Pretty Plaid Blanket Scarf (c/o)

Good Morning! And welcome back to another Motivation Monday. Today, I’m bringing you one of the prettiest plaid blanket scarves and a quick dose of morning motivation. I figured since fall is now officially upon us I’d give my five tips for planning a productive day, which you will find below. 

But first, let’s talk about this scarf! It’s from a shop called Jewelry Bean (you can visit their Instagram @jewelrybean). Their website, ilymix has a fun assortment of sunglasses, bags, scarves, and, as the name Jewelry Bean would imply, jewelry. They have, without a doubt, one of the best selections of blanket scarves I’ve ever seen. Any and every color you can think of + great quality. I’m also loving this, this and this! Blanket scarves are more than just cute to look at…they are perfect for events where you may need extra warmth or want to turn your scarf into a shawl by the end of the night. It’s especially nice if you have in between temps like we do here in Northern California, and it’s hot one minute and chilly the next. 

Jewelry Bean has been so sweet to offer all of my readers and followers 20% off with the code AMANDA20. That would make this scarf less than $20 – that’s such a deal! Or you can go crazy and get two, or three, or four hah.

Blanket scarves are also great for the office. Speaking of which, let’s get into my five quick tips for planning for a productive fall and getting the most out of your morning.

1. Create a schedule that works. I’ve realized I need to set a schedule with reasonable expectations. Originally, I was trying to get up at 5am so that I could arrive at work by 6:30am, and though I did that for several days, I just couldn’t stick to it. I’m not a morning person, and there’s nothing I dislike more than getting up and out of my comfortable, warm bed. So I inevitably set my alarm forward a couple hours and find that it’s much easier to get up (okay…a little easier to get up). My point here is that everyone works well on a different schedule, and you have to find what works for you. 

2.  Prepare the night before. I’m big on preparation. Even if I can’t be up at 5am, I’ve got everything prepped and set. I love waking up to a fully prepared outfit, a clean house, and a lunch packed and ready to go. It’s very easy to get out of this routine, or to say “I’m tired I’ll just do it in the morning,” but you’ll be thanking yourself when your alarm sounds bright and early. It makes the getting ready process so much easier and keeps you from having any frantic, late moments. 

3. Grab a cup of coffee! So, it doesn’t have to be coffee. Maybe it’s tea or juice, but find something that gets your morning going. It may sound silly, but the moment I have my cup of coffee in hand, I’m ready for the day to get started. It’s part of my morning routine that I always look forward to and, honestly, pushes me to get out the door faster. When I work from home, I usually brew my own, but it has the same effect. It’s an indicator that the day has officially begun – and who doesn’t love a good cup of fall flavored coffee?!

4. Update your planner & to – do lists. This is one of my biggest tips to you! Gathering your thoughts, to-do list, and urgent items for the day, before you start working on tasks, can make such a difference. Every morning, before I get started on my emails and projects, I redo and recheck my to-do list. It’s so easy to get caught up in one thing and forget four others, especially if you work in a fast paced environment like I do. It’s basically a road map for your day and helps dictate how you spend your time. Using a planner is also crucial so you don’t miss any important meetings. I’m still an old-fashioned planner person, but I know lots of people now do this digitally. And if it works, it works. 

5. Reward yourself. My last tip is to reward yourself! If you’re able, give yourself mental breaks throughout the day, whatever that may be. Whether it’s a quick look through your news feed, watching a funny clip on YouTube, or just stretching your legs, you’ve got to give your mind a break. I like to set various stopping points for myself to do just this. Usually after completing a certain number of tasks or one very significant one. Trust me, your brain is no good if you run it into the ground! 

I hope that these quick tips are helpful and I hope you have a wonderful Monday! Don’t forget to visit Jewelry Bean with the special 20% code (AMANDA20) so that, you too, can have a pretty plaid blanket scarf! You can also view more items from Jewelry Bean on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!