Work smarter, not harder

Take (more) breaks
So many people skip their breaks, eat their lunch behind the desk and just go, go, go. But there's a story about a woodcutter whose saw gets more blunt as time passes and he continues cutting down trees. If the woodcutter were to just stop sawing, sharpen his saw, and go back to cutting the tree with a sharp blade, he would actually save time and effort in the long run. It comes down to stepping back for a second, recharching yourself, freeing your mind and then when you go back to work, you will be far more productive. Also, a few short 10 minute breaks will be enough to recharge during the day, instead of taking a 1 hour lunch break.

Stop worrying about evertything

This handy book about changing the way we think (called 'Omdenken', it's Dutch) states the following: 'Do you have a problem? If the answer is no: don't worry. If the answer is yes: can YOU solve it? Yes? Then don't worry. Is it out of your hands? Then don't worry either. We stress way too much because we feel so responsible for everything we do. Which is good, but sometimes it's important to just let go. A clear mind is a more productive mind.

Take naps
Yes! Naps are actually really good for you! Not like the 2 hour naps, no, we're talking about the 20 minute power naps. Naps lead to improvement in cognitive function, creative thinking, and memory performance. So if you can and you feel like you need to recharge, take a powernap and you'll feel totally re-energized and ready to tackle the work.

Don't check your email on your smartphone
Are you one of the many people who read their emails on their smartphones, leaving you 'working' till late in the evening while you should be relaxing instead? There's only one solution to really seperate work and personal life: delete that inbox from your smartphone. It's a proven fact that we are less focussed and more likely to get sloppy after 8 hours of working. So stop sending those emails late in the evening and get back to them the next morning, when you will be far more productive.

Organize your work space
Do you recognize that feeling when you desperately need something asap that you know is somewhere on your desk, but you can't find it? That state of panic and frustration probably sounds familar to many people, as it is just so hard to stay organized when you've got so much stuff and so much to do. That is why organizing your desk and workspace is so important. Stack your stuff in drawers, desk organizers and keep pens in pen cases. A clutter-free desk will start your day so much better! Another great item you need to have if you're someone who needs to write everything down in order to not forget: a deskplanner! Dutch law student Lily recently launched her own desk planner, and it is the prettiest one out there! 

Like this article? Share it with your friends!

Back to the 80's: blue eyemake up

Well how do we wear this cool make up trend nowadays? If you don't want to go overboard with the pop of blue on your eyes, just stick with a blue eyeliner. Blue is one of the only colors that looks great with any eyecolor, skintone or hair color, so trying out a blue eyeliner could really be fun for everyone! Instead of a liner along the lashline, you can also apply a blue eye pencil on the waterline of your lower lashline for a more subtle look.

Or are you a bit more of dare devil? Go for a blue mascara on the top and bottom lashes! This will definitely turn those eyes into eyecatchers! You can keep the rest of the look simple with a nude lip, of go for the ultimate 80's look with a hot pink lipstick. How funky!

Wanna keep  it a little more plain? Instead of going for blue mascara or eyeliner, go for a hint of blue in your eyemakeup. A blue smokey eye is the perfect look for a night out.

Genius tip to stop craving sugar

You know you've got a sugar craving when your mind goes "I need chocolate RIGHT now"... Or a donut, or an entire bag of marshmallows. At that moment your body is just craving that quick boost of energy that simple carbohydrates give you instantly. But that peak will soon be over and you'll feel less energetic, so your body will start craving sugar again. It can be really hard to break that circle, but just our luck, super model Adriana Lima shared her tip to avoid sugar cravings! 

No, it is not a certain kind of pill, detox tea or anything else what many celebrities have been promoting on Instagram lately. It's an all natural product that we all have in our kitchen: honey! Yes, starting your day with  a cup of tea or coffee with a little bit of honey in it will directly stabilize your blood sugar levals, according to the super model. Adriana personally goes for a drop of honey in her cappucino, but feel free to add a little natural sweetness to any kind of coffee or tea.

So there you have it. Another well known tip from many celebrities (queen B Beyonce does this too) is drinking hot water with lemon and honey, which not only does the trick as well, but lemon is also a great detoxer. But if you prefer coffee over hot water in the morning, you know what you need to add; a little honey, Honey.

--

Ways to rock the bell-sleeve trend

Wear it with jeans
Jeans pretty go with everything, especially with a top that already draws attention with those big sleeves! Take a  look at how perfectly Vanessa Jackman wore that bell-sleeved top.

Blogger Paola Alberdi also knows exactly how to wear that lace bell-sleeved top: with black jeans and a cute purse. Of course, with maching round sunnies for that 70's vibe.



Ton-sur-ton
Again, the bell-sleeve top is pretty out there on it's own, so keeping the rest of the look plain will do your outfit good. Ton-sur-ton, or just a one-color outfit, looks great with these pretty big sleeves. Blogger Blair Edie definitely works it in a blush toned ensamble.



Stylist Rachel Zoe also knows how to best style the bell-sleeve trend of couse.. By keeping the rest of the look simple. That pop of pink is enough to turn heads on the red carpet.



The bell-sleeve dress
Another way of rocking the bell-sleeve trend is wearing a bell-sleeve trend and pair it with another eyechathing item, like knee high boots or a great bag to finish the look. Or both, like Molly Rustas did here.



Black and white
A white bell-sleeved blouse goes best with...? Yes, black trousers! The classic black and white combination is always a good one. Kate Bosworth looks chic in this look, but the lace fabric make this outfit a bit more playful. Nice job, Kate!

You definitely don't have to go big or go home if it's up to actress Kerry Washington. She wore a rather small bell-sleeved black and white polka dot dress and looked stunning in it!

Only THIS natural product will repair your hair

Coconut oil it is! an all natural product that most of us probably already have in our kitchen. This oil is high in saturated fat which means the molecules are small enough to actually penetrate into the hair shaft. Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft at 50-75% while for example, olive oil, only penetrates it at 25%. Let's skip the rest of the science part, but research has shown that no other oil gets absorbed by the hair like coconut oil does. 

Many women spend a lot of money on all kinds of luxury oils, Argan oils and Marrocan oils to repair our hair and make it smooth and shiny. These oils sometimes contain coconut oil, but also other oils like almond oil... That last one does not do much for your hair, in fact, it will make your hair greasy and heavy. The best thing is to buy 100% pure coconut fat, which becomes oil when it warms up in the palm of your hand. All you have to do is apply the oil to your hair and let it absorb for as long as possible before rinsing it out. It makes your hair feel thicker and so much smoother from the outside as well as stronger on the inside.

Now you know the only truly effective oil for smoother, shinier and silkier hair!

Like this article? Share it with your friends!

NEW | RAY-BAN SUNGLASSES FROM SUNGLASSESSHOP

Hi all! I am sorry for the long time no see. Been super busy with internship last week, which is all very exciting though :) I've been so busy that I have totally missed all the packages that arrived for me last week, haha. Luckily my parents pointed out the stack of packages for me, including one I was looking out for a lot! You know what I am really obsessed about? Ray-Ban sunglasses. I've had my green Aviators for a while now and I thought it was time for a new pair of Ray-Bans.. Keep on reading to find out which ones I got!

I really like the Wayfarer shape, so after scrolling through the major collection on Sunglassesshop, I picked out these Tortoise sunglasses. They're black / brown-ish so they go with basically any look, which I think is very important! The glasses are pretty dark, which I love, since light glasses are cute, but I do want actualy protection from the sun. 

It's been very clouded in Holland the last couple of days, but today the sun in shining, woohoo! I have to go to work (only 2 more times after today!) so I'm gonna rock my new shades on my way to work;)

Have a great weekend everybody!