When it comes to productivity, we often think it involves stuffing so much into each hour to squeeze out every last second.  For the most part, however, we should approach the idea of productivity in a work smarter not harder approach.  Productivity isn't about squeezing every last second out of each minute it's about intentionally using each minute, one day at a time, to move towards our goals. Making the most out of your day includes taking care of yourself. so let's talk about how we can be more productive while also being mindful of our own physical and emotional needs. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/04/5-daily-habits-to-increase-productivity.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

Do you feel boxed in and limited when it comes to setting a routine?  Do you feel like a child again being told what to do when you're a responsible adult whose been paying her own bills and running her own life and hasn't fallen off a cliff yet?  Do you think you don't need a morning or evening routine? Yeah I didn't either.  But I've got more questions for you - Are you thinking about your goals more than you are acting on them?  Are you feeling stressed at work or after work or on the weekends knowing that there are looming deadlines but you're too tired to act on them?  Are you hitting the snooze multiple times?  Have you given up on doing somethings that you used to love because either you don't have the time or you wish you could but you just don't want to? You may need a routine, honey. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/05/why-you-need-morning-evening-routine.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

I've been blogging for over 10 years now and the landscape of blogging has changed so much since I first started.  I've also become more streamlined in my own blogging - only doing what I feel is worth my time, using the camera that I have, and working from my phone a lot of the time.  If it isn't simple for me to do...then I don't do it!  (Which is why I love Anchor! I do most of the podcast work from my phone!) I'm not the type of blogger who likes to follow the rules.  I find the 'proper way to blog' to be overwhelming & time wasting for me.  Examples - I don't have a self hosted blog, I use my iPhone to take photos, I never research keywords for post titles, I'm bad at newsletters, and the list goes on.  However, I still consider myself a successful blogger.  Part of this is because I'm authentic.  Another part is that I share relevant info.  And the final part is that I use apps & tools to streamline my process. As someone who works a lot from my phone, you'll find apps & programs that have both a desktop and a mobile version.  This is the number one reason why I'm considering getting my next iPhone in the Plus model for the bigger screen!  Anyway, here are the apps & tools I use to run my blog! - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/06/boost-your-blog-apps-i-use-to-run-my.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

You may have been seeing a lot around right now about witchy & woo woo women setting intentions & goals with the lunar cycles.  This has become a really popular topic right now, I feel like, in a lot of circles.  I'm not as consistent with this practice as I used to be but I still think it is important to focus on especially when it comes to self development. At the beginning of this year I asked the question 'what does my be self look like?'  We can't come to be our best selves unless we understand our best selves.  And there are a bunch of different layers that come into play here.  If you're not into woo woo stuff, then this may not be your cup of tea...but hey, it might just be a fun way to get to know yourself! - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/06/how-to-use-moon-phases-for-self.html Natal Chart blog post :; https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2017/07/total-newbies-guide-to-natal-chart.html YouTube video on the same topic :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODcCKqgxAc&t=154s Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

Last week was the Autumn Eqiunox.  During each equinox - one in the spring & one in the fall - the length of the day and of the night are nearly equal.  It officially marks movement into fall and gives you the proper permission to wear those boots you've been wearing since September first.  And you can officially hang your fall wreaths and sneak in Halloween decorations (don't worry, I do it to!)  If you'd like to get a little woo woo, this day also marks the start of Mabon one of three harvest holidays of the Wheel of the Year.  This holiday asks us to make time to express gratitude & observe balance (as night and day are nearly equal).  Since this is a harvest time, we can celebrate our successes or reap what we have sown through the past year.  We can also reflect up on what hasn't worked for us - what crops, ideas, or projects may have fallen short. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2017/09/how-to-expertly-blend-essential-oils.html Beginner's Guide to Blending Essential Oils :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/09/beginners-guide-to-blending-essential.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

My collection has significantly grown over the last year or so but my purchasing of decks as slowed in the recent months.  I credit this to getting to know the decks I have.  Now, I'm not going to discourage you from buying all the decks (because it can be fun to collect and learn from different decks) but I want you to connect with the decks you have and find where new decks can fit into your journey. I use tarot, oracle, and affirmation cards for personal growth and development.  My persona belief is that these cards don't tell me the future.  These cards reveal to me things I may not consciously know or things that I know...but have chosen to ignore.  Those that are able to use the cards to tell the future have a gift I do not and the cards are mere tools for their gift.  But this belief in revealing subtleties is why I think everyone and anyone can benefit from using tarot & oracle cards. It can be difficult to figure out how to use these decks just by themselves let alone pair these decks together.  Here are the three ways I suggest to start using multiple decks and card styles into one reading. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/06/how-to-combine-tarot-oracle-and.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

If you're a blogger looking to make a little bit of income on the side, opening a digital shop might be for you.  You can sell digital prints, stock photos, worksheets, workbooks, planner printables, etc. especially if it is relevant to your content.  Opening a digital shop will add another revenue stream from your blog!  There are a ton of eCommerce sites where you can open this type of shop, but I want to tell you about why Etsy is the best place. Etsy is the leading handmade marketplace.  It's been around for 13 years.  I remember when I first heard about Etsy and it was then that I decided to open up shop selling earrings and crocheted items.  I didn't have much success with physical items - plus I did not like to go to the post office!  When I moved up to Indiana in the Fall of 2012, I'd been selling digital items in my Etsy shop for about a year.  At that time I sold blog templates & custom Blogger designs.  It was when I started selling digital items that I found the most success.  It was a balance between being creative and not having to go to the post office! - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/06/why-open-digital-etsy-shop.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

Creating a safe and sacred space for yourself is one of the key parts in mediation.  You don't need to dedicate a whole entire room or do anything elaborate - you just need to create a safe space for yourself where you feel comfortable and calm. As we go through our lives, emotions & energies can become attached to us.  These emotions and energies can also become trapped in our homes, bedrooms, & work spaces.  Any place we inhabit (especially with others) can build up stagnant or not so nice energies.  If you've ever come home from a long day of work and just can't shake the stress or have had a fight with a friend or companion and just cant get rid of the emotions you've experienced - this is energy attachment.  Sometimes it's not bothersome to us but sometimes it weighs us down.  Cleansing yourself & your space of these energies can often lift this weight from you and bring a sense of calm or freshness to your space. You can find many clearing rituals online or you can create your own.  Often the best way to get started is to find a ritual that you resonate with and adapt it to your own lifestyle.  As you go through the cleansing a few times you may find yourself adding or subtracting parts as it suits you. Since starting my meditation practice, I've found that doing a little energy clearing ritual prior to my sessions gets me in the right head space for what I plan to be doing.  Animals - and we are animals -are very sensitive to smell & to habit.  Think of Pavlov's dogs - when they were fed a bell rang.  Eventually the dogs associated the ringing of the bell with food and began to salivate at the sound of it.  This is how ritual can begin to affect us.  Our clearing rituals will begin to trigger in us an emotional shift getting us ready for the next task at hand.  As humans, we have a more complex understanding of our emotions and thus can begin to use the habit-turned-ritual process to tap into our higher selves and create a more mindful & spiritual bond with our actions & surroundings. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/07/three-ways-to-cleanse-your-sacred-space.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

Planning has become an obsession of mine.  I started out with just a mini binder from Target and now I have too many shelves of planners that I don't know what to do with.  But while those guys sit unused, I've been focusing on my Mini Happy Planner for ages now.......but just to switch things up I'm playing around with a Classic Size! What??? Something I hear a lot about in the planning community is planner peace.  While this looks different for everyone it is often a long journey & sometimes feels unsuccessful.  Planning should be two things: About you & your needs F U N Yes, we're using this system to get things done but we should also be focusing on how planning affects us.  If we're having fun and feeling inspired we're more likely to get things done & feel productive.  That is why I like to functionally decorate my planner.  Sometimes pretty does serve a purpose...if you want to live an inspired life you've gotta surround yourself with inspiring things. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/08/three-tips-for-successful-planner.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!

To do lists are a big part of my planning routine.  They don't usually reside on my weekly pages (though there are exceptions to the rule!) because I like to write specific and actionable lists - so I break things down.  This requires extra space in my planner - either graph filler paper, extra inserts, or sticky notes. If you've ever looked at your planner and felt complete overwhelm, then an actionable to do list might be something you should focus on. - Show Notes - Download the corresponding planner insert for this episode in 5 planner sizes over on Patreon :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Read the full blog post :: https://www.fivesixteenthsblog.com/2018/09/how-to-write-actionable-to-do-lists-and.html Thank you to the episode sponsor Achor.fm!  I decided to launch this podcast on Anchor (using mostly my phone!) because it seemed easy and it was free.  And it hasn't disappointed me.  So download the app or visit Anchor.fm to get started. Don't forget to subscribe & share the podcast! Find me on Patreon + Printable of the Month Club :: https://www.patreon.com/MoeHoward  Instagram :: http://instagram.com/fivesixteenths  YouTube :: https://www.youtube.com/c/MoeHoward516 Thank you for listening!