True story: I joined Greenpeace when I was 8. I still have an envelope full of literature and stickers about the Ozone layer, Save the Whale and the dangers of pollution. Let’s just say I was a precocious, super sensitive little Sally Draper who was very obsessed with saving the planet. Plus, I’d read The Baby-sitters Club ‘Dawn Saves the Planet’ that summer and well, just about everything in my life can be traced back to The Baby-sitters Club books. Continue reading “Living more sustainably in 5 small steps”
What to do when your new job isn’t what you expected
Nothing beats the excitement of landing a new job, right? Well, maybe the burst bubble feeling of finding out your new job isn’t what it was cracked up to be, or that you were catfished by your new employers. Now that feeling is hard to beat. For all the wrong reasons.
Continue reading “What to do when your new job isn’t what you expected”
5 things that got me through September
Pretty dramatic headline, right? Truth is, I’ve been feeling a bit Eeyore about everything lately. No idea why. I mean, it’s a mystery! As part of my attempt to practice gratitude each day, I’m counting my blessings in whatever shape I can find them, whether it’s the big stuff (my health) or the silly stuff (things I consume to brighten my week). You guessed it – this list is mostly the silly stuff.
Continue reading “5 things that got me through September”
6 things I learned during lockdown
Number one: fluent Russian. Just kidding! Don’t worry, this list of “lockdown lessons” won’t make you feel bad about yourself. Despite my occasional Oprah-inspired moments of insight, my lockdown achievements are less “valuable skills” and more the product of too much time in my own head. Nonetheless, I wanted to share what I got up to and things I realised during this time. Continue reading “6 things I learned during lockdown”
5 free online courses to do in lockdown
Be productive during the coronavirus pandemic! Now is not the time for productivity! Upskill! Take it easy! I don’t know about you but I’m getting whiplash about how I should be using lockdown time. My advice? Do what works for you.
One thing I know for certain is I need to keep busy. Too much downtime and I start to dwell on things. All the wrong things. Ever heard the old adage that you can cure feeling down by learning something new? Online courses are one way to do just that. Continue reading “5 free online courses to do in lockdown”
Books to (re)read during a pandemic
God, I miss the library. Specifically the weekly thrill of a delivery of orders arriving, the greedy reward for spending so much time stalking the catalogue. With my beloved library out of reach for the foreseeable future (sob), I’ve taken drastic measures – I’ve raided my bookshelves for something, anything, to distract myself from reality.
After falling down a rabbit hole of “How do I own three copies of Valley of the Dolls?” I emerged clutching a stack of books I first bought at a very specific time in my life and haven’t been sucked into the pages of since. You don’t need to be an armchair psychiatrist to analyse why my book choices are all from a better, less anxious time. Needless to say, if you want to escape the present moment, you could do a lot worse than escaping into books you last loved as an awkward teenager. Continue reading “Books to (re)read during a pandemic”
5 ways to cope with coronavirus anxiety
I’ve never been a newshound but in the past two weeks, Brad Pitt in Thelma & Louise couldn’t take me away from the endless scroll of my Twitter feed. With the coronavirus pandemic seemingly changing by the minute, I’ve spent more time online this month than I have in years. I feel a weird mix of wanting to know more, more, more, and conversely craving the days when all we talked about was Baby Shark, Pokemon Go, and whether a dress was blue or black (for the record – it’s blue, I tell ya). As a result, my anxiety has hit the roof. Continue reading “5 ways to cope with coronavirus anxiety”
Working from home and your mental health
Zoom meetings in your pyjamas, boycotting bras, an extra lie-in because you don’t need to do the dreaded commute, no more awkward small talk with Simon in IT who seems to live in the office kitchen – these are some of the joys of working from home. But like all good things, working from home also has its dark side.
Where to stay in Dublin on a budget
Having déjà vu? I’ve updated this blog post with new hotels (and references to covid-19) to do my bit for the Irish tourism industry.
Visiting Dublin on a budget? With average hotel prices in Dublin clocking in at €155.75 a night (compared to the European average of €115.54), chances are most of your budget won’t go on pints of Guinness but will instead be swallowed up by your hotel bill. Despite its reputation as a notoriously expensive city, cheap hotels in Dublin DO exist.
Fear not – booking a budget hotel in Dublin for under €100 a night doesn’t mean you have to stay in a grimy hostel (with your new bunkmates – a lively hen party from Liverpool) or a soulless airport hotel miles away from the action. Continue reading “Where to stay in Dublin on a budget”
How to cope with self-doubt when you’re freelance
I’ve never met a writer who wasn’t riddled with self-doubt. Pouring your blood, sweat and tears (oh, the tears) into each word and wondering with every syllable if you’re good enough. Word to the wise: don’t become a writer if you can’t face mental gymnastics each time you face a blank page. Continue reading “How to cope with self-doubt when you’re freelance”