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Note from the Editor
Hi
,
I’ve reached the point of quarantine where I’ve run out of things to do. Or at least I feel that way. I’ve realized that most of this stagnation stems from a few things:
1) We’ve run out of new shows and movies to watch, which breeds its own unique mix of sadness, guilt, and boredom.
2) The nearing end of summer and the realization that we don’t have travel plans as we normally would.
3) Finally having all the big “to-do’s” out of the way for an upcoming move and wedding (eek!).
4) The novelty of Facetimes and Zooms with friends is long in the rearview mirror for me.
In a way, running out of things to do is freeing. I’ve embraced boredom and downtime like never before - I’ve experimented with watercolors, I’m mapping out what fall bulbs I want to plant. I don’t feel comfortable gathering or going to restaurants yet, so most of my time is still spent indoors, aside from the occasional walk.
Still, I can’t shake this feeling of monotony as my weekdays become blurred with weekends. After complaining about this for a bit to my partner 😅, I decided to do something about it and switch things up a bit by making “mini plans” for our weekend (and sometimes weekday) nights in.
Mini night-in plans are great because they give you something to look forward to, allow for flexibility in case something changes (i.e. your mood!), and help break up the monotony of indoorsy, social-interaction-less nights. Here’s my suggested “mini plan” for your feel-good nights in:
Your Friday Night In Plan
• After work, shut down your laptop. Close it and put it away. G’bye, email, Slack, and Zoom.
• Set the mood. Light a candle, and put on a playlist. Turn off your work brain and enter a relaxed mindset.
• Got watercolors, colored pencils, or even just a pen/paper? Try doodling something from the @stillherestilllife challenge to get your creativity going. Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how far you get.
• Choose a feel-good movie or show (my go-tos are Pride & Prejudice, Always Be My Maybe, Never Have I Ever, or any Nancy Meyers movie), pop some popcorn to go along with it, and make a night of it.
• Bonus: Plan a group text thread with friends while you watch (or use netflixparty.com)
Your Saturday Day and Night In Plan
Set your intention for the day to allow yourself to take things slow and not feel like you have to check off anything big and/or stressful from your to-do list. Big and/or stressful is key — I’m a firm believer in the power of low-stakes productivity wins.
• Challenge yourself to a no social media day. I did this the other weekend and it was refreshing and embarrassing just how many hours (literally, hours) of my life I gained back. (Here’s a quick guide from VICE on how to actually limit screen-time.)
• Enjoy a slow morning. Sip a cup of coffee. Read some pages of a book. Go for a stroll outside if you can, while listening to an audiobook. Make an easy breakfast, like scrambled eggs.
• For the afternoon, take a peek around your home for a low-stakes productivity win. For example: tidy the "junk drawer" in your home. For me, it was recently cleaning out the “dark and never touched corners” of some of our lower bathroom and kitchen cabinets.
• For the evening, find an exciting project recipe to try out to give yourself something delicious and fun to look forward to.
• Challenge your partner, roommate, family, etc. to a “no technology night.” Personally, I think this is key for meaningful connection with zero distractions. Explore your boredom together! You can spend your night reading together, playing a board game, going for a night stroll, listening to music and dancing, or tackling a house project.
• Finally, have a true pamper yourself night. While we all know face masks do not equal self-care, I’m a big proponent of mapping out one night to luxuriate in whatever “longer” version of your body and face-care routine is. For me, it’s doing the works with a double cleanse, face mask, serum, moisturizer, and sheet mask.
These plans aren’t perfect and I know not everyone has the luxury of free time, solitude (hello friends with kids), weekends off, and so on, but I hope it sparks your imagination for setting up a “mini plan” to break up the monotony of these slow summer nights. Let us know what you’re up to!
Until next Friday,
Alisha Ramos | @alisharamos
Founder and CEO at Girls' Night In
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weekly picks
what our team is recommending this week
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- Why I'm giving myself a commute... 🏃♀️ "I recently realized that my commute used to serve as valuable 'me time' for thinking, reading, podcasting, or doing absolutely nothing at all. This week, I decided to 'commute' to work by walking around the block with my morning podcast and sitting down to work when it was done like I would if we were still going into the office. This also create some separation between my 'home time' and 'work time' as an added benefit." - Jenna, GNI Team
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An affordable planter giving our plants new life.. 🌿 "I’ve been doing a lot of repotting in quarantine and found a new appreciation for this planter from Target (I’ve had it for a while but switched up what plant was in it). It’s relatively affordable as far as planters go and is perfect for trailing plants like pothos. Next up: I'm eyeing this marbled pot." - Olivia, GNI Team
- One step that's missing from your beauty routine... 🍉 Vejo just released their newest always-organic smoothie blend: Collagen Glow is packed with ingredients that'll boost your skin's glow and strengthen your hair and nails from the inside out. (Plus, it's a delicious watermelon fresca flavor!) GNI readers can get 2 weeks of Collagen Glow and 4 blends of antioxidant-packed Matcha Latte for free with the purchase of a $99 hand-held blender when you use code GNIGLOW at checkout. #SPONSORSTHING
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If you're itching for a home project... 👀 "Lately, I've been eyeing some very tempting home-decorating trends: painting an arch or trying peel-and-stick wallpaper. I think I'm leaning toward the arch and I plan to use these instructions if I muster up the courage to go for it." - Tyler, GNI Team
- For anyone else moving (or just organizing a lot ) in quarantine... 📦 "Tomorrow marks the beginning of Virgo season, so my very true-to-sign recommendation is this label maker that you can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth to type in labels as you need them. Tbh, this is my type of gadget!!" - Katrina, GNI Team
- If you're ready for things to cool down... "I'm getting some serious Lounge-y vibes from Olive and June's new fall nail colors. Terracotta! Mossy green! Count me in." - Alisha, GNI Team
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To help transition from fast fashion... "I recently followed a bunch of vintage sellers on Instagram to try to commit to more sustainable shopping habits. Some favorites so far include: @sundaypostvintage for carbon-neutral shipping, Black-owned shop @vintageandsoul for bold prints, and @wornablevintage because they sold me on this full outfit. It's been cool to a shift in my mindset to what I actually like aesthetically when it's not based on the trends of fast production." - Mary Anne, GNI Team
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This Week's Challenge: Do Yourself a Favor ☝️
This year, it’s more important than ever to plan small moments to look forward to at the end of each week — so this month, we’re helping you take a little better care each Friday. This week’s challenge: Take a few minutes before the end of the day to set Monday-you up for success. Here are some ideas:
📝 1) Write your Monday work to-do list before ending work today.
🌮 2) Plan lunches for next week now, so there’s no mid-day panic.
🌿 3) Take a look at your work setup. What could be improved?
🎵4) Make a Monday productivity playlist to help get things done.
💦 5) Make a plan to stay hydrated as you work next week. (If you're stocking up on Spindrift, here are our team's favorites — Tyler: Spindrift Orange Mango; Alisha: Spindrift Grapefruit; Katrina: Spindrift Pineapple.)
Take a minute to check in with yourself before the day is done: What was enjoyable this week? What could have been better? Write your reflections down. Investing in small actions that make you feel good can be (part of!) the secret sauce to getting through this tough time.
If you're looking for a little more joy, good news: When you buy a Spindrift Drifter Pack* (Drifter Packs include all 11 Spindrift flavors, plus a bonus Spindrift Pineapple) right now, you get a free pack to send to a friend to remind them to stay hydrated throughout the week too! 🍋
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read/watch/listen
what we're cozying up with this weekend
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What We’re Reading Online: 🤓
How to Add More Play to Your Grownup Life, New York Times
Two Exes Wasted My Time. So I Sent Them Invoices, Zora
83% of Etsy Shops are Run By Women. Postal Service Disruptions Could Devastate Them, The Lily
The Irresistible Charm of Tiny Dollhouse Food, Eater
Beyond Burnout: 5 Black Women on Working Yourself Sick, The Cut
What Books We're Reading: 📚
"This week I've been reading two very different books: Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. Untamed's essays and life reflections are perfect for getting out of a reading (or life!) rut and looking at all the ways we numb, contain, and ultimately tame ourselves to fit others' expectations of us. I walked away from it asking myself what I've done for FUN lately, which to be honest, I haven't thought about in a long, long time.
Caste, written by a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, makes the point that racism isn't nearly a strong enough word, and the history of systemic oppression of Black people in the U.S. is actually more akin to a caste system than anything else. I'm not quite done with the book yet, but already feel like it's a necessary read." - Tyler, GNI Team
What We're Listening To: 🎧
"I recently listened to this episode of NPR Life Kit about how to vote by mail and found it really helpful and informative. I can't help but think about how much of this election will depend on access — to information, to options, and to time. I recommend choosing three friends or family members right now, and sending this episode to them immediately." - Jenny, GNI Team
What We're Cooking: 👩🍳
"This isn't summery or seasonal at all but what even are seasons when you spend so much time inside? I made this recipe early on in quarantine and revisited last week when I was doing some pantry combing. Love the black beans-tomato paste-cumin combo, plus I'd say the amount of grated cheddar you choose to use can correlate directly with what kind of day you've had. Baked cheese is here for you, no matter the season." - Carey, GNI Team
How We're Putting Our Phones Down This Weekend: 📬
"The recent news about cost-cutting at the USPS has rung all the alarm bells in my head. The USPS is an essential, vital service, especially in an election year where many will be voting via mail-in ballots. Aside from pinging my state and senate representatives, last weekend, I ordered stamps from the USPS website and shipped some cute care packages to my friends using the Click-N-Ship feature on their site. Maybe you'll write some snail mail this weekend too?" - Alisha, GNI Team
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heading into the weekend like...
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and we hope you make someone else feel like this, too (via @peopleiveloved)
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GNI may receive a small commission from items you purchase from this newsletter.
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