My top 5 WFH tools

Hey hey! Coming to you live from San Diego, where on Tuesday I delivered my first ever in-person keynote at Social Media Marketing World! I must’ve recited my speech 100 times to feel prepared. 🙃 But that dedication paid off—it was such a special day and I wasn’t too nervous to present in front of thousands (okay, maybe I had some nerves).

It’s Getting Hot in Here

“A heat map.”

Chuck Bass might not have been able to say it but I sure can.

This visualization tip will have your team head-over-heels. Here’s how to create a heat map in Excel in 10 seconds flat.

In case you need a refresh: A heat map is a color-coded representation of data. It’s useful when you need to compare different data sets, such as sales figures or website traffic, to see which ones are performing better (or worse) than others.

Here are a few examples of how a heat map might be used in the wild:

Let’s dive into it. (If you’d rather see this tip in video format, go here!)

This is one of those Excel tips that adds a lot of value to your skill set with little effort (a no-brainer!). And once you apply it to your spreadsheet, you can lean back, relax, and admire your masterpiece.

My Top 5 WFH Tools

90,000 hours.

That’s how many hours the average person spends at their job—about ⅓ of their lives! And for lots of us, those hours are still being tallied in our home offices (read: on our couches).

So, why not invest in the most comfortable, coziest WFH setup possible? After all, even just one hour sitting in an uncomfortable office chair is one too many (and 90,000 hours?! Forget it!).

Last year, I ✨ revamped ✨ my WFH setup and spent an embarrassing amount of time finding the best equipment out there. Here’s my list so you, too, can upgrade (and not end up in an Amazon ergonomic chair rabbit hole).

 1   🪑 Standing desk

Did you know sitting disease was a thing? This standing desk keeps me on my feet. Studies have found standing desks reduce sitting time by around an hour each day (and keep sitting disease at bay).

 2   🖱 Electronic keyboard and mouse

I dunno if it’s just me, but something about a beautiful keyboard that gives that satisfying “clack” as you type gets me in the zone.

 3   💺 Ergonomic chair

This chair prevents me from hunching over my computer (major key). The only downside is that it’s so comfortable, I sometimes have to force myself to get up so I can actually use my standing desk.

 4   🔅 Ring light

If you’re a fellow content creator, this ring light is a lifesaver. It’s super easy to adjust and helps turn your iPhone videos into high-end productions.

 5   🎙 Microphone

As someone who records a lot of webinars, it’s important my voice is crystal-clear. This Blue Yeti microphone is perfect and curbs those “could you say that again?” requests.

Oh, and here’s one last bonus—I also use a diffuser with rosemary and peppermint oil, two essential oils that are known for promoting focus and energy. It’s such a simple way to get more focused (that doesn’t include the jitters from 23 cups of coffee).

• This AI Chrome extension summarizes YouTube videos for you so you can decide if they’re worth the watch.

• Thinking about becoming a freelance writer? This podcast is a goldmine of info!

• YouTuber Matt D’Avella shares the nine self-help books that changed his life.

• Here’s a tip to upgrade your bullet points in Powerpoint (your boss won’t know what hit them 😎).

• This list on Reddit of 10 Excel tips was upvoted 848 times—and for good reason!

If you ever feel yourself slipping into people-pleaser mode (this happens to me a lot) remember this quote from Glennon Doyle:

“Every time you’re given a choice between disappointing someone else and disappointing yourself, your duty is to disappoint that someone else. Your job, throughout your entire life, is to disappoint as many people as it takes to avoid disappointing yourself.”

Stay Exceling,

Kat