THE ULTIMATE 6-step Work from home morning routine...

One of the things that was a non-negotiable for me when I was looking for a new home, was space for a home office. I need ample space working from home, I spent way too much time working at the dining room table to know that a designated work space is ESSENTIAL to anyone who works from home. I personally will get caught up if I spot a dirty dish, undone laundry, a book out of place and honestly anything that catches my eye. So, making sure that my office space is filled with ONLY work things is extremely helpful.

WORKING FROM HOME REQUIRES A DESIGNATED WORK SPACE

Anyway, my workspace is actually what you would consider a breakfast nook. And what makes it perfect for my office is the beautiful and bright natural light pouring into the space. So, I adjusted the shelves and had the back wall painted black because you know I believe black walls are just superior. My favorite office space of all time was black and honestly, it was my most successful year in business. On top of that, the color black in Feng Shui represents water and supports the vibration around your career path. So, if you have been wondering if a black office would work…it actually is an incredibly supportive color for your career/business.

Feng Shui facts, tips & tricks:

FENG SHUI TIP #1: YOU MUST SIT IN THE COMMAND POSITION

I started by working at the counter top on the back wall, but honestly, I found myself never being able to sit down and focus for long periods of time. I would take my computer to the dining room, sofa or even my patio. And I knew pretty quickly what was going on. Having your back to the door of any room position in Feng Shui is not supportive to your work energy. You always want your desk/ workspace placed in the POWER position, which means that your back should never be facing the entry of the room. You want to be facing a window or the front door so that you can always be facing new opportunities coming your way.

Anyway, so I decided to put a round table, this white Saarinen inspired table was the perfect fit for the space, in the middle of the space for my desk and ever since I did that I find that I just love being in my office and I have been ten times more productive.

Speaking of productivity. . .

Something I recently learned that has completely helped me transform how I work is what they call 4 QUARTER DAYS. It’s a daily breakdown of times where I like to designate my rituals and routines.

Let me breakdown the daily schedule for you:

Morning: 5-9 AM **Here I do everything that is needed from me first thing, movement, getting ready, breakfast, school drop off, etc. I usually go on my morning walks around 9am.

Late Morning: 10AM -1PM **These are my power work hours, the times when I feel I preform my best and have the most energy. Recording podcasts, creating content, writing out plans, etc. I usually have my lunch around 1 and then my coffee at 2.

Afternoon: 2-7PM **Just post coffee, I do the things I couldn’t get to during my power hours but I allow myself to do them at a slower pace. I will also change up the scenery, maybe go work at a coffee shop or do something that inspires me. This is also the time, I pack orders + make jewelry.

Evening: 7PM+** Here, there is NO WORK. It’s all about my personal time and prepping myself for my night routine. I will do a post on that soon.

FENG SHUI TIP #2: SNAKE PLANTS ARE HELPFUL

They are said to attract prosperity, fortune and growing success. In addition to that, they are extremely helpful in absorbing the harmful radiation that technology emits. I like to keep my snake plants near my computer or anything that uses wifi.

Plants also represent and promote the energy of vitality and growth. So, keep your office filled with your favorite plants to help surround you with the energy of growth and you will align with growth in your work, business and personal growth, too.

read this post for more feng shui home office tips

WORK FROM HOME MORNING ROUTINE:

Here’s the thing, I have been a work from home entrepreneur since 2010 ish. I’ve been working out of my home for as long as I can remember, I love the work from home life. Ever since 2020, so many more people in my world work from home as well. So, I know how important it is to cultivate a really strong work from home routine because it can be distracting, difficult and lonely at times, too. I am obsessed with routines and rituals, especially my tried and true morning rituals. Here are a few things I do specific to getting myself prepped and ready for working from home:

1. MAKE MY BED. I shouldn’t have to explain this but making the bed helps so much, especially when you work from home because it helps you not get distracted when you just really want to crawl right back into bed.

2. GETTING DRESSED: It might sound slightly obvious but this step of my morning work routine is probably the most impactful step of all. Before I go down to my office, I will dress in a cute but comfortable outfit, make sure my hair looks nice, makeup on my face and beautiful smelling perfume, too, this is my signature scent! There is a night and day difference in my work day when I come into my office fully made up versus when I sort of pop in a lazy outfit, hair a mess. My attitude, personality, productivity and entire experience is different when I am dressed up and feeling myself. You will see that the energy behind what you are working on is completely up-leveled and you will even feel more confident and powerful when you feel good about yourself. For me, I will always start my day feeling my absolute best. This is one of those ‘secrets of a millionaire mindset’ that just works!

3. HYDRATION: I am absolutely one of those that needs liquids all around me. I live for making coffee in the mornings. It’s just one of those things that signals my brain that I am ready to start the day. However, staying hydrated while getting caffeinated is top tier. It helps you from getting too crazed. I swear by my electrolyte water, it’s got potassium, zinc, magnesium and sodium which is what you need for optimal hydration (plain water alone doesn’t cut it) . And right now I drink it in this mug. In order to be really effective at work and energized for a good day of working, I need to be hydrated. You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget to hydrate. I think having a fun cup to drink out of makes it easier to remember.

4. MORNING PAGES: Before I do anything for the day, I will write out everything that comes to my mind. You can read more about morning pages here. For me, my work is all about creating and I can’t get into a creative head space if my mind is full of buzzing thoughts. I need to get my thoughts out onto the paper so that I can free up space in my mind to create. I will make lists of what to do, write out feelings or emotions, jot down any reminders I need and sometimes I will even write out intentions + affirmations. Those help me get clear on where I am going and what I want to create for the day.

MY HOME OFFICE DECOR PICKS :

5. SUPPLY SET UP: Another thing that is a must for me when I am working from home, is constantly keeping my office tidy and organized. Sure, I will allow things to pile up here and there. but if my desk space isn’t fully open for me to work on…I can’t complete anything. I have to have room for my drinks (always water + coffee) my writing tools ( usually a few colored pens and highlighters ) and my computer, phone and charger. I also need my pink scissors, proper ink levels in my printer and a fully charged computer. Here’s a list of all things need to feel set and ready to go for me to be ready to take on the day.

6. AFFIRMATIONS: I do not do an-eeee-thing without getting my mental state in check. Here are a few affirmations I like to start my work day with….

♥️ I woke up feeling worthy + empowered today. It’s going to be an amazing day full of new opportunities.

♥️ I am forever grateful for all that I am and all that I have. The life I have created is beautiful and it just keeps getting better and better.

♥️ I inhale positive energy. I exhale all doubts, fears, worries or attachments to things holding me back. I will not worry about anything that is outside of my personal control.

♥️ I am honoring the space between where I am and where I am headed. Everything is working out in my favor and for my highest good. I am living the life of my dreams.

I’d like to take a short break here in this blog post to share a podcast episode that I think you might enjoy.

One of the most common questions I get asked is…what do you do for work?

And honestly, it’s not a simple answer, so I thought I would break down the things I do for work so that you can see what I technically do during a work day.

1. This blog. I have a personal blog and I write about all of the things I am passionate about

2. I’ve got 3 self-published books on Amazon. Blissful Living, Blissful Living Journal and The Daily Bliss.

3. I have a monthly coaching membership, Manifest Bliss membership where I have bi-monthly live community calls, hours and hours of video workshops, trainings and dozens of downloadable workbooks.

4. I have several online courses inside of The House of Bliss.

5. I have created various Ebooks/workbooks on topics like manifesting, spirituality and feng shui.

6. I have a podcast called Blissfully Ambitious.

7. I have a spiritual crystal jewelry line and home goods e-commerce shop called Love Ashlina.

8. I also do sessions where I work one on one with clients on their homes, guiding them to ensure their home is supporting the life they really want.

   Needless to say, I am a full time digital entrepreneur, online coach and content creator, my work plate is absolutely full and I am absolutely in love with what I do for work. The only way that I can stay on track with all of the things is by scheduling myself by days of the week. It changes from month to month, as I put more focus on certain things during certain seasons. My point is strategy is key.

   If you would like to learn more about how to grow your own online business + brand as I have, join me in my program, ONLINE BOSS UNIVERSITY. This is a one-stop-shop to learn all about what building an online business looks like. You’ll learn the ins and outs of blogging, branding, social media, course creation, e-commerce, video, email marketing, etc. PLUS, join a supportive community so you can feel less alone in building your business. Check out the details here.

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up to receive my weekly love letters here. I share a lot of personal tips and tricks on the behind these scenes of my work life.

Here is a peek at 2 of my books you can grab on Amazon, the colors are so on brand, no?

The top 5 areas you must feng shui in your small apartment or home & why

This post is all about 5 top areas of the home you must feng shui.

Hello. Hello.

After yesterday’s blog post, I got a slew of emails asking for more tips of living a Feng Shui lifestyle. When you begin to see how life changing, simple home adjustments can be, you always end up wanting more. If you’re anything like me, you’ll do whatever you can to ensure you are doing your part for happiness, love, health and financial freedom, am I right? I mean, who doesn’t want to feel good in their life?

So, I just want to remind you, incase you forgot.....The literal translation of Feng Shui is ‘Wind Water’. Feng Shui is the energy exchange between wind & water. 
Wind = moving energy
Water = flowing fortune
The whole purpose of feng shui is to lead you towards your flowing fortune. That’s right, not everybody’s fortune is the same. Some people want more fame, others want deeper relationships, others want to find their purpose. There is a unique life path for each one of us, so to ensure we are on the right track, we need to Feng Shui our environment to help us get there. I am obsessed with Feng Shui and I teach everything I know about it in my online course, High Vibe Home. For now, I’ll just share with you some simple things you should know.

HOW FENG SHUI & ENERGY AT HOME WORKS

Our environments are broken up into sections, according to the Bagua Map. Each section represents a specific part of our life and within that area, there are certain colors, elements and energy that can be used to enhance that energy (For example: the color pink, used in the love & marriage area can enhance your romance).

Here is what the bagua map (energetic layout of your home) looks like:

You’ll notice within each area sits different aspects of your life and below that are the energies you can work with to bring balance and harmony to that area of life. When all are open and flowing, your life will be blissful.

That's why my passion is showing you how you can set up the energy of your home environment for flowing fortune. in all areas of your life. My goal is to make Feng Shui simple and give you practical tools so that it works for you. I’ve even broken down a simple and effective way to feng shui using crystals.

Your home environment needs to flow in order for your life to flow. A cluttered home leads to a cluttered mind. If your home has stuck energy, your life will likely feel “stuck” as well. Whatever is going on in your home, seeps into your life.

I feel like it’s a good idea to share a story with you, to help paint a picture of what I want you to understand. My work with my Feng Shui Flow clients is always so inspiring, I love sharing their experiences. Take a look at the below photos. My client, let’s call her Miss Kay, a young, vibrant, beautiful woman who was experiencing a loss of inspiration, focus and calm in her life. For some reason, things felt off and incomplete in her life, she lives with an underlying feeling like something in her life is “missing”. Can you relate? I think most of us can relate in one way or another. Sometimes, it feels like there is always something we need to “fix”. It wasn’t until learning about Feng Shui that she thought it could quite possibly be her apartment that needed a refresh. It felt uninspired, stuffy, stuck and blocked.

Now here’s where it gets good. Most people in this exact space think to themselves, “oh I need a better/bigger home”, or “I need a whole decorating/design overhaul” or “maybe I should move”? That’s how we get when we feel stuck, like things aren’t fulfilling us or we need some sort of change. I am here to tell you today, don’t fall into the trap or those lies. You probably just need to Feng Shui your living space.

Take a look at the before and after. By the time our 1 hour session was over, we had her entire space shifted and her whole life opened up! She felt incredible, filled with energy, inspired, alive and clear on her direction. With Feng Shui, your life can change instantly.

Here’s the thing about Feng Shui. It’s not just a one time fix all, it’s a lifestyle that you must adopt. I’m always asked about my favorite Feng Shui books or basic tips, I am going to share 5 of my favorites with you in just a moment. But first, I want to address these ideas. Feng Shui is personal, it’s different for everyone. There are a thousand Feng Shui books out there but without guidance, and consistent implementation, they can be misleading and end up letting you down. I’ve seen it dozens of times, people get their hopes up and then disheartened when the Shui doesn’t actually help manifest what you want. Feng Shui wisdom is deep and needs to be really well understood, I highly encourage hiring a Feng Shui coach, just like I did.

For now, I will share with you 5 of my favorite practical things you can do at home that are easy to apply and always a good idea when you want to get started on your Feng Shui journey.

5 mOsT iMPOrTANT AREAS OF YOUR HOME TO FENG SHUI:

1) YOUR ENTRYWAY. The energy that comes into your home, enters through your front door and it is considered to be the area that welcomes in new energy and opportunity. I wrote an entire ebook on 25 super simple ways to attract money in through the front door. This is my go-to guide for anyone wanting to call in new energy to their home and is a MUST for when you first move in.

It is essential to make this area inviting, clean and beautiful.

A few super simple tips:

• Always light a candle for guests coming in to feel warm and welcome.

• Have ample space to put shoes, keys and bags.

• Make entering your home feel easy and feel good. You want it to amplify your blissful vibes, not take away.

• Hint: The crystal to use in the entryway is Tourmaline which protects your home from negative / draining energy. 

• Since this area represents opportunities and flow, bring water elements to the entryway. You could place a photo of a body of water or even place a water fountain by the front door ( this will usher in money making opportunities ). Most places of business will put a fish tank in the entryway to boost success and new customers.

2) YOUR KITCHEN. Clean and clear off all the counters in your kitchen. Flat surfaces speak to the energy in your life, especially your health and happiness. If you have to keep things on those flat surfaces like counters and islands, clean them off. you want everything clean, dust free so that the chi (energy) can flow. 

Hint: Citrus is not only good for your health, its good for your luck. 9 oranges, lemons or any other citrus in a bowl goes very well in this area.

You can always be sure if your kitchen surfaces are clean and smell really good, you are in good shape & promoting optimal health.

3) YOUR BEDROOM. the current status of your intimate relationship with your partner and with yourself lies in how to feng shui your bedroom. Wash your bedding/sheets or get new ones. These carry all of the old energy, so if you are ready for new life and energy in this area get new sheets. Your bedding should look harmonious, you want the feelings of balance and harmony on your bed. Not a bunch of mismatched sheets and pillows, that represents too many different energies in your love life, like other peoples opinions interjecting in your love life or too many distractions from your romantic connections, etc.

 Hint: Pink flowers in the bedroom inspire romance. If you want to learn more about how to manifest love with feng shui, read this.

4) YOUR CLOSET. There is always money hanging in your closet. You can sell old clothes and make money. Always get rid of clothes that are old, don’t fit or no longer look good on you. You want your home to have only things that speak to who you are at your best and the woman you want to be. Things should be well cared for and organized. If its a cluttered mess, your social life and confidence is probably a mess too. A clean, chic closet = complete confidence!  

One of the easiest ways to do this is to get matching hangers. I love the velvet hangers because they really hold the clothes well and keep them unwrinkled. Especially the velvet beige with rose gold hardware. I love them.

5) YOUR OFFICE. Get your office space looking good. De-clutter everything! Organize files and paperwork. Decorate it with some style. You want to feel lit up and inspired where you work, that’s where your inspiration needs to flow. I am a big proponent of using Feng Shui in your home office to create massive success.

The most important thing you want to do is to have your desk in the command position, meaning facing the entryway so you see any opportunities that may come in.

Another super simple thing you can do to Feng Shui your home office is bring in plants. I love an orchid or a snake plant as they are super easy to take care of and bring in vibrant new life energy. Hint: a purple orchid in the upper left hand corner of your desk will call in abundance and divine wisdom energy.

Hope you enjoyed these tips and that they serve and help you. And don’t forget to head over to check out my High Vibe Home course, it will literally change your life!