Welcome to ‘5 things’, a monthly round-up ‘sletter created with the purpose of hopefully introducing you to some cool new things. Whether newly discovered or tried and true—I share 5 things with you each month that really caught my attention.
I’ve been feeling oddly anxious lately and even though I can pin point exactly why I’m feeling this way, it’s been a bit tough trying to manage that emotion. It has to do with both overwhelm from my endless to-do list but also being on the cusp of some major life changes. Can’t share too much yet but at least there are some really exciting things coming up, so stay tuned!
It’s funny because this week’s 5 Things list really reflects how I’ve been feeling. There’s a feel-good comfort read, there are some new workspace changes (because whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, my first instinct is to change something in my life), and some productivity apps I’ve been loving. All things that I’ve been exploring to try to help manage the anxiety and keep myself in check. On Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube you just get to see all the good times, cool products, and happy moments so I thought I’d use the newsletter to share some of the behind the scenes—that I’m also human and get anxious and nervous when big things happen in life.
Hopefully if you’ve been feeling the same, this is a nice reminder that you’re not alone.
5 Things
Beach Read - I was craving an easy, quick, romance read and I feel like you can always depend on Emily Henry for these. I was reading Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah for March’s book club pick but I think it was a little too intense and paired with a busy month for me it put me in a bit of reading slump. Chain Gang All-Stars is actually an amazing read, I was really enjoying it so I’ll definitely get back to it at some point. But Beach Read did exactly what I expected: it made me giddy, laugh, and feel things.
New Branch desk - For the millionth time, I decided to switch out my desk. If you just quickly looked at my workspace, you honestly wouldn’t be able to tell I changed anything at all. But I recently switched out my standing desk to the Branch Woodgrain standing desk. I decided to stick with the light wood but the reason I switched was so that I had a longer desk top to work with. I’m starting to film more unboxing videos for YouTube so having the extra workspace makes a big difference. They were super nice to offer a discount to the newsletter family so if you’ve been looking for a new standing desk, you can use angel5 for 5% off.
The one app subscription to rule them all - Setapp is trying to make it easy for those who enjoy using different apps and software for productivity, organization, and planning. It’s a single subscription that gives you access to some major premium apps. Some apps that I’ve been loving and using through Setapp are Spark (for emails), Timemator (for time tracking), Tripsy (for trip planning), and Clean My Mac (for ensuring my MacBook stays organized and quick.
My new favourite way to take notes on my iPad - I’ve been doing a lot of learning lately, from Skillshare classes to reading business books to other online courses. I used to take all my notes in notebooks but after a while, I just found them cumbersome to bring around with me and hard to go back to review notes when I’m on-the-go. I recently switched over to using Notability for note-taking and it’s been an absolute game changer. It has some amazing features such as searching through your written notes and recording audio so you can go back and listen to the lecture while you review your notes. It also even has built it flashcards and templates for you to try and it’s definitely by far my favourite iPad note-taking app that I’ve tried. If you use my link, you can get 50% off a premium subscription but the app is totally free to use for the most part if you just want to try it out.
Overhead camera arm - I’ve been looking for the perfect overhead filming set up for SO LONG. I didn’t want to commit to a huge c-stand that I’d have to set up and remove every time I wanted to get an overhead shot so I tried 3 different desktop set ups from Amazon instead and I think I’ve found the best solution. This NEWER mount clips onto the side of your desk and has a 3-point arm that allows for so much versatility when positing your camera. You can also use it as a regular stand (just facing you when you’re filming) but it works great for overhead shots on your desk. It even comes with a phone mount if you prefer filming with your phone.
Interesting Reads
How Cats Used Humans To Conquer The World - The Atlantic
9 Minimalist Habits That Will Save You Hours - Medium
Currently Reading
Almond by Won-Pyung Sohn - Our April bookclub read! This has been on my TBR for a while so I’m super excited to start this. It’s also a short read which is exactly what I need for this weird reading slump that I’m in
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas - I put down the Throne of Glass series late last year and never picked it back up but I think it’s time I reentered the world of fantasy.
