The Darling CEO

Money, Business, and Life Tips for the Working Mom

The Ultimate Gift List for Remote Workers

The Ultimate Gift List for Remote Workers

With the Covid-19 pandemic, more people than ever are working from home. Check out this ultimate gift list for remote workers to find the perfect gift for that special remote worker in your life!

These items are sure to bring a little joy and comfort to the home workspace.

Disclosure: As an Amazon affiliate, we earn a commission made from qualifying purchases. 

Desktop Space Heater/Fan 

Who can argue that it’s important to be comfortable? This little beauty helps you heat up or cool down at your desk, without being an absolute eyesore.

Echo Dot 

An Echo Dot is a must-have for remote workers.  This little gadget can serve as a radio, alarm, timer, phone, thesaurus, calculator, and so much more.   I use my office Echo Dot on a daily basis.  I listen to my daily news (that I curate on the Alexa app), listen to music, and even use it for a Pomodoro timer. I’m such a big fan of Echo devices, I have one in every single room of my house!

 

Yeti Rambler

Admittedly, using a Yeti made me feel a little bougie at first. However, once I used one, I can’t go back. First of all, they legitimately work. They will keep your beverage of choice warm or cold for such a long amount of time.  Way longer than any other cup I have used in the past. But my favorite part of the Yeti? No condensation.  No more water rings to deal with or wipe away.   Plus, they are super durable, easy to clean, and last a long time!

 

Foot Massager and Warmer

Everyone deserves a little luxury in their lives.  This cool little gadget is sure to deliver. It not only massages your feet, but it also warms them up! Perfect to keep under the desk on those chilly work from home days.

 

Noise-Canceling Headphones

One drawback to working from home is all of the potential distractions that present themselves. Noise-canceling headphones have made me so much more productive during remote work, especially with two little ones running around.  When I really need to crank some workout, I put my headphones on and listen put on my Spotify.  These particular headphones are high-quality, super affordable, and have over 50,000 reviews on Amazon!

 

Daily Planner

Working remote requires careful planning to ensure that you get everything done and that you are not overworking yourself.  I  love that this planner not only includes the typical spaces for to-do’s and times to remember, but it also includes reminders for meals, gratitude, and exercise. It’s easy to get caught up in work and end up working for 12-13 hours straight without taking care of yourself. It’s critical that you are planning mindfulness, exercise, and healthy eating into your day so a good planner is a must for any gift list for remote workers.

Desktop Planter Bulb


While it is tempting to have fake plants due to not having to keep another living object, well… alive, live plants have many benefits. Studies have shown that live plants can help increase productivity, satisfaction, and even creativity.  This is a beautiful and low-maintenance way to reap some of those benefits at home.

 

Under Desk Bicycle

A lot of remote workers find that they don’t get the same amount of exercise at home as they do when they are in the office.  It’s important that you are getting exercise in when you can. This under the desk bike helps you stay moving and get some exercise in while you are working away at your computer.   It’s also small so you can easily tuck it away when you are not using it.

 

Personal Fridge 


When I am working from home, I  tend to have to hide from my family. Otherwise, they ask me a million questions and I  end up preparing snacks for three hours. When I  bunker down in my workspace, I  need to be prepared. This adorable personal fridge allows you to keep your food and drink cold without having to sneak into the kitchen.  This model holds up to 6 cans so it is a little on the smaller side, but there are similar models that hold more.

 

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The Work from Home Supplies You Must Have

The Work from Home Supplies You Must Have

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made from these links may result in commissions. 

There are many people who are working from home for the first time.  This can be pretty jarring if you are used to having an established routine, rapport with coworkers, and having everything you need at your fingertips.  Luckily, working from home can be even more productive (if not more!) and comfortable if you plan properly and have the right work from home supplies.

This list of must have work from home supplies includes things that will make working from home more enjoyable and efficient.

Writing Desk 

Working from your bed or couch is not ideal.  This super affordable writing desk helps you easily set up a home office in any area of the house.   The desk is lightweight and easy to move around to find the location that works best for you.    It is large enough to fit your working essentials such as a monitor, laptop, and keyboard.    Having a dedicated office space can help improve your work-life balance, posture, and even productivity!

Monitor 

A monitor is at the top of my work from home supplies list.  One of the things I miss most from my office is my double monitors.  See, I’m getting old so looking at my small laptop screen all day long starts to wear on my eyes.   This monitor has been a game changer. I   feel way more productive and my eyes aren’t as strained at the end of the day.

Wireless Keyboard & Mouse

Another thing that I missed dearly when I started working from home was my keyboard and wireless mouse.  This set was actually the very first thing that I purchased.  Setup is as easy as inserting the receiver into your computer.  It’s really convenient to have a full sized keyboard with a number pad so this purchase is well worth the small investment!

Foot Rest 

I like to be comfortable when I work so I  love this foot rest that you place under your desk. Prior to finding this footrest, I had used an old bankers box when I wanted to put my feet up. This is not only more visually appealing but it is way more comfortable.

Lap Desk 

The beauty of working from home is that you can really work anywhere, even your couch or bed from time to time.  This lap desk is awesome and even comes with a built in mousepad and wrist pad. This lap desk allows you to work comfortably from anywhere.

Noise Canceling Headphones 

Sometimes you need to focus and tune out the outside world that is why I recommend noise cancelling headphones to anyone working form home.  This set is very affordable, very stylish, and extremely functional.   They look and act just like the Beats headphones but much cheaper.

Power Strip

A good power strip is definitely a must-have work from home supply.  Sometimes you need to power your laptop,  headphones, and phone all at the same time.  This cool little power cube is an excellent way to charge all of your devices at once.  It’s very affordable and the cube design allows you to fit all kinds of chargers.

 

Water Bottle

The first few weeks of working from home I felt like I did nothing but eat.  Everything I had a break I would venture into the kitchen and grab something to nibble on. Seven pounds later I realized that I needed to get this in check. They don’t say people have gained the quarantine 15 for nothing.  At the beginning of each day I try to get all of my meals prepped and I  portion out my snacks for the day. This helps me make better meal choices.

Another thing that I have found to help me from mindless snacking is having a water bottle by my side.  I’ve found that when I  drink enough water I end up eating less.  I love this particular water bottle because it holds a gallon of water (which is aggressive, I know but some people swear by it) and it also keeps you on track and motivated.

 

Almonds

Speaking of snacks, almonds are an excellent healthy snack during the day.  Almonds are packed with fiber and protein and and they leave you feeling full for a long time.  I  find that a handful of these will hold me over until the next meal.  Having healthy snacks nearby when you are working from home will help avoid potato chips and other unhealthy foods.

A few small investments can make all the different in your work from home comfort and productivity.

What are you essential work from home supplies? do you have any supplies that help you be more productive? What do you miss most from working in the office? Leave a comment below!

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January To-Do’s for Successful Working Moms

January To-Do’s for Successful Working Moms

Call me crazy but I love January. I love the feeling of renewal that comes from a brand new year. I am energized and motivated to take on the year.

Every January, I try to capitalize on this energy and motivation and knock off some tasks that help me start the year off right as a working mom.

Here are January to-do’s for successful working moms…

Declutter

We have a large family so our children get so much stuff for Christmas. To top that off, my daughters birthday is in January as well so even more stuff. Yay. During January, I try to get rid of as much stuff as possible. Old clothes, toys, magazines that have piled up, toys, old makeup, anything and everything that is not nailed down. Check out The Life Changing Method of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Kondo provides very practical tips on what and how to get rid of your clutter.

Deep Clean

You can either outsource this or do it yourself but one to-do that should be on every working moms life is to deep clean your home. Once you have decluttered it is the perfect time to clean. I’m talking clean that you never have a chance to get to like baseboards and washing walls. This will allow you to start the year off with a truly fresh and clean space. It will also take some away some of the mental load that can eat away at you.

Set a Budget and Savings Plan

If you are like me, you are experiencing a spending hangover in January. I am so sick of spending money by the end of December, I am just ready to get back to a budget and start saving again. Take advantage of this feeling and sit down and set a budget. Start by reviewing your spending for the last year. Where did your money go? Reflect on where you could have saved more and spent less. Now set your budget for the next year. Make sure that you are paying yourself first and setting aside money in your budget to save. Start the saving program as early in January as possible either through your employer (via a 401k) or your bank (IRA or a traditional savings account).

Set a Goal

Every year I set a personal development goal for myself. Motherhood can be so daunting. When you are working, raising children, taking care of a home, taking care of a marriage, etc. it leaves very little time for you. It can be easy for moms to feel like they have lost themselves. Each year I set a goal solely for myself. This gives me a reason to do something that I enjoy and gives me fulfillment and satisfaction as I march towards achieving it. A couple of goals that I have completed are reading 100 books in a year and learning Spanish. Find something that you enjoy doing and set a stretch goal for yourself. Make sure that you keep that promise to yourself and make a plan to achieve it. And remember, a happy mom/wife/employee is a good mom/wife/employee!

Organize Your Schedule

The end of the year is a free for all. There are so many demands on your time with the holidays, school events, and work deadlines. After all of that, now is the perfect time to reset and organize your schedule. Go through your calendar and block out time for everything that you need to get done. Make sure that you are carving out time for your goal and for just doing nothing. I make sure that at least one day out of each weekend we block out our calendar to do nothing. Those are my favorite days (and my kids) and would likely not happen if I wasn’t intentional on blocking out that time.

Now is also a great time to grab control of your work calendar. Go through each meeting that is on your calendar for the new year and make sure that it needs to be there. Meetings tend to stick around a lot longer than they are actually needed. Now would be a good time to trim the fat and get rid of non-essential meetings. You should also schedule time to actually do the work. I work in a corporate environment so I sit on conference calls all day. If I don’t block off time to actually do the work, I would be bringing that home with me today. Block an hour or two a day during your MOST productive time of day to do deep work.

What are your January To-Do’s for Successful Working Moms? What do you do in January that helps set up success for the remainder of the year? Leave a comment below!

 

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How Alexa Runs My Mornings

How Alexa Runs My Mornings

I don’t know where I would be without Amazon’s Alexa.   For those that don’t know, Alexa is Amazon’s virtual assistant and she is amazing.

You can access Alexa on a variety of Amazon devices such as the Amazon Echo, Echo Show, and Amazon FireTV.  They even have an Echo Dot exclusively for kids. Amazon has even launched a Alexa powered device for your car and an Input device to turn any speaker into an Alexa-enabled device. Long story short, Alexa is taking over the world and I am here for it.

Alexa makes my life easier.  Especially during our hectic school day mornings.

So how exactly do I use Amazon’s Alexa in the morning?

Alarm

Alexa serves as my alarm clock. I have an Amazon Echo in my master bathroom and through the Alexa app I set a weekday alarm for 5:45am.  Without her I  would sleep my life away (not really, my three and five year old would eventually drag me out of bed).

Additionally, I  have Echo Dots in both of my children’s bedrooms so I set an alarm for each of them. The alarms are necessary because Monday-Friday are the only days that my kids like to sleep in which is super convenient. Also, its is important to note that Alexa is a much more effective alarm than my screaming from the kitchen.

How I use Amazon's Alexa to run our crazy school mornings. Learn the ways that Alexa helps to run our home more efficiently. Alexa alarm Alexa app

 

Calendar

Alexa gives you the ability to link your calendar. Currently, Alexa supports Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Microsoft Exchange (so pretty much most calendars).  Once you link your calendar, you can ask Alexa to tell you what is on your calendar.  You can check your calendar while you are chasing your daughter around trying to brush her hair.  Win-win.

Announcements

When you have multiple Alexa enabled devices in your home, you can utilize them as your own personal PA system.  If I am in the kitchen kitchen finishing breakfast, I  can just tell Alexa to make an announcement that breakfast is done and it will broadcast to all of the devices online.  It sure beats having to scream through the house or run upstairs to let them know

News

Every morning as I am getting breakfast, 2nd breakfast, and the before school snack ready for my kids, I ask Alexa to play my “flash briefing”. The Flash Briefing is a collection of news curated specifically for me.  You have the ability to customize which news outlets you want to hear from.   For me, some of my favorites include NPR, The Daily Skimm, The Wall Street Journal, and the local weather.  It’s a great way to stay caught up with what is going in the world pretty effortlessly.

News Every morning as I am getting breakfast, 2nd breakfast, and the before school snack ready for my kids, I ask Alexa to play my "flash briefing". The Flash Briefing is a collection of news curated specifically for me.  You have the ability to customize which news outlets you want to hear from.   For me, some of my favorites include NPR, The Daily Skimm, The Wall Street Journal, and the local weather.  It's a great way to stay caught up with what is going in the world pretty effortlessly.

Reminders

Probably my very favorite way that we use Alexa in the mornings is by using Alexa to keep us on pace for getting ready. Here is how that works, I set reminders at designated times during the morning.   At 7:30am Alexa announces that it is time for the kids to get dressed,  at 7:45am she reminds my children to get their shoes on, and at 8:00am she reminds us to start walking to the bus stop.   This has been a lifesaver! It is so easy to lose track of time as you are trying to get everyone ready and out the door.  Having these reminders keeps us on pace with time and prevents us from being late.  We are always the first one to the bus stop and Alexa deserves all of the credit.

Music

If we happen to have a few minutes before we need to leave for the bus stop, I ask Alexa to play us some music for an impromptu dance party. It’s a fun and easy way to kill some time and try to get some energy out of the kids before they go to school. I created a Before School Playlist just for this purpose.

Amazon’s Alexa is seriously my favorite gadget (even though it’s not necessarily one gadget). Not only do I  love her, she is an awesome co-parent. My kids seem to listen to her more than myself most mornings. No shame here, I will take all the help I can get.

Have you used Alexa in the mornings?  What skills do you utilize?  I would love to hear! Leave a comment below.

 

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How I use Amazon's Alexa to run our crazy school mornings. How we use Alexa to help run our home more efficiently and help this working mom survive the mornings.