National Nap Day: Get Your Sleep On

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It’s #nationalnappingday today, but getting a good night’s sleep every day can do some amazing things for your life… so we put together 10 of the best tips to help you catch some much needed zzz’s on the reg. (Did you know a moderately sleep-deprived body can act the same as an intoxicated body??? *takes nap*)

 
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  1. #TeamNoScreen

    You already know this is what you should be doing… and trust us, we know it’s hard to put in practice. Whether you are trying to get just one more thing done before bed, or trying to relax by surfing social media… it isn’t helping your sleep. You really shouldn’t be looking at your phone for a full two hours before going to sleep. We know what you’re thinking… TWO HOURS?! Seems a little extra. But it’s not. You don’t have to go for it all at once, you can start with 30 minutes for one week, and gradually increase to the full two hours. Eventually, it’s going to feel second-nature and will do LOADS for your sleep.

    Bonus tip: Activating night-mode for the hour before you put your phone down for the night can really help your brain. (It reduces blue light, which inhibits melatonin production.)

  2. Catch some rays to catch better zzz’s…

    “I wanna soak up the suuuun…” and you should! Getting outside during the daytime helps put your body’s circadian rhythm in check. Specifically, you should aim to expose yourself to direct sunlight within the first hour that you wake up. Going for a quick 30 minute walk is an easy way to do this! This will help jump-start your day and tells your body that it’s time to wake up, which will then make it easier to tell it to go to sleep later on!

  3. Make sure your bedroom sparks joy

    Have you been looking for an excuse to redecorate your bedroom? Well here it is: having a bedroom that you love will actually help you sleep better. If your bedroom stimulates stress, it’s going to negatively affect your sleep. Combat that by putting some thought behind what your ideal bedroom would look like, and then create it! Hang some of your favorite photos, get some toxin-reducing plants, paint the walls a nice relaxing color, reduce clutter, or display some inspo to keep you motivated. There aren’t any super-strict rules here, just make sure that whatever you choose to do improves your space and makes you happy. Time to get your zen on.

    Bonus tip: In addition to ensuring you feel relaxed when you step into your bedroom, you should also make sure it’s dark, quiet, and cool when you are ready to sleep. Get some blackout curtains, make sure to regulate the temperature, and remove any excess noise before going to sleep.

  4. If you’re going to get caffeinated, do it early

    We’ve got nothing against a nice cup of joe in the mornings, (enjoy your coffee outside to practice tip #2!) But after 2pm… consider yourself cut-off. Studies have shown that drinking caffeine within six hours of going to bed can make you lose a full hour of sleep… ouch. If you already have too much to do and too little time, losing that precious hour will really hurt the next day. Instead of reaching for more coffee in the afternoon, enjoy a cup of decaf instead, or just opt for water and improve your hydration! Win-win.

  5. Make your morning more peaceful by preparing the night before

    In the words of Ben Franklin, failure to prepare is preparing to fail. Set yourself up for success by writing out your intensions the night before, and if your brain is really buzzing, you can even write your to-do list for the next day. This lets you empty out your brain and relax your mind before bed. Make things even easier for your morning-self by picking out your clothes for the next day, packing up your leftover dinner for lunch tomorrow, and preparing as much of your breakfast as possible.

  6. Meditate

    Meditating is gaining momentum everywhere and we are here for it. There are countless studies that show the positive effects that meditation has on both your mind and body. One of them: getting a better night’s sleep! It helps you let go of the day’s stresses and prepares your mind to truly relax. If you already have a favorite meditation app or resource, see what they offer for bedtime. Or if you are a beginner, you can start off by simply counting backwards from 100 and restarting every time you lose track. Easy.

  7. Consistency is key

    Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day will help keep your body-clock in check. This will naturally help you fall asleep quickly when it’s time to go to bed, and it will help you wake up with ease... eventually without an alarm. Talk about living your best life.

  8. Your bed is for sleeping

    Cue science… If you only use your bed for sleeping, you will practice positive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Basically, it means that you’ll train your brain to understand that as soon as your head hits the pillow, it’s time to shut down and rest. Break the habit of eating or working from your bed… that will teach your brain that just because you’re in your bed, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to sleep. Thumbs down.

  9. When in doubt, sweat it out

    Exercising regularly can dramatically improve not only your sleep quality, but your overall health. It reduces stress, helps you stay alert during the day, and releases endorphins to improve your mood. The magic number… 150. If you aim for 150 minutes of physical activity per week, (that breaks down to about 25 minutes/day,) you will see the benefits in your sleep.

  10. R-E-L-A-X

    This one might be obvious… but if you’ve had a particularly rough day, you may want to take some extra steps to give yourself some TLC with a little R&R. Take a warm bath, light your favorite candle, read a book, drink some tea, listen to soothing music… we’re getting sleepy just thinking about all of these relaxation techniques. Pick the one that works for you, and unwind…

 
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Feeling sleepy yet? Us too. Leave us a comment and let us know which tip you think is going to help you most!

Twitter 101

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You're all obviously familiar with Twitter, right? Of course you are - aside from being the medium of choice for teens and celebrities, it's instantaneous capability has helped make it one of the most revolutionary forms of media. Most likely your business already has a Twitter account too but are you using it to its full potential? And if you're just starting out and plan to register an account to tweet from in the near future, you'll need some guidance. Here are a few tips:

Use Twitter to Sell

Most businesses use Twitter as an easy way to interact with followers and announce new products. I'm not saying you don't need to do the things I just mentioned but you should also be utilizing Twitter as a tool to push sales. Post exclusive promo codes and coupons that people can redeem in your online store. Release special codes for followers to use at an event for a discount or free gift (UNIQUE LA for example). Try time-based specials to drive sales such as "the first 25 people to buy our new this-and-that will get 25% off". This way, your followers will feel special because the coupon was only intended for them, and you'll be able to track your direct sales from Twitter.

Understand Your Purpose on Twitter

Before you tweet anything, you have to understand why you're doing it in the first place. Do you need to simply have an online presence? Do you need to move dead stock? Do you want to drive traffic to your other social networks? Do you want to inspire followers? Do you want to use your tweets to increase email subscribers? Writing down a quick strategy before you start tweeting is a good place to start. Once you know your objective(s) and your target audience you can start treating your Twitter account as seriously as you treat your actual business.

Be More Visual

Sometimes sharing a photo can be far more effective than 140 characters when you want to talk about your product. A beautiful, captivating photo of a delicious-looking cupcake will probably get more attention than words alone. The same can be said about launching new collections, showing people what's currently on sale, sharing pics of your booth at a tradeshow, etc. You can also use photography to get advice from your followers (i.e. Which shape do you prefer for our new logo?), to create a more personal connection, and even to show your humor.

Give your Twitter a Human Face

It's you, your fingers punching in those characters on Twitter, so use your own voice and don't sound like a corporation on Twitter. If you're a one-person show like most entrepreneurs, make sure your Twitter voice is as personal as possible. Send simple, casual tweets from a first person perspective rather than dry tweets that sound like a robot. People will be pleasantly surprised because they're not used to hearing from the head of the company (YOU in most cases).

Don't be Negative

While you should be yourself, don't give into the temptation to use Twitter as a forum to complain. We've all been there before, when something is so frustrating you want to 'let it out' but there is no bigger turnoff then to read complaints. Remember, this is business after all. Even if you are in the right, and have every reason to complain, being negative on Twitter just comes across as whining. And remember, the customer is always right! If you talk poorly about a mishap, a customer experience, another business, etc. it just shows your followers that you don't respect them and that you could perhaps talk about them someday. A definite "Don't"!

Manage Your Tweets

Tweeting on a daily basis can be pretty overwhelming especially when you're running a business. Streamline the process by using HootSuite to schedule tweets in advance and to handle multiple accounts (if you have more than one). HootSuite also has a stats feature that lets you track how many people clicked your links/interacted with your tweet.

Track Everything

Websites like Klout and TweetReach help you track your influence and reach on the web. It is crucial to track your stats in order to understand whether you're helping your business and how... What types of tweets do your followers respond to most? Which tweets get the most retweets? Is there a time of day that your twets perform best? Track your follows with TweetReach. Klout is best used to track your influence and see how well you engage your followers.

Pitching a Story to a Magazine?

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Trying to pitch a story to an editor of a magazine? Read on...

Cory Bordonaro is a Georgia-girl-gone-West, working as an Editorial Assistant for Southern Living Magazine's Travel Department in Birmingham, AL. When she's not scouring the South for stories of artisans and artists, she's working away on her own craft of letterpress printing. "Andy the Vandy," a century-old 2000 lb. printing press, currently resides in her basement. You can find her work at fourhatspress.com.

1. When scouting markets for new material, what helps a brand stand apart from the next?

The National Stationary Show (late May) was my first market experience. I was drawn to the Southern artists, and was immediately looking for people who looked like they were ready for exposure—people with hi-res images, catalogs, etc.

2. Can one to two paragraphs and a good picture really be enough to interest an editor/blogger?

 I do think succinct is the way to go. Editors get oodles of emails each day, so to be able to make a snappy and interesting pitch is key. Contact information should be prominent, so that if an editor is interested, she knows just who to follow up with for additional information.

3. What’s missing when a pitch is almost there, but not quite?

Because most magazines are bent on covering what’s new and fresh, the ‘why should I care NOW’ component is vital. A good pitch can turn into a great pitch if editors can quickly uncover why it’s important to care about the particular thing, person, place, right now (or even better, tomorrow).

4. Biggest turnoff when someone is trying to get press?

One of the most glaringly obvious mistakes people make when pitching is failing to show their understanding of the content and readership of the outlet they are pitching. If I hear someone say, “I’ve been reading your Handmade column, and see that you like to feature up-and-coming local Southern artisans,” I’d be much more willing to hear them out. Demonstrate that you’re well versed in the magazine, and you’ve automatically won some time and attention.

5. What’s the wackiest thing someone has done to get your attention? Did it work?

Rather than explaining the pitch in writing, I once had a company send a personalized video link by email. I (somewhat hesitantly) clicked on it to quickly realize that the creator had taken the time to read some of my writing, and tailor his request to me specifically. It definitely got my attention—very creative and thorough.

6. What’s the easiest way to an editor’s heart?

 Someone who merits attention—whose work or story is compelling. And, call me crazy, but I still like hand-written letters.

7. The one thing you want to find in every pitch?

Pictures! Or tangible product. If it’s new handcrafted nut butters, I want to taste it.

 

*Our Biz Advice Column is compiled & edited by the fabulous Amy Flurry. You can follow her @recipeforpress.