Before planning the month ahead, it’s important to look back at the month that just went by and how have you been able to reach your goals. Dive into a deep introspection of how you went about it all. You need to be analytic & in-tune with your spirit. Start by asking yourself some questions and compose answers that are positive, insightful, and motivating to you.
Setting small realistic goals at the start of a new month is a great way to keep track of your progress for your ultimate annual goals. A good practice is to break down your bigger goals into smaller ones that are more realistic and easier to achieve for every new month. Take some time to write all those goals down in one brainstorming session and make sure to come back to visit them at the beginning of the following month.
Take the initiative to plan in advance, schedule important events and prepare for successful projects. Look ahead to what the upcoming month entails and try to be as much prepared as you can. Proactive planning is about strategically anticipating the course of events to best align them to your objectives instead of just being reactive to situations that are outside of your control. Once you plan your month out, work towards making it happen.
Schedule in a deep clean day to keep your workspace organize and clutter-free. Go through your things and get rid of the unnecessary. If your previous organization system wasn’t effective, dare to try something new, you can look at our desk organizers catalog to find what suits best for you. Once your space is organized, set some time for yourself to declutter your mind by releasing all the negativity that has been draining you and focusing your energy on what keeps you motivated.
]]>Summer is finally here! The sun’s out, the weather’s warm and it’s good vibes only. However, many of us are spending most of our days in the office. Whether you work remotely, in a corporate environment or run your own business, this season is no exception when it comes to workload and responsibilities. You’re tied to your busy schedule, but still daydream about fully enjoying the summer vibe. While you can definitely continue to plan your next summer vacation in your head, you can also take matters into your own hands and learn to enjoy the season from indoors. If you really want to minimize FOMO, here’s what you can do to make the best of your summer while still taking care of business. We’ve listed some ideas to help you bring summer into the office and make working life during summertime a little bit more enjoyable.
Make your office hours more enjoyable by giving your office a fresh new makeover. Get rid of the clutter you have accumulated so far throughout the year and keep it as airy as possible. You can use our desk organizers to store all your office essentials in a clean and structured way. You can also give your office a new look with our new desk mats by choosing your favorite color from solid pink, solid grey, and our classic marble. Make sure to add some fresh plants to bring the outdoors to your office space.
Get up and go outside to get some fresh air. Try to take your breaks outdoors to score some Vitamin D as much as you can. It will only do you good and help you bring balance to your mind, body, and spirit. If you feel more daring, try to take some of your meetings outside. Moving your meetings away from the office will help you break up your schedule and make it more enjoyable. You will feel less trapped and confined to your office while allowing you to fully enjoy the beautiful summer weather.
One of the great perks of the summer season is that the day seems longer since there’s more daylight hours. This should allow you to be more flexible with your schedule to help you balance better your work hours and your social outings. You can try starting the day at an earlier time so you can finish your work sooner in the afternoon and enjoy the late-night sunshine. Doing so will help you up-lift your mood as you’ll be able to commit to more fun plans without missing out on important work deliverables.
Summertime is a great opportunity to try new things. So, don’t be afraid to do things differently and get out of the box. You can explore new work methods, make more interactions with people you work with, switch-up your work attire, try new ideas and get more creative with how you go about your day. It will help you feel more energetic and motivated. Even if it might be scary at first, most of the time change is good for the spirit. You’ll be able to make your days more interesting and exciting.
]]>The first step is to identify the source behind your loss of motivation. It will help you better understand what triggers you and how you can deal with it. There are many possible causes that may be the source behind your demotivation. It can be depression, fear, conflict, lack of clarity or even loneliness. Once you have identified the real enemy, you’ll be more suited to address clearly the problem and find the right solution to getting your mind back into its motivated state. Don’t be scared to reach out for the right help from a professional or someone close to you.
Your next step and most important one in your journey to finding back your motivation is to remember your ‘’why”. What is the reason behind everything that you work towards? There’s something that constantly drives you in everything that you do and it’s also that same voice that lies within you that wants you to fight this lack of motivation. You have to clearly define your purpose and remember that it’s that same reason that will help you get passed this obstacle. Once you have a clear understanding of your purpose, you’ll be able to put all your efforts into it.
In this next step, you have to admit that you have limited energy and you have to allow yourself enough time to get better. For now, make sure you’re putting your energy into the right things and you’re not wasting it into unimportant things that just drain you even more. In this stage, you have to learn to prioritize and pick your battles wisely.
The last step is to be aware of your environment and identify the things that lift your mood. It could be as simple as an organized office space or your puppy that comes every morning to wake you up. Once you know what are the things that make you happy, surround yourself with more of it and take the time to fully absorb all the positive energy that comes from that.
Slowly but surely, you’ll find it in you to fight back the negative thoughts and gain your motivation back. Remember that it’s your own personal journey and the clock is not running after you. Take your time, learn to be patient and to allow yourself space and time to grow. Every successful person goes through different obstacles, but these obstacles do not define them, they only make them stronger and more equipped to deal with life’s curveballs.
]]>Sometimes life can be quiet busy and we can easily get sucked into the infinite number of things we have to do on a daily basis. Managing a busy schedule may sometimes seem as a big task on its own. With all of the responsibilities, the obligations and the expectations, it may even become so overwhelming over time that it causes us to feel anxious and becomes a major source of stress and frustration in our life. Between managing our personal and professional affairs, we find ourselves trying to make it all work, all at once. Unfortunately, more often than not, we end up wearing ourselves out and that can eventually impact our productivity, our motivation and our well-being all together.
Nonetheless, that is why learning to better manage a busy schedule is an essential ability to develop and continue to work on as we evolve both on a personnel and a professional level. If you are someone who generally has a lot on their plate and have to keep up with your busy schedule on the daily, here are a few tips that could certainly help you.
Writing things down black on white is a great way to first get started. In fact, making a to-do list of all the things you have to get done helps you see your tasks concretely and allows you to free your head of that information. It also allows to organise your thoughts and to keep track of your tasks. As you go through that list, you can cross off these tasks one by one and move on with you day with a feeling of accomplishment.
One of the best ways to stay organized and manage your busy schedule is to keep an up-to-date calendar. Not only does is allow you to have an overview of all your activities, but it also motivates you to plan out your week or month according to your needs. Keeping an up-to-date calendar also allows you to evaluate how flexible you are when comes the time to deal with urgent or last minute projects. If you make an effort to keep up such a calendar, you can certainly use it as a reliable tool in your life to make plans for small and big things you want to see come to life.
Sometimes, we might have so much to do at the same time that it seems too overwhelming to deal with in one day. Your to-do list may start to get longer by the hour and chances are you will probably not be able to get it all done. That is why learning to prioritize is a good skill to acquire. You first start by assessing the importance and urgency of each task you have and then assigning it a priority. This way, you can focus on what matters first, and take care of the other items on your to-do list at a later more appropriate time. Prioritizing is an excellent way for you to learn to become more productive and more importantly efficient in your work.
One thing for sure, contrary to what we would like to think, sometimes it is simply impossible to do it all, and that is absolutely normal. We can easily get caught up in our ways and put more weight on our shoulders than we can handle. Often, that ends up doing more harm than good in the long run. Learning to delegate is a good way to lighten the burden sometimes. As you go over you busy schedule and your to-do list, take the time to see what tasks you can delegate to your colleagues, team members or partners. This way, you are dividing the workload to efficiently manage you time and energy. Plus, it helps build trust between team members and allows you to grow together as a team and count on each other to become more successful.
Managing a busy schedule is often daunting. The countless hours, resources and the amount of energy you have to put in to reach your goals can be very draining physically and emotionally. That is why it is absolutely essential to make time for yourself, and only yourself. You are allowed to take a break from it all once in a while. Actually, you should even schedule that into your calendar. Take the time to breath, to live in the moment, to recharge and most importantly to appreciate the lessons from your losses and celebrate your wins big and small.
Declutter by dividing your space into specific zones. Every part of your office should serve a purpose to optimize efficiency and encourage you to keep up with a system you implemented that works for you. Organize every corner to create a space that will reflect your work process and make your routine structured.
Cut down on the unnecessary clutter to keep only what you need daily on top of your desk. You can use our acrylic desk organizers to make everything easily reachable while making your setup organized and minimal. Keep the rest of your desk items in your drawers following a specific organization that best suit you. Clearing away all your workspace clutter will help you be more efficient and focus on your daily tasks to improve your productivity.
Update your desk setup by adding beautiful items that will make you happy and feel constantly inspired. It’s important to add some personal touches and create a space that is true to your style. For a luxurious addition to your workspace, check out our marble collection that features marble & gold details to get the aesthetics of your dreams. Adding beautiful items to your workspace will make your workdays more enjoyable & boost your productivity.
Let’s not forget to do a digital clean-up of your desktop to organize your files into specific folders, organize your email inbox by deleting any unnecessary emails, backing up your files and updating your passwords to protect important accesses. A digital deep clean will help you declutter all your files and make your tasks much easier to complete.
]]>February has almost come to an end, but it's never too late to quit some unhealthy habits and take our fate in our own hands by choosing to adopt the right habits. We've put together a list of the all the good habits to develop that will improve your life and help you become a total #GIRLBOSS this year!
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It’s so easy to get carried away by all our life responsibilities and commitments. As a result, we often forget to give ourselves the time we deserve to rest. This is your sign to start making yourself a priority by giving yourself enough time to take care of your mind, body & soul. Treat yourself, pamper yourself and surround yourself with the things that you love to focus on you and only you. Make taking care of yourself a priority in your busy schedule to allow yourself to take a step back and hit reset.
Be proactive not reactive. With good planning & great organization, you can do anything you set your mind to. Create an office space that will inspire you to be productive with all the right organization essentials. Keep up with an agenda where you write down everything from meetings, to quick notes & important deadlines.
Inspiration can be found everywhere even in the smallest things of life. Make sure you are always on the lookout for inspiration and ideas that will feed your mind. It’s important to constantly nourish your mind with new concepts and rich thinking. Start reading more, watch more documentaries and have deep conversations with people around you on topics that take you out of your comfort zone. Allow your mind to be challenged & push the limits to your thinking.
Sometimes we get overwhelmed and stressed by so many little things at the same time that we have absolutely no control over. We can no longer see clearly when our mind is cluttered with these negative thoughts. Teach your mind to focus only on the things you can control as it will help you have a more proactive approach to life.
It’s important to express gratitude as it will help you acknowledge all the beautiful things life has granted you. It will help you nourish a positive attitude towards life and keep you grounded. So, make sure to track all the things you are grateful for in your personal journal until it becomes a habit in your daily routine.
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Working from home isn’t as easy as it sounds! Whether you’re keeping up with office work remotely, studying for classes, running your own business, or investing time in a creative hobby, it can be hard to find the motivation and inspiration to be successful with so many distractions. As of September, nearly 30% of Canadians were working remotely - with plenty more using their homes as headquarters for entrepreneurial projects or side-gigs.
Let’s face it - while wearing pyjama pants is a major perk, working from home can have some serious set-backs.
With distractions, isolation, clutter, and your attention being pulled in twenty different directions, you may be asking yourself how you can possibly find the motivation to be creative from home! Here, we’ll look at some of the reasons you may not be feeling inspired and how you can turn that around for the coming year!
There are lots of reasons why you may be feeling uninspired while working from home. The transition to a home office or becoming an entrepreneur can be isolating. Who thought we’d miss water cooler chats with Linda from accounting so much!? Even when we’re at the top of our game professionally, distractions like a cluttered desk or unorganized files can be the one thing holding you back from reaching your maximum potential!
There’s nothing inspiring about having to search through piles of papers for a contract, file, or important document. Or that moment you really need a pen but there’s none in sight! ‘But, I know where everything is!’ A cluttered space - whether it’s functioning or not - may not be leaving you any room to breathe, much less feel inspired or creative.
While decorating your home office with inspiring images, plants, and meaningful objects can be something that brings you joy, too much of a good thing is never good. If your workspace is filled with too many objects that are not adding value to your productivity - it may be time to let them go. Instead, focus on finding functional yet beautiful pieces to adorn your desk.
Distractions can mean different things to different people. For some working from home, you may also be fulfilling the role of cleaner, cook, dog walker, or even home school teacher! While you may pride yourself on your multi-tasking abilities (that’s great!) try to set aside time to be free from distractions and focus on the task at hand.
Most of us usually have more than one thing on the go at a time. This is especially true for solo and entrepreneurs! The problem is that too many different projects in sight will not allow you to focus on one thing at a time. Put documents away in file folders or stands until you’re ready to work on them. Keep your creative space tidy, limiting the distractions of other projects. This way you can devote your attention to one project at a time, and give it your full 100%.
The best way to get yourself into a creative mindset is to create a space that’s worthy of your time and attention! Your desk is the hub of your enterprise. In order to maximize your productivity and harness the inspiration waiting patiently inside you, you have to ensure that your desk is a place that you want to go.
When you wake up in the morning and pour yourself a coffee, where do you naturally gravitate to? Is it your comfy sofa full of cushions, your balcony, or maybe a favourite chair? Now imagine that place where you’re being pulled towards is your home office or work space. Imagine how much more creative you could be if you made your desk into your favourite spot in the house!
That kind of desk space desire is what Minima Basics had in mind when they created their line of acrylic desk organizers. Pieces like the Acrylic Pen & Sticky Notes Organizer Set are bound to make you head straight from the coffee pot to your office.
If you’re just getting started on your desk organizing journey, check out Minima Basics Trio Essential Acrylic Desk Organizer set. This set is like the one-stop starter kit for getting your home workspace feeling fresh, neat, and inspiring. It’s time to organize with intention and this trio was created to set you up for success.
The set includes a slanted pen shelf acrylic organizer, a 2-drawer storage box desk organizer, and a 3-slot file folder - all made from 100% high-quality acrylic. Just add some cute notebooks and you’re good to go. Ditch the clutter and bring some simplicity into your creative space.
Everyone is capable of being creative and achieving their full potential. Whether that means reaching for a promotion at work, fostering your artistic talents, or finishing that final essay before the deadline - you’ll find that motivation and inspiration can easily flow when you make the room. Set yourself up for success by creating an inspiring workspace or home office. Be your own office inspo!
“There are no limits on what you can achieve when you make space for creativity and inspiration!”
Don’t be afraid to invest in your home office organization - you may be surprised with how much motivation you’ll feel to create when you give yourself the space to do so. Let go of clutter, limit distractions, and create, create, create.
With 2021 promising a shift to more online business - it’s time to settle in and find that spark! Who knows what you’re capable of until you give yourself the space to dream big!
]]>New year, new goals, new desk? This time of year is always the moment where we reflect on how the year went and set new goals for the upcoming year ahead. But one thing people often neglect is the importance of decluttering your desk as well as taking the time to find ways on how you can further optimize your productivity workflow. The pandemic may not be ending anytime soon so let’s help you take the necessary steps to ensure you’re working at your most optimal level for 2021.
Do your writing utensils, loose papers, and stationary items have a home? If not, it’s time to think about finding them one! Having a cluttered work desk not only takes concentration and focus away from the task at hand, it also impedes on your work motivation. To avoid this and stay productive, you need to be organized and give every single item on your desk a dedicated place where they belong. Writing tools should be neatly displayed in a pen organizer such as an acrylic slanted pen shelf organizer. Or, if you’re looking to add a little extra elegance and flair, check out the latest additions to our family of desk organizers, our ceramic marble pen holder desk organizer and our marble mini pencil case.
As for loose papers and stationary items, you’ve got a few options to choose from. Minima Basics offers intentional desk accessories for busy bosses like you to keep organized such as our popular acrylic 2 drawers storage box or our acrylic 3 slots file holder. But for the highly ambitious entrepreneurs out there who are committed to going all in on being organized this year, check out the full set. Get ready to find yourself crossing off those to-dos as effortlessly as they come in!
As much as we rely on so many different digital tools and apps to remind us to do things, oftentimes we pack it with so much information that things start falling through the cracks. To avoid this, it’s best to go back to the basics—real, physical paper aka memo sticky notes or posties. Writing your to-do list by hand forces your brain to process information in a more detailed way, which helps you successfully load that information into your memory. Another huge benefit to this is avoiding the distraction of constant phone notifications and reminders altogether.
How about attaining the benefits of less distractions and more focus while also looking pretty on your desk? That’s why we’ve come up with our own version of memo sticky notes. Who knew sticky notes could look this good? And if you’re looking for something neat to store them in, check out this set.
If you still haven’t gotten yourself a proper mouse pad by now, it’s still not too late to get one! Mousepads are not only a staple office accessory but can also be added as another way to personalize your workspace and make it yours. And if you’re just as huge of a fan of marble as we are, we recommend you get your hands on one of our non-slip marble mouse pads. Now available for pre-order!
Working from home doesn’t have to be difficult, as long as you’re in the right place, both mentally and physically! Whether that means having sticky notes and pens at arm’s reach right when you need them or having notebooks neatly placed in their dedicated spots, ready to write down that million-dollar idea. 2021 is another year to show the world exactly what you’ve got! Starting with one desk accessory at a time.
]]>The end of the year has finally come to an end. This year we’ve found ourselves being challenged beyond compare. As much as this year has been hard for everyone, it’s also been a major wake up call for many of us. Now’s the perfect time to reflect back on those challenges and ensure you set yourself up for success for the new year ahead with these 5 simple tips.
There's nothing like sitting down in silence and tuning in with yourself to look for answers you may have overlooked because you were caught up with being “too busy” throughout the year. Now that the last rush of the year has passed, now’s the perfect time to wind down and reflect. Take out a piece of paper and jot down the answers to the following questions:
Reflecting on everything you’ve managed to get through, analyzing your actions and all the things you’ve done right or wrong to gain the results you did today will ensure you’ll be able to replicate your success (and do it better!) for the following year.
In order to move forward with a fresh new start, the best thing to do is to let go of the baggage holding you down.
Ask yourself these two simple questions:
Figure out what no longer serves you and let it go so you can start with a new slate for the year ahead without having anything weighing you down nor holding you back. Getting clear here will help you create an even more aligned 2021.
We all know of the importance in setting goals but how you set them is what will ensure real success in your endeavors. In case you’ve never heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals, this is what it is in short:
Essentially, it is a popular goal-setting system that will help you get clear on your goals. The way you set your goals needs to have these 5 important factors. To read more about this goal-setting method, make sure to check out this article. When possible, include target sales numbers, number of clients you plan to work with and any other specific details.
After setting your S.M.A.R.T. goals, lay down the plan and break down each goal into smaller, actionable steps by quarter, month and week. Make sure to include your vacations and any other breaks you plan to take throughout the year within your timeline to make your goals even more realistic.
As much as it’s easy to neglect the numbers, it’s something that can’t be avoided. Part of a good plan is laying down the numbers and adjusting any of your prices if need be. Calculate how many sales you need to make each week, month and quarter in order to reach your desired net income.
And finally to ensure you absolutely stay on track, add them to your preferred project management tool! Asana, ClickUp, Notion and Trello are just a few of the many popular project management tools available out there. Most of which are completely free for you to use!
Understanding what needs to be done ahead of time, doing the inner work, reflecting and letting go of the things that no longer serve you will ensure you take on the new year with even more confidence than ever before. Minima Basics wishes you happy holidays and cheers to the new year.
Happy planning!
]]>This workspace style series exudes a grounded vibe with a hint of modernity.
This faux leather task chair brings out that earthy feel with its rich brown color while the artificial hanging plant livens up the place and adds greenery to your workspace where it may be lacking.
While the electric height adjustable standing desk adds a nice touch of marble, it’s also a much needed desk for anyone that works in front of a computer all day. It provides a superior ergonomic sit-stand office experience and boosts your productivity and comfort.
What’s not to love about having a daily reminder for you to pursue authenticity? Handmade in the USA, this unique lightweight leather sign reads, “The world needs who you were made to be.” Top the furniture decor off with a bamboo desk organizer to add a zen feel to your work environment (we’d suggest to go with click and collect).
Finally, to complete this workspace style series check out these handy office tools like this Content Planner paired with bold and precise multicolor botanical flair pens to simplify and streamline your content creation process and ensure that every caption you post and blog you write speaks directly to your ideal client.
If you’re more into the feminine and chic vibe, this specific style series may very much catch your attention. You may have come across this luxury-inspired gold and white workspace style a few times on social media.
The highlight of this workspace features an elegant white and gold desk paired with a velvet task chair to give it that stylish and upscale touch. Having wall decor is the best way to change up a workspace’s vibe, that’s why we recommend getting some feminine art prints to add a little flair and personality to your room.
If you’re a boss and don’t yet have your own magnetic dry erase calendar, we’d suggest you get one that will match with your decor. To add a little neutral and minimal fair to your desk, Minima Basic’s best-selling and most popular acrylic pen holder is your best desktop accessory in ensuring you always keep your writing tools neatly organized and in one place.
A Guided Enneagram Planner is just what you need to make use of your enneagram type with the intention of helping you thrive in your own individual brilliance. And if you need a little help making some pages and sentences pop with style, these pastel highlighters will do just the trick!
And last but not least, our most favorite of the workspace style series—Minimal.
White, grey, black and neutral colors make up the majority of this series. Start off with a minimal white desk for a clean and simple look and add on an ergonomic grey chair to maintain the neutral color palette.
This marble vase will add that touch of luxe with its gold iron rack stand. It’ll also be a nice and cute addition as an elegant centerpiece for your workspace without being too overbearing. The featured artwork for this workspace will be a simple but significant art print to finish off the decor.
While there are so many different pens out there, these are by far one of our favorites. You know how much we love simplicity and just the style of these pens alone will fit nicely on your desk. Your workspace wouldn’t be considered minimal if you didn’t make the conscious effort to maintain a clean environment, that’s why we highly recommend having an acrylic desk organizer storage box to keep your workspace essentials altogether. And when it’s time to head out, let’s not forget how important it is to always have a work backpack conveniently available for you to quickly grab and go.
We hope you enjoyed this style series in collaboration with Workspacery, a company that specializes in thoughtfully-designed planning tools. Ready to create the workspace of your dreams in preparation for 2021? Let us know in the comments which one of these is your favorite!
]]>Staying organized as your business continues to grow is no easy feat but there are always ways around it to make it work with your busy schedule. Here are 5 simple ways to keep yourself organized while making sure your business continues to operate smoothly and efficiently.
We get it, finding extra time to do anything else may seem a little bit of a stretch especially if you’re already on a tight schedule. By putting in just 5 to 10 minutes a day to simply organize yourself for the next day. Cleaning out any messes on your desk will do wonders for you in the long run (and ensure you’re always working with a high level of motivation). Skip the overwhelm by preventing mess from accumulating on your desk and papers from piling up as the week progresses.
Dedicate specific areas for certain things that are placed within the same category so they’re easier to grab in one go. Place all of your electrical devices in one place to turn it into a charging station or keep loose wires in a separate drawer. Put loose papers and notebooks together in a file holder, all books in one area of your shelf, and writing tools in a drawer or an area on your desk within their respective pen organizer. Keeping everything bundled will ensure you won’t ever have to worry about losing time trying to find what you need when you need it.
Never underestimate the power of having a routine already planned out for you the night before. There’s nothing better than starting the day knowing exactly what you already have to do or need to get accomplished before the end of the day. Cut the clutter and save the space by going digital when you can. Instead of using a physical planner, have it all scheduled instead within Google Calendar, iCal or any other calendar app with notifications every time to remind you when to switch tasks. Keep your life and your desk a little more organized with one simple switch.
Having a ‘command station’ within your home just for work is a key factor in helping you as an entrepreneur stay organized. It’s perfectly fine to switch up the environment once every while but if you have a committed workspace with all your tools in one place, it will not only motivate and keep you inspired but also push you to be productive. Just think, you have your keyboard, mouse, phone stand, inspirational decor and desk organizers already all in front of you. Is there a reason for you not to be working?
The holidays are quickly approaching! No clue what to get your business bestie? Give them the gift of choice with a Minima Basics gift card to help them enhance their workspace for the coming year. Quarantine may prevent us from attending any social gatherings this year but it won’t prevent us from sending gifts to our loved ones. Quiet holiday cheers may be something new to all of us but social gifting surely isn’t! Avoid the last-minute online shopping frenzy by ordering ahead so your gifts can be sent just in time for the holidays.]]>
It’s time to give your workspace some extra TLC and attention it deserves! School has already begun and COVID doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon. So what better excuse than to take this time to revamp and beautify your workspace to ensure maximum productivity? Bring out the chic office supplies and eye catching notebooks! Let’s talk about some of our favorites.
How many of you use planners to schedule your days? At Minima Basics, we’re all about productivity. That’s why the moment we find anything that could potentially help us minimize the guesswork in our days and keep them organized, we won’t take a second to spend a few extra dollars for it. Right now, we’re totally crushing on this aesthetically pleasing planner. We’re completely obsessed! Why wouldn’t you want to write in a planner this good looking?
There’s no way we could have written this post without talking about the newest addition to our acrylic desk collection in collaboration with Poi & Hun! Our acrylic pen and sticky notes organizer set was created for the busy boss babe who knows what she wants and how she wants to get it done. Keeping your sticky notes and writing utensils together in one easy go has never been more convenient. It features three dividers to easily store washi tapes, memo notes, or your everyday makeup products. It’s just the right amount of sophistication and practicality.
No one said having too many pretty pens was a crime. At best, writing in style can and will enhance your entire writing experience. So why not invest in some stylish pens to encourage you to jot down notes and have them beautifully displayed in your acrylic pen and sticky notes organizer set? This one’s our favorite.
Did someone say glass dry erase magnet board? It’s the new trend in today’s modern office environments. People are now starting to realize how nice of a touch it can add to any workspace compared to having the typical white ones. Just think of how modern your WFH office would look with a trendy new dry erase board? It’s the best way to have your goals written down in front of you and allow you to quickly jot downideas on the go. Get with the trend by getting your hands on this beautiful round 18” petal lane glass dry erase magnet board.
If glass dry erase boards aren’t your thing and you prefer a simple reusable peel & stick monthly calendar to help you track every event, plan and task with ease, check out this elegant marble-print calendar. If you’re so over marble and prefer to change things up to add a pop of color, take a look at this one.
How much more work would you be able to get done if you just spent a few extra dollars creating a beautiful and minimal workspace that’s perfectly well-suited to your liking? That being said, Minima Basics is celebrating its anniversary by having a 20% off site-wide sale for the whole month of October! Having a functional and practical workspace will not only keep you inspired but also help you stay focused and motivated at the same time. Since you’ll be spending most of your days there, why not spruce it up and invest into it to make it more of a haven rather than a drab?
]]>Having a clean office space brings about many benefits and actually makes you more productive. However, not everyone has the natural habit of cleaning up after themselves or knowing how to maintain a clean desk. Developing this habit takes time and practice along with anything else. That’s why in this post, we’re going to focus on what specific habits you should be developing and how you can implement these best practices to ensure your workspace is always clean and organized.
Just the simple act of putting your items back in its place after each use is the best habit for you to build to ensure your space is continuously clutter-free before and after every work session. Take 5 to 10 minutes per day to clear out all unnecessary items and organize it for the next day. The best feeling is getting ready to work and stepping into an environment that’s completely clean and free of distraction so you know you’re always starting off fresh. Aside from setting a few minutes a day to de-clutter, make sure you also schedule a cleaning at least once every month to get rid of the items on your desk that you no longer find yourself using.
Every item on your desk should have a home. Loose papers should be put back and organized in their proper folders and notebooks returned where they were taken out of. Pens, pencils, highlighters and other writing utensils should be placed back in their associated pen organizers. Remember, knowing where to put each item is only half the battle so why not dedicate a specific home for them so no extra brain power needs to be used to figure out where to put them? That’s why we’ve developed high quality acrylic desk organizers to help you achieve just that.
Let’s be real here. You have papers, sticky notes and to-do lists all over your desk and feel like you need them all. But when it comes to actually looking for the information you need, you’re scrambling to see which specific papers you took those notes on. Save your energy (and your space!) by going digital and moving all your physical paper notes online.
Find yourself a convenient platform or app where you can simply store all of your notes in one convenient place that’s easily accessible anywhere as long as you have your phone, laptop and internet. One of our all-time favorite tools is Evernote which does a fantastic job at helping you stay organized with your notes. It allows you to have separate notebooks, create to-do lists, scan documents, perform searches and even read your handwriting if you wrote it out by hand! Having a paperless environment is the best way to cut clutter and promote a clean desk. What better way to do that than to start transitioning your note-taking habits to digital?
Knowing how tough it is to find the proper storage solutions for your workspace, we’ve come up with a brand new beautiful desk organizer for you to add to your acrylic collection. Check out our most recent collaboration with Poi and Hun and let us know what you think of our newest design!
]]>So give yourself a rest every once in a while and continue reading to remind yourself how taking breaks can make you more productive.
]]>Taking breaks and having some downtime may seem counter-intuitive if you’re trying to accomplish more. But it’s important to keep in mind the longer your brain stays active especially in working through complex problems, the quicker it can get worn out. Just think of when you exercise at the gym for long periods of time. The more difficult the exercise, the quicker you find yourself fatigued. The same goes for your brain! After all, your brain is also a muscle in your body and oftentimes, we forget this.
So give yourself a rest every once in a while and continue reading to remind yourself how taking breaks can make you more productive.
We get it, you need to get the job done. But what’s the use if you can barely keep your eyes open? Give yourself some time to relax and wind down. If you’re lacking energy and pushing through a specific task with great difficulty, taking a 20 to 30 minute nap in this case may be most beneficial to you. A short nap within this time frame can help improve mood, alertness and performance. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to conquer the task in even less time than it would have taken you trying to do it exhausted!
Taking walks during your breaks can lead to creativity. The simple act of walking may get your creative juices flowing and may allow you to gain a sense of introspection because it allows you to be alone with your thoughts. Even the simple act of decluttering your desk can help increase work motivation and give your brain the much needed rest it needs to get back on track. You may even take it a step further and opt to kill two birds with one stone by cleaning and organizing your desk in a way that will also enhance your productivity. No matter what it is, choose a mindful or physical activity that takes you away from thinking about work.
Do you find yourself zoning out? Maybe it’s time to take that mental timeout and recharge your batteries. Doing a single task for a long period of time can eventually make you lose interest and motivation. Our brain was not built to work for long extended periods of time which is why a brief interruption is all we need from keeping us bored.
There are however, moments where it wouldn’t make sense to take a break. For example, when you’re completely immersed in a task with seemingly effortless concentration and pleasure in the task itself. It doesn’t make sense to break that flow for the sake of taking a break. Once your concentration is broken, it can get difficult to get back into the activity and re-enter that state again.
We are leaning closer to the launch of our new product coming up in July. As you may or may not know, Minima Basics has been working very closely with a lovely planner company over the past few weeks to craft something new and exciting for you. Stay tuned and make sure to subscribe to our mailing list for the juicy details!
]]>You may be wondering why we chose acrylic as opposed to glass or another type of plastic when fabricating our products and there are specific reasons for this. In this post, we’ll discuss the benefits of acrylic desk organizers as well as why we chose to use acrylic as our primary material when designing our products.
First off, what is acrylic? Acrylic plastic is a tough, transparent plastic that is the oldest synthetic material available in the world today. Made both strong and durable, acrylic is commonly known as Plexiglass and is popularly used as protective shields in ice rinks, large aquarium tanks, helmet visors, and picture frames to name a few. In short, they last longer and don’t wear as easily as compared to other plastics.
One of the greatest advantages and why many companies prefer acrylic as a material to use in so many of today’s products is because of its weight and versatility. Acrylic is 50% lighter and 10 times more impact-resistant than glass! That’s quite impressive. Acrylic would be considered the mid tier between plastic and glass.
If you’re looking for a desk organizer that looks like glass but is much more reliable, going for an acrylic desk organizer rather than a plastic one would be your best option. Another reason why we chose this material is because it remains highly transparent while also maintaining its aesthetic appearance compared to other plastics.
For example, when exposed to long periods of direct sunlight, you’ll never have to worry about our products fading nor tinting yellow. We kept this in mind when designing our desk organizers and made sure sunlight wouldn’t pose a problem in the long-term. We want you to keep your organizational tools lasting for years to come so you can save your money and use it for other things in your business.
Keeping your acrylic polished and still looking new can also require very minimal effort. As long as you are following best practices on how to clean acrylic such as using a wet microfiber cloth, blotting the material instead of scrubbing it, or cleaning it using soapy water. Other tips include not using ammonia-based products like Windex. This will prevent it from looking cloudy and allow it to continue keeping its clear, glass looking appearance. At Minima Basics, we designed our acrylic desk organizers with quality and durability in mind. In addition to a long lasting product that looks both beautiful and is of high quality.
I’m sure you’ve heard about all the buzz surrounding our new collaboration with Poi and Hun by now. On July 13th, we launched our brand new versatile desk organizer! So if you still haven’t yet followed us on Instagram, make sure to do so or subscribe to our email list for more updates.
]]>As we live in a universe where we think that everything is already done for us, we find it difficult to create new ideas and find our own authenticity. It seems like we are running to find success as quickly as possible and avoid failure. We are too caught up being worried about what people think or say about us instead of thinking about what we want, what makes us happy and why we are doing what we do. The accelerated rhythm of life and the pressure to follow others, cause big consequences in our creativity and the way we connect with the world. Now, imagine all the struggles that people who work in a creative field have in their daily life. There are going to be many moments where you want to quit but wait… You have a gift, creativity is art and art is a sublime expression of love which is worth being lived and transmitted. So, there is nothing to worry, but it is always good to have some advice that helps you exploit all your creativity.
You don’t need to go too far, or spend a lot of money on a trip. All that you need is leaving your comfort zone. Go and discover everything that the world offers you, taste new things, meet new people, observe and listen attentively, because you will find powerful sources of information and new ideas. Traveling can teach us so many important things, but mostly it is a way to find ourselves.
“We travel because we need to, because distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has been changed, and that changes everything.”
–Jonah Lehrer
Be patient, because this is something that is going to take your whole life. We are always changing, but we are always going to have traits in our personality that make us unique. To know you better, you can start by writing in a notebook everything that you like and you don't. Write about your dreams, your ideas, your passions and what you want to offer to the world. Treat yourself with love and see the failure as a natural and necessary process. Take your time to be alone and connected with your insides world. Creativity lives in your essence.
We are literally living in the age of the screens, and most of us couldn’t live without our laptop. But, when you are creating you need to feel what you are doing. The more you are using your senses, the best is going to be the results. So using technology can be great for improving your work, but before going through that, find a space out of the digital world and connect with your art and yourself. You will see how your concentration is going to improve and how fast your ideas are going to be consolidated.
Absolutely every creative must experience failure in order to come up with new and better ideas. You have to accept the fact that not all your ideas are going to be liked by others and that's okay. Sometimes, this helps us to modify, change or start from zero an idea which we believed was great. Failure can be scary but there it is the magic, it helps us to learn about our mistakes and see failure as something positive and that will push you to get the best version of you. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, use your frustration as an opportunity to start again and expand your creativity.
This is the most exciting part! Don’t worry about what is going to happen today or tomorrow, nor be obsessed with comparing your work with others; only worry about being you and getting the best of you. Declutter your mind and decide what you want to keep and what you don’t. Be wise with the decisions you take and learn about your mistakes. Always enjoy the path with all its ups and downs, be positive and you will see how your powerful energy is gonna be reflected in yourself and in everything you convey.
Remember that a creative mind is also an organized mind. Grow all your ideas in a clean and organized space where you can be focused on what you do. Build a workspace where you feel comfortable and inspire to start an amazing creative journey.
]]>Being quarantined at home for some time makes you begin to realize how much of an impact your surrounding environment can affect your well-being as well as your productivity. Even if you may not be living in a big home, there are ways on how to make small spaces look bigger. We’ve compiled 3 simple tips on how you can create the illusion of a bigger home regardless of how small your space may be.
Visual clutter can be distracting and increase stress. When all surfaces are clutter-free and tidy, it becomes a much more pleasant environment to work in. Having clutter around the house can take up tons of unnecessary space and can easily make your space seem much smaller than it actually is. The best way to combat this is to declutter as much as possible. Attempt to purge as often as once every three months. Doing so will allow you to create a bigger space while also allowing you to live more intentionally.
Not every inch of your home needs to be filled with something. This means getting rid of excess possessions that fill the same purpose and take up space for no reason. Allow yourself to become less distracted by giving your eyes (and your brain) a chance to rest. This means having one less thing in the room that inherently helps direct your attention to the things that matter and allows you to better stay focused. Keep your space as clean and minimal as possible to give it more ‘white space’ allowing your home more ‘room to breathe.’ The more space you give to your home the bigger it’ll look and feel.
Minimalism is living intentionally with only the things you need and using only the items that support your purpose. Creating the illusion of a bigger space also means keeping it as organized and clean as possible. Be choosy with all the things that come into your house and ask yourself every time you’re about to make a purchase whether or not it is a want or a need. Every object in your home should have their own designated spot. The most common items lying around the house often include clothes, pens, and loose papers. Keep your clothes in your closet or drawers, organize your writing utensils in pen organizers, and either throw out or digitally convert your loose papers where possible.
Minima Basics has a mission to help educate and inspire female entrepreneurs to feel less overwhelmed while working from home. We design organizational products always with intention in mind and sell beautiful acrylic desk organizers to help keep your home tidy, clutter-free, and have your small space feeling bigger than it actually is. We’re also excited to announce that we’ve been working very hard behind the scenes to come up with a new product to add to the bunch. Stay tuned for more details and make sure to sign up for our email list to be the first to know about it once we launch! ]]>Keep reading to learn more about how you can make the best use of your time and stay focused working from home.
]]>It’s not always easy setting your own schedule and sticking with it when you’re an entrepreneur. Even though working from home may be no stranger to you, you’re now forced to stay in with no choice but to adapt to this new ‘normal’ and push yourself to figure out how to create an environment that both enhances your productivity and creates inspiration for you to thrive in.
Keep reading to learn more about how you can make the best use of your time and stay focused working from home.
If you’re both mentally and physically drained, don’t expect to be able to stay focused on your work. Successful entrepreneurs do a great job of keeping themselves healthy. They not only train their brain but their body as well, making sure they’re fueling it with healthy vitamins and minerals. After all, how can you function at your best if you’re not mentally there? By staying active, having a healthy gut, and setting aside some time to decompress, you will find yourself working at 10x levels.
One way to push yourself in staying active is to exercise first thing in the morning. The earlier you get your workouts in, the less time you give yourself to make up excuses as to why you can’t get it done. We highly recommend Chloe Ting’s free workout programs. They’re in the form of a challenge and will subconsciously motivate you to push through and complete it.
We know how hard it is to keep yourself on the ball while also squeezing in time to stay active and making sure to take breaks. A great way to organize and motivate yourself is to schedule every single task into your calendar.
If you make it a part of your schedule, there’ll be less
of a chance you’ll skip it.You’ll also develop some sort
of routine for your day to day.
Allot dedicated time frames for every task you want to get done throughout the day. It’s not enough to simply have a to-do list but also important to take into consideration how much time each task could potentially take.
Quick tip: Don’t forget to factor in some breathing room
and schedule your breaks in-between tasks. Prioritize your tasks at a level of importance. Give yourself one main goal per day and focus on only that one task until it gets done then continue moving down your list.
A popular way of staying focused and managing your time is using the Pomodoro technique. Traditionally, it is composed of 4 intervals with each interval being 25 minutes long followed by 5 minutes break. Each interval of time is known as a Pomodoro. It encourages you to focus on only one task and work with the time you have.
The time frame you dedicate to every task is always going to take much longer than you think but the idea is by using this technique you will over time, begin to train your mind to avoid distractions.
We hope these work from home productivity tips were useful. Figuring out how to stay focused and how to work from home is indeed a challenge to overcome but we assure you if you continue with these tips we shared, you’ll definitely be well on your way in mastering the art of working from home successfully.
Keep reading for few tips on how to work from home successfully.
]]>While the curve does seem to be flattening slowly, it’s definitely still going to take some time before we can roam outside freely again. Until then, let’s make our time at home worth the while. You’ve probably realized by now how difficult it is to keep a consistent schedule being stuck at home 24/7. While working from home certainly has its perks, your environment can easily become a distraction if you’re not set up properly.
Here are a few tips we have on how to work from home successfully.
Having a morning routine in place right when you wake up will help you set the mood for the entire day. Don’t be too ambitious either and expect to get into it right on the fly. It takes time and effort to develop habits, especially if you’re used to jumping right into work the moment you get up. We recommend powering your mindset through activities like meditation and journaling. Rehydrate your body with a glass of water, tea, eat a good breakfast, write down your goals for the day ... whatever helps you to function optimally. Remember, having a healthy mind and body is what will keep you productive throughout the rest of the day.
The link between what we feel and wear is actually a scientific term called, ‘enclothed cognition.’ To read more about it, check out this research study. It would be easy to dismiss this as shallow or silly but if there’s a reason you’ve been feeling extra lazy these days, wearing PJs all day may be the culprit.
Something to keep in mind especially if you have other people living in your household is to make sure you’re setting up boundaries. Whether it be working in a separate room with a closed door, facing yourself towards the window or the wall, putting on some noise-canceling headphones, and telling your household member(s) to not disturb you unless you’re on break. Just these little things can make all the difference in helping you work from home effectively.
Sooner or later, things will eventually get back to normal but until then these are just a few of the best practices we have for you. Minima Basics is here to provide you with the best acrylic desk organizers that will help make your work from home experience that much more pleasant. Don’t forget to subscribe to our e-mail list so we can continue to pop in from time to time and continue to provide you with tips and resources to help you stay productive!
]]>Have you ever sat at your desk and lacked the motivation you needed to start the day off with a bang!? I think a lot of us have been there, yep, I know I have. I know we all might be guilty of picking up our phone and having a quick scroll through Instagram desperately trying to find that inspiration to help motivate us for the day (or so that’s what we tell ourselves anyway). Then all of a sudden half-an-hour has passed and we are no better than we were when we started. Actually, I think it puts us in a worse state than before – it certainly doesn’t make me more motivated or inspired to get through my daily to-do list that’s for sure. This is a daily addiction for so many of us and an addiction we need to kick, quick smart! But where can we get that daily inspiration to help carry our motivation through the day that doesn’t involve picking up our phones for a scroll?
There is inspiration everywhere, you just need to know where to look -and no, it isn’t on Instagram, Pinterest, Tick Tok or Facebook. The two places I have been drawing inspiration from are my desk & my surroundings. It was hard to kick my online scroll addiction but I did it & my daily motivation has never been better. It made sense for me to draw inspiration from both of these things because, well, I sit at my desk for hours on end and I am in my surroundings for just as long. So, what do I have on my desk & in my surroundings that inspires and motivates me?
Firstly, let me just tell you, I am a tidy person & I love things to be in order. Yep, everything has a place. So, without fail, I think it’s important to make sure both your desk & surrounding are neat & tidy. I am also a big believer when it comes to manifestation which of course means I have a vision board on my desk as well as a digital copy as the screensaver of my computer. This would have to be my biggest motivator. No matter where I look, I can’t escape my future goals & dreams, they are literally staring me in the face. All. Day. Long. I also make sure I write in my journal about my daily goals & intentions and I have that open next to me too, that way no matter where I look, I am surrounded by the goals I have set & goals I need to meet.
Since I work from home, I am lucky that I can control my surroundings (this hasn’t always been the case for me though). Two things I added to my surroundings are music & indoor plants. Every morning on my way to work (on the bottom floor of our house), I make sure I put my favourite radio station on. Music is great for the mind, body & soul and listening to your favourite music while you work surely has to be good for you, right!? Not only that, it puts me in a good mood. Indoor plants have also been a great addition to my surroundings. They give me a sense of being outside which has a very calming feeling. They also brighten up that space and make me feel happy. It’s also known that plants actually help you gain new inspiration and creativity.
So, skip the daily scroll and opt for things in your environment that not only inspire you to be motivated but also make you feel calm, at ease & happy.
If you love the idea of being surrounded by inspiring things then shop our Elka Swim collections. Each collection is inspired by our love of music, the environment & the women who wear them.
Did you enjoy today's blog post written by Elka Swim? You can follow and support her on Instagram @elka_swim_ and her website.
]]>If you run a small business, you’re likely experiencing the negative effects of social distancing and COVID-19 on your operations. Your storefront is closed, your client list quiet and you might be wondering how to keep everything afloat. It’s natural to feel discouraged or uncertain about your next steps, but you don’t want to give up either! Help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on your business with the following steps.
Whether you’re a one-stop shop or have employees on your payroll, this is undoubtedly a terrifying time to be a business owner. There are weighty decisions to be made on everything from layoffs to logistics. The good news is, the federal government has announced the roll-out of several programs designed to help businesses bridge the gap during this difficult time. Before you make any choices, figure out what your situation is and what options are available to you. Startup Canada has compiled a helpful list of resources here, with guides, webinars, and plain-language summaries to help you navigate your company through this turbulent time.
Is there any aspect of your business that can be transitioned
into an online product or service? Only you know what would
work best for your company, but some ideas include internet consultations, courses that leverage your expertise or even just going all-in on e-commerce, at least for the time being. This would help keep you busy and give you some of the cash flow you need to keep going. But what if your services can’t be easily converted into a virtual offering? The photographers, bakers and estheticians among us (to name a few) are feeling that pain. If your business was primarily conducted in person, given the current economic climate, it’s unlikely that online services (whether you offer them or not) will be able to significantly make up your lost revenue at this time. In this situation,
do your best to place yourself in a position to succeed
when this is all over. Continue to promote yourself across
social media, ask for reviews from prior clients and make
gift cards available for anyone who’s interested.
One is the loneliest number. You may be self-isolating, but there’s no need to feel alone. The reality is, with social distancing regulations in place from coast to coast, almost everyone is experiencing the challenges of being cut off from their friends, family, and work. Many entrepreneurs have a network of like-minded peers, mentors, or acquaintances that operate in the same field - reach out to them! It’s very likely that they’re going through the same issues that you are. Brainstorm strategies, discuss your options, and spend this time building each other up or even commiserating if it helps you feel better - it’s a tough time!
Although it’s easier said than done, regardless of your situation, aim to stay organized, productive, and positive, as much as you possibly can. Minima Basics offers a line of versatile acrylic desk organizers that are perfect for your current work from home reality. Take things one step at a time and try to focus only on the factors you can control...and don’t forget to wash your hands!
]]>In just the last week, most of us have gone through a significant shift in how we work, live and play. We’ve gone from seeing our friends at restaurants, visiting our families, and vacationing the world over to spending virtually all our time at home. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, many offices have significantly shifted their operations to allow more people to work from home. But how do you stay productive with so many stressful changes in the air?
...even if you don’t have room for one. Your place may be too small for a dedicated home office, but a spot with seating, a table, and adequate lighting will do the job for now. Set up some basic supplies, like pens, notebooks and binder clips, and keep them organized. These clear acrylic desk organizers are the perfect solution for your workspace. Their transparent design makes it easy to see what’s inside, and perfect for any office setup. They’re also great for keeping what you need in one place, so you can maintain some semblance of order while everything else is in flux.
The monumental shift in our lifestyles is undoubtedly making us all feel a bit off-balance. So be kind to yourself and realize that there might be a lengthy adjustment period. Maintain as much normalcy as you can while understanding that there is nothing ordinary about what’s going on. Stay focused and do what’s necessary, but if you’re not feeling up to pushing yourself or striving for those stretch goals, that’s OK. Take the time you need to recalibrate yourself and re-evaluate where you’re going with your business. Consider taking courses for your personal development or reaching out to expand your network—little things that won’t have an immediate impact on your bottom line, but will keep you moving forward in a manageable way.
It’s hard to find your new normal during this time of uncertainty, and it will undoubtedly cause some anxiety and stress. Even though you may be in isolation, it might help to remember that you’re definitely not alone in how you’re feeling. Connect—virtually—with good friends and family members to keep your spirits lifted. This too shall pass!
As you may know, we share a lot of tips on productivity, motivation, creating an inspiring workspace, go check out Minima Blogs, we post twice a month!
]]>Is there a magic bullet for amping up productivity? If there were, it’d be in high demand. We’ve all gone through phases in our business journey where it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day to tackle everything we need to do. And to make it harder, entrepreneurs often don’t have the luxury of a big team to help fill all the gaps. While there’s no shortcut to consistently producing more work in less time, making these simple changes in your workspace can help you stay focused and work smarter.
Make sure to optimize your desk and seating in a way that
reduces strain on your muscles and eyesight. Invest in a quality office chair that’s adjustable so you can tweak it to your needs. Your body should rest comfortably and naturally—feet on the floor, back supported, arms on the armrests and the computer screen a comfortable distance away to reduce squinting and glare.
A fresh coat of paint in a soothing colour can help reduce stress and increase productivity. Opt for pale but crisp tones—light blues and cool greys are popular. If a paint colour change isn’t an option, you can still change up the overall feel of your office in other ways. Test out different configurations of the furniture to see if there’s a setup that works better for you.
Or try decorating your walls with framed prints and favourite photos to make your workspace your happy place.
You won’t get far if you can’t find anything. Your most important files and folders should be easily accessible, and everything else should be put away in drawers or cabinets. Save time by creating order out of your clutter and mess. You won’t need to waste precious minutes later on hunting down that critical contract or looking for your client’s marketing plan if you know exactly where it is. Minima Basics offers a line of stylish acrylic organizers that help corral your loose ends and display them in a beautiful yet practical manner. The file organizer, stackable drawer box and pen holder are transparent, so you know exactly what’s inside.
It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s because of the internet, laptops and portable software that we have the freedom to work wherever we want. On the other, it’s a never-ending source of distraction. If you have trouble focusing because of the endless stream of entertainment, news, and updates available at your fingertips, fight fire with fire and try out some productivity-enhancing apps. Some apps will lock down access to your social media accounts and browsers. Others use timers to gamify the process of completing tasks.
It’s hard to keep your mind on your tasks when you’re hungry. Your mind starts wandering, and before you know it, you’re already researching lunch options or wandering the house looking for something to eat. The solution? Try to have healthy snacks within arms reach. Avoid the addictive and junky, like a bag of chips you’ll
finish without even noticing, and stock up on food that’s good for you—fruit, nuts, and smoothies - nosh that’s filling and nutritious. Staying productive day in and day out takes discipline and focus. Putting these tips into practice will help make it just a little easier to keep it up regularly.
You might be all business, but that doesn't mean your office has to be. While it goes without saying that it should be functional and practical for the work you need to do, an aesthetically pleasing workspace can help you stay focused, motivated and inspired. Drab, grey, cookie-cutter cubicles are a real downer, especially when a few simple tweaks can make such a huge difference. Studies say we spend over ten years of our lives at work, so you should make it a place you look forward to being at, and more importantly, somewhere you can get things done effectively. Here are some tips to make your office perfect for you.
As an entrepreneur and student, it is important to create a workspace unique to your personality and work needs. If we were surrounded by inspiration, it can make a huge difference, like changing the way things are set up. Even small changes matter! Since we are working for more than 50% of our waking hours, each element can make a difference and it is worth it to take the time and money to invest in our working space.
You're not alone if you're wondering how to clean your office desk. At the very minimum, spend a few minutes every week clearing the clutter. Toss or file any papers on your desk, and leave out only what's strictly necessary for your day to day work. A messy desk can add to your mental load and slow you down with distractions. Prioritize what you need on a regular basis and place other secondary items in beautiful acrylic desk organizers with drawers and or cabinets.
Eco-tip: Think about giving away items that you no longer need or just sell them to pass onto owners that may need these.
We all have goals (and if you don't, set some)! When you're bogged down in the details, it's easy to lose track of the big picture. Carve out a bit of real estate on your office wall to create a vision board as a daily reminder of what you're striving for. Put up pictures of your dream vacation spot, inspirational quotes, anything that will help you keep going for it. If you're in a shared office and want to be a bit more subtle, try making a digital one for your computer wallpaper, for example.
This one is 100% non-negotiable. Everyone needs a calendar to keep track of what they need to do, when their meetings are, and how many more days until their next vacation. While many of us rely on digital reminders, there's something to be said about going analog. Fumbling with an unresponsive app can be very frustrating. A good desk calendar keeps everything at your fingertips and is great for jotting down quick notes.
Location matters! Place your desk in a spot with optimal lighting - bright, but without too much glare on your computer screen. While it might not be practical to work outside most days, being near a window can help. The great outdoors can provide a dose of natural inspiration and sunlight has a positive impact on our health and well-being. It can give you a bit of work motivation when you need it the most.
If you've done the hard work of clearing out your desk, motivate yourself to keep it neat with desk organizers you love and enjoy using. Minima Basics offers a line of sleek and stylish acrylic desk storage products, including a slanted pen organizer, an acrylic storage box with drawers, and a clear file holder. Designed for the modern office, the see-through organizers help you keep track of what's where.
Not only that these three acrylics were designed to be both aesthetically beautiful and very practical for any space. Each one of them serves for certain purposes, but you can get creative on how you want to use it. Our slanted pen shelf organizer has a minimal slanted design in order to pick up the pens faster, but we have seen people using it as their lipstick holder as well. Our clear 3 slot file holder is known to store important documents like letters, papers and notes. Finally, our best-selling product, the acrylic storage box with drawers is a multi-functional drawer box to store all the essentials like notebooks, wires, a whole collection of pen and even makeup and skincare products. Each one of them has a unique way to use it, but it is very customizable on how you want to use it for.
And there's no need to go highbrow unless you want to. Art is an excellent form of visual inspiration. It can be a print from a famous painter or a super unique find from an up and coming artist. It can be a photograph you took yourself or a funny picture that always makes you smile. Or pick out a few of your favourites and swap them out often for novelty and variety. Bottom line: choose something that makes you happy for a dose of workspace inspiration. It can serve as a mini pick-me-up every time you look at it.
Essential oils are effective in evoking a certain mood or mindset while you're hard at work. For example, rosemary stimulates the senses, lemon helps increase concentration, and lavender soothes frazzled nerves. A few drops in a stylish diffuser can help freshen the air around you while helping you stay focused and alert. A note of caution: if you share your office space, be mindful of any fragrance sensitivities your coworkers may suffer from, and check before you start using scented products.
Whether you work in a corporate office or a workspace at home, make it a priority to personalize as well as purge. Keeping a work desk clean is a process, but also a worthwhile habit to develop. Believe it or not, a clean desk is linked to better productivity. Improve your motivation at work with a space that's clean and organized. Having an inspiring workspace can encourage yourself to keep a space clean, organized, reduce procrastination and keep yourself happy and motivated.
Have you seen our recent blog post that is very much linked to this topic? We spoke about how a clean desk is linked to work motivation, it is as important to know the reason behind it as much knowing how to create it.
]]>Assessing your priorities is a process that is a lot like organizing. It involves cutting the clutter and mentally mapping out your responsibilities in an orderly and logical fashion before getting started. While it may come as second nature to some, others without a talent for administration may have trouble figuring out how to divide their limited time and resources amongst a dozen (or more!) projects coming due. If you're someone who has always struggled with finding the best way to devote your efforts both efficiently and productively, read on for three separate methods to assist you in prioritizing your next list of to-dos.
Organizing tasks by deadline is a conventional, common-sense method of prioritizing. It's objective, straightforward and leaves no room for interpretation. You simply lay out all the things you need to get done and start on what's due first. This technique is best used when you have a healthy bracket of time before each item needs to be completed, and your due dates are somewhat spread out. This is because organizing by deadline only takes urgency into account, and not importance. That being said, if you like to spend more time getting things done and less on trying to figure out what you do first, working by deadline is an easy approach that doesn't require overthinking.
If you're down to the wire without the time to complete everything, sorting your work by business value is a better way to triage your assignments. This method involves prioritizing whatever has the most significant impact, whether it be financial, relational or another element that's vital to your business. This criteria is somewhat subjective and depends heavily on your specific situation. However, to a certain extent, it should be fairly intuitive to decide which tasks have the highest business values. In some cases, it may mean tackling the project with the highest economic value. In another, it may mean focusing on one where your failure to deliver will negatively impact your relationship with an important stakeholder.
If you're the type of person that's motivated by progress, prioritizing by effort involved may be the best method for you. You start with the work that involves the least effort to complete, and move on in this manner, leaving the project that requires the most substantial investment of time and resources. This technique is ideal if you have many small items that need to be taken care of, and a healthy timeline before you need to deliver results on your larger projects. This way, you remove the distraction of having the smaller items cluttering up your focus, giving you more bandwidth to zero in on larger tasks. You also get the satisfaction of being able to cross a bunch of things off your list in a short time.
If you're looking to create order on your desk as well as your to-do list, Minima Basics has a selection of chic acrylic desk organizers to help you cut the chaos. Our range of products includes a slanted pen organizer, stackable storage drawers, and a three-slot file holder. Designed in clear acrylic to match any decor and help you quickly locate what you're looking for, your desk will be clean, stylish, and optimized for your work priorities.
]]>Work motivation can be greatly enhanced with a few quick and easy desk organizing tricks and tools. Clutter has a negative effect on productivity—something you don’t need when you have a lot to do.
]]>You have stacks of paper all over your desk, pens and supplies in a messy drawer, and crumbs scattered around your keyboard (a girl’s gotta eat)! Sound familiar? With long to-do lists and tight timelines, finding the time to clean your desk might seem like a luxury you don’t have. If you’re a messy one, you’re in good company. Big names like JK Rowling, Steve Jobs and even Albert Einstein are known for their clutter bug habits. But there’s a caveat. Clutter has a negative effect on productivity—something you don’t need when you have a lot to do.
Multiple studies have shown that messy spaces have a detrimental effect on us, causing stress, reducing our ability to focus and affect our behavior when dealing with others. One report even estimates the financial impact of clutter at 10% of a manager’s salary, due to decreased productivity. Given the importance of quality output, positive customer relations, and of course, the bottom line, this might finally persuade you to clean up your desk.
There’s a reason why design and decor magazines tend to feature minimalist spaces with clean lines and plenty of natural light. It feels refreshing to see an open room without visual clutter. In the same way, imagine settling into your workspace at the beginning of the week. Is it more appealing to sit at an organized desk or one covered with files, loose papers and work supplies? Mondays are hard enough!
A neat workspace can help you avoid distractions and stay motivated for your tasks at hand, while visual noise misdirects your attention. If you’re already having trouble focusing, you might notice an unpaid bill in your stack of papers, for example, and decide to handle that instead of finishing more urgent work. Or you might see a receipt and remember you need to make a return. These thoughts disrupt your work and keep you from getting into a groove.
If you’re new at this ‘keeping things neat’ business, it might be helpful to remember that it’s not as difficult as it might seem initially. Start with doing a purge—you will be surprised at the amount of stuff you don’t need. Recycle old records, throw away pens that no longer work, and toss any wrappers or packaging that may be sitting around. Now that you’re left with only what’s useful and necessary, designate a place for every item on your desk to “live.” Desk and drawer organizers can help break up a large storage space into mini-modules you can use to separate objects by category or function. The most important things—the ones you reach for every day— should be within arm’s reach. File everything else away in cabinets, holders, or boxes.
If you need it, don’t be ashamed to make use of a “junk” drawer—everyone has one for a reason! Sometimes you need a quick catch-all for things that don’t seem to belong anywhere. Just make sure to limit it to one drawer only, and take the time to go through and clean it up occasionally—it’s not a permanent dumping ground!
Now, whatever’s left on your desk should be useful, streamlined, and organized, not to mention visually appealing! Then once all necessary items are chosen, desk organizers can be utilized to keep them tidy!
Follow a simple routine on a daily basis until these actions become habits! Cleaning and organization doesn’t need to be an entirely separate part of your day—it can fit right into your current routine.
For example:
Ready to declutter your work life and unlock your hidden productivity? Minima Basics offers a variety of desk accessories to keep a clean work desk and boost your work motivation. Discover chic-looking acrylic desk organizers that fit seamlessly with any decor and desk space!
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You've vowed that you wouldn't do this again, but despite your efforts, things have gotten away from you, and now you're staring down a deadline with the clock ticking. If you're a born procrastinator, changing the way you work can be a challenge that takes a while to overcome. In the meantime, how do you make the best of the situation and maximize the (little) time you have?
Forget making orderly lists and coming up with a detailed plan of attack. The window for that has come and gone. Sketch out any quick reference notes or
reminders on sticky notes and dive straight in. Have faith in yourself, but take a moment to observe the chaos and remind yourself of why you don't want to be in this situation again. Now hold that thought until you're done—don't let it keep you back.
An easy way to cover all your bases while staying motivated? Alternate between working on the most critical components and the quickest wins. Between those two, people may not notice whatever you don't manage to get to. Prioritize the 'visible' wherever you can—hot topic, highly scrutinized content, and come back to covering background info or areas of lower concern. If someone asks, offer to look into it and get back to them at a later date, which buys you time past your current deadline. Be ruthless about getting it done - finish a task and move on. You can go over your work later if you have time. If you have an understanding friend or colleague available, ask them to do you a solid and give everything a once-over and report back.
You may not think you have time for meals or rest, but you can't afford to skip the basics. It will be easier to maintain your focus and concentration if you give yourself a break to eat something and take a mental timeout to recharge. Ideally, you'll be nourishing your body with a healthy and balanced meal, but in this situation, you'd be forgiven for using UberEats for food on the go. Order an extra coffee while you're at it.
Congrats—you pulled through! Despite your very tight timeline, you managed to put together something sufficiently professional and polished for submission. Take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back. But when things have calmed down, it's time to conduct a post-mortem. How did you fall back on your old, procrastinating ways? Were there any triggers that caused this situation? What was the result, and where could you have done better if you had the time? Were there any consequences to your procrastination? Outline some achievable steps you can take and apply them towards your next project. If you have one coming down the pipe, start on it today (not tomorrow)! You will never have more time than you do at this very second. So get going!
]]>Whether you've always known you’re a procrastinator or just recently come to terms with it, you're in good company. Procrastination is a very human tendency to get out of doing something unpleasant. But forget the fact that everyone's doing it. There are plenty of good reasons to kick the habit. Research has shown that chronic procrastinators suffer from anxiety and stress, with low levels of energy, self-esteem and self-confidence. In other words, it's unhealthy, both physically and mentally. So how do you get out of this self-defeating cycle?
What's your least favourite part of procrastination? The stress of leaving everything down to the wire? Knowing that you're submitting something subpar when you're capable of better? Having to force others to work on tight timelines because they were waiting on you? Mentally review (and exaggerate, if needed) the consequences to help get you in the zone to get down to business. Nail down why you want to stop putting things off, and use that as a motivator to kickstart the process. Conversely, think about how great it'll be once you finally get it done. Another thing off your plate and another step towards some guilt-free time for yourself.
Habits are hard to break on your own. When you don't answer to anyone but yourself, it's easy to let things slide again and again. Find a friend to help keep
you accountable—preferably one working on a similar task or in a similar role as
you are. Ask them to check in with you periodically to make sure you're still on track. If you have a few real go-getters in your network, talk to them! Take advantage of their expertise and find out how they avoid procrastination and pick up some tips. It wouldn't hurt to start spending more time with them too—after all, you are the company you keep!
If all you can see is an enormous, insurmountable task ahead, no wonder you'd rather put it off. Find ways to turn a huge to-do into a collection of smaller ones. Try writing out a list or creating a bunch of intermediate steps for your project. Seeing everything written out (along with due dates) will help you visualize what you need to do. And don't underestimate the power of positive reinforcement. Reward yourself each time you hit a milestone, using mini-motivators like an episode of your favourite show, a latte from the coffee shop or even just a break to scroll Instagram. You know what works best for you!
It's generally accepted that it takes about a month of dedicated and deliberate focus to break a habit, so don't get discouraged if you find yourself falling back into your old ways. Change can be hard. Focus on your wins (that time you submitted your presentation early) and resolve to do better without beating yourself up. You’ve got this!
]]>If you've ever pulled three all-nighters in a week, if you're rushing to put the finishing touches on a slide deck minutes before you're due to present, if you're frantically putting a portfolio together while you're on the phone with a client...it might be fair to wonder if you have a procrastination problem. If these examples sound familiar, you might (particularly if you're looking to get better at managing your time) want to find out why. Figuring out the reasons behind your procrastinating ways will go a long way towards solving them. At the very least, it will help you understand your motivations better.
The good news? Everyone procrastinates a little. If you started working on every new assignment that came in, regardless of when it was due, it actually wouldn't make too much sense from a time management perspective. So your tendencies might not actually be too far off from what's optimal. Take that as encouragement as you begin to deep dive into some of the possible reasons why you like to put things off.
It's a fact of life that parts of work can be quite unpleasant. Perhaps there's a client you dread speaking with, or you hate crunching numbers. Whatever it is, it’s not enjoyable - otherwise, it’d be done already. So you find ways to steer clear, sometimes virtuously taking on another productive task (your house never looked so clean)! Avoidance is one of the leading causes of procrastination. But, as you know already, avoiding it doesn't make it go away. It only delays the issue for another day and potentially sets the stage for more stress.
You're an avowed perfectionist, and you accept nothing less than the best. While your commitment to quality is admirable, this attitude often breeds procrastination. If you find yourself unable to move on, always caught up in the details and agonizing over elements that don't feel quite right, you will likely find you spend much more time than you have on anyone task - time that could be better used elsewhere.
Your phone is continuously buzzing with reminders, texts and alerts. You have things to do at home, at work, and in your personal life. You might even have a (neverending) list of Netflix shows you want to catch up on. We live in an age of distraction and it makes it very hard to focus on anything in particular. We take multitasking to the extreme—sending emails while we're making dinner, reading the news on our phones while we’re watching TV, listening to a podcast while we work—that it almost seems foreign to give something our full attention.
You may find more than one cause behind your procrastination, or that the reasons change when different tasks are involved. If putting things off has become second nature, some reflection and mindfulness may be needed for you to pinpoint why. The next step? Figuring out how to overcome it.
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]]>"Excellent with time management." Almost everyone has a similar phrase on their resume (whether it's true is another matter). Using time wisely is a skill that doesn't come naturally to everyone. Even though you've had many opportunities to work at it, you might still find it a struggle to deliver quality work on time, especially as a busy entrepreneur. So how do you get around it?
While it's never a great idea to wait till the very last minute, it's true that for some people, they need to feel the crunch to get things done. If you're one of them, it's worth thinking about how to reset your procrastinating tendencies. But habits are hard to break, so in the meantime, you can mitigate the damage. A shorter list of to-dos is satisfying on its own, so if there's a lull in your schedule, try tackling a few of the most manageable tasks, even if they're not due yet.
Even the world's most effective last-minute worker will have challenges dealing with everything coming due at once. Work out a system that will keep your deadlines top of mind, prioritizing the most urgent tasks and those that need your input before someone else can run with them. Digital reminders are accessible but don't discount the value of a paper calendar. It’s nice to have your to-dos on the wall, scheduled in and colour coded, instead of scrambling to pull up the right app on your phone.
If you don't have the motivation to finish your task, maybe you can muster up the motivation to get started? Often that's the hardest part. Once you’ve cleared that psychological barrier, you might see that the project wasn't nearly as impossible as it initially seemed. Plus, the night before you have to send it in, it'll be nice to know you don't have to start from scratch. It's a lot easier to fix up what you have than it is to conjure something from nothing when the clock is ticking.
Turning in good work is important. But so is getting it done on time. So instead of spending precious time continuously tweaking that presentation, do your best, get it done and move on. Chances are, you're your own harshest critic. There will always be something you could have done differently, but instead of getting paralyzed by the details, aim for quality, big-picture job well done.
As an entrepreneur, you're a one-stop-shop. You might be CEO, front line staff, and marketing pro all rolled into one, which means your deliverables are fast, furious and never let up. If you're managing OK, keep on keeping on. If not, it might be time to find some key people you can delegate to. Look for someone who can take on the most time-consuming tasks, the ones you have the least experience in doing or just the ones you dislike the most (no shame!). After all, every superhero needs a sidekick.
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