Make Your Evenings an Instagram Free Zone
When we collected our staff’s weekly updates last Friday, our editors took breaks from broadcasting, made homemade cream toast, and tamed our jungle of ropes.
This week, we’re getting into hands-on workouts, downloading Netflix shows to cope with travel, admitting when we need new clothes, and disrupting the monotony of the day with shared Spotify playlists.
What updates have you made this week? Let us know in the comments.
Get the tools right for your drawing habit
I was thrilled when I realized I could splash my favorite waterproof Noodler’s Bulletproof Black ink into a used Uni-ball AIR pen and it still writes like a dream. AIR is a rollerball that can mark at any angle, so it’s great for quick handwriting or quick drawing. I would ship these pens for journaling because the ink they come with is slightly water soluble, but now that I’ve refilled them again, I can use them for drawing too without worrying about the image getting tangled up if I decide to apply watercolor over ink. … If you take apart the nib, the ink will end up in a clear plastic tube. Just pull it out, fill it with an old medicine syringe, and reinsert it.
Beth Squarecki, health editor
Get ready for the long trip
I was able to watch a Netflix show madly, which I really enjoyed downloading episodes to watch on my phone (via the Netflix app) while I was on the train. Since my commute to work lasts about 45 minutes, I can watch an episode of almost any show without having to wait for the last five minutes to finish the drive home. This is great when I want to speed up my show or when I run out of podcasts. The pro mode of this hack will do what my neighbor does: buy a suction cup phone mount and attach it to the train window so you can watch and ride in extreme style.
Emily Lipstein, social media editor
Stop buying overpriced juices at the grocery store
I received my first accessory for my new Kitchenaid mixer – a juicer. This has already saved me tens of dollars because I make my own fresh juices instead of buying them from a healthy wine cellar on the street. But still trying to find the right amount of ginger …
Joel Kahn, Senior Video Producer
Find a workout regimen that’s right for you
This week, after visiting the gym, I told my husband: “I love Pilates!” I don’t think I’ve ever used the word love in connection with exercise. I’m not very good at fitness, but have been going to Pilates on the mat for the past two years, so it looks like I’ve found a winner. What I appreciate about Pilates math is: 1) I can lie down for 50 percent of the session, 2) it’s still very, very difficult, 3) I’m pretty awkward, but having a strong core is supposed to help me stop. I won’t fall if I trip over something (a very underestimated skill).
Michelle Wu, parenting editor
And buy clothes that really suit you
I finally admitted that I had increased my waist a couple of sizes and now I have four new pairs of jeans that I don’t want to take off after dinner.
Nick Douglas, staff writer
Wrap up in the freezer office
I’ve been looking at these oversized scarves that serve as shawls in a cold office for a while now. I decided to take the plunge and buy one, and when I entered Zara it just so happened that there was a massive sale. I got a super soft blanket scarf for only $ 8! Fashionable and economical.
alisia adamchik, staff writer
DJ for your colleagues
Our staff were using JQBX , a music sharing program, and this was an upgrade for me. Sometimes working remotely is lonely, and DJing for each other makes me feel like I have “real” colleagues. Plus it helped me get out of the rut.
Claire Lowe, Food and Beverage Editor
Set an evening social media blackout
This one has admittedly had mixed success, but I want to keep up with it: every night I try to set a limit on social media usage and general pointless phone scrolling. This is not a set time because my schedule is variable, but what I usually do is do one last Instagram / Twitter trawl of the day (usually around lunchtime) and then try to stay away from my phone for the rest of the night. … It’s hard to forget to give my brain time away from the internet, but I always feel much, much better when I do it.
Virginia K. Smith, Editor-in-Chief