My 7 Workday Essentials

Sometimes getting through the workday can be.. well.. work. Between looking professional, keeping organized, staying hydrated, and rocking your job- today's career girl has a ton on her plate! I have by no means mastered how to get through perfectly, but I do have some essentials that I can't get through my day without.

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Trench. This is my favorite work wear item that I own. I absolutely love how versatile this jacket is! The removable liner inside is perfect for this crazy VA weather, and it helps me to transition this jacket through more seasons. It even has a detachable hood!

Bag. I am currently on the hunt for a new work tote. My current choice is a mustard yellow compartmentalized tote from Target. It has been a trooper, but the straps are on the verge of breaking at this point! I love the different pockets and pouches to keep me organized and the size to carry everything from my planner to my laptop! I am going to need to shop around some more, but having a professional looking yet functional bag is key in my day-to-day.

Planner. As I just mentioned, my planner goes everywhere with me. I keep my outlook calendar up-to-date, but I really love carrying around my paper one to access quickly. Everything from dinner plans to dentist appointments to work events go in here to help me remember them! I love Sugar Paper products, and have been using the brown and gold line available at Target for the past 2 years. They are cute, functional, and high-quality!

Wedges. I basically live in the black JCrew wedges. They are just high enough to make me feel professional, yet low enough to keep my feet comfortable. The patent material goes with just about everything in my closet and is super easy to keep clean. Two thumbs up from me!

Wallet. When I first started working, I didn't have an envelope wallet because I rarely carried a purse large enough to fit one. Now that I'm living out of a work bag, having an all-inclusive wallet to throw from bag to purse is a must! It keeps me from forgetting anything, and is easy to grab to take to lunch or into Starbucks without lugging the whole bag.

Travel Mug. Although I have really enjoyed my new routine change regarding my morning coffee, I still take a Tervis to work with me every day (even if it's empty!). I am a fan of the reusable aspect and how cute they are! I am able to get it filled at any coffee shop and they keep drinks the correct temperature- crucial detail!

Water Bottle. To be perfectly honest, I have a hard time staying hydrated throughout the week. I have a scale that measures my weight, BMI, and it also reports my percent water in my body. I have been trying to keep it up in the healthy range- which for women is 45-60% of total weight- and one of the easiest ways to do that is to simply have water with me! I find that if I wait until I'm thirsty to grab some water, I end up drinking less. If it's by my side all day I WILL drink it! I am a fan of Camelbak because I don't have to worry about spilling.

What are your workday essentials? Do you have any secrets to surviving your workday?

Weekend Reading

Happy Saturday, readers! This weekend is coming as a much needed break for me. I feel like 2015 is just FLYING by so far, and I have been busy the whole time. I am planning on heading into DC today for a little sight seeing since we have been holed up with rain the past few days. I have been missing the sun so much lately! Enjoying a lazy morning or evening in? Have no fear- I have some great articles for you to click through.

Even before blowouts, I have been all about extending a good hair day. Check out these tips on adding more time in between washes!

I love these ideas for staying in the moment- I have experimented with unplugged holidays before and hope to continue to incorporate more of this disconnected time into my everyday life!

As many people have already freaked over this, I still have to share- Target released their Lilly Pulitzer for Target lookbook! It is gorgeous.

I am swooning over the Spring 2015 collection from Essie! At-home-manis are a favorite of mine. I love the new Flowerista and Petal Pushers!

Speaking of spring, I am loving these gorgeous blooms. I can't wait to have a garden of my own!

SPF is my best friend, therefore this guide to self-tanning might come in handy to get a little glow!

Per usual, here is a little online shopping with a spring-y twist!

Have a beautiful weekend! xo.

Dead Sea Mud Mask Review

Happy Monday, y'all! I hope you had wonderful weekend! These past few weeks have been crazy with work for me, and it's really starting to show on my face. When I get stressed out, my skin gets more oily and I feel as though I break out every single time! Nothing is worse than having to deal with bad skin AND a crazy busy schedule! Thankfully, I got the opportunity to try out Pure & Essential Mineral's Dead Sea Mud mask. It couldn't have come at a better time for me!

Mud masks are well-known for their ability to purify your skin and shrink your pores. Now, there are many products who include those claims on their labels so it can be difficult to sort through all of the mess to find what actually will help out your skin! I have fair and sensitive skin, so I have to be extremely careful when selecting what I put on my face. Through knowing and understanding my skin type, I have found that I look my best when I use products containing mostly natural ingredients. Pure & Essential Mineral's Dead Sea Mud mask is 100% natural and organic- so I didn't have to think twice about giving it a try.

The instructions recommend weekly use, but I was hesitant to go all in until I had tried it out a few times. I have currently used it twice and am pleased with the experience. The product is silky smooth and went on easily. The mask does have a pretty strong smell, but I honestly didn't even notice it once it was on my face. It's not an artificial or perfume scent, so it didn't bother my eyes or nose during use! The mask dries quickly and you can feel it tightening on your skin right away so you know it's working. There was no burning sensation like I have experienced with other mud masks. Allow it to dry and after 10 minutes, re-activate the mask with warm water for simple removal. My skin is very soft and feels squeaky clean after using this mask! I have noticed a reduction in the size and redness of already-present blemishes. The mask does claim to reduce blackheads, but I did not see that on my skin. Maybe that is a benefit of longer or more frequent use than what I have been able to do so far.

I am excited to have a new secret weapon in my beauty routine and will definitely be keeping this mask handy for those stressful weeks! Head on over to Pure & Essential Mineral's Amazon shop to try it out for yourself!

Full Disclosure: I received a complimentary product sample from Pure & Essential Minerals to review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support A Peachy Sonder.

Easy DIY Sugar Scrub

Hi out there! Last week I shared with you my experience with Argan oil, and I am continuing to share my love for this awesome beauty staple today with a simple DIY! When I go get a manicure or pedicure, one of my favorite parts is getting massaged and scrubbed up with their fancy spa products. I just got the first pedicure that I've had in over a year (read more about that here), and I felt inspired to try to make my own spa scrub!

I think it turned out pretty great if I do say so myself! I found some lavender essential oil at TJ Maxx, used my argan oil, and also got fractionated coconut oil from Radha Beauty on Amazon. I decided to store it in that cute mason jar I had sitting unused in my apartment. I didn't realize how easy it would be to create such an indulgent and pampering product! Because it contains simple and natural ingredients, this scrub has so many uses- on your hands before an at-home mani, on your legs after shaving, on your feet in your bath, and anywhere else you could use some extra exfoliation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Easy DIY Sugar Scrub

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup fractionated coconut oil (or carrier oil of your choice)
10 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops argan oil

Start by measuring out the coconut oil and then add in the drops of essential oil. Add the oils into your sugar and stir gently until combined. If your desired texture isn't reached, add additional ingredients (add more oil for a liquidy texture, add more sugar for more gritty texture). Store in airtight container with lid and enjoy within a month!

I think it's a great time to start incorporating some extra exfoliation into your routine to get you skin smooth and ready to be exposed in warmer weather outfits- thank goodness!

Have you experimented with DIY beauty products before? What do you do to get your skin shorts and tank top ready?

Why I stopped taking my coffee to go

For the past 2 months, I made a minor change to my mornings that has had a major impact on my day. I have decided to enjoy my coffee at home instead of taking it with me to drink on the road. I didn't realize how much this was going to change my routine, but I absolutely love it! At first, I started waking up 10 minutes early to make sure I wasn't off-setting my morning routine. I slowly found out that it truly didn't make a difference! I gave myself those 10 minutes back in bed and still have time to enjoy my cup of coffee {and the benefits I've realized through taking the time to do so!}.

In the mornings, I always have the Today Show playing while I get ready. I love the background noise, as well as hearing most of the stories. My apartment is pretty small so I can play it from my tv in my living room and hear just fine in my bathroom. I had previously been eating breakfast at my desk while getting my day started on my work computer. Although I didn't realize this, the behavior caused me to feel rushed through my morning and thrown into business before I actually started my work day. Not a good way to start things off. In addition, I hate to bring drinks to my desk for fear of spilling. So I was putting off my cup of coffee until I was completely ready and walking out the door. If I'm being completely honest- I felt as though eating and starting my work day a my desk was successful multitasking, however I actually found out that it was taking me more time to complete both tasks at the same time than it would to do them separately. Since the very first day I changed my ways, I find my mornings to be more relaxed and surprisingly more productive. I feel like they belong to me, not my job. I eat my breakfast on my couch with my cute trays {check them out via Instagram} and enjoy a hot cup of coffee while actually watching the Today Show. It's glorious!

I think that I tend to get to caught up in planning my day/week at the computer, so I wasn't taking the time to wake up and really begin my day in a calm manner as I prefer. This attitude shift helps me in several ways: I feel much happier when leaving the house, I'm more alert because I've already jump started my system with caffeine before getting behind the wheel of my car, and I feel as though my mind is truly ready to start the work day. Beginning the day with a positive and relaxed outlook helps set the tone for the entire day- which I appreciate!! I plan on keeping up with this change, even if it requires me to make small adjustments to my morning to ensure it stays in the routine. It truly is my recipe for morning success!

How do you start out your day to ensure it's successful? Do you have any tips on making the perfect morning routine?