I don’t know about you, but I had a hard time focusing this week. It feels impossible to fully show up for work, my family, and daily life while also processing the heaviness of the world and trying to figure out how to respond and offer support when life keeps going.

When I feel stressed or anxious like this, I lean harder into hobbies that pull me off my phone and back into the present moment. Over the years, I’ve found that these little, analog moments are incredibly grounding, especially as a working mom who doesn’t get much time to herself.

Let me tell you, if you are craving a mental break, "grandma hobbies" are where it's at. These are some of my favorite ways to unwind, destress, and clear my head. I keep this list in my phone and consult it when I need a break, and I'd encourage you to make a list of your own!

Puzzles, preferably seasonal, paired with an audiobook and air-popped popcorn (these puzzles are my favorite because they have a unique, fun surprise!)
A walk outside - fresh air and quiet first, then I'll turn on a podcast or audiobook after a while
Tidying and putzing around the house while Alexa blasts upbeat music
Plant lady things: watering, dusting, repotting, rearranging, propagating, perusing a plant shop. Best done with Happy Happy Houseplant plant food and leaf cleanse.
Solitaire + coffee at the kitchen island (bonus points for a fancy deck of cards)
Curling up with a coloring book - the cutest coloring books + best markers
Warm cookies - baking them or just enjoying one always turns my day around. We're baking our way through this cookie cookbook!
Thrifting, for the joy of the hunt and unexpected treasures
Paint-by-numbers or watercolor at the kitchen table on a slow Saturday afternoon. This floral one is super pretty framed!
Reading in bed with fresh sheets and a cozy book light
Legos - similar to a puzzle, it's super satisfying to see a lego set come together! I loved doing this adorable set last year.
Trying a new craft. I’m building my first book nook and have a beginner crochet kit queued up next. It's always energizing to learn something new!

If you’re also feeling overwhelmed, I hope this is a reminder to slow down and do something small to give yourself a mental break this weekend. I’d love to hear what helps you unwind - hit reply and tell me what’s on your list!
-Emily

On My Mind This Week

Have you seen the bingo board goal setting trend in your feed this year? I think it's so fun! I'm finishing making a bingo board specifically for my reading life. I included things like start a new series, listen to a full cast narration, visit a bookstore, bedazzle a book, read a book recommended by a friend, etc. I'm going to mark things off as I complete them, but my question now is what should my reward be for getting a bingo?
Speaking of goal setting, it's never too late to start! I could talk about the Powersheets Goal Planner all day, it's my NINTH year using it. I also just got Chloe (8 years old) their goal planner for girls, and she's very into it. Use code SMALLSTUFFCOUNTS for 10% off.
This is the best book I've read in a while! Rivals in STEM are forced to work together and ultimately learn they had each other all wrong (of course). I love this whole series!
This is the key to lush, thriving houseplants. One bottle lasts a crazy long time. (Use code EMILY10 for 10% off)
I grabbed an adorable $6 heart necklace while at Walmart last week, and I've gotten so many compliments about it! Perfect around Valentine's Day, but my IG followers swear I can wear it year round.
If you need a nice quality tote bag for errands, groceries, work, sports weekends, travel...check out Scout Bags. Their bags come in many sizes, are high quality, and have beautiful designs. They gave me a discount code: INF-ECOUNTS
You can always shop my recent posts and find things I'm loving in my Amazon Shop and the LTK app.