Sweet Summertime

it’s hard to believe that summer is more than half over already. i feel like just yesterday i was anxiously awaiting the arrival of warm temperatures and blue skies, and now i’m having to remind myself to savor them while they’re here. i’ve used the past few months to shake things up a bit. this summer has brought about some positive and fun changes in my life, both personally and professionally. although nothing major has happened, i do feel like i’ll be entering the fall with a sense of renewal and a whole new mindset. 

let’s talk specifics, shall we? 

one of the significant changes that i’ve made this summer is getting out of my apartment during the work week. working from home is particularly difficult in the summer because all i want to do is enjoy the little time that we Chicagoans have with 80 degrees and sunshine outside. as much as i’d like to, i can’t just throw caution to the wind and go to the beach everyday. i have to actually work, just like as if i had an office (or other type of) job. what i have found to be incredibly helpful to fight the spending-the-summer-indoors-working blues is having a mobile office. i’ve spent many an afternoon at a local Starbucks (when i say local, i mean down the street), drafting blog posts, perusing Pinterest, and responding to emails. quite honestly, i can get significantly more work done when i’m not in my apartment. i guess not having the distraction of the cats or other things nagging at me really does help.

while there, i’ve been enjoying the new Starbucks Teavana® Shaken Iced Teas. my favorite flavor is the Teavana® Shaken Iced Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade™. it’s a refreshing and fruity drink, without being overly sweet. i like to have tea to replace my coffee, especially on hot days. other flavors include Teavana® Shaken Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade™ and Teavana® Shaken Iced Black Tea Lemonade™. 

another change i’ve made is making a real effort to get dressed and ready for the day. as easy as it is to just roll out of bed and set up camp at my desk in my pajamas for the day, i feel so much more productive and refreshed when i take the time to shower, style my hair, apply a little makeup, and consciously pick out an outfit. i’ve had fun sharing them on Instagram, since i can’t seem to find the time to share every single outfit in its own post. 

something non-work related that i’ve also tried to do more of this summer is wearing the less-worn items in my closet. i love to shop, you guys know this. one of the problems that i seem to have, though, is that i get into a routine with my clothes and wear the same few items, while leaving 3/4 of my closet untouched for an entire season. while i’ve been getting dressed most days, i’ve been trying to wear those items that i haven’t yet or haven’t in a long time. reaching for those things has made me feel less like i ‘need’ to shop for new clothes, while also making getting ready in the morning more fun. i like the challenge of having to style something new or figure out a different way to wear one of my favorite items!

i’m excited to carry these new habits with me into the new season as it comes. it’s never too late to shake things up!

to see a Pinterest board with some of my favorite summer things inspired by Starbucks Teavana® Shaken Iced Teas, click here.

Disclosure | This post was sponsored by Starbucks through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Starbucks, all opinions are my own.