Thursday: On Anxiety, Insomnia, And Trying To Maintain Focus Anyway
PS: Grab the FREE recording of this week's blockbuster Zoom webinar event covering pitching, trends, and all things holiday gift guide season.
Hi, friends!
You guys, this week has been A LOT. And today has been the a-lot-iest of them all.
We all have those days where our stress just becomes nuclear, but there’s exciting things on the horizon (like a week from today, I head out to Malibu for Malibu Food and Wine!), so lets just hope this holiday weekend will provide the rest and restore we all need (until then, at least!).
To be honest, my life is no different than many of you. All our lives has been a pretty nonstop cycle of anxiety for a while now. And it never seems to get any better. In fact, for a lot of people, sometimes life feels like one of those house of cards, where you always worry that one more card piled on will be the one that topples the whole deck.
So, I wonder if, since we all have anxiety and insomnia pretty much...all the time lately (or at least I do), but we still have to be productive, if today's tip should be about ways to stay productive even when our anxiety makes it harder to stay centered and focused on our projects.
I think for me, at least, the issue that lack of sleep and stress have on my productivity is that it make it harder to center myself and stay focused. So, these are a few things I do that help me with conquering that:
1 - Listen to music. I mentioned a few weeks ago I have a soothing workday music playlist. This music actually helps to relax my nerves and for me to maintain focus and not get distracted.
2. BREATHE. Yes, I know you think you are breathing right now. But if you are stressed out, I bet those breaths are kind of short and shallow. Those shallow breaths aren't going to be productive breaths. Take the time to breathe deeply. It'll help you relax and focus! It really works.
3. Stretch. Whether this is a walk around the block or getting up to walk to the kitchen to make a coffee, it will help you center your thoughts.
4. Surround yourself with positivity. Avoid the doom scroll. Avoid discussing the doom scroll. Hell, avoid social media altogether during the workday if you can. Limit your workday conversations to positive discussions with people who make you feel good. And reward yourself at the end of the day with a movie or TV series that is light and fun and makes you feel good.
5. Focus on the present: The world is basically always on fire. It has been for years. But you still have a job to do. Never feel guilty about turning the news and your social media (and those iMessages!) off and getting to work.
Anyway, I'd love to open it up to the floor. How do you cope with anxiety? And, well, while we're on the subject...insomnia? (And yes, I've tried everything from getting good pillows to using melatonin..and yet.)
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Upcoming travel: I’ll be in the greater LA area the latter part of next week for Malibu Food & Wine (so excited!), and then after the festival completes — and yes, I’ll be there for its entirety so if you are there too lets say hi!, I’ll move onto BH and WeHo for a few days. If you are interested in knowing more about this super cool festival, I wrote a preview about it for Yahoo Creators over the weekend. Check it out, it’s really going to be so cool and I’m so excited to be attending.
I’ll also be in Fort Lauderdale (very briefly) in mid-November (just for about 24 hours or so before a cruise).
Also: Who will be in NY for NYCWFF this fall? I’ll be here, there, everywhere and hope to see you, too!
(And yes, I’ll be in Miami for SOBEWFF this winter as well, of course!)
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I still have some space available for September!
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Tools of the trade
Looking to up your affiliate marketing game?: Affiliate marketing is complicated, and it seems that the landscape keeps changing. If you are looking to be prepared for gift guide season and all other shopping-related content, you may want to try the Ultimate Masterclass and Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Publicists. It's a brilliant course and it'll answer all your questions (including some you didn't know you had!)
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Newly published or freshly updated
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Yahoo Creators: Check out my author profile (I have several new stories a day across the lifestyles umbrella, so that’s the best way to stay updated!)
Southern Living: How To Cook A Perfect Steak Every Time, According To Southern Chefs.
RetailMeNot: Which Stores Are Open and Closed on Labor Day 2025?
Food Network: Starbucks’ Fall 2025 Menu Starts Now
Food Network: Burger King's Cini Minis Are Finally Coming Back
Food Network: Popeyes Is Revamping Its Wings
Food Network: Crumbl Reimagines Dubai Chocolate as a Brownie
Travel + Leisure: These $15 Earplugs Relieved My In-flight Ear Pain.
Apartment Therapy,:The $6 Office Supply a Travel Pro Always Puts in Their Suitcase
Forbes: 17 Must-Try Hearty Sandwiches For When The Basic Options Just Won’t Do
Southern Living: Southern Bartenders Reveal The Summer Cocktails They Actually Drink Themselves
Food Network: Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Bowl Is Back, and It’s a Better Deal Than Ever
The Kitchn: This “Brilliant” $10 Le Creuset Storage Gem Is a Game-Changer for Your Pots and Pans
Forbes.com: 15 Delicious And Creative Ways To Enjoy Potatoes
RetailMeNot: 41 Best College Student Discounts
Travel & Leisure: This Portable Door Lock Is Traveler-loved
Food Network: A Beloved KFC Side Is Finally Returning Nationwide!
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and This Seat Cushion Is My Secret to Arriving at Destinations Pain-free
Travel & Leisure: 15 Amazon Business Casual Clothes for Summer Travel.
Southern Living: The One-Pan Cheesy Meal I Make Whenever I'm Too Tired To Cook
Travel & Leisure: 6 Best Business Travel Airplane Outfits, From $12
Travel & Leisure: I’m a Travel Writer, and I Swear by These Packable Ballet Flats for Comfort, Support, and Long Days on My Feet
Travel & Leisure: I Found the Perfect Walking Shoes to Prevent Sore Feet During Travel — Score Styles on Sale Up to 62% Off
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Be sure to read the below list carefully. Many are stories I posted about yesterday, but some of yesterday's stories are no longer listed and a few new ones have been added since yesterday. This (below) is everything that is still a currently open opportunity as of today.
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Forbes
Before pitching: Please be sure to refer to my photo submission guidelines for help with photo submission best practices!
Whiskey Sour Recipes You Can Make at Home Anytime - I’d love to share some variations on Whiskey Sours available at bars and restaurants, and how to make them, what’s in them, etc. Also would love a mixologist to comment on the history of the Whiskey Sour, ingredients are needed for a classic whiskey sour, and what tools or techniques help make the perfect whiskey sour.
One of my favorite comfort foods is queso - you’ll always see me ordering it when my soul needs a hug, and National Queso Day is in a few weeks. So, I’m looking for fun queso presentations at bars and restaurants around the country. What fun things are you doing with YOUR queso? Please pitch in this format:
Name of dish
Restaurant, city, state, website
Description of dish
Quote from chef about dish (plus name and title of person quoted)
Image and photo credit (I prefer links to attachments!)
thanks so much, and have the best day <3
aly
You are so right, Aly, we all struggle with stress and sleep depro. A few things that have helped me: meditation apps (I have used Headspace and Calm); keep your eyes shut even when you have whirly brain (your eyes won't feel as bad in the morning); write it down (sometimes I spiral on a work issue when I'm trying to sleep, writing down solutions/ideas clears out some of the brain frenzy).
Ok, I’ve had this post in my mind for a while and was scrolling through your substack to find it because I wanted to mention having your hormones checked! We don’t talk about it enough and most of us are too young to even think about it. However, my insomnia was terrible and after trying all of the above and then some (like triple form advanced magnesium, worked for a while and worth a try), it was suggested that I have my hormones checked. Sure enough, I was low across the board and after starting a low dose estrogen patch my sleep drastically improved. Worth mentioning and I wanted to share just in case it helps you. Insomnia and anxiety suck!