I fear I have posted about this topic many times before. But it’s a new school year so here we go with my back to work plans!
I have downloaded Hank Green’s new app, Focus Friend. It’s currently responsible for keeping me off my phone for hours at a time! Highly recommend!
I leave the house to work most days. This isn’t necessarily so great for my budget when I buy coffee/food in coffee shops but libraries are free. I also love meeting friends to co-work so we get to be productive together.
Noise canceling headphones are great for when I’m working at home and I want to block out the noise of my kids watching tv in the next room. I also use them when I’m home alone and play background music (I can’t listen to music with words when I’m writing.)
I haven’t embraced Bob Shea’s blob method yet (despite posting about it here before!) but I really like the idea of physical blocks of wood with each task on it. We have some old wood in the garage I may have to use for this!
Something I am doing is keeping a running note of what work I’ve done every day. It’s a little bit of personal accountability and also helps me realize I have actually worked even on the days I feel pulled in 17 different directions.
Or maybe I’ll just declutter the entire house and become a nomad like
and ! I am loving their adventures and feel very inspired.
p.s. some of the links below might be bookshop.org affiliate links so I earn a small commission if you buy from them, but as always I encourage you to visit your local independent bookstore instead.
p.p.s. if you’re reading this as an email it might get cut off, so pop over to Substack where you can also leave a comment or a ❤️ if you’d like.
- and I have chatted about various subjects on Kidlit Survival Guide this past month. If you have a topic you’d like us to cover, let me know:
Special Newsletter Offer: I’m offering $100 off my virtual visits booked in September! Book between now and the end of September for $200 (usually $300). The visit can take place any time in this school year (by the end of June 2026).
If you’re a parent, let your kids’ schools know about my visits! If you’re an educator, contact me to find out more. This is one of the best parts of my job and I can’t wait to meet your students!
I also set my bean app going in the evenings so I read instead of scrolling. That means I have been getting through more books lately. I loved Sea Wife by Amity Gage. I love being on the ocean and have even sailed yachts but I don’t think I’ll be sailing around the world anytime soon after reading this! And I adored A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna. So cosy, magical, and romantic!
That’s it for this month. May says hi and see you next newsletter!
With love,
Christine xo
Buy my books from your favorite local independent bookstore, my local indie Linden Tree Books, Bookshop.org, or other online retailers.
Funny enough, I also talk about decluttering (but for real) in my upcoming newsletter 😄
Wow thanks for the shout out Christine! I loved this post and was so grateful to be a part of it. I'm really glad you're enjoying our adventures!