Elizabeth Wellington, MA, LPC, Psychotherapist & Founder of Kinship Collaborative

working at home with your significant Other across the room or house can be challenging for personal, professional, and relationship reasons. We often show up differently in our job setting than we do in the comforts of our home or in our most intimate relationship. Embodying these different aspects of ourselves in different contexts or locations helps us feel like a more fully developed person. And fully inhabiting one role at a time helps you be your best in each role. When you can come home and “turn off” from work, you show up more present in your relationship, and vice versa. Segregating each role allows you to be your best self in all of your different life circumstances.

When working from home with your partner, these boundaries are totally blurred, leading to confusion for the individual and the relationship. What role are you meant to show up for at any given time? These blurred boundaries may make you feel pressured to be available to your partner, and to the relationship, throughout the workday, which can interfere with your professional responsibilities and lead to confusing expectations and tensions in the household. And ironically, being physically present for all of your roles may lead to you being less emotionally capable of fulfilling those roles.

Creating physical and emotional space from your partner is absolutely healthy and imperative in a relationship! Even in the best relationships, maintaining one’s individual identity and autonomy provides for a strong sense of self, which allows the individuals to come together as a couple with more clarity about who each partner is and what they bring to the relationship. Healthy space provides important feelings of longing in the relationship, which then creates feelings of freshness and excitement when you reunite with your partner.

Top 3 Tips:

Make space for each partner to have non-work-alone time every day.
Your partner’s scheduled alone time does not need to coincide with your scheduled alone time. Encourage and support your partner’s alone time, even if that means occasionally sacrificing your own needs or wants.

Have an honest dialogue to establish “work rules” that support each partner’s needs.
Check-in weekly about how those rules are working and do your best to respect the rules and your partner. Each partner can make explicit requests, or “rules,” and you must work as a team to implement as many of these rules as possible. When discussing your partner’s requests, prioritize “we” over “me,” and get creative to resolve conflict. For example, let’s say one partner asks the other not to talk to him in the middle of the workday about non-time-sensitive things. His partner wants to be able to communicate somehow and proposes emailing with the expectation that he will read and respond when he has a moment. By structuring the request and the resolution this way, both partners’ needs are met -one for boundaries between work and home, and the other for reasonable access and communication.

Remember that you are partners, not coworkers.
Treat each other with the utmost kindness and respect, even when you are beyond annoyed with each other. If you are triggered, name it, own it, and take responsibility for regulating yourself. Do not blame. If your partner breaks one of your “rules,” lead with forgiveness. This may not happen automatically, but after your initial anger, take a deep breath, and remember that this is an unprecedented time, and your partner is doing their best.

Let us know in the comments your thoughts on these tips on how to work from home with your significant other!

The post How to Work at Home with Your Significant Other According to Relationship Therapists first appeared on Inspired By This.

P.S. this article is “boss” approved so feel free to send this to your hirer up as evidence that your team needs a picnic in their lives! 

.01 – Face to face interaction

If your team is remote, like ours, then being able to reconnect face to face is so important! When you spend so much of your time at a job, it is important to be able to connect with your coworkers in and outside of work!

.02 – Memories that will last

With everything that has happened over the past year and a half, we are pretty much certain we can’t be the only ones that haven’t had many memories with our team. What could be a better way to make them feel appreciated and in love with their job than throwing them a gorgeous picnic?! Take it from us, it won’t disappoint!

.03 – The ambiance is unmatched

If you have never experienced what it’s like to enjoy one of Hygge Picnic Co.’s picnics then we are sorry to say you are missing out. The ambiance of being a part of such a beautiful, thoughtful, and unique picnic is unmatched by any other team bonding experience we have been a part of!

.04 – You can enjoy a view and good food

Did someone say, mini charcuterie board? Ohh boy, we know we just hooked you in and we can confirm this beautiful array of cheeses, crackers and grapes hit the craving after a long day of content planning and brainstorming! Oh, did we touch on the view? Yeah, we didn’t think that needed an explanation either!

.05 – Bonding outside of work is important

We can’t be the only ones that see our coworkers as friends right? Well, if we have learned anything in the past 11 years it’s that nothing makes a team stronger than a great bond outside of work.

.06 – It’s budget-friendly

Compared to traditional team bonding activities this team bonding picnic was a portion of the investment, but worth every penny. Activities like wine-tasting and team trips, just to name a few, can add up and with a smaller team, we want to allocate any team bonding expenses to experiences that truly bring us closer together!

.07 – It’s an excuse to drink wine!

Not that we need an excuse, but oh boy do we love any excuse to drink clean wine! This was the icing on the cake from an already perfect team bonding picnic. We could not recommend this activity enough if you are on the search for what to do next as a team!

Did you love this team bonding picnic as much as we did? Be sure to share the love are share the photos on social!

The post 7 Reasons to Throw a Team Bonding Picnic first appeared on Inspired By This.

This post regarding personal data is in partnership with caprivacy.org. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Inspired by This!

Today on the blog we are discussing a topic that is often an afterthought to all of us using the Internet. We’re talking about the topic of personal data! To be precise, we are chatting about how to keep your personal data safe with 5 tips. However, before we offer our 5 tips we want to make sure we are all on the same page. Let us set the foundation of the seriousness of this topic, and how we can almost guarantee it will affect you, even if you didn’t know so already…

What if a stranger came up to you and started looking through your cell phone, demanding to see everything like your emails, texts, and contacts? This stranger would also see information like how many steps you take a day, and the data you give a fertility app when tracking your period, which isn’t protected as health data under federal law (HIPAA) unless it crosses a doctor’s threshold. Well, this isn’t a hypothetical. This information is gathered on you and your loved ones NOW every day, without you knowing, and is used and sold to large companies, like data brokers, to do things like set consumer insurance rates, is fed into algorithms to predict your future behavior (like what purchases you are likely to make), and even used to persuade voters.

If you are alarmed, you are not alone. We are right there with you, but fret not, we have 5 tips to keep your personal data safe we know will have you bookmarking this page to continuously check back in on. Read on for 5 ways to protect your personal data, including information on a measure that’s on the ballot in California this November!

.01 – Audit your location tracking.

The first step to taking back your data privacy is limiting the location tracking on your phone. It is likely that a lot of the apps are tracking your location all the time without you even knowing so. Yikes, right?! To get to your location services on an iPhone go to settings > privacy > location services. There you should find a list of the apps tracking your location. It’s time to get rid of any you do not find essential, or that you didn’t realize were collecting your location data.

.02 – Protect your children.

When we think about our data, we often overlook the fact that our children have data that can be sold just like ours. The thought is terrifying, but it is reality. However, there are steps you can take to protect your children’s data, too! So it’s important to not only check their phones regularly to make sure they have all their security settings in check but to also make sure you teach them about the importance of data privacy.

.03 – Keep passwords off your phone.

This should go without being said, but your password directory does not belong on your phone. Annoying but true. If companies can track and sell your data, you better believe your passwords are accessible as well. And heaven forbid if you have your social security number in your notes! If so, it’s time for you to delete that. We promise there are other methods of keeping your passwords in an accessible spot. We love a good old fashioned password book that can stay safe in a locked desk drawer!

.04 – Disable Bluetooth when not using it, and ditch the phone.

Raise your hand if you have AirPods?! Yeah, us too. This was a hard pill to swallow. Because your AirPods use Bluetooth it means there is another accessible point of entry to your data. We are not saying throw your AirPods in the trash, we just want to make sure if you are not using your Bluetooth function you turn it off to limit the time it is available.

.05 – Vote for change.

Last but certainly not least, vote for change. If you happen to live in California, like us, then you are in luck. We have a chance to make history by voting for stronger data privacy laws in this upcoming election.

Proposition 24, the California Privacy Rights Act on the ballot, gives consumers the power to stop abuses of data like this. Prop 24 lets people stop large companies from using their sensitive personal information like their: (1) race and ethnicity, (2) health, (3) sexual orientation, (4) religion, (5) precise geolocation.

Having stronger protections from being tracked by your precise geolocation is really important, and there are numerous egregious examples of women being tracked that go too far. Imagine getting tracked when you’re at a peaceful protest, or when you’re at a doctor’s appointment. Companies can then use that data to target you with specific political or personal ads. If that feels too personal, that’s because it is!

You take your cell phone everywhere you go, only you should get to decide how information from it is used.  Prop 24 lets you stop this invasive tracking. It also puts up stronger guardrails for children and triples fines for abuses of kids’ data, which is important now more than ever since kids are online for school,  and why Common Sense Media, a leader for keeping kids safe online, is supporting it.

Remember, if the service or app is free, YOU are the product. Fem Tech, which is an industry that creates digital tools for women’s health needs, is fueled by making money from your data: it will be a $50 billion industry in the next 5 years.

There have even been instances of political campaigns using personal data to deter voter turnout in specific demographic groups. Your data belongs to you, and you should have control over who has access to it and how they can use it.

In many ways, using the word privacy isn’t the correct word with all of this, this is truly about power. This is the most profitable industry the world has ever seen. Data is the oil of the 21^st Century and our consumer data is the gasoline that is fueling things against us, like algorithmic bias, and targeting us based on our race and sexual orientation.

California has the chance to lead the county by passing Prop 24 to set a strong floor for federal data privacy legislation, so all Americans can have the fundamental right to control their personal data.

It’s YOUR personal information, only YOU should be in control of it. Prop 24 shifts this power into consumers’ hands by giving them greater choice about how their data is used and sold. Vote yes.

Looking for similar advice tips, check out our guide to navigating what back to school looks like in 2020. 

The post 5 Tips to Keep your Personal Data Safe that are Worth Bookmarking first appeared on Inspired By This.

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Are you feeling inspired to make your own desk worthy of a WFH desk selfies? If so then here are a couple of our favorite amazon desk finds for you.

The post WFH Envy: The Desk Selfies We’re Obsessing Over first appeared on Inspired By This.

Working from home has become such a common occurrence – With most of our jobs happening online, the need for physical office space has become less important! If you work from home, either for a company or for yourself, you know that there are pros and cons. It’s convenient, comfortable, and gives you more freedom over your schedule. On the other hand, it can be lonely, unproductive, and easy to fall into a rut! We put together a few tips to help make working from home easier and more productive, and help you find that elusive work-life balance.

The post 5 Tips for Working From Home first appeared on Inspired By This.

.01 – Cement Tape Dispenser

.02 – Copper Wire Book/Shelf Magazine Rack

.03 – Chic Washi Tape Set

.04 – Glass Jar for Maximum Water Intake

.05 – Desk Storage Organizer Box

.06 – Led Desk Lamp

.07 – Hexagon Serving Tray

.08 – Modern Braided Extension Cord

.09 – Wooden Desk Alarm Clock

.10 – Hardcover Wellness Planner

.11 – Personalized Leather Cable Holder

.12 – A Coffee Mug That will Make you Smile

.13 – Goal Tracker Notepad

.14 – Hexagon Cork Boards

Do you want to prep your work from home office but you are currently searching to find a job you love? Check our article laying out the three things we look for in a job application! Because you deserve to purchase some of these Amazon finds to elevate your desk.

The post 14 budget-friendly amazon finds to elevate your desk first appeared on Inspired By This.

However, it really can be so hard to find a good GIF. Don’t believe us? Search “fitness” the next time you’re trying to post a workout-of-the-day story. A ton of great options there are not. Thankfully, we did the hard work for you. We tirelessly scoured and found the best GIFs the ‘gram has to offer. So, here’s what to search to find cute GIFs on Instagram!

.01 – “inspiredbythis”

You know you know we are going to start this off with a personal plug. Whether referencing our incredible team, attending one of our fantastic events (we are into unapologetic self-confidence in this season) or even are just feeling inspired by something, we have great gifs awaiting right at your fingertips!

.02 –  “vipapier”

We may not all be able to agree whether it’s pronounced “gif” or “jiff,” but we can all definitely agree that these GIFs are adorable! From the script to the colors, we couldn’t help but “enjoy!”

.03 – “ilustralle”

If you enjoy a nice romantic novel or dream of frolicking in a field of flowers, this is the GIF set for you! They’re whimsical and fashionable and are giving us some major hat inspiration!

.04 – “gladdest”

All things bubbly and cute seem to make an appearance in this GIF set. The “Good Morning” gif is perfect for that a.m. cup of coffee! The balloons are made for the next birthday dinner you’re at! The stars? The stars are good for absolutely anything and everything! Make it rain stars!

.05 – “malenaflores”

For the bakers, the thinkers, the readers, and the bloggers find cute GIFs on Instagram with a quick search of “malenaflores.” We didn’t even realize that a mixer could be made to look so sassy, but you best believe that the next time we make a batch of cookies, we will be using that GIF!

.06  – “mikyla”

If your Instagram story just needs a little extra something, then this is perfect for you! We love how simple these gifs are while still being so chic! Pro tip: place a couple of the color splotches on top of one another to take really kick your content up a notch!

.07  – “the uncommon place”

Name an instant where you post an Instagram story and that “good times” GIF isn’t relevant? No? We can’t either! From the polaroid of constellations to the cute little leaves, you better believe these GIFs will be making an appearance in feeds coming near you soon!

.08  – “tape”

Bet you didn’t think searching “tape” would make you find cute GIFs on Instagram, but prepare to be amazed! If you are into shrinking your photo size on your stories, add a few tape stickers to “keep them up,” and your artsy levels just skyrocketed! Don’t forget that Polaroid filter!

So go try out all your new GIF ideas in your Instagram stories, and don’t forget to tag us @inspiredbythis! If you’re still looking for some Insta inspo, check out this article on our favorite apps for creating stories, or this article on where to get the most Instagrammable pictures during dinner!

The post What to search to find cute GIFs on Instagram first appeared on Inspired By This.

Tip #1: Don’t start your workday in your inbox.

It sounds crazy, we know! Avoid the urge to respond to allllll of the emails in your inbox first thing in the morning. You know how it is. You respond to Karen’s email first thing, she writes back immediately, you respond, etc. All of a sudden, it’s lunch and you haven’t even looked at your to-do list!

Set aside 1-2 blocks of time during your day to focus on your inbox. As a result, you’ll find yourself spending less time in the black hole of Gmail, and more time getting your actual work done! If your job involves more time-sensitive communication, try 3-4 smaller blocks of time instead.

Tip #2: Organize tasks by both priority and how long they’ll take you.

When you look at your to-do list, make a note for each task on how time-sensitive they are and how long they’ll take you. Here’s a fun cheat sheet to follow when organizing your list!

1) Urgent and quick to complete: Do these tasks first!
2) Urgent and requires more work: Spend the bulk of your time on these.
3) Not urgent and quick to complete: Leave these for the end of the workday when you’ve completed all your urgent tasks.
4) Not urgent and requires more work: Work on these as you have time!

Tip #3: Try batching.

You may have heard of the term batching before, but it’s super helpful when it comes to how to structure your workday! Batching just refers to grouping similar tasks together and doing them all at once. Whether it’s responding to submissions or writing Instagram captions, most tasks can be batched! If you do all of these tasks at the same time, you can focus on the project at hand and be more efficient overall.

Tip #4: Take breaks throughout the day.

Who knew that working less could actually make you more productive? Make sure you take real breaks during the day to unwind and refresh. Go on a walk at lunch, or eat lunch in the conference room with your coworkers. Even 30 minutes away from your desk can change your productivity levels drastically! We don’t know about you, but we often come up with our best ideas when we’re not at our computers!

We hope these tips help you figure out how to structure your workday for maximum efficiency! Want more? Here are more tips on how to stay on track from 9-5.

The post How To Structure Your Workday to be More Productive first appeared on Inspired By This.

Find Your Getaway Location

The first step in hosting a company retreat is finding your location. With our main office in Los Angeles, Palm Springs was the perfect getaway. We’ve loved Korakia from afar for a while, and were so excited to experience the unique property in person! Korakia Pensione is located in the middle of Palm Springs, so close to all of the best restaurants and hotspots in town. Each suite or villa is completely different and decorated in either the traditional Mediterranean or Moroccan style. Just take a look at some of our favorite corners on the property… Talk about relaxing!

Put Together An Itinerary

Once you’ve decided on a location, we recommend putting together an itinerary that includes both fun and workshop-style activities. We had different members of our team prepare presentations so everyone felt involved and excited! We also worked with a business coach and spent a full day learning more about each team member’s personality type. Different personality types work and communicate differently, so it’s so helpful to learn about the people you spend so much time with! We had so many takeaways from this workshop, and it’s already made a difference in how we communicate with each other at work.

Another great workshop to incorporate is reflecting on the past year and brainstorming ideas for the next year! What were the big wins for your team last year? What do you want to accomplish this year? We came up with so many incredible ideas and left feeling so inspired for 2020.

Have Fun!

Once you’ve figured out the workshops you want to do to regroup your team, it’s time to work in some fun! We did happy hours each night in our suites at Korakia – Wine & cheese, anyone!? Afterwards, we planned delicious dinners at a few of the best restaurants in Palm Springs. Each night at dinner, we shared gifts and words of affirmation for each other. We all left feeling so appreciated and loved by our team!

We can’t recommend a company retreat enough. It’s so easy to get burnt out when you’re at a computer all day every day. We know you can relate! While our jobs are so much fun, sometimes you just need to get away to reinvigorate and regroup your team!

Where would you want to go for a company retreat? We’ve got our eyes on Nashville and San Fran next!

The post How To Regroup Your Team For 2020 first appeared on Inspired By This.

.01 – Cold Outside Print

With the chilly weather, we wanted to highlight one of our favorite Christmas songs. So when you open your phone and see your screensaver we hope that you feel the Christmas spirit!

Download links: iPhone 6/7+, iPhone X, Wallpaper

.02 – December Calendar

December is a month that literally flys by so it is so important to be able to keep yourself, and your work in check. We love this simple and chic December calendar screensaver because it is all things festive while still getting the job done!

Download links: iPhone 6/7+, iPhone X, Wallpaper

.03 – Beenie Print

A cute beenie is absolutely essential for surviving the chilly winter months! So, what better way to inspire you every day you look at your phone?!

Download links: iPhone 6/7+, iPhone X, Wallpaper

Which of our December wallpaper options was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to share and tag on social for a chance to be featured!

To use these desktop screen savers, follow the links provided below the images. Download the desired images and save them as a normal image. Use them and share them at your own discretion with credit given to Inspired by This.  Happy Holidays!! 

The post Our Festive December Wallpaper Release first appeared on Inspired By This.