to see this as a 'one step at a time' sort of thing. Most importantly - there's still plenty of time to use that millennial mind and do 100 different things :)

What are your tips for writing career goals? Comment below!

Favorites on Friday - Summer Vacation Weekends!

Favorites on Friday

This month is full of mini-vacations. Since there aren't any 'summer breaks' in the real-world, I am taking advantage of the weekends and packing in as many things as I can. With all of these good weekend plans, the work week isn't all that bad :)

~Cali Adventures pt. 3~

-I just can't get enough of sunny California. Britt and I hit as many fun spots as we could last weekend in Southern California. We lost a little money at the Santa Anita Racetrack, stopped by the Rose Bowl Stadium, hung out on the Santa Monica Pier and 3rd Street Promenade, and hiked a beautiful trail in Thousand Oaks, California.

BUT by far, one of the most notable parts of the weekend was our trip to Diddy Riese Cookies. It's a cookie shop right off UCLA's campus. I would highly recommend checking it out if you ever make it to LA. The line was out the door and down the block, but as soon as you taste one of their cookie and ice cream sundaes, you'll know why!

~Burlington Steamboat Days~

Throwback picture on the left of me at SBD back in the day. Apparently I was into crop-tops before they were cool.

-I am especially excited for this weekend - family, friends, and festival foods! Steamboat Days is a week of concerts and a carnival along the river in Burlington, Iowa. I have been going since I was a little girl. Last year, my friends came with back with me for the festivities and we had a blast! I have been counting down to this year's event!

What are your favorites from this week? Any big plans for the weekend? Comment below! 

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

PTT: Mastering Email Etiquette

Professional Tip Tuesday
If I were to tell you my skills, I would not include efficient emailer to the list. And email communication can be a very important part of the workday. Most of the time I do alright. But I am always over-thinking: How can I make this professional, but friendly? How can I make this clear and concise, without being short and rude?

Especially as a female, email etiquette can be tricky. Part of our value in the workplace is our compassionate communication style. But how can we balance that with effective emailing?

This article, 10 Rules of Email Etiquette Every Woman Should Follow, offers all sorts of good advice for keeping our communication in check.

My favorite tips are 5 and 6 - two things I always struggle with. Thank yous and apologies.. I am always apt to throw a few of those in an email just for good measure! During my first pass at proofreading an email, I'll find 2-3 "Thanks!" scattered throughout the message for no reason whatsoever.

These tips are a great way to make your emails effective, while still letting your personality come through :)

What are your tips for composing a good email? Comment below!

Favorites on Friday - A Bloggiversary!

The Optimistically Anna Favorite of all Favorites on Friday

~A Year Later~

Like my Facebook page here!

-One whole year and 70 posts later! Blogging definitely keeps me entertained - and gives me a excuse to 'nerd out' over fun career tips :) I have had a blast keeping up with this blog and hearing from readers! 

To celebrate this week's Favorite, here are the most-read posts from the past year!

A shout out to my friends that helped inspire this blog - 
"To The Friends that Make You Stronger"

One of the first, true working girl PTT's -
"First Day Do's"

Britt's hilarious guest post! Who agrees it's about time for an encore?
"Water Cooler Sports Talk". 

San Francisco Favorites - 
"Greetings from San Fran!"

My makeshift chopsticks... hah! - 
"Save Money and Eat Healthy"

Thanks for all of your support along the way.. that's what makes it fun!!

Have a great weekend! 

 

And for past Favorites on Fridays posts, click here!

Tuesday Stuff

Hi guys, how are you? Remember me.. I am the girl that used to consistently post on this site. Sorry I kinda fell off the blogging-sphere this past week. I was home in Kansas City for a whopping 10 days - the longest I have slept in my own bed since January! And it will probably be that way for a while. As of yesterday, I flew back to Salt Lake City and won't be home again until mid-July.

The Highlights
So with this 40+ day stint ahead, I spent the past week laying low and packing in as many normal life things as possible. I have never appreciated things like grocery shopping more!

Lots of time with friends and lounging by the pool!

The week couldn't have started off more perfect - my best friend visited for Memorial Day Weekend! After weeks of hotel rooms and coworkers, there was nothing better than time with the people that know you best. We even fit in some pool time with a side of some delicious margaritas :)

Got a little crazy in the kitchen.

Like I said, I had a little too much fun at the grocery store. I loaded up on fresh foods and prepared for lots of cooking. It was great to actually use my kitchen - I made myself breakfast, packed a fresh lunch, and experimented with tasty new dinner foods. Britt and I got adventurous with homemade black bean burgers and tabbouleh! We used a super simple recipe and... it was (surprisingly) a success!!

Visited a few KC favorites.

It wouldn't have been a week at home without visiting a few of my favorite establishments in Kansas City.. and even checking out a few new places! I went to a movie (or two) at the Dine-In Alamo Draft House movie theater. Enjoyed a delicious Sangria at The Drop. Tried out the cutest Italian restaurant, Cupinis, for some amazing cuisine. And finally made it down to the jazz district in KC for some great live music and good food.

Feeling refreshed. So after a great week of being around friends and sleeping in my own bed - I am ready for more hotel rooms, work, and travel. This month is going to be a little chaotic, but I have lots of good summer plans to look forward to!

So onto the Tuesday stuff.. 

After an update like that, it's hard to get down to business - but I do want to share a little Professional Tip Tuesday good stuff. Someone special shared this awesome article with me and I have to pass it along: 10 Life Lessons to Excel in Your Thirties.

Everything  Mark Manson mentions in this article is valuable and makes you think. I loved every part of it! My (current) favorite is number 8 - "Nobody (still) knows what they're doing, get used to it". 

As I approach my year in the working world, my mind has been racing with the "What's next?" sort of questions. The author points out that this is pretty typical for people at every age. We are constantly meeting new people, reading about the 'next big thing', and exposed to jobs we never knew was possible. So it totally makes sense that our minds are always wandering!

I get a new big idea everyday! I think about career possibilities within my company, graduate school, what would make me happy.. oh, it never ends. Like he notes in the article, no one knows what's next. But it's exciting stuff. There are so many things out there in the world to daydream about!

So what 'life lessons' are you learning along the way? And back to the fun stuff, how was your Memorial Day weekend? Comment below!