What I Pack for Work

I’ve been working at a coffee shop a lot recently. I seem to fluctuate between feeling more productive at home and craving the atmosphere of being around other people. So, I pack up and work for the first half of the day at my favorite coffee shop, Ritual Cafe. 

Everything I need for a day of work fits in my backpack, and today I thought it would be fun to give you a mental snapshot of what those things are. 

First off and most importantly is my laptop, and the charger to go along with that. I have a 2015 13” MacBook Pro that I adore. You can read this post about how I thought I ruined it on the way to Sri Lanka, and this post about how it magically came back to life when we got home. My laptop is such a necessity and the center of everything I do. 

From there a crucial part of my work productivity, regardless of where I am, is my bullet journal which I use as my planner. I use a Rhodia dot journal, and I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to a standard planner. I have my calendar, my ideas, my to-do’s, everything in here. 

I normally also always have my personal journal with me. It’s just something I love having on hand because you never know when the mood is going to strike where you’re like “I need to write about this!” It’s a great way to document life as well as work through thoughts. It's not necessarily a must-have for work, but if something is floating around my head, distracting me, it helps to have a place to put in into writing so I can get back to work. 

Lately, I’ve also been carrying around a plain lined notebook. I like making lists, taking notes, and such in here instead of on my computer or in my bullet journal. I really like physically writing some stuff out, and it’s great to have paper on hand for when you need to do that. 

Because of these three paper notebooks I carry around I always have my pencil pouch with me, and while it only has a single mechanical pencil in it I keep other important bits in there:

+ Headphones (a must when you’re working outside the home whether it’s for editing videos or needing to listening to music)

+ Foray StyleMark Fine 0.5 mm in black (my main bullet journal pen)

+ Papermate Flair Medium (an unnecessary pen I use to create my fake calligraphy in my bullet journal)

+ Frixion Ball Slim in blue and orange (my favorite pens to journal and write with)

+ small clear ruler (use it to fill out my bullet journal)

+ Chapstick (who doesn’t travel with this?)

I normally have my Seagate 1TB external hard drive in my bag. This is where I keep old video footage as well as important documents. It’s nice to have it if I’m editing a video where I reference back to something I have footage of. (I need to get a second external hard drive because my current one is just about full.)

I almost always have my Canon g7x for me for filming when I’m out and about. I’m awful when it comes to filming in public, but if the mood strikes I want to have my camera on hand. Oh, and I guess it’s worth mentioning that I have my phone, keys, and wallet with me at all times, but that’s pretty much a given for everyone.

I also bring my travel coffee mug with me for working from the coffee shop because even though I’m going to sit there and drink it, I find that it stays warmer longer with the lid, and if I don’t finish it I can bring it with me. (But this rarely happens). 

What are your work must haves? At minimum, it’s obviously my laptop, but I’m pretty much unstoppable with these few things I talked about today. And it all fits easily into my backpack. 

Why I Have $100,000 On My Wall

Last week I wrote a post about lessons I had learned from the book “Get Rich, Lucky Bitch” which I devoured and thoroughly enjoyed. 

One of the glaring realizations was that I had this subconscious belief that I only deserved to make the bare minimum needed to survive. 

But what happens when your goals change, what you want changes? What if a house and a family doesn’t seem so distant? 

The answer: you’re going to need more money. 

I realized that I thought making more money than I “needed” was greedy. That I should only want what I need and nothing more. 

Why set big goals if you have enough now?

Well, I realized it wasn’t about being ungrateful for what I already have. It’s about growing, as a person, as a business, and it’s OK if you desires and goals change. 

It doesn’t take much money for me to support myself at this point in life. I’m pretty proud of that fact, but I also discovered that the idea of making “a lot” of money freaked me out, gave me these weird, cringey feelings that I didn’t like. 

In the book she talks about clients who had the goals of making six figures, seven figures, and each time I found myself a bit bug eyed thinking, “That’s sooo much money!” 

When I thought about what it would be like to make six figures I found myself really uncomfortable with the idea of that much money. 

I’m a far way off from that income goal, but how could I ever expect myself to seek out more money if I wasn’t even comfortable with the idea of making more money. 

Essentially, I was repelling money and opportunities that led to more money because I didn’t think I needed it nor deserved it. I was uncomfortable with it. 

So, I’ve started doing a few things to change my attitude towards making more money. 

One, slightly absurd, thing I’ve done is put “$100,000” on the bottom of my felt letter board that sits on my desk. 

And when I first put it up there I would hide it behind candles, embarrassed that it was even there. But slowly, as I sit down and look at it every day I’m becoming more and more comfortable with it. Slowly but surely it doesn’t seem so absurd, it doesn’t seem so greedy, it doesn’t seem so impossible. 

I’ve also started putting up little positive money affirmations on sticky notes above my desk. 

I’m slowly chipping away at my preconceived notions about income and self-worth. 

I want things in life, and I want them sooner rather than later. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Having goals doesn’t make me greedy. I’m not harming anyone to get there. 

I love learning about personal finance and money mindsets. Money will probably always be taboo, but it doesn’t mean I can’t change my own attitude towards the matter. 

What are some of the big money lessons you’ve learned so far in life?

What I Bring For Work When Traveling

I love hearing what others pack for different trips, so today I wanted to share what I bring so I can work while I’m traveling. 

While I’m not traveling for “work” (soon!) I am lucky enough to be able to work from anywhere so I always have a few key things with me no matter where I go. 

Laptop + Charger

When you’re a self-employed girl boss who’s business is (mostly) all online you always take your laptop with you. Trying to do anything on my phone for work (outside of posting to social media) is a pain. 

And there’s nothing better than setting up shop in a cool little cafe in some new city and cracking out some work. 

When Michael and I first went to SE Asia together in 2014 I left my laptop at home. We ended up spending a lot of time while in Chiang Mai in coffeeshops because he had some unexpected work come up. And I remember really just regretting my decision to leave my laptop at home. 

It now comes everywhere. 

Headphones

This is a must for travel in general, but there’s nothing worse than forgetting to pack your headphones.

While there’s other tasks you can complete if you’re out in public, you can’t edit videos because hello, that would be rude. 

Not to mention popping on some motivational, upbeat music, watching videos or taking a break to meditate. 

External Hard Drive

The storage on my laptop is pretty decent, but I never want to run out of space to create. So, having extra storage is a must. 

Plus you can throw videos, photos and everything from your trip on there to keep your phone and SD cards clear for even more goodness. 

I also store different things on my hard drive that I might need to access for work. 

Bullet Journal + Pen

My planner! I would be lost without this one. There’s something about the routine and organization I get from this tiny book that is revolutionary to what I’m able to accomplish for work. 

Even day to day if I don’t have my planner I can’t tell people if I’m free a certain day, which makes planning anything difficult. 

Camera + Charger

I love that I now have a smaller Canon g7x for traveling. And because of this I almost always have my camera with me. 

Not only do I like documenting my travels, but being able to film a new FemmeHead video even when I’m not home is valuable. 

Overall, it’s a simple list of items I need, which makes life oh so easy. And how amazing is it to be able to run an entire business with just a few things!

What are your work must-haves when traveling? 

Home Office Update!

Last month I wrote about my journey towards creating the perfect home office space. 

And I’m just about there this month. 

So last time we checked in on this topic I was still out in the main room, using my window desk, but on the search for “my desk”. 

And I found it. 

On Craigslist, for $25. 

It was a clunky old desk, but it had the bones of what I wanted. 

After a morning of cutting it up, rearranging it’s parts and adding some new parts of my own, there it was. My desk.

I took off the cabinet that held up one side, chopped off one of the drawers that made up the other side, bought legs and angled plates to attach them, and my modern desk was born. 

It fits perfectly in that open space that was waiting for it in my back bedroom. 

The very same day I went in search of a chair, not expecting to find it. But then there it was sitting, unmarked at the thrift store. 

How much? I asked. 

Hmm, how about $10 she whispered back. 

Sold! I said. 

I still need to sew up a cover for the cushion (not too big into the pattern), but I’ll get around to that eventually. 

I grabbed my framed print of downtown that was living in my bathroom, along with the candle holder that was with it. 

And the finishing touch? 

An ethernet to thunderbolt adapter for my laptop. 

And we were in business. 

This is my space. 

This is where I go and feel that sense of, “this is where we work, Victoria.” 

And I couldn’t be happier. 

Not to mention I’ve spent less than $70 so far for all of it. 

Trying to Create the Perfect Home Office

When I started creating FemmeHead from my apartment I didn’t really care to have a space. I always just sat at the kitchen island because the stools were slightly uncomfortable, which helped keep me focused. 

You see, I can’t work from a couch or anywhere too cozy or my mind will slip into “Hey, I’m comfy, let’s watch some videos or some Netflix.” 

When you work from home you have to learn how to create a “work" environment that is separate from your “home” environment. 

I know what keeps me on track, and structured chairs are part of that. 

A few months ago I found myself in a work funk. The usual motivation I have for FemmeHead wasn’t there.

I was frustrated and confused. 

Then one day I realized, I need my own work space, I need a desk.

But where was I going to put a desk? I really didn’t have much space. Michael had a desk in the back bedroom that he used every now and then. But it was too clunky and the internet wasn’t strong back there. 

I wanted to be able to sit in front of one of our windows, which meant I needed a taller desk. 

So the next morning I went over the shop my mom works in and built myself a desk out of three scrap pieces of wood I had, that I’m fairly sure were one table sleeves (wood pieces that you slide into the middle of a table to extend it). 

I had a desk, but then my next issue was I didn’t have a chair/stool that was the right size. My solution was to take one our kitchen stools and put it up on blocks to raise it to the right height. 

And that’s what I’ve been using for the past few months. And it has been great to have a space to go to each morning, and for my mind to know, right here is where we work. 

But now I can feel that it’s time to graduate to a bigger work space. One that I can work in and film videos from. 

This has all come at kind of the perfect time. Michael just signed a lease on an office in the East Village (Des Moines, of course). This means he isn’t going to be working from the back bedroom, which means I can take that space over. 

Right before my birthday I went on a little decluttering spree in that room, went through it all, donated and moved quite a bit before finally rearranging the room so it was basically just a bed. 

So much room for activities. 

Not to mention an entire wall that opened up is just perfect for my little office corner. 

Now, comes the fun part, designing and decorating it. 

The first step is that I have to find a desk. But I’m not just going to buy a desk to have a desk.  

Nope, I’m an annoying conscious consumer. I’m only going to buy something that I absolutely love, and that can move spaces when the time comes. 

And I don’t want to spend a butt load of money. Seriously, why are desks so expensive? 

I’m going to hunt around town through the antique shops and such. I’ll know my desk when I see it. 

Once I find the desk then I can choose the perfect chair, and then I’ll have the necessary bones. 

From there I want some greenery, some prints or photos, and probably a spot to store my pens. 

Everything will have a place, and it won’t just sit on my desk like it all does now. 

Having a space to work from gives what you’re doing a certain amount of legitimacy that you don’t get from your kitchen counter or a coffeeshop bench.

And while I love the freedom I have to work from anywhere (I’m typing this on a plane ride from San Francisco to Portland at the moment) I know the structure of having my spot at home will do me a world of good. 

I also want to be able to film from that spot as well, which I already have started to. But at the moment it’s just a blank white wall. Clean, but kind of boring. 

As for the internet, Michael and I ran an ethernet cord through the ceiling all the way from the front room, so a simple adapter will give me lightening fast internet. It doesn’t get much better than that does it?

I can't wait for this process to continue, building my space as well as building my business. What a fun time it is to be alive, am I right?