I’ve been MIA from the blog for the past couple of weeks because I’ve been insanely busy. I honestly just haven’t felt inspired to develop recipes lately — I’ve been cooking easy standbys because of how busy we’ve been. I started this blog as a creative outlet, and I want to keep it that way. I never want to post something just to meet an arbitrary quota. That means, sometimes, I may be silent for a few days. With that said, I’m hoping to get back into the routine of posting more regularly now that the holidays are over. My goal is to step outside of my comfort zone more when it comes to cooking this year.

Now, let’s get to some of my favorite things from this week! Tell me what you’re loving in the comments section.

Cookbook Club

I’ve mentioned before that I’m part of a cookbook club, and getting together with the group is something I always look forward to. We select a different cookbook to cook from each month, then get together for a potluck using recipes from the book. Our most recent selection was Smitten Kitchen Every Day. I think the title says it all — this is a good cookbook for everyday meals. The recipes are simple, but delicious. Many of the dishes are things I’ve made before, but with surprising twists or ingredients that take the flavor to the next level. I made the marbled bundt cake from the book, which was a dense, rich cake. My favorite dish from our potluck was the sweet potato steaks. They were seasoned with smokey spices and roasted to perfection. I can’t wait to make them!

Under Your Skin

This book took me a while to get into, but now I can’t put it down. It follows Gaby Mortimer, who finds the body of a woman in the woods and quickly finds herself at the center of the criminal investigation. Once you get through the first couple of chapters, this is a real page turner. I’m about 75 percent through the book, and I have no idea how it will end. I need to pickup a couple of other books for our upcoming trip, and I would love recommendations!

The Handmaid’s Tale

I’d been wanting to watch The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu for a while, and I finally got around to it over the weekend. It’s based on the Margaret Atwood book, which I read years ago. If you aren’t familiar with the story, here’s a description from Goodreads:

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now…

Like with the book, I immediately got hooked on the series. I finished all ten episodes over a period of about 48 hours. I don’t know if that’s a new high or a new low! The series is very dark, but so good. I can’t wait for season two.

Korean-style Pork and Rice Bowls

This is one of my all-time favorite Cooking Light recipes. It features gochujang, which is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with. It’s a red chili past, which gives the pork a spicy, but sweet, flavor. I like to make these pork bowls when we are craving takeout. I served them with a side of broccoli and some store-bought cream cheese wontons. The leftovers are even better!

The post Friday Favorites: Cookbook Club & Handmaid’s Tale appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

This weekly list of things I’m loving could go on forever this time of year. There are just so many fun things happening! I’d love to know what eats, reads and activities you’re digging this week. Chime in by posting a comment!

Annual cookie and beer exchange

We hosted our favorite party of the year last weekend, and it was so much fun! A big group of our friends came over, bringing along either cookies or beer, and we spent the night being gluttons. There was a wide variety of cookies this year, and we had so many they took up two large tables. The crowd favorites were the molasses spice cookies our friend Mark made. He’s an amazing cook, so I’m not at all surprised. I think molasses and gingerbread cookies are my favorites of the holiday season. I made jam thumbprints, biscotti, almond cut-out cookies, bourbon balls, soft gingerbread cookies, cake batter chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter blossoms. I hoped to make a couple other varieties, but our food processor died last week. I’m crossing my fingers it can be fixed!

The Crown Season 2

We’ve been watching an episode of “The Crown” every night while eating dinner, and I think I love the second season even more than the first. I’ve always been fascinated by the royal family, and I find myself Googling people or events during every episode to find out more. Watching the show makes me long to visit London again. We only have one episode left, which means we’re going to need a new show to binge watch. I want suggestions! What shows are you loving?

Brian Dunne

When we went to see The Secret Sisters in concert earlier this month, we were blown away by their opener. I’d never heard of Brian Dunne before, but I became a fan as soon as he started singing. His powerful voice, coupled with his beautifully-written lyrics, had me hooked. I’ve been listening to his album nonstop lately, and it keeps getting better every time. So many people I know head to concerts late to avoid watching the opener, but we take the opposite approach. We’ve discovered so many of our favorite musicians when they’ve opened for other acts we love!

Trader Joe’s Face Mask Trio

I picked this trio of face masks up during my last Trader Joe’s run, and I’m already regretting not snagging a few extras. I struggle with extremely dry skin in the winter, but using these face masks a couple of times a week is helping. I usually use one before bed, followed by my favorite moisturizer. My skin is definitely more smooth and less flakey.

The post Friday Favorites: Holiday Parties & Binge Watching appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite things from the week. I’d love to hear what you’re loving lately — chime in by leaving a comment!

Healthier Gingerbread

I haven’t made gingerbread in years, despite it being one of our favorite Christmas cookies. I decided to whip a batch up this week and tried out a healthier version from A Couple Cooks. Guys, these cookies are insanely good! The gingerbread is soft, with the perfect amount of zip from the ginger. This is my new go-to recipe.

Oddball Fermentables

Oddball Fermentables opened in Bloomington last year, and we finally got around to checking it out. They make mead and cysers, which are a cross between cider and mead. I got a flight and liked everything I tried, but I especially loved the HopBerry Blue. It’s a blueberry cyser with Centennial hops, which gives it a delicious bitterness at the end. What I liked most about Oddball is the atmosphere. They’re located in a beautiful old house on Walnut, and, in addition to tables and a bar, there’s a couch and several comfy chairs surrounding their fireplace. It makes you feel like you’re hanging out a friend’s house instead of at a bar.

DIY Christmas Decor

I decided to get a bit crafty this holiday season and make these wooden Christmas trees to add to our usual decor. Our friend Mark helped us cut the wood, James sanded down the edges, and I did the painting! They were so easy to make, and I’m pretty happy with how they turned out. I also forgot how much fun painting can be!

I also made this wood bead garland, but it was definitely more labor intensive. My garland also ended up being only about 2 feet long by the time I got done, so I’m not sure it was worth the effort. But, our house is certainly decked out for the holidays this year.

Orange Theory

I joined Orange Theory when it opened in Bloomington in October, and I’ve been loving the intense group workouts. If you’ve never done an OTF workout before, here’s how it works: You wear a heart rate monitor as you make your way through a series of treadmill, rowing and weight circuits. While it’s a group workout environment, everyone goes at their own pace. You earn splat points for every minute you spend in what’s called the orange zone, which is 84 to 91 percent of your maximum heart rate. I’ve always loved high-intensity workouts, and that’s exactly what you get with OTF. I rarely get bored, and I always leave feeling stronger.

My Best Friend’s Wedding

I had to save the best for last this week. My best friend Katie is getting married in October, and this week she sent out packages asking girls to be in the wedding party. The wine and picture frame she included are so cute! I can’t wait to share MOH duties with our other best friend, Emily. We all live in different parts of the country, so it’s exciting to have fun wedding-related activities like a bachelorette party to reunite us. Let the planning begin!

The post Friday Favorites: Christmas Cookies & Cysers appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

In standard Friday fashion, I’m sharing some of my favorite eats, reads and activities from this week.

A Real Christmas Tree

This year James and I picked out our first real Christmas tree together, and it makes me remember why I loved having a real tree every year growing up. The beauty and smell just can’t be replicated! One of the reasons I suggested trying the real deal is because one of our cats actually chews on our fake Christmas tree every year and ends up getting sick. I hoped the taste and texture of a real tree would stop her from trying to eat it. So far, so good! We are on the hunt for a Christmas tree collar to help keep our pets out of the water in the tree stand. We’ve found several we like, but we need one with a hinge on it so we can put it around the tree stand without having to pick the entire tree up. If you have any other suggestions for keeping pets out, send them my way!

Concerts

This week has been full of so much great, live music. It started out with our friends making their debut performance as a couple at Cardinal Spirits. Mark and Ashley are both so talented, but they’d never performed a gig together before. They blew everyone away with their renditions of classic and modern Christmas songs, which definitely heightened my excitement for the holidays. We also hadn’t been to the distillery for a while, so it was nice to try out some of their seasonal cocktails and finally try some of their new food. We’d already eaten dinner, so we just split the creme brûlée. But, it was excellent! We’re hoping to return soon for a proper meal.

We also drove up to Indy to see one of my favorite bands, The Secret Sisters. This was our third time seeing them in concert, and they never disappoint. Laura and Lydia write some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard. Their voices serve as impressive instruments, which makes even the solo guitar that backs them seem unnecessary. I’m so happy to hear they’re nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy this year! While we made the trip for the Sisters, we were pleasantly surprised by the opening act. Brian Dunne’s got some killer pipes! Many of his songs have thoughtfully-written lyrics and brutally honest themes that make me so drawn to country and folk music. We snagged his record at the show, and I think I’ll be playing it on repeat for a while.

The Couple Next Door

My mom lent me a few books to read and the description of ‘The Couple Next Door’ immediately intrigued me. From the moment I started the book, it was hard to put it down. While it’s certainly no literary masterpiece, it’s a quick, suspenseful read. The book follows a married couple who arrives home to discover their baby is missing. The book is full of unexpected, and oftentimes unbelievable, twists. But, sometimes that’s just what you need. I made it through this book in just a couple of days because I was so hooked!

Nashville

We made a quick trip to Nashville to see my brother over the weekend and, as usual, I fell even more in love with the city during our visit. I dragged the guys to 12 South for lunch and shopping. Popping into the shops and indulging ourselves in gourmet burgers and donuts was the best way to spend an afternoon. We knocked a few items off our Christmas shopping lists and sampled no shortage of local brews.

What are your favorite things from this week?

The post Friday Favorites: Concerts & Christmas Trees appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

1. Visiting Chicago’s Christkindlmarket

Nothing gets me more into the holiday spirit than visiting the German Christmas market in Chicago every December. There are three locations this year, but we always go to the original location at Daley Plaza. It’s conveniently located downtown, which means it’s easy to hit up before seeing a Broadway show or when you need a break from shopping. The market is full of little huts selling everything from beautiful, wooden ornaments to hot, mulled wine. We always get a glass or two of the wine to sip while we stroll around and window shop. We often buy an ornament for ourselves or as a gift for others at one of the market’s shops, which has just about every ornament you could imagine! The crowds here are always large, but it’s worth braving the masses.

2. Lunch at The Walnut Room

This is another Chicago tradition you have to partake in at least once! My parents visited the Walnut Room with their families when they were kids, and it’s a tradition they’ve passed on to us. The Walnut Room is located inside the former Marshall Field’s on State Street, which is now a Macy’s. People are willing to wait hours to get a table during the holidays because of the amazing decorations. There’s always a breathtaking tree in the center of the room that serves as the backdrop for many families’ holiday photos. It’s decorated with a different theme every year, which makes the annual trip all the more exciting. The Walnut Room offers a special menu during the holidays, which includes my favorite holiday drink ever: Eggnog Brandy Alexander. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations during the holidays, so expect to wait about two hours for a table. But, don’t worry — you can shop while you wait! We’ve also learned that going at odd times during the day makes it easier to get a table. And, if you don’t have anyone under 21 in your group, you can sit in the bar. We’ve opted to snag a table in the bar section the past two years and haven’t had to wait more than 20 minutes.

3. Taking in the decorations at West Baden Springs

If you’ve never visited West Baden Springs hotel, Christmas is the time to go. The domed atrium of the hotel is impressive year-round, but the giant tree that stands in the middle of the room makes it even more beautiful. We like to grab a drink and dessert at the atrium bar while taking in the amazing view. It’s also worth hopping on the trolley and visiting the French Lick Hotel, which is also extravagantly decorated for the holidays. Check ahead of time to see what events are happening when you plan to visit. There is often live entertainment on weekends and plenty of family-friendly activities to check out. I highly recommend taking the historic, guided tour of the hotel if you haven’t visited before.

4. Drinking lots of Krampus

You knew there had to be a beer-related activity on this list, right?! We’ve been huge fans of Bloomington Brewing Co.’s seasonal Imperial Black IPA since we moved to Bloomington. It’s become a tradition of ours to not only grab a few pints during December, but also fill a growler or two with Krampus. We almost always have a limited amount to share with guests during our annual craft beer and cookie exchange. BBC is hosting its Krampus release party this Thursday, and my dad will conveniently be in town for the event. I can’t wait for the first sip of the season!

5. Tubing at St. Patrick’s County Park

While I don’t miss the lake-effect snow that came along with South Bend winters, I do miss some of the snow-related activities we enjoyed while living in the northern part of the state. I’m dying to get back to our old stomping grounds to go snow tubing at St. Patrick’s County Park. You pay to rent a tube for the day and then slide down a giant hill. You can go on your own or create a train of people, which makes you go even faster! St. Pat’s also offers great cross country skiing, including some special guided nighttime programs throughout the winter. James and I actually got engaged at this park, so it will always be a special place to us.

6. Cheering on the Hoosiers

Our favorite time to go to Indiana University basketball games is during winter break. All of the students are gone, so it feels like a ghost town — which we love! While the games may not be the most competitive, that means it’s usually easy to snag decent seats for pretty cheap. We’re really excited to be taking my family to their first game this December.

7. Stopping by the Hovey house

There are few things that bring me more joy than driving past this house on Hovey Avenue in my hometown of Normal, Illinois. Seeing the yard and roof packed full of illuminated holiday figurines is something that I’ve looked forward to since I was a kid. The display’s grown over the years. Last year, it included 1,000 figurines, which also spill into the neighbor’s yard. When we went home for Thanksgiving last week, the display was already ready to go.

8. Hosting our craft beer and cookie exchange

We love throwing parties, but our craft beer and cookie exchange is by far our favorite of the year. Everyone brings a dozen cookies or a six pack of beer to share, and we spend the evening sampling all of the goodies. It’s a great excuse to get together with friends before the craziness of the holidays really settles in. And, can you really go wrong with cookies and beer?

9. Making tortellini

When we get together with my cousins over the holidays, we often end up making some of my grandpa’s famous tortellini to enjoy for a meal. Having a large group of people to help fill and fold the tortellini makes the process go much more quickly. And, there’s something extra special about preparing a meal together. Spending time in the kitchen with loved ones is one of my favorite parts of celebrating Christmas.

10. Feasting on appetizers

My favorite meal of the entire year comes on Christmas Eve. My family started a tradition years ago of having an appetizer buffet. Each of us makes two to three appetizers, and we always have more than enough food for a meal. The dishes are usually a combination of family favorites and new recipes. It’s a great way to have a delicious, memorable meal without spending all day in the kitchen.

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Tell me in the comments below!

The post My 10 Favorite Holiday Traditions appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

The celebrations started with a trip to James’ hometown on Thanksgiving morning. We spent the day with his parents and family friends eating a delicious spread of food and catching up. I cooked the least I’ve ever cooked for Thanksgiving this year, which was a nice change of pace! I made a double chocolate pumpkin cake for dessert, which is one of my favorite indulgences. I also made a homemade sugar cream pie to drop off at the hospital where my mother-in-law works. It’s never fun working a holiday, so I hoped it would help brighten the staff’s day.

I failed at taking pictures of our spread this year, but everything was delicious! I’m always more into the sides than the actual turkey on Thanksgiving. This year my favorites were the corn casserole and green beans — I went back for seconds of both. After an afternoon of visiting and eating, we headed back to James’ parents’ house. I spent the evening finally finishing the book I’ve been reading for more than a month. It was the perfect, relaxing end to Thanksgiving.

We got up early Friday to hit the road to my parents’ house in Illinois. We arrived to a house full of energy! My cousins were visiting with their two kids from Ohio, so my sister brought our niece and nephew over to play for the afternoon. We gave the parents the night off from cooking. I made a big batch of lemon chicken, roasted potatoes and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. It was fun to catch up with the adults over dinner and play with the kids afterwards.

My parents arrived home from a trip to Portland Saturday, which gave us the perfect opportunity to celebrate my dad’s birthday. He and his older brother are three years apart, but were born on the same day. They decided to celebrate together in Oregon this year, and their birthdays happened to fall on Thanksgiving! We had a laid-back, belated celebration in Illinois that involved us serenading my dad before digging into some cake. James and I also brought some special beers to enjoy with my dad once the kids went to bed. Our favorite was Mail Order Bride from Bare Hands Brewery in Granger, Indiana. It was one of our go-to places for beers when we lived in the South Bend area, so we’re thrilled to see Bare Hands distributing further south in the state!

Before we knew it, it was time to hit the road and make the trip home to Bloomington Sunday. We’d been talking all weekend about getting our first real Christmas tree together and made a spur-of-the-moment decision to pick one up as soon as we got into town. My family always had a real Christmas tree when I was growing up, but James hasn’t ever had one. He agreed to give the real thing a try this year, so we went to Twin H Tree Farm and picked out a Frasier Fir.

The tree farm was adorable! It has a little shop with free hot chocolate, cider and popcorn you can enjoy while searching for the perfect tree. We were in and out within 45 minutes. Now we just have to let the branches settle for a day or two before we deck it out! I’m always in full-on Christmas mode as soon as Thanksgiving is over, so it’s taking all of my willpower not to just start putting the lights and ornaments on tonight.

It sounds cheesy, but I get so excited for this time of year because of the spirit it brings. The season is centered around spending time with the ones you love and giving back, which are two things that are very close to my heart. There’s so much to look forward to over the next few weeks!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Tell me in the comments below!

The post A Midwestern Thanksgiving appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Because it’s friday, I’m sharing a list of things I’m loving this week. Feel free to chime in and tell me about some of your favorite things in the comments!

Friday Pie Day

I’ve been working on a special story about sugar cream pie for work, so we decided to have a pie potluck today because the story aired tonight. Several of us brought in different varieties of pie to share and the sugar comas quickly commenced. We had peach, blueberry custard, coconut sugar cream, key lime, pumpkin praline and sugar cream pies. Every slice I tried was amazing, but the pumpkin praline was my favorite. It was like a pumpkin and pecan pie in one, which is the best of both worlds!

It Cosmetics face cream

When the temperatures drop, my skin gets extremely dry. It’s especially bad on my face and I have a hard time finding a lotion or cream that isn’t immediately sucked up. But, this confidence in a can cream is amazing! It keeps my face moist throughout the day without feeling oily. I’ve been using it both at day and night.

Marsala Meatballs

I stumbled across this recipe when reading through my favorite blogs and thought it sounded like the perfect dinner for a cold night. It was easy to put together, came together rather quickly and tasted absolutely amazing. The leftovers lasted less than 24 hours, so I’ll definitley be making this recipe again. I added a bit of garlic to the meatballs and sauce and cut back on the amount of butter in the recipe.

Facebook Flashbacks

I love the flashback photos that pop up on Facebook each day because they bring back so many fun memories. The one from today is a picture of James and me on the sidelines at a Notre Dame game. We met when we were both working as journalists in South Bend — he worked as a photographer for the newspaper and I was a reporter for a local TV station. We often worked opposite schedules, except for football weekends. While those work days were crazy, seeing him on the sidelines was always the highlight. Neither one of us has gone to a game when we weren’t working, so we need to make it happen next year!

The post Friday Favorites: Pie & Flashbacks appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

As with every Friday, I’m sharing a roundup of some of my favorite things from the week. I’d love to hear what you’re loving, so please chime in by leaving a comment!

Fall In Indiana

That picture of Brown County State Park doesn’t even begin to do the vibrant leaves in Southern Indiana justice. Fall in Indiana came a little later than normal this year, so we are just now reaching peak leaf peeping time. But it was so worth the wait! This is my favorite time of year in Indiana because the area of the state we live in is known for its especially colorful changing leaves, which dot the hilly landscape. I’m hoping to get out and hike this weekend to take in more of the beautiful scenery.

Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor

I don’t know how it took me so long to make a visit to Zaharakos ice cream parlor in downtown Columbus, Ind. Stepping into the more than 100-year-old ice cream parlor is truly like stepping into a different era. The gorgeous soda fountains date back to the early 1900s, when the original owners purchased them at the World’s Fair. There’s even an organ that plays music while you enjoy a meal or dessert.

All of the ice cream is made in house and the menu offers classics like ice cream sodas and banana splits. I had a caramel sundae that was excellent! Zaharakos is already decked out in beautiful Christmas decorations, which makes it seem even more magical. I can’t wait to go back!

White Texas Sheet Cake

When I asked one of my friends what kind of birthday cake she wanted this week, she requested my white Texas sheet cake, which has by far become my most popular dessert. It goes to show a recipe doesn’t have to be fancy or sophisticated to be good — this cake is among the easiest to throw together. I love that it feeds a crowd and can also be put together relatively quickly. If you aren’t a pie person, this is a great option for a Thanksgiving dessert!

‘Stranger Things’ Meets Motown

This skit from The Late Late Show combines two of my current obsessions: Stranger Things and Motown. James and I are making our way through season two of the Netflix series right now and just saw Motown The Musical last week, so we can’t get enough of this mashup. I’m amazed by how crazy talented all of those kids are!

The post Friday Favorites: Changing Leaves & Motown Mashup appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Wedding Season

This fall has been a busy one for us because we’ve had a few friends get married. This will be the second weekend in a row we’re attending a wedding and I love it! I’m a total romantic and love celebrating people falling in love. Weddings also tend to be like mini reunions, so it’s a blast getting to see familiar faces and meet so many new people.

Cookbook Club

I’m part of a monthly cookbook club with a group of amazing ladies and this month’s get together was my favorite yet. The woman who hosted this week has a wood-fired pizza oven, so we cooked from Bianco and Pizza Camp. I think I was in a carb coma for two days after sampling so many slices of delicious pizza. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I especially loved the pizza topped with braised fennel and leeks. I need to recreate it soon!

Best Friend Reunion

In addition to celebrating our friends who are getting married this weekend, we also get to spend some time with our best friends from South Bend. Molly and I started the same week at our first job out of college and instantly became friends. We also worked with Angelo, who is now her husband! They’re some of the most laid back and fun people we know and we cannot wait to catch up. Whether we’re sitting around the house or out for a night on the town, there is never a shortage of laughs among our group!

The post Friday Favorites: Wedding Season And Cookbook Club appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

You may have noticed I haven’t been as active on the blog over the past couple of months. There simply hasn’t been much time for me to devote to recipe testing — or creative cooking in general. I’ve been on the road a lot for work and personal obligations and, while I love traveling, I feel like I’m running on empty. I work in a hectic, deadline-driven environment, so I handle large amounts of stress pretty well. But, as I look at my calendar for the rest of the month, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. I’m sure you’ve all been in the same situation before — counting down the days until you can finally breathe again. Over the years I’ve learned a few strategies for coping during hectic stretches of life that have helped keep me sane. In a world where the workforce is fiercely competitive and everyone is trying to get ahead, it’s easy to make your personal needs the last priority. But, doing so will make you a better employee and all-around happier person. Here are some of the strategies I use to fight burnout:

1. Start Saying No.

This is key to getting through stressful weeks, but it’s far from easy. We all want to be good at everything — the best worker, partner, friend, relative and all-around person we can be. As a result, many of us are guilty of taking on more responsibilities than we can truly handle. When I’m already juggling a crazy schedule, I consider these questions when asked to take on additional commitments: Will this increase my workload or stress level? Am I the only person who can perform this task? Do I have the time necessary to do a good job? Sometimes that means saying no to great opportunities or even fun social events, but it means I can focus my energy on what truly needs my attention.

2. Make An Appointment With Yourself.

I live and breathe by the to-do list and schedule I have outlined in my daily planner and it should be no different when it comes to my personal time. Whether it’s working out, getting dinner with a friend or just spending 30 minutes vegging out on the couch, when I pencil those activities in on my daily schedule I try to treat them just like everything else on my list: non-negotiable. I try to stick to my post-work schedule because I know spending time sweating or catching up with friends helps relieve stress and makes me feel more energized the following day.

3. Spend Money On Things That Save You Time.

This is some of the best advice I’ve ever received. When life is super busy, time is incredibly valuable. I felt guilty last year about hiring some college kids to rake our gigantic backyard, but it took a group of them one hour to do a job that likely would have cost me the entire day. That made it worth every penny and I won’t feel any guilt when I call them up to rake again this fall. If having someone come tidy up your house or occasionally using a meal delivery service means you can spend more time on what matters most to you, it’s probably worth the money.

4. Put Down Your Phone.

I’m not going to lie, this is what I struggle with most. I use social media so much for work and then often find myself scrolling through Instagram to catch up with friends and bloggers first thing when I get home. What I should be doing instead is picking up a book or spending a few minutes meditating. Our brains actually need breaks from all that stimulation and I’ve found when put my phone more than an arm’s length away I am more present in conversations and generally more relaxed. Social media is also sometimes the last thing you need to be looking at when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Most of us only share the highs of our lives online, which is natural. But it can make it seem like everyone else is living in a happy little bubble when yours feels ready to burst.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of strength. No one knows your capabilities better than you and being honest with people upfront about your workload will make the situation easier on everyone. It’s better to ask for help early on than to be facing down a fast-approaching deadline that you aren’t sure you can meet.

What are your tips for fighting burnout? Tell me in the comments!

The post How To Fight Burnout appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.