In This Issue: Cisco Catalyst 3560-X Series 48 Port PoE+ Switch | 12 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Life More | News to Start Your Day
Calling all thrifters!! Today is your day – it’s National Secondhand Wardrobe Day! Head on over to your favorite thrift store and snag some great deals on some new items for your wardrobe! What’s been your best thrift store find?
The CK Daily – Getting Through the Ups and Downs
Happy Wednesday!
Can you believe August is almost gone? This month has flown by for me, but I am not complaining. This weekend my husband and I are celebrating many different things. My son’s birthday is this weekend, and we are throwing him the ultimate Home Depot/Construction themed birthday party. He is all about excavators, so we are pretty excited to see his eyes light up with all of our decorations. We are also having a gender reveal party for our unborn child this weekend, along with celebrating 8 years of marriage. So yeah, the last few days of the month are jammed-packed for my household.
With all the exciting things happening in my life, I can’t help but think about those who are not experiencing such joyous times right now. From COVID-19 ramping back up and affecting people to the helpless people in Afghanistan, times are rough for many. It’s so easy to take life and health for granted, but the recent events that have been happening around our country and in the world have caused me to take a break and thank God for protection.
As you finish out your week, I ask each of you to take a moment to think about the great things going on in your life. Once you’ve done that, take another moment to think about those who aren’t doing as great as you. We all have our ups and downs, but as a good Samaritan, let’s not forget about those that are not as fortunate.
Have a great week friends!
Shanyce
Hot Topic of the Day
Yesterday, Starbuck officially launched their autumn drink menu. To try and get a leg up on Starbucks, Dunkin’ launched its pumpkin cream cold brew and pumpkin spice signature latte drink on August 11th. They even added apple cider doughnuts to the mix! Panera is also seeking to have a spot in the running with their fall drinks being added to their menu on September 1st!
Where is your favorite place to get fall-themed drinks? Are you a big pumpkin spice fan? Do you think it’s too early to have fall-themed drinks on the menu? We’d love to know what you think! Let us know your thoughts over on the CK Facebook page!
Product Spotlights & Updates
We’ve finally made it to the middle of the week! Are you already looking forward to the weekend?! Today we’re focusing in on the Cisco Catalyst 3560-X Series Switch that has (48) 10/100/1000 Ethernet Ports and (2) USB Ports, WS-C3560X-48P-S.
Cisco 3560 X switches help maximize productivity by giving IT managers the tools needed to support enterprise applications and advanced traffic management. With an array of network modules and redundant power supply options available, these standalone switches can be customized and scaled to support nearly any application. Options for the 3560X include Gigabit and 10GE uplink ports, PoE+ and non-PoE support, redundant fans and an array of port densities allow the devices to be tailored and customized. By upgrading IOS versions users and add OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) routed access, multicast routing, IPv4 and IPv6 support, advanced QoS (Quality of Service). Hardware security, Cisco Energywise power management and type A and B USB interfaces are standard. These feature-rich, fixed-configuration devices are the switch of choice for small to medium-size businesses looking to maximize IT budgets while maintaining rich functionality.
This week, enjoy 25% off this product!
12 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Life More
Today’s article is from Ramsey Solutions – read the full post here!
Ironically, it’s hard to slow down. It takes a ton of discipline. You’ve got to choose to go against what the rest of the world is doing. But it’s worth it—I promise. Here are a few practical ways to slow down.
1. Pay attention to what gets your attention.
Slowing down starts when you begin to pay attention to the world around you—to be truly focused on what’s in front of you. The problem is that we try to divide our attention between a million things all at once. We think multitasking will help us get more done, but in reality, it only leaves us stressed and frazzled.
2. Be present.
It sounds nice, doesn’t it? Just be present. Just be where you are. If it were that easy, we wouldn’t struggle doing it. But in our busy lives, with so much competing for our attention, it feels almost impossible to focus on what’s in front of us.
3. Don’t allow your phone to be a distraction.
Speaking of barriers to being present, let’s talk about cell phones. We’re addicted to our phones—addicted to the temporary rush they bring. The noises, alerts, dings, and little red dots keep us feeling hurried because there’s always another notification to check.
Don’t let your phone run your life. Don’t allow it to flood your body with stress hormones. Don’t give it the power to steal your time, attention and peace of mind.
4. Focus on the people in front of you.
When we’re rushing, we often push people to the side. We don’t take time to look the cashier at the grocery store in the eye and ask how their day is going. We never take time to just hang out with a friend or neighbor (here in the South, we call that visitin’).
So, stop and slow down, put the device away, look your loved ones in the eyes, and spend quality (translation: unrushed and undivided) time with them.
5. Drive the speed limit.
Yes—I know. This one is tough. If you’re like me, you’re tempted to speed through traffic, weaving in and out of cars to shave a few minutes off your commute. But you’re not a NASCAR driver, and this isn’t a race.
6. Do something creative.
We’re all creative. Whether you like to do watercolors or make spreadsheets, there’s something you’re good at bringing into the world—something that brings you life. Making time for creative work helps us slow down and enjoy the moment.
7. Accept your limitations.
I don’t know about you, but I have a Mother Teresa complex sometimes—I feel like it’s my job to save the world. I sign up and say yes to things I don’t even want to do, because if I don’t show up, won’t it all fall apart?
8. Take the Why Do I Feel So Busy? life balance quiz.
You know you’re too busy, but you might not know why. Time-management hacks are great, but a lot of the time, they only address the symptom of the problem—not the source.
9. Make time for play.
As we age, we have a hard time making fun a priority. We might even feel guilty for having fun—like it’s a luxury we can’t afford. Maybe you’ve entirely forgotten how to have fun! When we slow down and make time for play, we recharge our batteries, laugh, connect with people, and reignite the spark of joy that’s missing from our hectic lives.
10. Practice silence.
Can you be still? What if you could just stop? Stop the noise, stop the rushing, stop trying to perform, stop trying to keep up. Just stop. Be still. Schedule little pauses throughout your day—even just a minute or two can help calm your mind.
11. Journal.
One of the problems with being too busy is that we don’t make time for reflection. We never pause to check in with ourselves, think back on the day, or consider whether or not we like how we’re spending our time. Journaling is an awesome practice that helps you slow down and connect with yourself.
12. Add these books to your reading list.
Here are a few books that have helped me—on a personal and professional level—learn to slow down and enjoy my life:
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Redefining Anxiety by Dr. John Delony
Take Back Your Time: The Guilt-Free Guide to Life Balance by Christy Wright
Today’s News to Start Your Day:
- Microsoft is planning to launch cloud gaming services on Xbox consoles this holiday season. This will allow people to stream games over the internet rather than install them locally.
- Airbnb says that it plans to temporarily house 20,000 Afghan refugees. Refugees will be housed in properties listed on Airbnb’s platform and the stay will be funded by Airbnb.
- Chewy, the now publicly-traded company, wants to hold on to the corporate culture that drew customers when it was a start-up. Chewy CEO Sumit Singh said he wants to order dog food — and even getting a delivery of cat litter — to feel a little like going to Disney World.
- Serena Williams has pulled out of the U.S. Open to recover from a torn hamstring.
- Waymo is opening up rider testing of its self-driving car in San Francisco.