Monday Memo No. 79
Helpful resources for these socially distant times—also, I TikTok now.
Happy Instagram Accounts To Follow
I recently asked on instastories for you to share with me the Instagram accounts that are helping you through these stressful and uncertain times by brightening your feeds with joy, laughs, and general upliftyness. (It’s a word if I say it’s a word.) There were SO many amazing suggestions (I’m still trying to get through all of them) so thought I’d share them piecemeal—a few at a time each week in the Monday Memo! If you want to enliven your feed, below are my favorite suggestions, starting with my personal favorite @geoffreywalk which is the most heart-melting, delightful British couple, but check out them all here: @thelesliejordan, @historycoolkids, @charliemackesy, @normcoreroyals, @accidentallywesanderson, @samsonthedood, @morganharpernichols, @sir_twitch_alot, @goodnews_movement, @livefromsnacktime, @thetinychefshow.
Impressing Your Boss While Working Remotely
If you’re looking for ways to improve your productivity and get the most out of your WFH experience, my thoughts are all gathered for you here in my work-from-home guide on Memorandum. But I also recently found this article on “managing up” and the ideas are both practical and helpful. I especially like the idea of sending your boss a weekly email update with a list of the key things you accomplished over the course of the week, along with everything that’s on your list for the week to come. Our bosses can no longer see us working in a workspace, and you definitely don’t want to suffer from an “out of sight out of mind” problem. Don’t forget, this whole “work from home” thing is likely new for your boss too, and they may be struggling to stay on top of team management with everything that’s going on. So make things easier for them, and stand out.
Online Workout Resources
If you’re hoping to mix up your online workout resources and options, you know… apart from just yelling out the window into the abyss, there are a few I’ve been rotating through that I’ve really enjoyed. There’s Obe, which offers daily, live, and on-demand workout classes in a really affordable setting. Mirror, which you guys have heard me rave about many times, which has made their digital classes available whether you have the actual Mirror or not (I’ve been doing them on my phone through their app). Sweat, a resource for virtual personal training sessions (yay, real humans!). And Melissa Wood Health which is a really all-encompassing wellness resource offering low impact, controlled movements. There really are endless options to fit your preference or your need for variety, which I find can be really helpful during a time when it feels like options are so limited.
Supporting Small Businesses
Another great Instagram account to follow right now is @smallbusinessbiginfluence. This account is doing an amazing job of promoting small businesses during a time when they desperately need our support. Keep an eye on this account to hear about absolutely incredible small businesses. And, if you can, buy gift cards to your favorite local businesses which you can use when lockdown is over!
Belgravia
Leave it to Julian Fellowes to save us from our boredom! Belgravia is the latest from the Downton Abbey creator and after watching Episode 1 last night I can confirm it promises to fill the Dowager Countess-shaped hole in my heart. If you’re looking for an off-screen activity, Belgravia was first a book which I highly recommend reading before, during or after watching!
TikTok
TikTok! Yes, friends, your girl is on TikTok (@mary.orton). Prior to COVID-19, I didn’t really know what the purpose of the platform was other than… a place for 14-year-olds to do random dances? But fast forward to a month of quarantine, and I’m all over it. It’s much more than random dancing (though that can be fun to watch as well). There’s so much joy, creativity, and comedy (omg the comedy) happening on TikTok and I’ve really loved participating. If your Instagram is feeling stale or heavy, try TikTok—you won’t regret it.
Little Fires Everywhere
YES PLEASE to more phenomenal books made into series. Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington star in my latest obsession. Although, I’m not sure I’m okay with being attached to shows that make me wait an actual week in between episodes. What is this “patience” you speak of? This one already has six episodes available so that’s more than enough to catch up on!
Lighthearted Shows
It can’t all be period dramas and thrillers. Sometimes you just need to turn on something you can watch easily while making dinner or folding laundry that is guaranteed to distract you from the stressors of the world and boost your mood. At the moment, my favorite upbeat, light-hearted shows to watch when I just need a good laugh are as follows: Will & Grace, Seinfeld, Parks & Rec, Friends, New Girl, Schitt’s Creek, Grace & Frankie, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, Gilmore Girls, Golden Girls, and Cheers.
Free Ivy League Classes
Yes, you read that right. Right now you can take a class from Yale or Stanford (and many more!) for FREE online via Coursera, an online educational resource that is coming in VERY handy for those of us looking to add to our skillsets or just pass quarantine time with a course or two on super interesting topics. At the moment, there are actual Ivy League classes you can take for free on Coursera, which seems like a thing that’s too good to be true but isn’t. Take them up on the opportunity!
Join Me For A Coffee Break This Wednesday!
This Wednesday at 3PM EST on IG Live, join me for coffee! I have some exciting things planned over the next few weeks, and in particular, I’m looking forward to finding more creative ways to give back. Starting this week is a coffee break I’d like to take with all of you and the concept is super simple: we all take a mid-afternoon break from working on Wednesday afternoon – a virtual coffee break — and everyone who joins the Instagram Live will be asked to donate the $5 they might have spent on an IRL coffee to @cdcfound. I’ll share a “donate” button on my Instagram story so that you can easily tap and contribute a few dollars to an incredible cause, easily. Mark your calendars!
So Many SALES
If you’re in the mood to online shop (some things are forever), right now is a solid time to get rare discounts at many of your favorite shopping destinations, including:-
- A massive 40% off sale at Nordstrom which ends tomorrow (Tuesday)
- Take 50% off sitewide at J. Crew
- Lots of great discounts at Williams-Sonoma, including an unprecedented 20% off of LeCreuset!
- Take 20-25% off so many categories at The Container Store, so now is a great time to tackle home organization projects! They also have 20% off all office products if you want to get your home office space beautified or better situated.
- Pottery Barn is offering 40% off everything!
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