4 Benefits of Taking a Data-Driven Approach to Run Your Dental Business

This is a guest post by Bash Sarmiento

With how hectic the everyday operations of a dental practice can be, sometimes big-picture strategies are left on the back burner. However, adopting a data-driven approach and analyzing your dental business’s data is one of the surefire ways to recognize opportunities that can improve your practice. 

Here are four reasons why you should run your dental business with a data-driven approach:

1. You figure out what works and what doesn’t

Managing your private dental practice means that you’re monitoring a lot of moving parts, from your patients to your staff to your inventory and everything in between. Being able to gather information about the different aspects of your business allows you to assess what’s working, what needs improvement, and what can be eliminated. 

You are also able to distinguish any blind spots or weaknesses in both your business and actual practice. While trusting your intuition is always a good approach, this may cause you to overlook crucial opportunities for improvement, SoftwarePundit points out. Not studying your data may lead you to overestimate certain features of your practice that can be detrimental to your performance. 

Being more mindful of your business’s data, staying on top of collecting, measuring, and analyzing them, helps you identify opportunities to improve. It can also maintain and enhance cost-benefit ratios for both the dental care providers and the patients. Gathering and analyzing data doesn’t have to be labor-intensive like you might think, you can easily create an automated Google sheet dashboard to better showcase your data.

Improvement does not always have to be grand either, as big-picture metrics may not properly encompass the day-to-day way things operate. Adopting changes according to your data analysis may not present an immediate impact, but over time and with the right approaches and techniques, you will find that you are getting your desired results in the most efficient way possible. 

2. Your patients will receive better care

Analyzing your data makes it easier to catch details regarding your patients’ oral health, like whether or not you are experiencing high patient attrition rates or you could possibly be underdiagnosing certain oral diseases compared to the national statistics. Of course, to realize the latter, you must first be able to gather the appropriate data in your own practice to refer it to the national averages.  

The best way to gather patient data efficiently is to consider switching to electronic dental health records (EDRs). This gold mine of data can greatly help you better organize your patients’ information and assess your delivery of quality care.

Your metrics coupled with discussions with your staff on how to better approach these oversights will greatly benefit your patients as you provide them with quality care and services. It also keeps your practice running efficiently to deal with different cases.

3. The numbers are great motivators

By having the hard data, not only are you able to see how your business is doing currently, but it also helps you set reasonable and attainable goals moving forward. Sharing your data with your staff can also help them understand any problems you, as a collective, might be facing or any points of improvement everyone can contribute to refining. 

Your data can support any areas you are excelling in, while also presenting any probable lapses in services or operations. Since each team member has their own role, they can focus on the data related to their responsibilities and possibly help their colleagues in their respective fields too. Your team may be able to effectively meet and even exceed their goals given the data available to them. 

As you continue to measure your data and see that the metrics are improving, presenting the positive changes to your staff can be a great motivational tool for them. Recognizing your staff’s hard work and being able to back their improvement with tangible data can make the praise all the more rewarding. This can also improve your employees’ satisfaction rate in the business which in turn creates a culture of growth and continued improvement in the team.

4. Improvements beyond your own practice

The data you gather will not only help improve your own business but can serve a greater purpose for the dental community as a whole. Newer technology makes it possible to provide and access a plethora of dental record data which makes it easier to study which dental therapies work and which need updating, according to Dental Economics. Problem-solving and advancements in the dental industry may now be easier to develop as the data required to promote these changes will be easier to gather, manage, analyze, and access.

Data in this day and age is a valuable commodity. While it may take some time getting used to staying on top of recording and analyzing your data will greatly impact your business. Adopting a data-driven approach to your practice will not only propel you to a more efficient and successful dental practice but will also aid in the movement towards an improved dental industry.

Meet bash Sarmiento

Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management and traveling are translated in his works.

Find him on Instagram and LinkedIn

Coffee Without The Teeth Staining or Bad Breath? Yes Please

A high-quality coffee is such a life-saver for ensuring my daily routines go off without a hitch. Plus, from the aroma to the last drop, I genuinely look forward to my coffee in the mornings. I’ve discovered and been loving Golden Ratio coffee lately. If you know me, you know I love a hot beverage and a good cup of tea (must be the Jamaican in me) but Golden Ratio coffee is just as smooth as tea! It has twice the caffeine and 5 times less acid than regular coffee with, check this, the added benefit of less teeth staining! You know the dentist in me is most excited about this part.

Coffee that stains your teeth is so 2018!

I’ve Identified 5 Big Problems With Most Coffee Drinks:

1. They’re super high in acid

2. They contain chemicals 

3. They sometimes make your stomach hurt

4. They make you jittery  

5. They stain your teeth *

6. PLUS they agitate GERD, Crohn’s Disease, Acid Reflux, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Insomnia, Migraines, Anxiety, and more (yikes!)

How to Choose Better Coffee

Quality matters when it comes to your food and there’s no exception when you’re shopping for the perfect coffee option. Here’s a quick checklist you can use the next time you find yourself wondering if a coffee brand is worth your time.

Look for coffee that is: 

• Roasted at low temps

• Ethically sourced 

• Single origin 

• Fresh from the producer 

• Contain certified organic ingredients 

• Free of artificial flavors and preservatives 

• Sold in sustainable, recyclable packaging, free of BPA and dyes 

Making sure you hit all these points is a tall order; there are only a handful of brands that go the distance. Do the best you can, but if you’re looking for a high quality, stomach, teeth and environment friendly coffee possible I have got you covered.

My favorite coffee at the moment is Golden Ration!

Golden Ratio coffee is:

• Made with organic ingredients

• Gluten-free, corn-free, and dairy-free

• No artificial flavors 

• Available in 6 delicious flavors

• Vegan

• Paleo-friendly

• Keto-friendly

• No bitter taste

• Contains 0g Sugar

• Packaged in recyclable pouches made from organic cotton -free of dyes and synthetic materials

• Plastic-free, available in single-use, easy to brew pouches

Golden Ratio is taking coffee back to its roots so we can supercharge our energy and conquer each day.  And making it easy to buy with a special discount just for my readers. 

Plus, they stand by their product, always offering a 30-day money back guarantee. No risk, all reward! 

Go here and enter the code: UNORTHODOC15 at checkout to save an additional 15% OFF these delicious, stomach and teeth-friendly, low acid coffee options in amazing flavors. 

Come back and tell me how you like them!

This post contains affiliate links . See disclaimer to learn more.

4 Tips for Maintaining Self-Care During a Busy Work Week

This is a guest post by Bash Sarmiento

Amid all the hectic chaos of everyday life, be it at work or with family and other responsibilities, it’s normal to forget that in order for one to function properly, one must pay attention to health and wellness. Self care is something easily swept under the rug, but is actually an essential part of maintaining a well-oiled machine.

Self care does not have to be the lavish and luxurious massages, yoga sessions, out-of-town beach trips, and shopping sprees for the most comfortable loungewear or whatnot that one might think of when we hear the term. While they’re all undeniably great, it does not and should not take so much out of the pocket to be able to practice basic self-care.

There are a ton of simpler, more cost-effective ways to practice self care in the middle of jam-packed work schedules. In this article, we gathered some of the most simple self care practices you can consider and adjust based on your schedule and budget.

1.Set your priorities straight

What self care is really about is knowing what your needs and priorities are at a given time period. When scheduling or crafting your self care regimen, ask these questions: what needs or issues do I want to be addressed first, second, third, and so forth? What activity will help me the most given these needs or issues?

This technique will help you in making your self care regimen more purposeful and productive. Who says self care does not contribute to efficiency? It’s actually what enables efficiency in the first place.

This will help tremendously in terms of managing our most valuable resource, which is time. Learn how to lay out what is most urgent and important for a specific time period, heavily considering the state of your physical and mental well-being and capacity.

2. Start an exercise routine

Keeping the machine running and getting it started early on in the day will help clear your mind of stress, anxiety, and other debilitating mental conditions. Establishing a certain exercise routine for the morning will actually help in the long run in terms of keeping your physical and mental state clear.

This does not necessarily mean the whole weekly gym visit or weekly cycle session. It can be as simple as waking up an hour earlier than usual to take a walk or sprint outside or doing some basic stretches on your computer chair.

The idea is to get that machine running earlier in the day to keep your mind active during normal waking hours and stabilize this activity.

A bonus to this is having a dedicated routine for health and wellness in general. Some people will have skin care regimens, for example, for the purpose of oil cleansing. This is for the purpose of systematizing your me time!

3. Set clear boundaries

Having clear boundaries will let you know when and where work ends and me time begins. It is important to have these boundaries when talking about self care since this is what most people tend to forget. 

Saying no to requests and schedules is normal. While it can be a challenge at first, it’s best to always bear in mind that sometimes you have to put you first, and self care is actually part of ensuring that you will be able to deliver the best service to them. We must quash the notion that taking care of yourself is selfish or indulgent. Taking care of one’s self is essential to everyone’s physical and mental well-being.

One of the concrete ways you can do this is by setting meal breaks solely for meals and not for work. Taking weekends off is another. Start with allotting hours or days specifically to reel back and rest from all the hecticness. Clearing your mind will also be beneficial to delivering more efficiently at work in terms of providing fresh perspectives and a renewed energy.

4. Get some light

Many have attested to the positive effects of starting your day early in the morning with a quick walk around the neighborhood. Getting good sun is not only good to clear your mind and prepare you for a new day, but also for your entire body. The quick walk can also serve multiple purposes, such as running errands for the parents or buying that period underwear you have been looking for.

Get your daily dose of natural light every morning to wake up and you will automatically radiate the sun’s vibrancy as well after your walk. Seeing people from the neighborhood starting their days as well can help boost your morale. We’re all in this together!

Final thoughts

Key to maintaining a self care routine is identifying your needs and what can most efficiently resolve them. It is important to include in the conversation your loved ones, family, and friends as these are the people outside of your work life who know you the most.

Meet Bash Sarmiento

Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management and traveling are translated in his works.

Find him on Instagram and LinkedIn

Mental Health Toolkit for Winter 2022

Original article by Natalie Foster of Mindfully Well Rooted.

There are many times in the year when our mental health comes under fire with challenges. Challenges that come from every direction of life. Those challenges can come from motherhood, from marriage, the comments people say, from work, and the list goes on. These reasons alone and so many more for every black woman, are why it is so critical to have a mental health toolkit. A mental health toolkit is a necessary resource that is specifically designed to support mental wellbeing throughout the year. 

What Is A Mental Health ToolKit?

A mental health toolkit is a group of resources designed to bring you comfort in times of mental stress. A mental health toolkit can also be referred to a mental health survival guide. This collection of resources helps keep you grounded, calm, and redirects focus to positive situations in your life. When creating a mental health toolkit, it is best to lean into incorporating specific resources. Resources that help you maintain a happier and healthier version of yourself throughout the year. The components of a mental health toolkit are meant to help manage mentally stressful conditions, reduce the severity of mental illness symptoms, and boost overall mental well-being. A mental health toolkit is not meant to stay the same. There are periods of life that lead to evolution and change. So as the circumstances of your life change so does your mental health toolkit. 

What Led Me To Create A Mental Health ToolKit

I have had a long-standing history of mental health disorders since the age of 11. I continuously struggled through much of my adolescence and young adulthood with a range of mental health issues. Those range from depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and suicidal ideation. During this particular time frame, there were certain circumstances that escalated my mental health issues. That is when I would usually turn to alcohol, marijuana, and or promiscuity to numb the pain of the mental pressure I was dealing with. Eventually I realized the mechanisms I was turning to only worsened my mental illnesses.

During my experience with cognitive behavioral therapy, I asked my therapist if I could possibly go any lower. From there, my therapist asked me since I felt this way, what healthy coping mechanisms did I enjoy? She made me aware that I deserved happiness. I could do so by implementing those mechanisms when I felt myself entering a mentally stressful moment. She simply dubbed those mechanisms as a mental health toolkit. She informed me that a mental health toolkit will create a positive foundation for me to redirect my mind while engaging in positive mechanisms. In spring 2019, I started discovering resources to support my mental wellness.

The Foundation of My Mental Health ToolKit

Over the course of the past 2 years, I have leaned into specific resources. Resources that will help me to maintain a mentally healthier version of myself. After a significant amount of trial and error, I found that my particular preference of resources include the five senses. Having a resource from each of the five senses, mentally works for me. I have grown to nurture this approach for the past two seasons of fall and summer. I have found that taking this approach with the five senses allows me to have variety in the tools I engage in. Having five broad areas I can pull from gives me the freedom of knowing that I can always change a tool when it longer improves my mental wellbeing. 

I use tools that stimulate each of the five senses

What's In My Mental Health Toolkit?

The purpose of what is in my mental health survival guide is to help me recall or imagine joyful moments. These joyful moments are brought on while engaging in activities that I thoroughly enjoy. Having these specific mental health tools have prevented me from reaching the point of a mental health crisis.

Sight

I incorporate the sense of sight into my mental health toolkit by either reading a book/magazine or opening up my affirmation coloring book. Being able to read takes me away to different settings within the books where I am able to connect. I often imagine what the fictional characters or nonfictional people did outside of what was presented in the books/magazines. While I color, my mind focuses on precise strokes of my crayons and pencils. It's a form of a calming experience for me that I recommend as a mental health gift. Some of my favorite books to read are The Alchemist, Set Boundaries Find Peace, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. Plus a few of my favorite adult coloring books are Color My Melanin: Affirmation Coloring Book and Uplifting Aspirations.

Smell

The act of lighting candles and then letting the amazing aroma permeate the room, is how I incorporate smell into my mental health toolkit. Smelling the aroma from candles truly helps me to ease any stress that I may be having. There are certain scents that remind me of a particular place or a specific time. That place and or time in my life is usually when something positive occurred in my life. I have been a fan of using candles in my mental health toolkit for the past two years. My favorite candles to burn in my home include UnOrthoDoc Candle Co., Public Goods, the Harlem Candle Co.

Touch

Holding onto a soft weighted blanket has been the way I incorporate touch into my mental health toolkit. I also like to pull out my childhood teddy bear to hold onto for some extra plushness. The weight of a soft weighted blanket offers a therapeutic touch that mimics a comforting hug for me. The type of comforting hug my husband and dad gives me. Speaking of my dad, he bought me a teddy bear when I was about five years old. I have held onto that bear ever since because of the pleasant memories it me. However, if you are looking for your own weighted blanket, I recommend the Room Essentials Sherpa Blanket, Baloo Throw Blanket, and the Bearaby Cotton Napper

Taste

One of the best ways for me to incorporate taste into my mental health toolkit is to eat some sweet and savory snacks. It is known that the types of food we consume play a vital role in not only our physical health but our psychological health as well. This is why I tend to stick to eating things that are good for my mental wellbeing. I love to eat some strawberries and grapes along with some roasted almonds and pistachios! The taste of these foods immediately make me feel great! I tend to shop at Publix, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s for my fave mental wellness snack!

I incorporate the sense of hearing into my mental health toolkit using two tools. Hearing is incorporated by either playing the piano and or listening to music. I started playing the piano when I was seven years old. Honestly I used to despise it. However, now that I am much older and in the world of adulthood, I have grown to appreciate the talent I have. These past two years, I have been playing the piano to improve my craft and escape in the melody of the music.

I also escape while I am listening to some of my favorite genres of music on my record player. Music is oftentimes a powerful way to bring mental stability into your world. A quick dance session happens a majority of the time when I listen to music as well. The piano I am currently playing is Williams Legato III Keyboard and a few of the records in current rotation are Michael Jackson Thriller , The Isley Brothers, and John Coltrane.

The circumstances of life are constantly changing. Oftentimes those changes challenge our mental health and wellbeing throughout the year. That is why it is so important to have a mental health toolkit to turn to in those times. Using that toolkit outside of those times, is just as critical to keep the mind at ease before stressful situations arrive in life. I encourage you to build your own mental health toolkit. Be intentional in what you choose to include in your toolkit. In addition, incorporate it into your life on a daily basis and not only when a mental health crisis arrives. If you need inspiration on how to create a mental health toolkit, I highly suggest you visit the following websites: Plus if you know anyone who needs something new to put in their mental health toolkit may I suggest checking out my Mental Health Gift Guide.

Let me know in the comments what you have decided to put in your mental health toolkit for this season!

To find these items and purchase them visit my LTK Shop at https://www.shopltk.com/explore/MindFULLyWellRooted**

**This post contains affiliate links and I receive a commission if you visit a link and make a purchase. There is no additional cost to you, and I only recommend products and services that I trust.

Meet Natalie

Natalie Nicole Foster is the blogger and content creator behind MindFULLy Well Rooted. On her blog and social media platforms she uses both her faith journey and life managing mental illness to propel other women forward to build a relationship with Christ and prioritize their own mental wellness. In addition, she encourages other women to manage all the various hats as mothers, wives, and everything else in between. Natalie Nicole is a stay at home mom of two boys and a wife to her husband of nearly three years. They live in the beautiful city of Charlotte where they enjoy the outdoors, family events, and so much more!

How To Launch Your Side Business Successfully In As Little As 14 Days

No one gets wealthy from having a job. Read that again!!!

Having a job is great, you receive a paycheck in exchange for time spent completing tasks related to your work. That paycheck affords you the lifestyle you live, you pay your bills, go out to dinner or brunch with friends and you may even be able to squeeze in a vacation with the 2 weeks paid time off you negotiated in your contract. It's the American Dream!

But, that American dream is flawed. With your job, you're exchanging your most valuable asset - your time. Meanwhile, your boss has time to spend with his/her family, take 4-6 vacations per year (maybe more), owns homes in Miami and Fiji (which he flies to in First Class or on his private jet) and host dinner parties on his/her yacht.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having a job. Some people genuinely love what they do, where they work and the people they work with. But, what if you had more time to spend on the things that you are truly passionate about?

I've always had an entrepreneurial mindset. Both my parents were business owners and growing up I never saw them work for anyone. They were always their own boss. I remember distinctly how my dad lectured me on the dangers of mediocrity and somehow my 10 year old self formulated the conclusion that if you worked for someone you were mediocre. That may not be what he meant, but that's the conclusion  I reached at the time. 

My dad has always been a self employed businessman that wears many hats. He is an engineer by trade, a lawyer, he owns businesses in a myriad of industries and has time to be involved in politics. It seemed to me that he did whatever he pleased at whatever time he felt like doing it . He employed competent individuals who managed the daily activities of the businesses and allowed himself the freedom to spend most of his days as he saw fit. He is a very shrewd man but I could never figure out how he made money but never went to work at a scheduled time. As a kid  I decided, perhaps subconsciously that this too would be my life - wearing multiple hats and being financially independent to live the life I pleased.

As a dental student I loved scented candles and always had a passion for creating things by hand so I decided to merge the two. I started making candles in my kitchen as a way to relax and be creative and I've kept this passion alive till this day. Over the years it has transformed into a steady income earning business. My vision for the company has always been to become a staple in dental offices throughout the U.S (and the world) as well as homes, boutiques, yoga studios, restaurants, etc.

The candle company, my blog and other passive income streams remain my 6-10 (what I focus on when I'm not in my private practice being an Orthodontist and creating smiles between 9-5). However, during the pandemic in early 2020 when we were forced to quarantine I put my full focus into the candle business and was able to grow it over 300% in three short months. During this time I put 100% focus on my side businesses and they flourished! Now, I want to help you do the same.

Mindset Mastery

A lot of people have genius ideas that never get off the ground because they get stuck on turning those concepts into reality. Starting any kind of business is challenging! Despite those challenges, a well thought out idea can become a full time career (if that’s what you want).

Did you know it could take as little as 4 days to slingshot an idea into reality? I am speaking from experience. It involves a little mindset mastery, planning and execution.

Let’s face it, in life your mindset will make or break you. Business is no different. The truth is there is no better time than now to start that side hustle you’ve been thinking of. The Internet has created an environment where anyone can become successful once they have a great idea, fill a void or solve a problem.  Those ideas are not serving a purpose in your head or in your notebook. They are worth nothing unless acted upon. This is the first step to starting your side hustle journey.

Mindset Master 1 - Believe in yourself and your business

Mindset Master 2 - Cultivate a mindset of abundance

Mindset Master 3 - Form Profitable Habits

Mindset Mastery 4 - Think 2-3 steps ahead

In my e-book: From Idea to Profit, I go over each mindset mastery step and get into the nitty gritty of launching your business. It includes 7 fundamentals steps every person has to go through to get their business going, in addition to all the steps necessary to get your business set up and fully running. The great part, all of this can be accomplished in as little as 2 weeks!

from idea to profit e-book

$12.99

You have absolutely nothing to lose! For the cost of two cups of coffee you can get all the steps to get a profitable side business up and fully running that will continue to make you money for years to come. Not only that, but you also receive not one, not two but three free bonuses inside!

Books I Read in 2021

I love a good book! I am an avid reader and for as long as I can remember one of my favorite hobbies has been curling up on the couch with fuzzy socks on and a great book. Forget Netflix! For a while now every year I set a goal to read at least one book per month (12 books per year). Sometimes I can get two or three in depending on the size of the book and the amount of time I have, but at the end of the year that number should at least be twelve (never less). In 2021 I read 14 books and I am sharing with you some of those with you, along with a few that are on my current on my reading list.

1.The 4 Hour Work Week // 2. We should all be Millionaires //

3. Set Boundaries Find Peace // 4. Influencer // 5. Believe It //

6. 18 Minutes

1.The Vanishing Half // 2. Your Time To Thrive // 3. Think Like A Breadwinner //

4. Beyond Entrepeneurship // 5. Simple Be. // 6. Get Good with Money

1.What happened to you // 2. Play Bigger // 3. Between Two Worlds //

4. Superfans // 5. Super Consumers // 6. Scrum

Want to read along with me every month? I created a book club for book lovers like myself. It’ll be a place to discuss each month’s read as well as a place for networking and community. Join the club and grab this month’s read. See you inside!

The Most Comfortable Loungewear I own From Cozy Earth

As I sit to write this blog post, I am in the softest and most comfortable pair of loungewear I have ever owned. They are the Women’s Ultra Soft Bamboo Jogger Pant and matching Pullover Crewneck from Cozy Earth. They are perfect for a movie night in, a quick errand out, or a sweet slumber. I also own the Women’s Stretch-Knit Bamboo Kimono Robe which is really elegant and comfortable. If you’ve never heard of Cozy Earth they are a premium bedding and loungewear company. All of their products are made with Premium Weave/Bamboo. They are also: 

• Certified free of harmful chemicals

• Temperature Regulating

• Moisture Wicking

• 10x softer than Cotton!!

• Backed by a 10 Year Guarantee

• Sustainable and Eco-friendly

I love a company that has a great mission and an added bonus if the production of their goods isn’t harmful to the environment. Because their products are made from bamboo they have several eco-friendly benefits that I found really interesting:

• Bamboo grows super quickly. This means that when bamboo is harvested, it can be replanted and takes less time to grow back than other plants like, cotton. This means that more material can be produced with less time and without consequences in quality.

• Bamboo self-irrigates, so it consumes less water than other plants. This water can then be used for other purposes, like human consumption or food and other organic material growth, a major benefit for areas in the world where bamboo is grown as a crop.

• Bamboo produces more oxygen than other trees and can help reduce carbon dioxide levels. With growing population levels, carbon dioxide is becoming increasingly prevalent in the earth’s air. With increased oxygen production from bamboo, more oxygen can be pumped into the atmosphere to create a better balance of natural gases.

• Cotton, among other fabric materials, is typically grown using a lot of pesticides to keep insects out of the crop, some of which can be hazardous to human health. Bamboo, on the other hand, uses less pesticides in its growth, so its growth/fabrication process is less harmful to the people who will be using the bedding or clothing made from it.

The more you know, right?! I was so impressed with the loungewear that I ordered a Bamboo Sheet Set recently, which is currently being shipped. One of the company highlights is that their products were chosen as Oprah's Favorite Things for the Sheet Set in 2018, the PJ Set in 2019, the Ultra-Soft Jogger Set in 2020, and the Plush Lounge Socks in 2021. Aunty Oprah hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

Cozy Earth was gracious enough to share with me a discount code for my readers. Give them a try, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Use code: DR.UNORTHODOC40 at checkout for 40% off your order. Come back (or email me) and tell me how you like your purchase.

The Best Leaders Are Humble Leaders

"Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart."

It’s the beginning of a new year and with that comes a lot of goal setting and reflection. As I look back on my first year as a practice owner I can’t help but be overcome with gratitude. Yes, I get to live out my dream of operating my own dental practice and make a significant impact in the lives of my patients but, beyond that is the ability to create jobs and foster a work culture and environment that is progressive, empowering, motivating, inclusive and rewarding. I do not take any of this lightly and work towards improving these everyday.

The reason I am so grateful to be able to foster this kind of environment is because it is exactly what I needed in my jobs before I became my own boss. I’ve experienced bad bosses and less than desirable leadership and vowed to not repeat those when it became my turn.

The truth is, true leadership has it’s basis in humility. Often times leaders let success get to their heads. They gain satisfaction from pushing people around. Little do they know, humility is an incredibly powerful choice. It is a critical success factor. Scientific inquiry into the power and effectiveness of humility has shown that it offers a significant “competitive advantage” to leaders. Leaders are more powerful when they’re humble.

So as I reflect I wanted to share a few notes on leadership and humility from one of my favorite leadership speakers, Brigette Hyacinth. Take what you need:

Humble leaders show vulnerability which makes them more approachable. Such leaders don't point fingers or divert blame, and are willing to listen to differing opinions. If you don't listen or won't admit you’re wrong, you can’t grow. If you don't grow, your business won't grow. Success requires continuous growth.

“Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people or find a different room.” Michael Dell

Humble leaders are great listeners. Listening forms the foundation of good relationships. Why? Because it shows you care. Humility and emotional intelligence go hand in hand.

Humility is a sign of strength, not weakness. When you can shift your focus from taking to giving, from hoarding the credit to recognizing the contributions of others, it shows inner strength. We know success doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is a team effort. Learn to appreciate and value the people around you.

What you want won't always come easy, but if you work hard, and never give up, you will get there. Small steps everyday.

In spite of how much success you attain. Stay humble.

"Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real" -Thomas Merton.

Humility if consistently pursued and prudently polished over time, is a powerful force for good, that helps one to reach and sustain success.

I hope something sticks with you and you join me in my pledge to make your work environment a bit better, everyday.

How to Smash Your Goals in 2022

The years 2020 and 2021 taught us a lot about uncertainty, to the point where now we probably have gotten used to plans changing on a whim or at least a bit more comfortable with variability. Nevertheless, the beginning of a new year is a hopeful time. It is often a time where we daydream and envision our ideal future and motivate ourselves to turn our vision of this future into reality by smashing our goals.

My method of goal setting remains the same, but I wanted to add a few specifics this time around:

1.START WITH A YEAR REVIEW 

I know this might seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth your time. Don’t stress, just be honest with yourself. If you had a planner last year, just look back through the months and assess everything without judgment. The easiest way to do this review is by answering these 5 questions: 

1. Identify 3 to 5 things that made you proud from 2021

2. If you set goals for 2021, how far did you get?

3. Identify what worked well, what didn’t work and why

4. Are there things you would like to improve, start or stop doing?

5. What are some of the lessons you learned last year that you want to keep moving forward?

2. PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS

Now that you’ve done your review, identify the top priority areas that you want to work on whether it is career, finances, health, relationships, etc. It could be all of the above, but pinpoint specific things in each category to work on. Remember, this is not about anyone else but you.

3. WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN

A sure way to make things happen is to write it down. It sounds strange, but there is enormous power in putting things down on paper, and according to research you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams when it’s written. I always keep a physical (paper) planner even though I use the planner on my smartphone as well. If you’re in need of a planner, you can find one here.

4. MAKE YOUR GOALS S.M.A.R.T.E.R

So how exactly do you set intentions that you will actually stick to? Be SMART about it. You’ve heard me speak on setting smart goals here and here. But this year, I want us to be SMARTER.

Before you set a goal, first figure out your “why.” By figuring out and articulating the reason you want to achieve something you are more likely to remain motivated to stick to it.

S - Small and Specific: What do you want to do?

M - Measurable : How will you track your progress?

A - Attainable: How will you do it?

R - Relevant: Is this relevant to your life right now?

T - Timely: When do you want to do it?

E - Evaluate: How is it going?

R - Readjust: How can you make it better?

5. Build a system around ACHIEVing YOUR GOALS

This is where we sometimes lose focus. We may know what goal(s) we want to accomplish and at this point they are intentions, but the steps in how to accomplish them might get blurry, so we need to turn them into action.

6. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS, REFLECT AND RE-CALIBRATE

Resist the urge to freestyle your goals and actually check your progress as you go along. At the end each month, take time out to analyze what you have achieved, what you failed to achieve and how to improve on this. Journaling as you go along and circling back at the end of each month can really help you to stay on track.

7. ADJUST TO LIFE’S LEMONS

Life gets in the way and can derail you. Things such as illness, family commitments, work, life emergencies etc can impact your goals. Take note of these things and adjust as you proceed. 

8. ASK FOR HELP

Lastly, get an accountability partner. Have a friend or loved one you can lean on  for moral support and encouragement, you will need it from time to time. If you need specific help, reach out to those who can offer any guidance or assistance. The internet and social media is a great way to make connections.

Bonus: Be your own D**n Cheerleader and eliminate self doubt. Figure out what keeps you motivated and inspired. I love quotes! I keep them everywhere - my phone’s wallpaper, sticky notes around the house, on my desk at work, on the bathroom mirror, etc. I listen to music, books and podcasts that are uplifting. I tolerate no negativity and try to stay away from it at all costs.

Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. By breaking down your goals into bite-sized, manageable actions and writing them down, setting goals and intentions for the new year that you can actually stick to becomes a much easier process.

Grab your planner and let’s smash our 2022 goals! Remember, a sure way to make things happen is to write it down.

How I’m Staying Active During The Holidays

Progress over Perfection!

Squeezing in time for working out has been quite challenging since having my baby this past summer. My time is just not the same. It can be even more of a struggle during the holidays. This time of year can be crazy busy between traveling, holiday get-togethers, and all the things sitting on our never-ending to-do lists. For those times when I just need to get started to build momentum I’ve kept the mantra “progress over perfection” close to me. I am just about 10 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight and although I don’t mind the extra fluff I just haven’t felt my best. I don’t have a goal to lose weight. My goal is simply to move my body and reap the benefits of a good sweat session. Moving my body for at least 30 minutes per day as of right now is the goal.

Here’s a peek at a few ways I am staying active during the holidays.

Schedule My Workouts

I live and breathe by my calendar, and I find that when my workouts are scheduled they are more likely to happen. I have set aside Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays as my core workout days. I get on my peloton bike for a 30-45 minute ride session or I may do another form of cardio followed by a bit of weight lifting. The other days I try to sneak in some light yoga or stretching for 20-30 minutes before bed.

Accountability Buddy

Having an accountability partner is motivating! Let’s be honest, unless working out is part of your daily lifestyle it can be a struggle to stick with it. On busy days or when I just don’t feel like it, it’s helpful to have someone in my corner encouraging and reminding me of my goal.

Get Creative

I have to switch things up, otherwise I get bored. This goes for my workouts and even my workout gear. I have long ditched the gym membership but I do have the peloton app - I have access to all kinds of different workouts like cycling, running, yoga and strength training so I can keep it interesting without getting bored. A change of scenery is also great. I take my workout outdoors when it’s not too cold.

Prioritize Progress Over Perfection

I swear this is my life mantra! I pretty much apply it to all parts of my life from business to relationships to fitness to parenting. There are so many days, especially this time of year when a full-body workout just isn’t going to happen. On those days, I prioritize something over nothing. Most of the time, that looks like a 20 minute walk around the block with Reggie (my husband) and Braxton (my 6 month old). The most important thing is that I just get my body moving!

Athleisure: Lululemon

An Organized Life Is A Balanced Life

I speak frequently on my efforts at leading a fulfilled and balanced life. Truth be told, it’s a constant work in progress. One of the ways I am able to achieve a semblance of this is through Organization. I consider myself pretty organized, but that hasn’t always been the case. I think the more responsibilities you gain, the more you grow as a person and the more hectic your life gets, organization becomes quite possibly the only way to consistently perform well in all areas of your life. Really organized people are not always born that way, they have to cultivate healthy habits, which then help them to stay organized.

Here are some habits I have cultivated to become organized. Take what you need:

1. Write Things Down

We all know someone that remembers every birthday and sends cards for every holiday. It’s not magic and they don’t use memorization. Trying to remember things will not help you to stay organized. Try writing things down. Did you know that when you write things down you’re 42% more likely to do/achieve them?!

You will only further complicate your life by trying to contain important dates and reminders in your head. I write down everything: shopping lists for groceries, important dates like meetings and birthdays - everything!

2. Make Schedules and Deadlines

Keeping things organized goes hand-in-hand with staying productive. Well-organized people make and keep schedules for the day, week and even months. They make deadlines and set goals. And most importantly, they stick to them! 

3. Don’t Procrastinate

The longer you wait to do something, the more difficult it will be to get it done. If you want your life to be less stressful and less demanding, then organize as soon as you can. Putting in the effort to get things done as soon as possible will lift the weight off of you from doing it later.

4. Give Everything a Home

Keeping your life organized means keeping your things in their proper places. Organized people keep order by storing things properly and by labeling storage spaces. You can make easy-to-access storage spaces for things you use all the time, and de- clutter often.

5. Declutter Regularly

Find time each week to organize. Highly organized people make sure they find time every week or more to organize their things. Stuff does not stay organized on its own; it needs to be reorganized continuously and consistently.

6. Keep Only What You Need

More stuff means more clutter. People who live organized lives only keep what they need and what they really really want. Having fewer things also means that you enjoy those things more and feel better about using everything you own, rather than letting half of what you own collect dust.

Have you ever felt like you don’t have the space to keep all the stuff you own? Instead of renting a storage unit or buying a larger home, get rid of some things.

7. Delegate Responsibilities

A really organized life is not overfilled with responsibilities, meetings and deadlines. In fact, it has less because things that create stress have been slowly organized out. One great way I stay organized is by delegating things to others that I don’t have to do myself.

Start becoming more organized today by creating a plan. Begin the planning process with a planner. Grab the 2022 Goal Planner below and get to it! Begin the new year with a clear, organized action plan:

Give the Gift of a Healthy Smile

No gift guide is complete without oral care goodies and it just so happens that some of my favorite oral care brands are having major sales this holiday season. I’ve rounded a few up for you and linked them below. Click through for the savings. They make great stocking stuffers!

Goby - I love Goby’s electric toothbrushes and even carry them in my practice. Every new patient gets a goodie bag with oral care goodies along side a brand new Goby toothbrush. This holiday they are having a great sale on their brush kits. 10% off 1 brush kit, 20% off 2 brush kits, 30% off 3 brush kits. When the sales end you can always get $10 off any order with code: UNORTHODOC10. They make great Christmas gifts.

Hello - Everyone loves Hello products and you can guarantee to find something that tickles your fancy. Choose from sensitivity toothpastes, to whitening, to all natural and even fun kids flavors! Toothpaste isn’t the only thing they have either - think mouthwash, lip balm, deodorant and more. They are having 25% off their bundles until November 30th.

Quip - If you’ve known me for a while you know my love for quip and their super stylish and sleek designs. Quip is a travel essential for me. I keep the quip toiletry bag with quip goodies including an electric toothbrush, tooth paste, floss pick, and mouth wash in my suitcase! You get $10 off when you spend $50, $50 off when you spend $150 and $75 off when you spend $200. Use code: BF2021 at checkout.

Cocofloss - I LOVE Cocofloss and so do all my patients! They make flossing so much fun with all the yummy flavors. They’re having a 25% off sale + free shipping when you spend at least $20. Use code: BLACKFRIDAY. If you catch this post after black Friday, the code: UNORTHODOC will get you 20% off. These make the best and most fun stocking stuffers!

Keeko - All natural dental care? sign me up! I especially love their biodegradable toothbrushes, their coconut floss and the copper tongue scraper. These make great stocking stuffers. use code: BLACKFRIDAY for 25% off. After the holidays use code: UNORTHODOC10 for 10% off.

Risewell - This isn’t pictured but if you’re looking for non-fluoride products (they use nano-hydroxyapatite instead) then these are great! Use code: SAVE15 for 15% off site wide. After the holidays use UNORTHODOC10 for 10% off site wide.

I just love the holidays for all the gift giving and receiving! Did I tell you I gave quip kits as wedding favors? (along with some other really nice things). True story. The dentist in me had to do it.

Happy shopping!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission when you click the links.

Next Investing Step: Cryptocurrencies

Updated January 3, 2022

If you’ve been here for a while you know Investing is one of my favorite topics. I did a mini series of blog posts a while back and many found them quite beneficial. If you missed them here they are:

Investing 101: Invest In Yourself

Setting Up Your First Investment Account

How To Start Investing In The Stock Market

6 Questions To Ask Before Investing

6 Tips on Getting Into Real Estate Investing

5 Ways To Invest in Real Estate

Before diving in, I want to preface by saying that I am by no means a cryptocurrency expert or any kind of investment advisor. I will try to keep this short and sweet with some actionable steps I used to get started with investing in crypto. The information shared are my thoughts and based on my personal experience on the topic. I’m only sharing these because I feel that if you’re not on board with crypto at this point i.e if it’s not part of your investment portfolio, you’re seriously missing out on an opportunity to build wealth.

What is Cryptocurrency?

According to nerdwallet, cryptocurrency (or “crypto”) is a digital currency that can be used to buy goods and services, but uses an online ledger with strong cryptography to secure online transactions. They work using a technology called blockchain, which is a decentralized technology spread across many computers that manages and records transactions. Part of the appeal of this technology is its security. The most popular cryptocurrency at the moment is, you guessed it, Bitcoin.

I will admit that several years ago when cryptocurrency was being introduced I was, like many, quite skeptical. It sounded highly volatile, very risky (aka scammy) and sometimes the returns sounded too good to be true. Fast forward several years later after spending quite a bit of time educating myself on the topic and speaking in depth with my financial advisor, crypto educators and other professionals, my only regret is that I didn’t invest in them a lot sooner.

Bitcoin is the world’s first digital asset, is slated to be the currency of the future and as as such, supporters are racing to buy them now in hopes that it will be more valuable later. Just like the internet changed the world many years ago, Bitcoin is expected to usher in a similar change.

My first real introduction to Bitcoin was at the beginning of the pandemic when there was a lot of time to devote to learning something new (the good old days). My husband and I dabbled in a bit of investing and trading during those times with some really good returns. During that time Bitcoin was under $10K. Today (at the time this post is being written) bitcoin sits at around $65K and is predicted to get to upwards of $80K by end of November and north of $100K by December.

There has been a lot of developments lately in the crypto space - major banks around the world and some politicians have sent out pro-bitcoin sentiments. The SEC has approved a Bitcoin ETF, New York’s mayor will be receiving his first 3 paychecks in bitcoin, so are athletes like Aaron Rogers and podcaster Joe Rogan, and El Salvador has made Bitcoin its currency (with more countries to follow suit). It sounds like Bitcoin is here to stay. In my opinion, it would be unwise to not invest, if even a small portion, in cryptocurrency.

How To Invest in Crypto

At the time of writing this, Bitcoin sits at about $65K. If you have that kind of cash to spare you can go ahead and purchase an entire bitcoin. However, you do not need to. You can purchase fractions of bitcoin, whatever dollar amount you can afford. One of the most popular platforms (and what I use) to purchase bitcoin (and other crypto) is Coinbase. However, there are other places where you can purchase bitcoin such as Paypal, Cash app, Venmo and if you use Robinhood for investing you can purchase there too. If you’re a Paypal user, grab my referral link to buy your first $5 of crypto and we can both get $10 (use it to buy even more crypto).

What is Coinbase?

Coinbase is a secure cryptocurrency trading and investing platform that offers users the ability to buy, sell, and exchange over 100 tradable cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more. It is very user friendly and an account is easy to set up. By using my referral link you will receive your first $10 in Bitcoin after buying or selling $100 of any cryptocurrency you want.

If I were you, I would start investing ASAP as Bitcoin is predicted to get to upwards of $80K by end of November 2021 and north of $100K by December 2021.

*This prediction has changed as the markets changed due to the new COVID-19 strain, Omicron*

If you are very risk averse or still think putting your money in crypto is scary you can earn crypto in other ways. I no longer use my regular debit card for purchases. I now use the Fold debit card where I earn satoshis (a small portion of bitcoin) with my everyday purchases.

What is Fold?

Fold is a bitcoin app and debit card that gives you free bitcoin for qualifying purchases.

Fold lets you earn free bitcoin while you shop. It works just like a regular debit card from any major bank where you would earn rewards (like cash back) on purchases but instead earn free crypto. The average purchase provides 25% cash back in bitcoin. Downloading the app and signing up for a Fold debit card is really easy and there’s benefit in getting both. The app is available in the App Store and if you use my referral link to sign up you can earn 5000 satoshis or sats for short. Satoshis, what’s that? The name is a moniker for bitcoin’s founder Satoshi Nakamoto and is a fraction of bitcoin. In the app, you will also have the opportunity to win additional bitcoin daily with the spinwheel. They have a range of prizes with the ultimate being an entire bitcoin. Read more about that here. There are two different types of debit cards, the Spin or the Spin+. The spin has no annual fee but has a $21 activation fee, while the spin+ has an annual fee of $150 but no activation. With the latter, you are able to earn more rewards and up to 100% cash back. Personally, I have the spin card - I get the benefit of getting fractions of bitcoin (which over time will add up to a large sum) with all my purchases without paying an annual fee. Plus, I am already investing in Bitcoin elsewhere so I don’t feel the need to try to get 100% cash back. After you’ve accumulated at least 50,000 satoshis you can transfer your crypto to a wallet, such as the coinbase wallet (there are others but this is what I use). Ultimately, if you’re looking for a relatively easy way to join the world of cryptocurrencies without investing your own money this is a great option.

There you have it! I have touched on my experience with investing in crypto and hopefully it gives a little insight on making it a part of your investing portfolio. It is very easy to get started, but as with any investment vehicle, do your due diligence, speak with your financial advisor, take caution and be aware that any form of investing is risky.

Next Investing topic will be on NFTs. Be on the look out for that.

2021 Ultimate Gift Guide

The holidays are upon us, which means it’s gifting season! I love getting gifts for my loved ones, whether for friends, family, co-workers, staff/team at the office. There’s something special about gift giving around the holidays that give me the warm and fuzzies. Maybe, it’s the feeling of thanksgiving for me. An ode to getting through yet another year together. Or, maybe it’s the spirit of the season that makes you feel generous and giving. Either way, I love giving them as much as I enjoy receiving them and as such have compiled a list of great gifts that you can share with your loved ones. Some of these I have, will be gifting or are on my wish list. If I had more time I would have totally broke these down into several categories, but consider this my Ultimate Gift Guide.

1. Lily & Bean Hettie Mini Bag - Great gift for your bff, mom, wife or girlfriend. I love that you can personalize it with your initials and, if you glance really quickly it sort of resembles an Hermes mini Kelly Sellier. By all means, get her the mini Kelly if you can but if a $13K gift is not quite in your budget right now, this certainly gets my vote.

2. Thumbprint Brandy Snifters - For a couple, dad, husband, boyfriend or male co-worker these set of 2 brandy glasses make an amazing gift and they are Tiffany, darling! So classy.

3. Double Heart Tag Pendant - So dainty and elegant, this necklace makes a really special gift for your sister, daughter, niece, mom or even your staff/ team. I gifted Tiffany necklaces to my team one year and they absolutely loved them.

4. Candles - Such a no-brainer and always a simple yet thoughtful gift. Everyone loves candles, why not treat your loved one with the gift of fragrance to set the mood this holiday season.

5. Mama pendant necklace - for the moms in your life, or for yourself. This one is very cute, I might even get it for myself.

6. Edge Wine Glasses - I love a good wine glass set and these are so unique and fun. Switch it up a bit from the traditional glass and gift these to your friend or relative that’s always hosting. Choose from a variety of shapes and sizes.

7. Duffel/Weekender Keep All - Really nice and generous gift for hubby, dad or boyfriend. Great to take on weekend trips or to use as a hospital bag. My husband loves his and uses it for short weekend getaways.

8. Plush Microfriber Robe - Robes are always a great idea. They are super cozy and make really nice gifts for grandpa, dad, uncle, husband or brother. They’ll be wearing it all year round.

9. Electric Toothbrush kit - You knew it was coming, no gift guide is complete without oral care goodies. Gifting great oral hygiene habits is always a great idea.

10. Ionic Facial Steamer - Because, self care. Add this to your skin care routine or gift it to a beauty lover and thank me later.

11. Paris Baccarat Rouge 540 - Can’t quite think of anything? my go-to will always be perfume (or cologne for men). This is one of my favs right now and it makes a superb gift.

12. 2022 Goal Planner - The gift that keeps on giving all 2022 long! Can be gifted to anyone on your list that is goal oriented and loves writing all their dreams and aspirations down.

13. Wood and Marble Cheeseboard - For the hostess with the mostest! A great gift for mom, sister, aunt, your neighbor, girlfriend or anyone who loves to host.

14. Cigar and Whiskey Gift Set - Nice gift for dad, hubby or an uncle who is a cigar and brown type of guy. It can even be personalized. Such a classy gift for him.

15. 6 Piece Personalized Packing Cubes - A very useful gift for a mom, sister, aunt or girlfriend who is frequently on the go and loves a bit of organization. I personally love my packing cubes! What was I doing before them?

16. Designer Sunglasses - Gift me a pair of sunnies any day. They make such a great gift for your bff, sister, mom, aunt or cousin. Get her chic, fun, classy designer eyewear and she’ll love you forever.

17. Leather Money Clip Wallet - This reasonably priced wallet can be gifted to any male in your life whether its grandpa, dad, brother, husband or co-worker. They will love it.

18. Classic Trio Makeup Brush Set - I can only think of one person in my life that would love and appreciate these exquisite makeup brushes: my sister. Gift this luxe set to the beauty-lover in your life.

There you have it, 18 amazing gift ideas this season. I hope you see something you love for yourself or will gift to someone. Happy holidays! and happy shopping friends. Shop early this year, try to beat the holiday rush and avoid shipping delays.

Scents For Productivity & Focus

Have you ever walked past a certain aroma and instantly experienced a flashback to your childhood? This happens because smells that enter your body have a direct link to your memory center. Better yet, have you experienced where certain scents have a calming effect? Some scents can even help you focus and in turn increases productivity. There are scores of studies that show scents affect things like memory, concentration, sustained attention and cognitive function to improve productivity.

When you hear, touch or taste something, that information passes through the thalamus, the part of the brain that relays sensory information, before reaching its correlated part of the brain. As such, you’re aware of the sense before you’re aware of the memory or emotion it corresponds to.

Smells, however, bypass the thalamus and head straight to the olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the hippocampus (which is responsible for your memory) and the amygdala (where you process your emotions). Because odors are first routed through these regions before reaching the thalamus, they’re more closely linked to memory. This explains why aromatherapy can have a profound effect on our emotional, physical and mental state.

HERE ARE 5 SCENTS THAT IMPROVE FOCUS AND PRODUCTIVITY:

1. Lemon - The tangy scent of lemon arouses the senses and improves cognitive function. Use lemon to help you power through that long proposal!

2. Lavender - Sweet-smelling lavender improves concentration by recharging the brain during rest time. This allows you to return to work more revived than you would be otherwise.

3. Jasmine - The smell of jasmine has stimulatory effect on the nervous system. It’s used to re-energize and promote a sense of well-being and a positive mood. Sniff it during a break for an instant refresher.

4. Citrus - Bright, light citrus aromas are helpful for staying awake and alert. Take a whiff before an important afternoon meeting to power up.

5. Peppermint - Peppermint improves attention and concentration. It also enhances the accuracy of memory and increases alertness.

So, while we purchase fragrances and candles because they just smell good. Next time when you’re shopping for scents take into consideration the effect it has on focus, attention, mood and productivity.

Browse the UnOrthoDoc Candle Co. Collection below for some of these scents.

How I Stay Organized and How You Can Too

I consider myself a pretty organized person that typically have things in order. It goes without saying that with being a dental professional there’s a certain level of organizational skill that comes with the territory in order to keep things streamlined and on schedule while at work. But, there are other areas that take a considerable amount of organizing as well.

Here’s a tiny glimpse into my world:

• I have 3 Instagram business accounts which I manage solo - my practice, my candle company and my personal brand. I create content for each page which includes photo shoots, product photography, creating graphics in Canva, creating videos and reels, sometimes planning IG live events and scheduling said content.

• The candle company itself which I also manage solo - some tasks include product photography, maintaining and updating website, research, inventory, tracking and ordering supplies, creating new scent formulas monthly for candle club members, actually making the candles, packaging and shipping, marketing products online including email marketing.

• I write weekly blog posts here and market them on a few social platforms namely Instagram, Pinterest and sometimes Facebook and linkedIn. I vet and write sponsored posts for brands which often times include not only a blog post but also inclusion in my monthly newsletter, instagram posts and stories.

  With opening a dental practice and having a baby things got a lot busier and it has become quite a task to keep all things organized. I wear many, many hats and if I am not careful things can get messy.

Here are ways I stay organized, perhaps this will help you too:

At Work

1. Morning Huddle - I arrive to the office at least 15 minutes before I start seeing patients. My team and I do a short 5-10 minute huddle. In my opinion, this is probably the single most effective meeting that you can have with your team. It’s a time of collaboration where the whole team can come together to review the day's schedule and discuss vital patient information. I find that this increases productivity and overall efficiency in my practice.

2. Time Blocking - I often times get emails and phone call from patients, colleagues and referring doctors with questions and concerns. If I were to stop every few minutes to respond to all these I wouldn’t be ale to effectively treat my patients that have appointments during those times. instead, I schedule 30-45 minute time block where I respond to all those calls and emails.

3. Admin Time/Day - There are many tasks and administrative duties to be done when you are a practice owner. So much so that it is nearly impossible to get it all done during the day when you’re seeing patients. therefore, I have designated one day out of the week to get all my administrative duties done.

At Home

1. Make Your Bed - Believe it or not, making the bed each day not only makes your room look clean and tidy but has other has positive impacts. In Charles Duhigg's book “The Power of Habit,” he noted that making your bed establishes a direct link to better productivity and overall health. When your make your bed, it helps you be more productive throughout the day and invest your time in other healthier habits.

2. Declutter - Your home is your scared space. Not only must you declutter to prevent prevent pests and reduce dust, mold, and mildew but studies have shown where clutter has adverse effects on your mental health. Decluttering decreases stress and anxiety levels which essentially leads to you being more relaxed. My favorite place to declutter is my closet. I organize all my clothing and shoes by color - it instantly makes me happier!

3. Lists and Calendars - Don’t you just hate it when you’re ready to have a bowl of cereal and you reach for the cereal box or the milk and there’s none? or when you get home from work hungry and realize you don’t have anything to make for dinner? Me too. I started making a running list of items I run out out of as soon as it happens that way I always know when I need a certain thing, this is posted on my refrigerator so it’s easily seen. Another thing that’s visible is our calendar - nothing like scheduling brunch with your friends on Saturday morning only to realize that your baby has a Pediatrician’s appointment.

Life/General

1. Planner, Calender and Scheduling Apps - I cannot live without these! I always have a physical planner where I write things down (meetings, important dates, etc) because as much as we are in the digital age there is still something about writing things down that helps me to actually get it done.

• I use this planner - I designed and created it myself and keep one in my desk drawer at work and one in my home office. I update this planner every year and make it available for my readers as well. Go here to grab yours. I also use the passion planner which I carry around in my purse.

• iCal app - This is an app on my iPhone. Everything in my physical planner is duplicated on the app as a back up.

• Planoly app - I use this app pretty much to plan all my social media content. I upload the photos, put in the captions and hashtags and schedule a day and time for each to go out. This is called '“batching” and it makes a world of difference in helping to stay consistent wit posting on social media.

2. Make use of the word “no” - It’s important that you are careful to not take on too much. Time is a limited resource, saying yes to everything threatens this very limited resource and can often also lead to burn out. Protect your limited resources by first pausing to assess whether or not the ask is something that you really need or want to take on right now, if at all. If you are like I once was and struggle to say no, try saying things like, “Thanks for asking, let me check my schedule/calendar and get back to you.”

3. Don’t Procrastinate - The longer you wait to do something, the more difficult it will be to get it done. If you want your life to be less stressful and less demanding, then organize as soon as you can. Putting in the effort to get things done as soon as possible will lift the weight off of you from doing it later. I do this all he time with check-lists. I write it down, get it done and check it off my list. The feeling accomplishment after you’ve checked everything off your to-do list is unmatched.

BONUS: Delegate responsibilities! A really organized life is not overfilled with responsibilities, meetings and deadlines. In fact, it has less because things that create stress have been slowly organized out. Slowly but surely I am getting to a place where I delegate more. At work, my office manager helps with a lot of the administrative duties so instead of these taking an entire day, I have been able to cut down my admin time to half day. perhaps in the (near) future I will hire a VA (virtual assistant) to help with for all things social media and marketing. When it comes to the candle company, as it gets busier I will hire help or possibly outsource all-together. We shall see. How do you stay organized? Tell me in the comments. Someone, somewhere may benefit from it.

10 Ways Leaders Can Avoid Getting Burned Out

This is a guest post by Bash Sarmiento

According to Indeed (2020), based on their survey done before the COVID-19 outbreak, cases of employee burnout increased by 9%. Specifically, 52% of all employees manifest the telltale signs of burnout. Employee burnout is characterized as a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. As such, it puts employee motivation and productivity at a dimming light and their accomplishments, personal identity, and performance at risk.

In FlexJobs (2020), seventy-five percent of employees have experienced burnout. Among them, 40% felt that the pandemic aggravated their burnout. In addition, Indeed (2021) found that 67% of employees believe that the prevailing health crisis worsened their cases of burnout. From these figures, we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that such a seemingly mild issue can pose a grave threat to employees’ mental health and it is at an alarming rate.

Employees of all ages and types can experience this particular type of work-related stress. Like any regular worker, leaders and managers also suffer frequent or constant burnout (Gallup, 2020). They, too, can suffer the impact of workplace stress, which then may contribute to a mortality count of 120,000 deaths and health costs of nearly $190 billion in spending each year if specific measures to mitigate the risks are not reinforced (HBR.Org (2019).

Therefore, as a leader. You must help yourself rise amidst the challenges because it is not only you who depend on yourself. Your subordinates also root for you. Here are a few ways you can lean on before the going gets tough:

1. A llow for check-ins during your meetings.

Also called a vibe check, check-ins are a perfect way to know if anyone in your team, including yourself, is going through something. This promotes open discourse and allows everyone to open themselves. Not only will this detect early signs of burnout, but it will also forge a work culture that supports each other. You will be surprised how others would collaboratively suggest ways to overcome any personal or work-related issues. Opening up and having ears that listen can feel like a warm hug.

2. Educate everyone about mental health.

Better yet, enlighten your team on the early warning signs of employee burnout as well as depression and other predominant mental health issues. For a virtual event, tap a knowledgeable person-of-authority to be a resource speaker. 

3. Make use of employee engagement surveys.

With you as one of the participants, your team members can dish out surveys to measure commitment, motivation, sense of purpose, and passion for work. This can also act as a need analysis survey to have a baseline as to where you should start with your strategies to mitigate the burnout cases.

4. Eliminate red tapes.

Perhaps you also need to work on untangling or cutting the long process of some procedures in the workplace. Work on simplifying operations, especially those that may be the root of delay or inaction. It is the way to achieve a better and more efficient workflow.

5. Create realistic goals and objectives.

Setting unrealistic targets present pain more than a challenge. And as a leader who is supposed to take control in hitting these, it will be a force of habit to keep trying. Burnout starts from overcrowding your plate and not fully realizing what is ahead. Remember that your subordinates may not work at the same pace as you. You cannot always go beyond as others might contribute to your failure rather than in the success.

6. Encourage work-life balance.

Discuss with your team about having flexible work arrangements to promote work-life balance. You can also take advantage of this policy in as much as your subordinates. This way, everyone can work on a comfortable schedule, giving them motivation and a productivity boost.

7. Avail a PTO.

Taking a break from work is one of the best things to do, especially when you feel any stress or simply need a moment to relax. Your paid time-offs are your lifesaver in times of a mental health emergency. Use them to your advantage wisely.

8. Revisit your employee wellness programs.

Meditation sessions, cooking classes for eating healthy, desktop yoga, and virtual workouts have been lauded as the most sought-after programs HRs initiate to promote employee wellbeing and reduce stress in the workplace. If these have not been introduced to your company, set the bar for the benefit of everyone.

9. Practice empathetic leadership.

So others are empathetic to you as well. A compassionate leader has a selfless concern for the lives of their team members. This kind of leader has a genuine interest in knowing the challenges they face and their overall feelings. To offer support, encouragement, and help, the empathetic leader understands whatever situation their team member is going through and contributes to making the situation bearable, if not better. These leaders often get the helper’s high, a rush of positive emotions following an act of kindness or service to others.

10. Recognize your work and those of others.

In this day and age, recognitions are crucial to productivity, happiness, and motivation in the organization. It does not hurt to be generous with praise and merits, especially when you see that everyone is trying their best to get by and cope despite the many uncertainties in our lives today. Recognizing their work should feel good for you since you are also part of their success. Not only will this bring you butterflies in your stomach and prevent stress, but it will also put your character as a leader in good light.

You may have noticed that this list was written as if directed to a regular employee. We did that on purpose. You are free to deal with stress and burnout just like the rest of the entire workforce. Your feelings are valid, and your emotions are essential. The organization knows you are not a robot, but only you can act to make a big difference in your life.

Meet Bash Sarmiento

Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management and traveling are translated in his works.

Find him on Instagram and LinkedIn

How My Blog Made $12,201.67 in 8 Months

I speak quite frequently here on the topic of Side Hustles. This is probably one of the reasons you were lead to my blog in the first place. When I talk about different ways you can generate additional income, I almost always mention blogging. So, in the spirit of transparency I am sharing my year-to-date blogging income (that is, January-August, 2021).

I must preface by saying that when I started this blog my intention was never to make money from it. The goal has always been to educate and inspire young professionals to lead a balanced, purpose filled “UnOrthoDoc” lifestyle while on the path to personal, professional and financial development. As it turns out, while trying to do just and providing my audience with services and products that will help make life easier/better a positive side effect was that I indirectly pulled in some cash.

From January-August 2021, my blog has generated a total of $12,201.67

Here is the breakdown:

1. Sponsored posts $3,700.00 - a sponsored post is an article you write on behalf of a company that would like to get in front of your audience. The key for me where this is concerned is to only agree to write such articles when it is a product or service that I have personally used or can get behind. One such article has been this one for the company molekule. I personally use the molekule air purifier in my practice, love it and can get behind it.

2. Affiliate links $3,399.38 - On the resources page of this blog I have products and services listed that I have used myself and even carry in my practice. I like giving my patients options especially when it come to oral care products and I extend the same to my readers. When I promote a company’s products as an affiliate I earn a small commission for the referral.

3. Products $5,102.29 - A large percentage of this number comes from sales from my candle company. I love scented candles and started making them for myself, family and friends back when I was in dental school. Eventually as interest grew I turned it into a business. UnOrthoDoc Candle Company started as a hobby that over time became a side hustle for me. A much smaller percentage of this number comes from the sales of digital products.

I have shared this to show that it is indeed possible to generate money from your blog. Even though I have had to do some work in generating this money, I consider some of this income passive since I don’t actively seek out sponsored posts and I get the benefit of a small commission from products I recommend because my readers get the benefit of purchasing said products at a discounted rate.

Blogging however is not easy and it’s certainly not for everyone. It requires you to work for free for a long time while you build up your audience. I have been writing o this blog since 2017 and was only able to start generating income from it in 2020 (excpet for the candle company).

5 Secrets To Work-Life Balance

These days, especially with some of us working from home it seems almost impossible to have a little separation between your career and your life. In fact, for many people, their career is their life. But it doesn't have to be that way. Being happy and fulfilled requires making time for yourself just as much of a priority as your career. Here are 5 secrets to a work-life balance:

1. Before You Say Yes, Pause - If you’re reading this there is no doubt that you are ambitious and driven and like to get things done! You also may feel like you can handle anything thrown at you. I am the same. While this all might be true, it’s important that you are careful to not take on too much. Time is a limited resource, saying yes to everything threatens this very limited resource and can often also lead to burn out. Protect your limited resources by first pausing to assess whether or not the ask is something that you really need or want to take on right now, if at all. If you are like I once was and struggle to say no, try saying things like, “Thanks for asking, let me check my schedule/calendar and get back to you.”

2. Manage Your Workload - Sometimes I feel like I have way too many things to do. I am constantly juggling an endless amount of balls and trying to keep them all in the air. Since having my newborn, I have come to the realization that I cannot do it all and still maintain a balance between my work and home life and that I can allow some of those less important balls to drop. Cue the checklist - I now have checklists for everything! I place things in order of priority doing the most important things first. Other items much lower on the list now gets outsourced. If it’s at work, I delegate some tasks to my office manager and at home I have learned to ask my husband for help. What I have found out is that these individuals are happy to help but they have never gotten the opportunity because I never asked.

3. Create Boundaries with Technology - Put the phone down! Digital burnout is a thing that a lot of us are affected by. For me this is social media and emails. I know I am not the only one that sometimes mindlessly scroll through the abyss of Instagram and Tik Tok and respond to emails after hours and on weekends. You must set boundaries where this is concerned. Instagram is a big part of my businesses - I do marketing for my Orthodontics practice and my candle company via the platform and also make partial income from it via sponsored and affiliate posts. I enjoy doing these but it also makes it easy for the line between healthy social media consumption and compulsive social media consumption to blur. What I do to combat that is set social time blocks, that is specific time(s) of the day when I go on Instagram to do a story, make a post or to engage. I also set a time limit via the apps’ time management tool to remind me when it’s time for me to close the app.

4. Take Your Vacation - I’m currently on vacation as I type this, but had it not been for pure exhaustion I probably would have kept going - this is also a reminder to myself. You may feel guilty about taking time off of work, especially when you have a lot going on but it’s so important. If you are like me, when you have a certain goal in mind you cannot stop until that goal is achieved. However, continuously going without a break only leads to burnout.

5. Take Control of Your Life - You are in the driver seat of your life! If you don’t like something, you can just decide that it doesn’t work for you and make the change. I know some things are easier said than done but, begin to work on the things that are easiest to implement. For example, if you need to get more sleep decide that you will go to bed an hour or two earlier. If there are certain things that gives you stress, figure out how to get rid of it (ie. set boundaries) or how to manage it.

There is such a thing as work-life balance and you CAN create a life that you absolutely enjoy! The key is to decide on the type of life you want to lead and take the necessary steps to achieving it. Start with the 5 steps above. I hope this helps.

Read This If You’re Thinking About Starting a Small Business

[This is a guest post from Alyssa Strickland of millennial-parents.com]

So, you have an entrepreneurial spirit and aren’t exactly sure what to do with it. You know that you want to start a business, but what kind will you start? And what exactly does it take to get a company off the ground that succeeds long term?

The UnOrthoDoc has some information to help you start your entrepreneurial journey strong. Here’s an overview of some of the simplest small businesses you can launch as well as some tips for the early stages:

 Explore the Options

These days, there really is no limit to the types of businesses you can start, whether you want to work from home or at a designated location. Evaluate your interests and expertise, and research all the ideas that could bring you fulfillment and success. Here are a few of the easiest small businesses to get off the ground:

●      Virtual assistance

●      Social media management

●      Web development or design

●      Handyman services

●      Landscaping

●      Woodworking

●      Personal training

●      Videography

●      Property management

●      Massage therapy

●      Consultant

Handle the Legal Matters

 Once you’ve determined what type of business you will start, it’s time to begin preparing for the legal side of things. For example, you’ll need to create a unique and catchy business name and register it with the state. And you’ll need to choose a business structure that fits the needs of your company, whether that means an LLC, sole proprietorship, corporation, or partnership.

Use Tech Tools

 There are so many technologies on the market today specifically designed to help small businesses succeed. The earlier you start researching these tools, the better able you’ll be to decide which ones will help you achieve your goals.

 For example, you’ll need an effective payroll system when you start hiring staff. Don’t make the mistake that many other companies make of mismanaging payroll. This can lead to a variety of financial and legal problems.

 Learn the ins and outs of processing payroll, and implement software that simplifies tasks like paying your employees, tracking time, and reporting your taxes. And as you put your payroll system in place, be sure to factor in federal and local labor laws as well as state overtime laws.

 Furthermore, research all the other tools available that can help you successfully launch and grow your company. Many small business owners benefit from using software and apps for project management, collaboration, marketing, and human resources.

Constantly Improve Your Plan

 You will have to take a lot of different steps when starting and managing your business. Embrace the mindset that you can always improve.

 For instance, you’ll need to conduct market research to ensure that your business idea is viable, and you’ll need to continue doing research so that you can make informed decisions as your business grows. Also, prepare to create a thorough business plan before launching your business; this business plan will need to be modified over time as your goals and circumstances change.

 Your business plan not only will help guide you through challenges on your journey but will also help you secure the funding you need to achieve your goals. As such, you should always keep re-strategizing as needed.

Stay Connected

 =Lastly, networking is crucial for any type of business. Look for networking events in your area as well as in different states. Attend virtual industry conferences. Join your local chamber of commerce, and always look for opportunities to meet other business owners and professionals in your community. Building a strong network of support will prove invaluable through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

 If you have a passion to be a business owner, take the time to determine what type of company you could thrive in the most. Then, plan and prepare diligently to lay a solid foundation upon which you can build your company. In no time, you could be leading a more fulfilling life while also fostering your career and financial health!

If you found this article helpful, you can read loads of other content on theunorthodoc.com!