September’s favorite product finds – from home office hacks to cozy Fall season favorites to productivity tips to kids’ books.
No backstory as far as September is concerned because not much really changed from August, except we entered the rainy/gloomy season here in the Pacific Northwest, which means fewer hikes and minimal walking/running outside.
But a major shift has been bringing out all the sweaters, all the layers, and all.things.cozy… and sipping on more hot cacao than usual ;))
So let’s get right to it…
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RELATED POSTS
Loving these August Favorites? Then check out my past monthly favorites post.
TOP 10 SEPTEMBER FAVORITE FINDS
1) THE I AM JOURNAL
One of the (smart, hard-working, and extremely talented) ladies in my Mastermind coaching program shared about The I Am Journal with the rest of the group and I think it is a great journal. If I wasn’t already using 3 other journals to write in at the moment then I would have bought it right away, but it has already made its way into my cart for when I need one.
In her words – “If you believe in the Law of Attraction, manifestation, and co-creating your life along with the universe, you might find this journal very useful. You can buy one journal or you can choose to buy a subscription (I did) where you get a new journal every 90 days at 25% off so when you finish one journal, you have a new one to continue creating. One of my favorite parts is that they send you a morning mantra in your email every morning. For example, yesterday’s morning mantra was “My miracle is coming.” So if you really have a burning desire to manifest something in particular, highly recommend it.”
Related Posts: Journaling is Self-Care and Self-Love if you ask me!
2) Smart Standing Desk for Home Office
Given that the hubby (like many of you) has been working from home these last 7+ months (and with no timeframe insight for when he is going back to the office), he decided to get a better home office desk for himself (the one you see in my photos is the one in my office, but he needed one for his makeshift home office so he bought this one after extensive research and I have to say that he loves it.
The SmartDesk is sleek, sturdy, and raises up smoothly and resiliently. The memory function allows you to go from sit to stand and vice versa with just a push of a button. Though I love my office desk, what I love more about this SmartDesk is that it is ‘SMART’, duh! The quality is amazing and the size is great too. Of course, I would only allow a white desk to make its way home (classy, duh) but if it’s not your thing then you can choose from other colors.
Related Posts: Glimpse at what my workstation and office desk looks like.
3) Mastering Coaching Book
Now wait a minute, don’t dismiss this recommendation because I am a life coach and this might not mean anything to you because you aren’t one, WRONG! Whether you are a coach, in a leadership role or you want to simply work towards your own personal growth, this is a great book and I highly recommend it. Granted, as a life coach and given what I have studied through the JSCS coaching program I am able to consume the contents of this book on a much deeper level (read this one before I got certified as a life coach) but there are so many gems in there for everyone. Max Landsberg, the author of the book Mastering Coaching beautifully sums up coaching as “facilitating self-directed neuroplasticity.”
“Coaching is one of the most sought-after leadership skills – vital for anyone who wants to develop a team of people who will perform effectively, but are also motivated and relish working together. Mastering Coaching starts by asking what skills an effective coach must now possess to boost the performance of their coachees. In response, it summarises the most important research in areas such as neuroscience, sports psychology, and mindfulness, positive psychology, mastery and goal-setting and offers a clear, simple and practical guide to how this new thinking can help coaches and managers to develop their own coaching practice.
Related Posts: All the book recommendations
4) Yoga by Travis Eliot
You know that I am always trying to learn about any/every topic from more people who do a great job in their own area of expertise. In this case, it was stumbling upon Travis Eliot (BTW how did I not know about him until a few months back!? :o) and his yoga videos on YouTube.
Travis Eliot is an internationally known yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and author. Every week Travis shares a thematic talk with inspiring stories, practices, and wisdom to help you tap into your ultimate power. He has a lot of inspiring yoga videos to get you started and challenge yourself to integrate a daily yoga practice into your busy schedule. He also has a podcast called, Be Ultimate.
Related Posts: 50+ outstanding podcast recommendations
5) The Day the Crayons Quit
Not sharing a toy from my little one this month, instead, let’s talk about the Day the Crayons Quit book. It is by far my most favorite kid’s book ever (and yes, I do love the I love you forever, I love you Mommy, and other books which fall under that category, but this one really stands out, like my baby boy, I love reading this book over and over again). It is one of our toddler’s favorite books for sure. O course, you can pinpoint many flaws, but we just choose to look at it as humor. And the hubs and I can’t get enough of how our little boy enacts the lines from the book LMAO.
As one reviewer writes, “This is a book by which all other kids’ books should be judged. This is a book that knows its audience isn’t only your little angel but also the people who are reading to your little angel. And that is what makes this book so brilliant. No matter your age, you will identify with the characters, they will probably remind you of your family, your coworkers, and your friends.”
Related Posts: Kids Toys Ideas here, here, and here
6) Downtime Feature on iPhone
It’s like limiting screen time, but for the annoying adults who won’t put their phones away 😮
Downtime on the iPhone is probably the most underused feature on people’s phones, SIGH! Given how addicted we all are to our phones and given how much time gets wasted in a day mindlessly scrolling, and browsing the internet, this by far is my most favorite feature to get a better handle on this mindlessness. I mean, for someone who obsesses about being productive and managing time well, this is a godsend. If you don’t use this feature at all or enough then I urge you to give it a try.
“You can set a quiet period, called Downtime, control which apps may be used, and set which contacts are ok for phone calls and messages during regular time and Downtime. Block at Downtime puts the teeth into Screen Time limits.”
Related Posts: Productivity and Time-Management here, here, and here
7) Variety of Faux Pumpkins for Fall
I know that IG started to decorate for Fall in the middle of Summer (and you know how I feel about trying to fast forward life without really living in/enjoying the present) but have you started to decorate for the season IRL yet? I brought out our Fall Decor from the garage this weekend but they are all yet to go up.
And unlike my typical self, who would go all out shopping for and decorating for different seasons, this year is going to look a lot different around here (or rather, it is going to look a lot like a combination of the last 2 years over here) Only time will tell if I am stronger than my temptations and urges given how much I love shopping for fun and unique home decor, especially these next 3 months! #firstworldproblems.
If you want to keep your Fall Decor to a minimum or like me want to buy just a thing or two this season, then these Faux Buffalo Plaid Pumpkins are a great choice.
Related Posts: All things Fall i.e. decor ideas and tips, fall cleaning, bucket list things to do, and Trader Joe’s Fall Grocery Haul
8) BOOMCHICKAPOP Popcorn
‘Tis the season to curl up under ‘em cozy blankets and binge watch movies, am I right or am I right!? Just kidding, don’t binge-watch but when you do catch a movie or two then what do you reach for to munch on? Popcorn you said!? And yea, I agree. Especially with not having been to a theatre to watch movies in like forever, I mean, 2020!
And this BOOMCHICKAPOP Popcorn is one of my favorites. It is made with real, simple ingredients and with 100% whole grains. It is non-GMO popcorn for a gluten-free, vegan (and not loaded with calories, in case you are counting). Gimme all the flavors – Sweet & Spicy Popcorn, Lightly Sweet Popcorn, Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn, Sea Salt Popcorn, White Cheddar Popcorn, Caramel & Cheddar Popcorn Mix, Salted Caramel Popcorn, and Sweet Barbeque Popcorn.
9) Faux Fur Throw Blanket
And speaking of blankets, if there is one blanket that you needed like last year, then it would be this faux fur throw blanket. I shared about it over and over last year on my IG Stories, duh! This blanket is comparable to the one from a high-end brand, but you get this one for a quarter of that price.
This Faux Fur Throw Blanket is soft, plush, and feels like a layer of luxurious cozy warmth. This is a mid-weight blanket and is machine washable, the texture is great too. It makes for a perfect Fall layer to snuggle under, whether you are reading a book or watching a movie or getting cozy with the whole family (on one side of the couch when a huge section of the couch is untouched, yea, story of our house, haha).
10) Alexa Routines
One of my favorite and most powerful features of Amazon’s Smart Devices has to be Routines. Thanks to Alexa! I can personalize my routines how I want it which hugely helps me to stay organized and be more productive. Anything to help optimize my day!
You can either set up your own routines like me, I have an exhaustive list of morning rituals (and Alexa keeps me honest, yikes, if you know what I mean) or you can choose from several ‘Featured’ routines to get you started. In my case, when I say, Alexa, Rise and Shine, it is tied to multiple actions with just one single voice command. Instead of voice command, you could also schedule routines (triggers the routine at a specific time on specific days, weekdays, weekends, etc), it can also be activated based on the location or if you arrive/leave (triggers the routine based on your phone’s geo-location – at home, work, or other specific address).
Full Disclaimer: I am collaborating with Amazon, but this is my honest opinion and has nothing to do with the fact that I am partnering with them. I am sharing about Echo Show here on my own will (not part of the collaboration).
On that note, Happy Fall Y’all!
“Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go.”
Namaste,
Kusum
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