The crazy summer heat has finally broken here, and I have to say it is a relief! We aren't used to such temperatures in this country. With it being a little cooler I feel like I can actually get on with some work! Except.....

I have completely fallen out of the swing of things. I don't know about you but if I stop doing things for a period of time (illness, summer hols, mad heat! Any reason) I kinda forget how to do it. I know the mechanics but I can't seem to get functioning! I need to finish my dissertation for my MA. It is due September and I am still writing it! I need to prep for the TPT sale (coming on the 1st and 2nd of August EEEEEEEeeeeeee) and I really really really need to sort out my junk and buy some new clothes, this is getting a bit beyond sane now. So this blog post is as much for me as for you because we all need a reminder sometimes to just get on with it!

Ok so here are my tips for when you just feel like you cannot get anything done!

1- Set a timer

When it comes to my dissertation I tell myself silly things like 'I can't do it right now, I don't have my study brain on' but then, of course, it doesn't get done. So I set a timer for 15 mins and tell myself I will write for 15 minutes, and I just do it, it doesn't matter if it is not very good (that's what editing is for) I just need to add something to it. If after the 15 minutes I still feel like I cannot carry on I take a break and do something else but then make sure I come back to it and try again after completing a different task. I do this 4 times and then if I still am not getting anywhere at least I did an hour's work today and I can try and get more in the zone tomorrow. Set a timer guys! 

2 - Help someone else 

I need to redo a lot of my covers (did I mention there is a sale coming?). I can't seem to find the omph! However, a friend of mine recently opened her own TPT store! (She is fab by the way run over and follow her please! Platinum Pedagogy) I helped her set up and get started, I gave her lots of tips and advice that I had learnt from making my own resources and in doing so it reminded me how much I enjoy doing this. It is fun I don't know why I have been putting it off! 

and finally...

3- Set a reward

I have been binge watching Son's of Anarchy recently, yes I do realise how far behind the rest of the world I am, on top of that the latest season of 'Orange is the New Black' has hit Netflix! I really, really, really, would rather be watching these than doing the things I need to do. But I am strong! I do not get to see Jax getting angry at everyone until I have reached a goal, it might be 5 new covers, it might be writing 1,000 more words, what ever it is I am strict with myself and then when I get to settle down and watch it I am happier and not worrying about how much work I am not doing.... Well mostly. 

Have a great summer everyone :)

P.S. I recently upped my Instagram game and would love some new fun followers to connect with so please hop over adn take a look at my story :)

 

Hello lovely teachers!

I am so excited for the BTS sale! Not only is everything on TPT on sale but my store is also being discounted by an extra 20% so it is a great time to jump over there and get some bargains! 

You lovely people :) 

Hey!

I have been working really hard recently on getting my new Pinterest course up and running and it's nearly ready! With this in mind I am looking for some first time testers on the course.

If you are thinking about taking a Pinterest business course please fill in the form below. On the first of March I will be selecting 3 at random to recieve the course for FREE! All I ask in return is some feedback and hopefully some positive recommendations to your friends :)

Anyone else who fills in the form before the end of February will be entitled to 50% off once the course goes live so. come on jump in!


Form is here!

I realise I'm really planning ahead with this one!  It is still January, I know (how can it still be January?!! Does this month never end?) but I wanted to get a Saint Patrick's Day resource made. I have just finished it and I really love it! I want it to be March already!

Saint Patrick's day is such a fun celebration. There is a real focus on having fun and wanting the best and luck for others, which to me seems like the best reason to celebrate! With this resource I tried to cover as much as I could without being over the top. There is information on the Saint himself and his day, I've explored the ways that people celebrate around the world. 

I also include a section on Irish leprechauns just for fun :)

The PowerPoint is really colourful and has many details, it has 36 slides to keep the kids entertained. To go along with the PowerPoint I have made some worksheets with matching activities for the children to embed their knowledge.

Like I said I am really pleased with this resource and if you would like to check it out yourself you can find it in my store!

Thanks for reading!

So here's a little video I made to explain why TPT is so great! I really enjoyed making it and I love TPT so much! If you are interested in my Seller Starter Pack you can find it here! Hope you like the video :)

Please check out my latest video, reminding everyone why joining TPT is so great!

Join TPT today

So guys we made it! Last day of the challenge.

Today we are going to reflect on how far we have come and make a real solid plan for future goals. Over the last 30 days we have dabbled in all sorts of areas which can improve our businesses so now we will make solid plans and goals and stick to them to keep our stores growing and improving.

If you are still interesting in improving your store further please take a look at my Seller Record Binder. It is designed to help all sellers new and experienced to keep business in track and also to push you that little bit further.

Have a great summer everyone. The linkup will still be open until the end of today, link up your stores and blog posts and don't forget to visit other people's in the link up with you.

It's been fun!

An InLinkz Link-up

Well Hello you lovely reader!

Lots of my lovely TPT friends are now, or very soon will be, on summer holiday (You lucky things!). Over here in the UK we still have 7+ weeks until the last day of the school year.



With all this in mind I thought it was time for us all to take part in a bit of a challenge. So for the month of June I will be offering you all a great big seller challenge, with one things to do each day in the month of June to promote your store and raise your TPT profile.

It is really easy to join in. Just follow me on blog lovin' here  Follow
and then pop back everyday to pick up the new challenge. If you are really feeling involved and excited you can blog about it and join the daily link up or just share the seller challenge logo for that day, on your favourite social media to let everyone know you stepped up that day :)

I have posted a simple record sheet that can be used with this challenge if you wish. :) Big Challenge Record Sheet

You don't have to do every day of the challenge but let's give it a go and see how many you can get done!

Let's get going!

An InLinkz Link-up

I have been selling resources online now for nearly a year and it has been exciting, terrifying and very dull in equal measures and sometimes all at the same time! With that in mind here is a light-hearted look at the nine emotional stages of selling our resources online.

Stage one: Interest

• You find out about online selling from a friend or a post online and your interest is peaked, "ohh, I could do that" you think to yourself.

Stage two: Excitement

• You do a bit of research and before you know it you have found Deanna Jump! "I'm going to be a millionaire!"
• You set up your store and wait!

Stage three: Panic

• Why would I do this? NO one is going to buy my products what do I know?

Stage four: Celebration

• First sale! People are buying things!
• First feedback! People love me! I'm fabulous.

Stage five: Optimism

• My sales are climbing, I could really make something of this
• There's a sale on! My sales are looking really healthy
• Working out how much you would need to give up work

Stage six: Reality check (sometimes coupled with summer)

• Oh, no I'm not giving up work just yet.
• Where has everyone gone????

Stage seven: Distraction

• Life gets in the way, busy, busy, busy.
• Your store takes a bit of a pause

Stage eight: Back on track

• Why did I leave it so long?
• Look at all these fantastic ideas I have! I must get working!

Stage nine: The cycle

• repeating stages seven and eight over and over...

(In your best ring master voice)

We are in for a treat, our one and only education secretary has many opponents willing to take her on. Tonight she faces her biggest threat…

HERSELF!

In the red corner we have Nicky Morgan, education secretary, helper of the disadvantaged, leader of the new deal for teachers and in the blue corner we have Nicky Morgan, figurehead for British values, inspiration to all back trackers everywhere!

Red corner Nicky comes out swinging with an interview where she takes the strong view point of “We are NOT going to say every school must be an academy”(4:11) followed quickly by “we want schools to make decisions for themselves (4:39)”, this is swiftly countered by Blue corner Nicky jumping in with her white paper which forces all schools into academy status, for their own good (9:28)!

Oh but Red corner Nicky isn’t done. She packs a punch with her quote that “Parental choice is a large part of our system. We will listen to parents.”(0:29) Blue Nicky isn’t down yet she counters with “The system takes too long, listening to parents and taking appeals, we are putting a stop to that!” (paraphrased)

Moving on from the academy debate Red corner Nicky insists “We will not have a selective system (47:21).” But Blue corner Nicky is over there sliding in a lovely new grammar school and she follows it up in quick succession, with her academies being about to select their own pupils!

Wow it’s an exciting fight this one! Blue corner Nicky launches an attack with the number of state schools (0:33) in special measures, Red corner Nicky caught off guard is unable to counter (1:50) in the same interview, she fumbles around when asked how many academies are failing….. “erm, errr, I’m not going to go into that, I don’t need to discuss numbers…” Oh dear, tut, tut Red corner!

Red Nicky isn’t out for the count yet, she has another trick up her sleeve with the SATs. Red Nicky thinks testing 7 year olds (0:40) is the way to make them smarter! She believes it is the best step forward! Bravo Red corner Nicky, I don’t know how Blue corner Nicky will counter that! Oh there she is! With her quote on how testing isn’t going to make children brighter "teach them in the way they learn best!" (2:26) Yep that was a solid hit there!

 It seems that whatever happens, a Nicky is going to be on the ropes tonight… Is it any wonder you were laughed off stage?