Weekender #192

👠 Handle mean girls at work without losing your confidence.

🌗 What the summer solstice means and why it’s worth knowing.

🧹 Declutter your digital life and finally breathe easier.

🌞 Your go-to summer skin guide for 2025.

I still have a crush on my husband.

Even after years of marriage, two kids, a Lego minefield, and what feels like a never-ending group chat with teachers and sports teams—I still sneak glances at him across the kitchen and think, “Yep. That one’s mine.”

But let’s not romanticize the chaos.

We’re both WFH, calendars stacked, overlapping meetings, noisy kids, and the occasional “What’s for dinner?” standoff. Some nights, it’s just a high-five at bedtime.

But somehow, we’ve kept the spark alive, on purpose.

Here’s how we make space for connection (and yes, still flirt like teenagers) in this very full, very real life.

We turn tiny moments into big ones

We don’t always have time for date nights, but we do make time for quick breakfast dates while the kids are getting ready. We’ll sit in the yard during a break, him shooting hoops, me cheering like he’s going pro.

We walk around the block and hold hands. Sometimes we don’t even talk—we just exist side by side, away from the noise.

Those little pockets of time? They’re everything.

We flirt like it’s our job

One of our favorite things is teasing each other. I’ll roast him about his 9,000 Chrome tabs. He’ll remind me I’ve had the same laundry pile on “pause” since Tuesday.

We text each other mid-day with winks, jokes, or the occasional suggestive emoji. Nothing elaborate—just enough to say, “Hey, I still see you. And I still want you.”

We make the couch count

After the kids are in bed, we usually end up on the couch—snacks in hand, show queued up, feet tangled. Sometimes it’s a new series, sometimes it’s a rewatch we’ve seen a dozen times.

But the phones go away. The world quiets down. It’s just us. And honestly? It feels more intimate than any fancy restaurant.

We say the mushy stuff out loud

We’re not shy with the appreciation.

“I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks for picking up the slack today.”

“You looked good in that call.”

Words matter. Even when you assume the other person knows, saying it out loud can change the tone of the whole day.

We plan fun like we plan meetings

Between kid schedules, work deadlines, and dentist appointments, it’s way too easy to let “fun” fall to the bottom of the list. So we put it on the list.

We plan little getaways, even if it’s just one night. We make vacation mood boards. We schedule “no kid” walks and flirtatious lunch breaks. If it’s not penciled in, it usually doesn’t happen.

We hype each other up

He hypes me up when I’m nervous before a presentation. I hype him up when he crushes something at work. We tell each other, “You’ve got this.” We celebrate the wins—even the small ones.

There’s nothing hotter than being with someone who sees your full potential and cheers you on like it’s their job.

Romance in your 30s isn’t about fancy gestures. It’s about showing up. Fully. Messily. On purpose.

So yeah, we’re busy. But we’re also still wildly into each other.

And if that means flirting over coffee or holding hands while talking about 529 plans—so be it.

I’ll take this kind of love any day.

Kristel (TA Marketing Ops)

Payroll isn’t just about paying people; it’s about trust. But one slip-up and suddenly it’s late-night pings, manual corrections, or a compliance headache you didn’t ask for.

The right system doesn’t just pay people, it keeps everything running smoothly and gives you your time (and peace of mind) back.

Here’s what to look for:

• Sync with time tracking to skip the double entry
• Automate tax filings at every level—state, federal, even global
• Run bonuses or off-cycle payments with no extra hoops
• Let employees self-serve paystubs and personal details
• Make audits painless with built-in compliance tools

Top picks for different needs:

🧾 Paychex: Best for growing teams who want payroll, HR, and benefits all in one clean system.

💸 OnPay: Ideal for small teams looking for power without the overwhelm.

🌍 Multiplier: Seamless international payroll in 150+ countries, no local entity needed.

A smart payroll setup doesn’t just pay people, it protects your time, your sanity, and your business.

Most fitness plans aren’t made with midlife women in mind.

Reverse Health’s 28-Day Wall Pilates Challenge was designed for women navigating midlife, menopause, and everything in between. It’s low-impact, quick, and shockingly effective.

• Just 15 minutes a day
• No gym or equipment required
• Results you can feel (and see) in as little as 2 weeks

You’ll build strength, improve posture, and boost energy—with a plan that adapts to you.

✨ Try the full 4-week program for just $15.65 (that’s 60% off)!

👉 Start Your Personalized Plan

📚 Read: Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty

Feel like your brain’s on overdrive? This bestselling read blends ancient wisdom with real-world mindset tools to help you slow down, stress less, and lead with purpose. At work and at a home.

📺 Watch: Hidden Figures (Disney+)

Three brilliant Black women helped launch NASA into orbit, and this film finally gives them the spotlight. It’s an empowering watch that will leave you inspired and Googling more about Katherine Johnson.

🎧 Listen: Sincerely, by Kali Uchis

Kali Uchis delivers dreamy vocals and sultry beats in this moody, genre-blending album. Whether you’re journaling, commuting, or zoning out mid-scroll, it’s the perfect soundtrack for solo time.

If your brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open, join the club. That’s why we’ve been loving Miro for wrangling the workweek. And yes, we made templates. Not just pretty layouts—actual systems for real people doing real work.

🏆 Weekly Wins Planner

Ever end the week and think, “Wait… what did I even do?” This template helps you log wins (even the tiny ones), track progress, and wrap the week feeling accomplished.

✅ The Daily Standup

Whether you’re solo or leading a team, this one keeps things tight. Your one-stop shop for priorities, blockers, and quick team updates. Get in, get aligned, get going.

🧊 Ice Breaker + Productivity Bundle

You’ll get planners (daily to monthly), meeting notes, SOP templates, and fun little icebreakers to liven up even the driest Zoom calls.

💸 Bonus: The Pay Raise Planner

Getting ready to ask for more money? This one helps you gather receipts, build your case, and step into that convo ready.

Steal them. Customize them. Let them quietly change your life.

Just don’t be shocked when your team asks how you got so on top of things.

Looney Tunes is a busy girl! She has to supervise her mom every day since she works from home, monitor traffic on the street below, and (most importantly) defend her apartment from a squirrel who likes to peek in the windows.

Luckily for her family, she’s dedicated to a healthy work-life balance. She always makes time for her hobbies, which include gardening, sun bathing, and helping her mom with puzzles.

Looney Tunes is the light of her family’s life and makes them smile every single day!

🐾 Got a cute fur baby? Submit them to be our pet of the week in an upcoming issue.

• Adaptive Business Group is hiring for an Account Director (Hybrid).
• Storm4 is hiring for a Head Of Congestion Analysis (Remote).
• Brightsmith is hiring for a Customer Success Manager (Hybrid).
• Sterling Engineering is hiring for a Quality Assurance Manager (Taylor Mill, KY).
• FlexStaff Careers is hiring for a Talent Acquisition Specialist (New Hyde Park, NY).

⭐ View more jobs here >

We’re Developing a 4-week AI Workshop in July. Help Us Shape It by Taking Our Quick Survey.

👉 Take the quick survey here.

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✨ P.S. Want more inspiration and positivity to kick off your week? Sign up for our Motivational Monday texts (U.S. only).

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