Author: Debbie Roche

4 Ways to Take Control & Create a Powerful Mindset for Yourself | Nadia La Russa

4 Ways to Take Control & Create a Powerful Mindset for Yourself

Imagine how much better your life would be if you could take control of your life and create a powerful mindset for yourself.

How much more could you accomplish if you knew how to form thoughts that work for rather than against you?

The good news is that there are four ways to accomplish exactly that.

These four shifts in thinking help us to become more optimistic. They empower us and create within us the powerful mindsets we need to achieve. 

Let’s look at each of these thoughts together and break down each idea into action items so that we can do something about becoming who we want to become. 

1. Look on the Bright Side of the Situation

“Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see a shadow” – Helen Keller. 

Thought: It’s natural to see the negative. We tend to lean towards what’s wrong rather than what’s right. The reason for this, however, is a habit. The good news is that habits can change. We can train ourselves to see the good instead of the bad. And what’s beneficial about this is that while we may be able to see multiple things simultaneously, we can only focus on one. When you train yourself to focus on the good, the bad gets blurry.

Action Step: Take 5 minutes to think about the most stressful situation you are currently dealing with in your life. You will notice that you’ve been focusing on the negative. Take a moment and think of at least one good thing that can result from the situation. Will you grow from it? Will you be stronger? Better? Now, spend a few moments thinking about that. Focus your attention on the positive. Concentrate on what’s good. Chances are, the stress you’ve been associating with this problem will dissipate as your focus begins to shift from what is wrong to what is right.

2. Focus on the Future and Forget About the Past

“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.”  – Lyndon B. Johnson.

Thought: When we get hung up on what we should have done or what we shouldn’t have said, we tie ourselves to a moment that no longer exists. It’s gone. It happened. The key is to learn from it, not to waddle in it. The best way to move past the past is to look ahead to what’s next. Again, we can see many things at a time, but we can only focus on one. When we redirect our attention to what we can do tomorrow rather than what we should have done yesterday, we begin to see possibilities instead of mistakes.

Action Step: Let’s do an exercise together. Ready? Think of 3 things – things that you cannot do right now but that you can do within the next seven days. In other words, all three things must be things to look forward to. Now, write them down on a small note and stick them on your desk. Whenever your mind starts to wander to yesterday, quickly look at the note and redirect your focus towards tomorrow. When you keep your eyes looking ahead, it’s impossible to get frustrated over what we would otherwise see in the rearview mirror.

3. Use Time Wisely

“In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.” – Les Brown.

Thought: Now, this point may take some convincing. What does time management have to do with being positive? Aren’t they two different things? Not exactly. You see, what you do with your time affects the way you see and value yourself. And your self-image directly links to your positive (or negative) perspective on life. Think about it. What is something you’ve done that you are most proud of having accomplished? Now, what is something you are frustrated with yourself for doing? Both incidents correlate to the use of your time. In the first example, you chose to use your time to do something that gave you a positive view of yourself. And in the second example, the opposite is just as valid. What we do with our time directly correlates with how positive (or negative) we see things in life.

Action Step: Open up your calendar and do something about it today. Add an activity that will make you feel good about yourself. Anything. It doesn’t have to be a significant accomplishment like win the Olympics by Friday. It just has to be important to you. The key is to put it on a calendar, not a to-do list. We aren’t trying to add more tasks to become even more overwhelmed. Instead, we are trying to make proactive use of our time by planning to do something that will elevate our self-image. And the key to associating this activity with time is to put it on our calendar.

4. Practice Gratitude

“Let us arise and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so let us all be thankful.”  – Buddha.

Thought: We sometimes feel as though we’ve got it bad. And yes, we do go through hard times. But no matter how bad things get, there is always someone struggling much worse than us. It’s easy to take life for granted, but the key to being content with what we have is to be grateful for what we have.

Action Step: This exercise will be life-changing. Make a list of things you are grateful for that you haven’t thought about before. Write at least ten but know that putting 100 items on the list is not far-fetched or even remotely impossible, so write as many as you can. Think about the things you usually wouldn’t think about – the things we usually don’t appreciate unless we lose, such as our health. Even the jobs we complain about are worth considering since the only option to having our job is not having it. Be creative and thoughtful. Then, read your list often. Take a few moments just to be grateful. Doing this exercise will change your perspective about many things. And the things that currently frustrate you may quickly turn into a source of joy.

It is often easier to talk about being positive than it is to be positive. But the action steps embedded in these four ideas will help us to make that change. When we look on the bright side, focus on the future, use our time wisely, and practice gratitude, we will become more positive individuals. This, in turn, will have a huge impact on our lives. It will enable us to enjoy them and to live them out to the fullest.

Now you might be thinking ‘wow these sound really easy” and that’s because they are! We often forget how simple the solutions can be because we overcomplicate things, but I can assure you, that shifting your way of thinking to these can make a big impact. Get ready to empower your mind!

In health and wellness,

Nadia La Russa

Click here to learn about how to keep your work-life balance when you work from home.

Click here to learn about self-care and why you should practice it.

What is Self-Care and Why Should You Practice It? | Nadia La Russa

What is Self-Care and Why Should You Practice It?

Let’s Talk About Self-Care

I want to preface this blog post by making it clear that self-care is not the same as self-indulgence, or being selfish. Self-care is all about taking care of yourself so you can be healthy, and stay well before doing anything else.

Self-care has been a topic of discussion everywhere and it’s rightfully so because now more than ever, we all need a bit of self-care.

Self-care is part of how we cope with daily stressors, and it’s about taking steps to focus on our physical and emotional health needs. It includes everything related to staying physically healthy – which includes exercising, taking care of our personal hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical help when needed. These are all the steps we can take to manage the stressors in our lives and take care of ourselves for our own health and well-being.

Self-care requires checking in with yourself and asking how you’re doing mentally and physically. It’s about listening to your mind and your body and giving yourself the rest you need. Self-care is different for everyone – some use it to deal with difficult news and others use it to maintain their happiness day-to-day. Self-care is not the same for everyone, and everyone has their own way to practice self-care. 

Why Practice Self-Care? 

Practicing self-care regularly can help you put your best foot forward. When we take care of ourselves regularly, we react to things better and handle situations healthier. It’s a great way to maintain a positive well-being. 

Engaging in self-care regularly can reduce or even eliminate anxiety, depression, and stress. It can improve concentration, minimize work frustration and anger and improve energy and so much more. From practicing physical self-care, it can help to reduce heart disease and other physical conditions and illnesses. By paying attention to yourself and your well-being, you are reinvigorating yourself so you can be the best version of yourself.

Different Types of Self-Care

Emotional Self-Care 

Self-talk. You read that right, talk to yourself. Ask yourself what you need and then give yourself that emotional support. Have a bubble bath, make yourself your favourite meal, take yourself to get your nails done, or read a book for pleasure. Whatever it is, there’s nothing wrong with pampering yourself. 

Another way to show yourself emotional self-care is by practicing how to say “no” when you need to. If you feel yourself getting stressed from work or other responsibilities, saying no to taking on additional tasks will help you set boundaries for yourself, and give yourself permission to take a pause, and breathe when things are getting too much. When I start to feel overwhelmed, I choose to meet up with a good friend or set up a virtual coffee date to chat and unwind. 

Physical Self-Care 

Prioritize your sleep. Sleep is so important for your body so be sure to give yourself that much-needed rest. Another way to practice physical self-care is by exercising. Adopting an exercise routine that you can stick to can help you out so much! It can be as easy as taking a walk or going for a run, or doing yoga. Choosing a healthy diet, eating healthy and picking nourishing food over processed food can also help fuel your body and your mind.

Spiritual Self-Care 

Unplug and spend time in nature. Taking some time out of your day to meditate, or write in a gratitude journal are some other simple ways to practice spiritual self-care. 

How to Start a Self-Care Routine for Yourself

  • Figure out which activities make you happy, replenish your energy and restore your balance
  • Start small by picking one thing you want to incorporate into your daily routine
  • Slowly build up to practice that one self-care activity every day of the week and see how you feel
  • Add an additional practice when you’re ready
  • Be sure to get support from loved ones, a licensed professional, or a coach

A few ideas to help you begin your self-care journey

  • Journaling 
  • Start your day by doing some breath work
  • Eat breakfast 
  • Put your phone down for 30 minutes and don’t pay attention to any notifications
  • Have a bedtime routine and stick to it

Self-care doesn’t have to be difficult. If practiced regularly, self-care can have a really positive effect on your health, but it does require you to invest in yourself. So ask yourself, are you ready?

In Health and Wellness,

Nadia La Russa

Click here to learn about how to keep your work-life balance when you work from home.

Click here to learn about how kombucha can benefit your body.

Let's Learn About SCOBY | Nadia La Russa

Let’s Learn About SCOBY

If you know me, you know about my love for Kombucha and my two fermentary businesses here in Thunder Bay, where I regularly brew Kombucha and make other delicious fermented foods. So you might be wondering why I’m talking about Kombucha when I’m supposed to be talking about SCOBY? What does Kombucha have anything to do with today’s topic? Stick around, and I’ll tell you all about it.

Kombucha is a fermented beverage people enjoy for its unique taste and tremendous health benefits. It contains many powerful ingredients and one of those ingredients is called SCOBY.

What is SCOBY?

SCOBY is a thick, cloudy rubbery mass that helps the fermentation process. SCOBY stands for “Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast,” and it’s an essential ingredient that I use in the fermentation and production of my Kombucha.

Fermentation is a chemical process where carbohydrates like sugar and starch turn into alcohol and acid.

The appearance of SCOBY can vary, but usually, it’s round, dense and a little rubbery. It also looks a bit cloudy with a very mild smell of vinegar. 

How SCOBY Works

When producing Kombucha, you add a SCOBY into sweetened black or green tea, and then you let it ferment for a few weeks. 

The bacteria and yeast in the SCOBY start to break down the sugars in the tea and convert them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. 

In the end, it has a sweet and tangy vinegar-like taste with specific flavours that you leave to ferment. 

The fermentation process also increases probiotics’ concentration, which brings lots of positive health effects to your gut. 

Many studies have connected probiotics’ consumption to reducing cholesterol levels, improved immunity and enhanced weight loss, among other excellent benefits.

Can You Eat SCOBY?

Yes, you can eat SCOBY! They are perfectly edible and good for you. SCOBYs are safe to eat on their own and will not cause you any harm.

However, be careful when incorporating SCOBYs into your recipes because they are not as simple as you think. If you have experience cooking with SCOBY, then go for it. You can make many tasty treats like smoothies, fruit leathers and jerky, but remember that what you make and how you go about it will make your SCOBY dish either edible or inedible. 

But before you experiment with cooking with SCOBY and making different dishes, I suggest you start by making your own batch of Kombucha. Unleash your inner kombucha brewer with my Kombucha Starter Kit! I include instructions and a little gift receipt for a $10 coupon.

If you don’t want to brew your own Kombucha but enjoy drinking it, try some of my current favourite flavours and let me know what you think:

In Health and Wellness,

Nadia La Russa

Click here to learn more about Narrow Gate Foods, my small-batch, big-love fermentery in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Click here to learn more about Kumbaya Kombucha, another fermentery in Thunder Bay that I recently purchased.

How to Take Control of Your Business | Nadia La Russa

How to Take Control of Your Business

Have you recently started a new business? Or you’re thinking about starting your journey as an entrepreneur? Either way, congratulations to you! You’re taking a major step towards a rewarding and more independent lifestyle. That being said, owning a business comes with certain challenges. Here are the crucial areas that you’ll need to make an effort to understand and become familiar with if you want to take control of your business:

Identify Your Brand

One of your first challenges as a business owner is to build a unique brand. Creating a relevant and distinctive logo is only the first step when it comes to branding. What’s most important is identifying the crucial characteristics that set you apart. This is sometimes referred to as USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and will inform your marketing, the kind of content you post on social media, and how you communicate with your customers. Your brand identity should be consistent across platforms both online and offline. So, figure out what makes your brand unique. 

Know Your Customers

No one should know your customers better than you. Who are they? What problem of theirs are you providing a solution for with your product or service? Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll want to go ahead and dive deeper by developing a unique buyer persona. 

A buyer persona is a fictional character who represents your ideal customer. Some businesses even go as far as giving their buyer persona a name and a very specific lifestyle to bring them to life. For example, “Mary is a married 35-year-old mother of two who works in middle management. She drives a Honda Accord and enjoys reading mystery novels, yoga, and gardening.” Of course, you have to base your buyer persona on research to ensure it’s as accurate as possible. In some cases, you may have more than one. Your buyer persona (s) may change over time as your business evolves. Be sure to review or update it as your business grows. When’s the last time you reviewed and updated yours? 

Pay Attention to Your Numbers

Few people start a business because they enjoy crunching numbers. However, it will be hard for you to succeed if you don’t thoroughly understand your expenses, taxes, profit margins, and other essential numbers. 

Here are a few tips to help you in this area: 

  • Research the best business structure for your needs. Many new entrepreneurs start as sole proprietors. However, it’s often advantageous to set up an LLC, Corporation, or Partnership. If necessary, consult with an attorney. Setting up a business entity helps protect you legally in case your business is ever sued.  
  • Invest in quality accounting software. You may want to hire a part-time or full-time bookkeeper or accountant. You can also outsource these tasks to an agency as you need them. Whatever you decide to do, just promise me you don’t just try to “wing it” as this can lead to serious financial problems for you and your business in the future. 
  • Be frugal when starting out. You don’t have to invest in costly office space, equipment and non-essential amenities. Consider renting rather than buying expensive equipment or perhaps consulting with other small business owners and splitting the costs. 
  • Always track the ROI of your marketing campaigns. With online advertising such as Google AdWords or Facebook ads, you can use software to track your results. Important digital marketing metrics include conversion rates, cost per customer acquisition, and click rates for email campaigns. Regardless of what type of marketing you do, it’s essential to measure your results. 

Manage Your Time

When you’re an employee, your time is generally managed by your employer or a manager. When you run your own business, however, you are entirely responsible for setting your schedule. You need to set daily, weekly, and long-term goals for yourself. But where do you even start?

  1. Prioritize. When you create your to-do list, try to arrange it, so you complete the most urgent and difficult tasks early in the day.
  2. Use time management tools to track your time and see what you’re spending the majority of your time doing. Use the results to determine how you can better be productive with your time. 
  3. Avoid getting caught up in busy work. You can fool yourself into feeling productive while endlessly “researching” on Google, browsing social media, and holding long meetings. 
  4. Learn to say “no.” You’re not obligated to listen to every sales pitch or attend every event to which you’re invited. 
  5. Delegate and outsource. You only have so many hours in a day to get things done. When you delegate tasks, you have more time to devote to more essential matters. As your business grows, you’ll be able to identify more areas to delegate and outsource. This is one of the secrets to upscaling your business. 

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry, this is a lot of information to take all at once, but you’re not alone, there are resources and business coaches that can help you clarify your needs and develop a successful strategy for your business. 

I’m Nadia La Russa, and I’m a serial entrepreneur in Thunder Bay, Ontario who provides business coaching for entrepreneurs all over North America. I can help you take control of your business so you can reach your true potential. 

Click here to get in touch and find out how my business coaching can help you.

P.S. If you’re feeling excited about taking control of your business but aren’t sure when to start because you’re always so busy, be sure to read this blog post I wrote on how to take control of your time. After all, we all have the same hours in the day as everyone else!

Let's Talk about Gut Health | Nadia La Russa

Let’s Talk About Gut Health

If you know me, then you know that gut health is a topic I enjoy talking about. With my two fermentery businesses in Thunder Bay, I regularly brew kombucha which improves my own gut health and also spreads that goodness to the local community. It’s something I truly love doing. So, what exactly is gut health? If you want to know then continue to read below and of course, reach out to me if you have any questions.

So…what is gut health?

“Gut health” essentially describes the function and balance of bacteria of many parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Our organs work together to allow us to eat and digest food without feeling any sort of discomfort. 

It’s been said that the gut is the body’s second brain and when you have an unhealthy gut, it can take a toll on the rest of your body. In order to understand why this happens, it’s helpful to know how a properly functioning gut is supposed to operate.

The foods we eat get broken down in the gut to a simple form that can enter the bloodstream and be delivered as nutrients throughout our bodies. A healthy gut contains healthy bacteria and immune cells that ward off infectious bacteria and other viruses and fungi. A healthy gut will communicate with the brain through nerves and hormones that help to maintain general health and well-being. 

Pay attention to your gut

Many factors of modern life such as high stress levels, lack of sleep, and consuming processed foods can affect your health. There are multiple ways your body will communicate with you to signal an unhealthy gut.

Upset stomach

Experiencing gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn are signs of an unhealthy gut. 

Unintentional weight changes

Gaining or losing weight without making any changes to your diet or exercise can also be a sign of an unhealthy gut. An imbalanced gut can damage your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar, and store fat.

Constant fatigue

An unhealthy gut can contribute to sleep disturbance such as insomnia or poor sleep, which leads to chronic fatigue. A majority of the body’s serotonin is produced from the gut, so an unhealthy gut can damage your ability to sleep well. 

Skin irritation

Skin conditions like eczema may be related to an unhealthy gut. Inflammation in the gut from a poor diet may cause skin irritation. 

How you can improve your gut health

If you’re experiencing any of these, then don’t worry, there are ways to improve gut health. You just have to make some changes.

Start by eating a diverse range of food

Eating a diverse diet rich in whole foods, fruits and vegetables is a great place to start in terms of improving your gut health. After all, they’re the best sources of nutrients for a healthy microbiota. They’re high in fiber, which normalizes bowel movements, prevents the growth of some disease-causing bacteria, and overall enhances gut health.

Eat whole grains

Whole grains contain lots of fibre and non-digestible carbs that can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria within the gut. These changes to the gut can improve aspects of metabolic health. 

Eat fermented foods

Fermented foods are foods altered by microbes. The process of fermenting usually involves bacteria or yeast converting the sugar in food to organic acid. Foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha (although kombucha is a beverage) can improve digestion, boost metabolism, reduce inflammation, and more! 

A change in diet can make a world of difference, but your change doesn’t have to be drastic. You can always start small. Start by adding some kombucha to your diet. You can drink it with your lunch or dinner as it is a healthy alternative to sodas or juice. Best of all, they come in delicious flavours. These are some of my favourites:

In Health and Wellness,

Nadia La Russa

Click here to learn more about my small-batch, big-love fermentery in Thunder Bay. 

Click here to learn more about the other kombucha business I recently acquired in Thunder Bay. 

Click here to learn more about how kombucha can benefit your body.

How Kombucha Can Benefit Your Body | Nadia La Russa

How Kombucha Can Benefit Your Body

If you know me, then chances are, the topic of kombucha and gut health has come up once or twice. Not only do I own two fermentary businesses in Thunder Bay, but I also regularly brew kombucha and create other delicious fermented foods. If you’re interested in learning more about how kombucha can benefit your body, read below for a detailed breakdown, and of course, reach out to me if you have any questions at all!

So, what exactly is kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea that originated in China and is believed to have healing powers that bring health and longevity. Kombucha also contains antioxidants and is rich in probiotics, which means it can also kill harmful bacteria and fight multiple diseases.

Keep on reading to learn about some of the different ways kombucha can help you!

Kombucha can be as beneficial as green tea

Green tea is one of the healthiest drinks on the planet because it contains micronutrients such as polyphenols which act as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Some kombucha is made from green tea, such as this Plain Jane Kombucha blend from Narrow Gate Foods, which includes the same micronutrients and can give you the same benefits.

Many studies have shown that regularly drinking green tea can help your body burn more calories, reduce belly fat, improve cholesterol levels, and more. Adding kombucha to your diet can give you those same benefits as green tea.

Kombucha contains antioxidants

Antioxidants protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease and more. Free radicals are produced when your body breaks down food or when your body is exposed to different toxins. Scientists believe that antioxidants from foods and beverages are way better for your health than any supplements. 

Kombucha, especially when it’s made with green tea, has antioxidant effects on your liver, and recent animal studies show that consistently drinking kombucha can reduce liver toxicity by almost 70%.

Although no human studies currently exist on this topic, there are many promising fields of research for people with liver disease. 

Kombucha is an excellent source of Vitamin B12

Did you know that kombucha is an excellent source of vitamin B12? That’s right! B12 is an essential nutrient to have in your body because without it, you might feel fatigued, weak, experience gastrointestinal disturbances, and more. B12 can be found in many types of meat and animal products, but if you are a vegetarian or vegan, Kombucha is a great option.

Fermented beverages like kombucha are rich in B12, and regular consumption will ensure that your level of B12 is high. 

Kombucha is an excellent source of probiotics

Probiotics are found in many fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, and since kombucha is a fermented product, you can find several probiotics bacteria in it. Probiotic bacteria can help balance the gut microbiome and improve digestion, inflammation and even help with weight loss. Who doesn’t want that?

If you’re looking to improve your health, then I suggest you add kombucha to your diet! It’s a healthy alternative to many other beverages like sodas or juice and also comes in many refreshing flavours, and they taste great! Here is a list of my favourites (if you’re in Thunder Bay or anywhere else in Ontario, be sure to check them out!): 

These kombuchas are great if you’re just trying kombucha for the first time:

In Health and Wellness,

Nadia La Russa

Click here to learn more about Narrow Gate Foods, my small-batch, big-love fermentery in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Click here to learn more about Kumbaya Kombucha, another fermentery in Thunder Bay that I recently purchased.

How To Take Control of Your Finances | Nadia La Russa

How To Take Control of Your Finances & Create a Customized Budget For Yourself

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re starting to get the hang of 2020 and are thinking about setting up a budget for the rest of the year and beyond. Amazing! As a serial entrepreneur and mom of five, I know a thing or two about budgeting and managing finances. After all, a significant part of my work life consists of putting together customized accounting solutions for small-medium sized businesses, and truth be told, it really isn’t that different for personal finances.

If you’d like to learn how to put together a customized budget and take control of you and your family’s finances, please scroll down!

Tip # 1: Stop Thinking of Your Finances as Something Out of Your Control and Disconnected From Your Everyday Reality

One of the most common mindsets I’ve noticed when other people talk about their personal finances is how disconnected and out of control, they feel from them. Once they’ve received their bi-weekly pay from work and bills have been paid, whatever amount is leftover usually becomes discretionary income. Some months it’s less, other months they have more to play around with. 

The issue with this is that when we train ourselves to spend discretionary funds unconsciously, we neglect to consistently track our spending and we’re often left completely unprepared for emergency situations. If 2020 has taught us anything in regards to finances, it’s that preparation is everything.

Tip #2: Take 1 Hour To Create a Budget For Yourself and Your Family

The best way to really take control of your finances is to take one hour by yourself or with your partner and set a basic monthly budget. List out all of your bills, income, decide on an amount you want to stay within for the rest of the year, and most importantly, stick to it. Any extra income you make one month should be put into a separate Savings Account for those emergency situations. By sticking to a consistent budget, you’ll quickly train your brain to spend within your means and won’t be so scattered anymore with your spending. Trust me, you’ll love feeling in control of your finances!

Tip #3: Track Your Spending & Give Yourself a Raise

After you’ve gone ahead and created a budget, the next habit you should really be practicing is tracking your spending. By doing this, you’ll be able to identify certain expenses that you could happily do without (monthly subscriptions, for example) and start seeing your bank account grow. The next time you cancel a payment you don’t need and keep it for yourself, think of it as if you’re giving yourself a raise.

Here are some handy (and free!) apps that can help track your spending for you:

  • Charlie – this app is created with artificial intelligence and does an amazing job of helping you track your spending. To do so you’ll need to download it from your phone’s app store, connect it to your bank account and it’ll start monitoring your account for any signs of unproductive spending. This is great for anyone who is having a hard time thinking of what expense they should eliminate!
  • Mint – this app helps you store all your finances and bills in one place, giving you a good idea of what you’re working with. It’ll also calculate your spending by category so you can see your spending patterns and know what you can cut back on to be able to give yourself a raise each month.
  • Alternative method – Use a Google Sheet! You’ll be able to view it on your phone, desktop and be able to customize it as much as you want. You won’t receive any automatic alerts but manually adding in your expenses each month would be a good way of becoming aware of how much money you do spend on a monthly basis.

The great news is that you’re ready to take control of your finances and it doesn’t matter what your financial circumstances are – anyone can create a budget for themselves and track their spending. When done effectively, you’ll be able to meet your financial goals, give yourself a raise, and worry less when those inevitable life emergencies happen.

With You – 

Nadia La Russa

P.S. If you’re feeling excited about taking control of your finances but aren’t sure when to start because you’re always so busy, be sure to read this blog post I wrote on how to take control of your time. After all, we all have the same hours in the day as everyone else!

How to Keep Your Work-Life Balance When You Work from Home | Nadia La Russa

How to Keep Your Work-Life Balance When You Work from Home

If you’re lucky enough to work from home, then you already know it comes with some amazing benefits. Some of us have been doing so for a long time now and others are just joining the work from home lifestyle due to the pandemic. Regardless, here are some of the perks of working from home:

  • Enjoying a relaxed dress code
  • Sleeping in late
  • Going for a run on your lunch hour
  • Heading to the grocery store in the middle of the day and avoiding peak hours
  • Spending more time with your family and friends

If you happen to be your own boss, you’re in an even better position since you can set your own hours and pick the clients you want. While chatting with other entrepreneurs and friends who are now learning how to manage this work from home lifestyle, I’ve noticed that no one really talks about whether or not they really have a work-life balance.

As it turns out, working and living out of the same space is not as easy as it sounds. That’s because many people find it hard to shut down and disconnect from their jobs when their phone or email is just a few steps away. While you may feel like you get more work done at home, you might actually be working overtime without even realizing it. So, how can you make sure that your work-from-home job doesn’t end up consuming your life? Here are some tips on how to maintain that much-needed balance and keep your sanity:

Tip #1 – Separate Your Workspace

The problem with living and working in the same place is that it’s hard to switch off from work and focus on yourself and your family. One way to separate yourself from your work is to create a dedicated office space so you can walk out of it at the end of the day and shut the door. A spare bedroom or den makes a great home office, or your basement or garage can even serve as your base.

When you finish work, shut off your computer and turn off your phone. If you use your personal phone for work, just let any business calls or unknown calls go to voicemail. At the end of your workday, walk out of your office both mentally and physically. While it may feel wrong to ignore phone calls and emails after working hours, remember that this is exactly what your office-bound coworkers get to do each day when they leave the office.

Tip #2 – Learn To Say No

When you don’t have the distractions of chatty coworkers, lunch outings, and impromptu meetings, you tend to stay glued to your seat and wrapped up in your work. But at a certain point, you need to say no to all the meetings and the phone calls so you don’t overextend yourself.

Start by blocking your lunch hour by putting a recurring appointment for yourself on your calendar, and include a reminder so you don’t accidentally work through it. Then, make sure to decline any lunchtime meetings or phone calls, and instead propose a different time. And if your manager asks you to take on another project, or if a client wants your services when you’re already fully booked, think carefully before saying yes. If it means long nights and weekends trying to keep up with deadlines, your work-life balance will go out the window. By consciously managing your work commitments, you can start reclaiming your personal time.

Tip #3 – Remember To Take Time For Yourself

When you work in an office and start noticing flu symptoms, your manager tells you to stay home until you feel better. Whether you like it or not, you’re forced to take time off for yourself. But when you work from home, it’s tempting to just work through an illness without taking the proper time you need for rest and recuperation. People who work from home often don’t use their available sick days for this very reason. The same thing can happen with paid time off and vacation days. If your work is at your fingertips, you might slide back into bad habits and reply to some emails or make some work calls while you’re on vacation. One way to nip this in the bud is to set an out-of-office reply in your email and record an out-of-office message for your voicemail. Knowing that people are getting these automated replies should make it a little easier to put work out of your mind when you’re out sick or on vacation.

It’s up to you to maintain a healthy work-life balance when you work from home because no one else is there watching you work. So take control of your work habits and you’ll begin to get your personal time back again.

With You – 

Nadia La Russa

P.S. If you’re sitting in front of your computer and wondering what to snack on next, check out this blog post I wrote featuring some healthy foods/snacks to give you energy.

 

Foods To Give You Energy | Nadia La Russa

Foods To Give You Energy, Written By A Serial Entrepreneur + Busy Mom

You need loads of energy to get through your day. When you feel like slacking or low on energy, you most likely need to get some nutrient-dense foods in your system. Here are some foods that will give you a quick boost of lasting energy without the crash. Written by a serial entrepreneur who needs as much energy as she can get!

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the easiest and most delicious meals ever. Oatmeal contains the healthy type of carbs that are a great source of energy. They help metabolize the energy in your body by providing nutrients like vitamin B, thiamine, folate and niacin. Oatmeal is personalized energy! You can throw in whatever ingredients you like. To enjoy a warm bowl of delicious oatmeal, try this recipe:

Boil two scoops of oatmeal in a pinch of salt, a cup of water, and two tablespoons of peanut butter. Cook until the water is absorbed and it looks a little soupy. You can even sprinkle some black pepper on the top for additional taste and seasoning.

Eggs

Eggs can provide 30% of the protein your body requires and help strengthen and build your muscles. You can use eggs however you like. You can make an omelet, scramble them up, or simply hard-boil them.

Yogurt

Yogurt may be an easy thing to snack on, but it also provides your body with an incredible amount of energy. It’s milk, lactose, and low sugar levels are responsible for the energy, and the protein helps slow food digestion so you can store the energy for a longer period of time.

Shrimp

Shrimp is rich in vitamin B12 and very low in calories. Vitamin B12 helps your body produce energy at a much faster rate. Shrimp also contains omega 3 fatty acids, which help boost your mood and your energy levels.

Hummus

This Mediterranean dish is made from various herbs, spices, and chickpeas. It also contains olive oil, lemon juice, and sesame seed paste. These ingredients provide the nutrients and healthy carbs needed to help our bodies produce energy.  They also contain healthy fats and protein, which means that you will be able to store that energy for a longer period of time. 

Strawberries

Strawberries contain natural fructose, which gives you a quick yet sustainable boost of energy. You eat them raw or add them to your oatmeal, acai bowls or smoothies.

Spinach

Mitochondria are the powerhouse of cells. Spinach contains nitrates that are responsible for improving the efficiency of mitochondria, helping provide energy to your cells.

Bananas

Bananas not only provide your body with energy but also help in storing it. They make a perfect snack before you head to the gym. 

Try adding some of these foods to your diet to boost your energy levels and power up your body’s performance!

If you would like to learn more about myself and my local entrepreneurship, click here.

If you would like to learn more about my Take Control Weight Loss Program, click here.

Yours in health and wellness,

Nadia La Russa