Blog - Written By Charlotte

How To Drink More Water Life Hacks

25/05/2020

Staying hydrated is SO important for a number of reasons.

In order to drink more water, we need to feel motivated to do so.

Once you feel de-hydrated, it’s too late!

Your body is going to feel rubbish for a number of hours before it’s fully hydrated again.

Making sure you drink throughout the day is key to keeping a happy body. (We all want that)

Drinking water constantly seems tedious and it’s so easy to forget when you’re going about your normal day…

So, I have written a post about some easy hacks to make sure you drink more!

Life Hacks to Drink More Water!

Forcing yourself to drink more water when you are so out of the routine of doing so, can be hard. Water can also be a pretty boring thing to drink, especially if you don’t feel thirsty.

These little hacks may help you to up your intake of water every day.

1 – My BEST hack, personally, for drinking more water, is to use the leftover squash bottles and fill them up three times a day. They are usually a litre and a half, so plenty of fluid! Also, reusing the squash bottles at home is an easy way to always have a large drink with you especially if you can’t be bothered to keep filling up your glass.

2 – Make a mental reminder to take a drink after every little thing you do. So for example; If you have just finished creating a blog post or mid-break, have a drink. If you have just got off the phone, have a drink! Every task you do, have a drink. This is why its good to have a larger bottle of water since it will last longer.

3 – If you don’t like drinking water, drink alternatives. Use sugar-free squash to protect your teeth, and because you don’t need the extra sugar. OR create water infusions (I will list some examples below).

4 – Set reminders on your phone. Set a reminder for every half an hour to an hour to drink a glass of water, or take a big drink from your bottle. Sometimes it’s easy to just forget about it, so a reminder on your phone, or smart watch, will help prompt you.

5 – Use a water bottle that measures water for you. There are loads of bottles that have visual reminders to drink at certain times of the day, and bottles that have counters so you can track how much water you’re drinking.
– An example of a water bottle that tracks intake

6 – Track your water intake via an app on your phone, OR use your bullet journal and create a nice spread so you can visualise how much water you are drinking.

Why You Need To Be Hydrated…

There are lots of reasons as to why you should stay hydrated, your body simply needs water in order to function properly.

However, here are a few key reasons why you need to drink more water and stay hydrated every day.

Improves physical function and abilities – Can exercise for longer, but also feel better Dehydration can make you very ill and feel really rubbish!

Optimal brain function – Being hydrated has been proven to increase your brain ability. Of course. You wouldn’t want to sit an exam whilst dehydrated and gagging for a drink…

Prevent, or treat migraines – None of us enjoys having a headache. If you’re prone to migraines, staying hydrated may help tremendously.

Helps overall bodily function… – Cells need hydration, your body needs water in order to go to the toilet, you literally couldn’t survive without having fluid in your body.

Helps with hangovers – Drinking water after drinking alcohol can help it flush from your system, and relieve the headache.

Improves your skin – Hydrated skin is clear, not dry, and mostly blemish-free.

If you can think of any reasons as to why you make sure you are drinking enough water daily, please comment!

Water Infusion Ideas

Infusing your water with fruits can really help you to drink more.

Its fun, its pretty, and tastes nice.

Not only that, but infused water also has its own health benefits too.

Infused water helps to detox your body (claims to anyway).

Raspberry and Mint
Blueberry and Lime
Lemon and Cucumber
Strawberry and Mint/Basil
Whatever you want! – Mix different fruits and find a combination you like.

Personally, I like to just have lemon and cucumber, or water with just one thing.

I find using berries a little bit pointless because they cost more and they just go all squashy… Whereas you could still eat the cucumber or lemon (or reuse them).

Sustainable Water Bottles

This is not an ad but I just think the concept is such a good idea. This company clean beaches, plant trees, and do not use plastic! – Boxed Water Is Better

Below are a few water bottles that are better for the earth than buying and throwing away plastic ones! Invest in a good quality water bottle and you will be able to keep the same one for ages!

Swell is just an example brand, but there are tons of good quality stainless steel bottles that are great too.

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments, and which water bottles you like to use the most… (I love a good water bottle)

How To Become a Blogger – Introduction

22/05/2020

Welcome to the start of a very exciting How to become a blogger series I will be creating here on Written By Charlotte.

Once a week I will be adding to this series in the hope that it helps you gain more knowledge on blogging, and to also watch my journey of being a blogger too.

I have only been running this blog properly again for about a month, so I thought it would be good timing to share what I am learning, with you.

This is only going to be a short and sweet post including a brief outline of what to expect…

PS… Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date with the posts!

How To Become a Blogger – A series

Since this is just the introduction for the series, this post is just going to include some of the things to expect along the way.

Because this is also going to show my own becoming a blogger journey, I haven’t made an indefinite plan of what posts to write. I will just be creating new content about blogging every week.

Throughout this series, you will learn everything from the basics to the details. How to start a blog, and how to monetise it.

I will be creating posts about how to use social media to drive traffic, and how to create an email list.

The possibilities at the moment, are endless.

So, if you are a blogger, or you have just started blogging, I would love to connect with you! (You can find my social accounts at the end!)

What To Expect

This series is going to contain ALL SORTS of information surrounding the blogger world. In the end, I will be collating this into one email (or something like that, not sure yet!)

So don’t worry if you miss out…

However, if you subscribe you will get weekly updates!

There will be things that you want to learn, and things I want to learn. Hopefully, via social media, you will be able to get involved with this series too!

I will be looking for some guest bloggers or people to do interviews with very soon. (Email or message me on Twitter if you’re interested.)

So, here are a few little hints on blog posts to come in the How to Become a Blogger series:

How to create a blog – Includes finding a domain name, finding a host etc
Brainstorming ideas for your blog and what you want it to be
Choosing a theme and your ‘brand’ (Brand is a scary word but basically your style)
Designing your blog – Layouts, sidebars, headers…
Different niches to blog about and how you can do multiple.
Writing blog posts – Layouts, setups.
How to gain traffic – Ways to share your blog
Using Pinterest to boost your blog
Social media things…
How to make money from your blog

If there is anything else you would like me to cover then please comment below!

I will be doing my own research and learning for each post in order to hopefully make things more understandable…

***

Thank you again for reading this post.

I do already have some posts about blogging here if you would like to read;

Be sure to follow me on social media to stay up to date with the blog and with me.

You can follow me here;

https://www.instagram.com/p/CALWB9hAQ9q/

Why You Need an Emergency Fund

20/05/2020

If you have never heard of an emergency fund, but you want to start saving your money better or just being clever with your money.

Then read this post!

If you haven’t yet, read my How to Save Money blog post to get an idea…

An emergency fund is essentially a backup account that will help you save (if you don’t use it) and give you peace of mind in case of an emergency, so you don’t have to use your current account money.

If you find that every month you need to pay for something important you had forgotten about, your emergency fund will be there.

*Disclaimer… The emergency fund is your OWN money, it’s just in a separate ‘don’t touch’ account. It does not appear from another source…*

What is an Emergency Fund?

An emergency fund is a separate account you can create in your online banking.

Essentially a savings account.

(If you are confused with money and how to save, I recommend this book! – Money: A Users Guide by Laura Whateley)

It’s an account that you do not touch unless you really need too. Its not somewhere to place money you will spend every single month. Simply an extra pot of money, just in case you need it.

You would use an emergency fund to keep money separate throughout each month and use it as a back up if you need it. In case your car breaks down, you need to pay for an unexpected bill etc.

The aim is to set aside an amount each month.
Something that is doable for you, but also a good amount, for example I put £200 into this account at the start of each month.

Whatever is leftover from the last month is put into savings, or if I haven’t touched it, I leave it there for the next month.

If you spend this, then replace it next month, if you don’t you have two options.

Transfer remaining amount into actual savings
Keep the money in there and always start at £200 every month

The Benefits of an Emergency Fund

Having an emergency fund is beneficial for a number of reasons.

Peace of mind that you have extra money IF you need it
Easy way to save an extra £200 a month if you do not spend it
Money that is set aside for important things only
Learn some self-discipline with spending
A good way to start managing your money and tracking your finances

It is so simple, and so easy! There is no reason not to have one.

Building your Emergency Fund Account

It is super easy to set this up through your online banking.
If you head over to your online bank, you will be talked through the steps there on how to set up another account within your current account.

All you need to do is open up new savings accounts and label it ‘Emergency Fund’.

Once you have done this, transfer the amount you want to have in there. This could be extra money or money you would have in your current account.

Like I said previously, you will need a good amount in there since emergencies are usually expensive and more than just £10 here or there.

Once you have the money in there, you will be able to visualise what you have for that month. DO NOT TOUCH IT! Remember, this isn’t spare money to do your shopping with.

You will now also know in the back of your mind you have that extra money spare if you need it, and if you don’t spend it, you’ve made immediate savings.

How to use it

An emergency fund is super easy to use. You only need to use it when you REALLY need it. If you do not need to use it, then you don’t need to touch it!

If you find you need some of the money for an unexpected event. Then transfer the amount you need into your current account, and use it.

IMPORTANT- Once you have spent some of this money, do not replace it until you next get paid!
If you keep adding to your emergency fund, you defeat the object… You may as well just use your current account. This is why it is a good idea to put a larger amount in this fund.

***

Thank you for reading this post. I hope you have found it helpful, and that it inspires you to use your money more wisely.

Please subscribe below to keep up to date with the blog, and don’t forget to follow me on social media too!

View this post on Instagram

?Hello! Hope you’re having a nice weekend, it’s been so hot today I actually think I have a tan ?? I feel like I haven’t really done anything today and felt a bit rubbish about it until I went for a walk… now I’m ready to be productive and get some stuff done ✅ – I love my little instax Polaroid photos, I bought the printer a few years back and it was the best expensive purchase I have ever made just to create some aesthetics pleasing photos ?? – I’ve started using my journal again today; if you’ve seen my stories you would know! I really want to start bullet Journaling again; like the really cool ones you see on Pinterest (although I don’t think I’m creative enough) ? Who here uses a bullet journal? – Anyway, I’m going to drink some tea, do some work, and chill for the rest of the evening ? What are your plans? ✨ – – – – – – #bloggersofinstagram #bloggersdiaries #bloggerlife #bloggerlifestyle #bujocommunity #bujoweekly #bulletjournalcommunity #bulletjournaljunkies #flatlayoftheday #flatlayinspiration #myflatlaysandfinds #theflatlaysquad #instaxphoto #instaxminifilm #tealovers #journallove #flatlayoftheday #bloggersgetsocial #smallbloggersuk #blogsociety #lifestyleblogs #femalebloggersuk #ukbloggersquad #openbook #productivelife #positivemindset #flowersglasses #girlbloggerandboss

A post shared by Char | Writing / Books ⚡️ (@writtenbycharlotte) on May 9, 2020 at 9:18am PDT

3 Steps to GLOW UP at Home – Physically & Mentally

18/05/2020

Having a quarantine glow up has sort of became a thing during this weird and wonderful time.

The majority of us, if not all of us, have been living like sloths.

(I know I have)…

By this I mean; Loungewear is the new workwear. Greasy hair is the norm. Makeup? What’s makeup?

Now that some of us are going back to work, and restrictions are being slightly eased, whether we want them too or not…
An at-home glow up is the perfect thing do to before venturing back out into the world.

If you have been feeling pretty crap the past months and haven’t made much of an effort taking care of yourself, then this post is for you…

A glow up doesn’t just include looking better. It includes feeling better on the inside too.

I have a post here about self-care at home that should help.

Glow Up Phase 1 – Assess

The first phase is to assess your situation… What is it you want to work on/change?

This can be physically or mentally. You might not want to change anything, but you may have realised you have neglected yourself in multiple ways over the last couple of months.

Let’s look at some examples below.

Physical Changes

These are the things that you want to change/work on your appearance.
Not intense things, just minor ones that will make a huge difference, especially if you haven’t done them for a while.

We aren’t talking about a whole-body transformation here because you do not need it!

You should hopefully be happy in your own body and skin and if you’re not, then we can work on that!

So, these are some things you can do during your at-home glow up to change yourself physically.

In no particular order…

Shave your legs…
Paint your nails.
Dye your hair (Please don’t take huge risks if you’re a regular at the hairdressers!)
Put on some makeup
Cut your hair (or better still, get someone to just trim the ends…)
Wear non-loungewear clothes (or get some fancy loungewear?)
Pluck and dye your brows
Have a pamper night in the bath
Face mask
Hair mask
Foot mask
All the masks…
Moisturise entire body

Mental Changes

The following things should hopefully just make you feel better in yourself and in your head…

It’s easy to put on makeup, take a photo, and feel good for a few moments.

However, it’s important to feel good on the inside too.

That’s a real glow up.

Tidy your space
Clear out your wardrobe
Donate/sell clothes you don’t want
Buy new clothes you need
Plan daily exercise into your routine
Write down your feelings etc – I have a post about gratitude journaling here
Socialise online or with your family
Do something different every day
Practice a new skill
Learn something new

Glow Up Phase 2 – Plan

You now need to plan what it is you are going to do, and make sure you have the resources to do so.

From the list above, or from your own list. Choose the things you want to do to carry out your at home glow up.

I would pick a couple from both the physical and mental changes.
A combination of the two will give you the ultimate glow up… (This is all sounding very intense)

For this step, you need to see what it is you have.

For painting your nails, see if you have the products you need.

If you have face masks, then do that!

Put things on your shopping list if you need to buy anything like hair dye, or skincare products.

You could spread your at-home glow up across a couple of days to make the physical changes, and plan to improve the mental changes over a longer period of time.

Friday

Put on hair/face mask OR dye your hair?
Get in the shower/bath
Pluck brows
Shave
Moisturise
Oil treat hair
Go to bed and read/meditate
Plan tomorrows outfit

Saturday

Go for a walk or exercise
Make a new healthy breakfast
Get ready for the day
Put on some makeup
Do something with your hair!
Change jewellery
Gel or paint nails
Go out (for a walk?) since you’re now ready to at least do something!

Glow Up Phase 3 – Perform

Finally, now all you need to do is to just do it! The most exciting part. Take your time, and enjoy yourself.

You don’t need to build up to just glow up for one day.

Once you have done all of the things in your plan, see what you liked the best and what really worked, then try to integrate these things into your normal life, especially if they make you feel better.

When actually carrying our your glow up, take your time! Turn it into a whole day thing. Track what you are doing and share it with others.

Instagram and Youtube love a good glow-up video or content.

Perform the things you have enjoyed since having your at-home glow up, more often. If you feel yourself going back into being a sloth, just do something small like a ten-minute yoga practice, or try something new with your hair.

One last thing, don’t force it.

If you’re feeling like you’re having an off day, then stay in your comfy clothes! You don’t need to wake up and put makeup on to feel better. Do one of the mental tasks instead!

*affiliate links* Here are some things I have found that you might want for your glow up/pamper day.

***

Thank you so much for reading! Comment below what you have done for your at home glow up, I would love to know!

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the blog, and follow me on socials!

I upload to Instagram every day, and share content on Pinterest and Twitter too!

View this post on Instagram

☕️S u n d a y☕️ – there are just so many reasons why I don’t want to post this photos but so many reasons why I do at the same time ? Is this a common thought?? (I just wish I’d sorted my but, minor problems, that’s what you get for taking photos behind your curtain)✨ – The sun has NOT been shining today and I’ve spent all day in my bedroom trying to do things and tick jobs off my list ✔️ If you’ve watched my stories you’ll know I spent all morning tidying my whole room which was actually SO GOOD and I’m so happy I did it ?? – Other than that, I’ve been watching YouTube videos and playing the Sims because yet again; I downloaded another stuff pack I will hardly use… (Who else thinks they need to just remake the sims 2?? ?) – Anyway; that was a huge ramble… Tell me what you’ve done today that you’re proud of, or if you’ve finally ticked something off your to do list you’ve been putting off✌???‍? – – – – – – – #lifestyleblogger #flashesofdelight #bloggerlife #thatsdarling #lifestyleblog #lifestylebloggers #personalblog #onlygoodvibes #thinkhappythoughts #selfgrowth #enjoythelittlethings #chooselovely #postitfortheaesthetic #theeverygirl #thelifestyle #girlblogger #sundayfunday #sundayvibes #tidyroomtidymind #sundaythoughts #bloggersgetsocial #smallbloggersuk #femalebloggersuk #goldenhourphotography #sunlightphotography #photoideasathome #stayhome #sundayvibes

A post shared by Char | Writing / Books ⚡️ (@writtenbycharlotte) on May 10, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

Life After COVID – Things To Do/Think about

15/05/2020

Here comes the debate as to whether life should go back to normal again or if after all this COVID-19 business is over, we should create a new, better normal.

So, here is a post about life after COVID, things to do, and what to remember.

I am sure you have all been sitting and thinking about all the things you want to do when life goes back to normal.

At the moment we can go shopping for essentials, we have just started going back to work and we can leave the house for exercise.

We cant see our friends or other family members, we can’t eat out (we can get takeaways though.)

Not a lot. I might have missed something but really, there’s not a lot.

However, dwelling on this is doing us no favours so, let’s think about all the great things we are going to do when this is over.

Normal Life Right Now

Pre COVID-19, life was normal as we knew it.

So much has happened in the whole entire world since this pandemic. The question is, do you really want to go back to the way things were? For comfort reasons and to act as nothing happened, then yes.

But if we want to use this time to make some positive changes, then there’s no better time than now.

I don’t want to dwell on the things we should all change because you probably know what they are!
These things include the following;

How we treat our environment.
The way we are with other humans.
What we appreciate.
Humans can be selfish!
Spending too much money.
Not supporting others.

I am sure you can agree with some of those points, or maybe even add your own! We are all the same in some aspects, but we all want to change for the better. Who wouldn’t?

Life right now has changed drastically from the start of this year, you have probably already started noticing differences in the way you lead your life and the way others are too.

The New Normal

I cannot really tempt fate and imply what the new normal way of life after COVID will be, however…

If the following things could become the new normal, then I think the world will slowly become a better place.

Create LESS WASTE…
I saw a photo of a KFC box on the floor outside when KFC first reopened. There isn’t any need for this behaviour. Keep the earth tidy!

Shop at local stores and small businesses.
Since this has all happened there has been a lot of support for small businesses. This should continue! It is so nice to see people sharing online business and Etsy stores online. Instagram even have their own feature for stories now!

Take care of your own health better.
A lot of us have been trying to stay healthy-ish during this time being at home. I have written a post about it here – Staying healthy during COVID

Live slower, but more meaningfully.
Working and rushing until burn out has been proven not good for us! Having this time to slow down has made us appreciate our time more, and live slower.

A few other little things;

Be kinder to others, even if you don’t know them.
Even just smiling at strangers, or helping others when they need it. Increase your good karma!

Stop holding grudges.
If you have bad energy with someone and it is affecting your life, now is the time to sort it.

See your family more.
If you have been stuck alone, or only with your household. You will have of course missed your friends and family. Arrange to see them more often!

Do things that truly make you happy.
If you have been working in a job that makes you unhappy, try to get a new one. If you really want to learn something new, then start! Do what makes you happy.

Cut bad relationships.
Only have people in your life who deserve to be there. This may sound harsh, but if you really want to increase your good vibes and all that stuff, cut out those who weigh you down.

Life After COVID
– Things To Do

When life does go back to ‘normal’ have a think of all the things YOU want do.

This could be anything! Theres no time like now.

Learn a new skill, start a new class
Quit the job you hate!
Travel
Save for your future
See friends more
Make more time for yourself
Enter competitions
Show off what you’re good at
Make a difference in your community
Do something every week that helps others
Eat out!
Go shopping in actual shops
Visit museums
See your family
Say yes to more (don’t take things for granted anymore)
Continue spending time outside
Keep cooking at home
Sort your spending habits

Everything you want to do will all be subject to what we can do and when. Of course, it is all subject to what you life, what you prefer etc…

I think we should all make some positive changes in our lives to make the entire world, and your own, a better place to be.

Have a think about the things you really want to do when life is back to normal. This could even be as simple as treating yourself!
Getting your hair done, nails done (I think a lot of us will be doing this).

Life after COVID
– What To Appreciate

Finally, I think the best thing to do overall, is to appreciate everything we have had time to think about.

Write down all of the things you have learnt during the last few months and the changes you want to make for yourself. I have already written a post about gratitude and journaling here.

We have all been on our own journeys even if it feels like we have been ‘in the same boat’… We have, and we haven’t. Everyone’s boat is different, and everyone’s path has been different too!

Anyway, I hope this post has been a cause for reflection, and I hope you are excited for a new beginning to come.

***

Thank you for reading this post! I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think the comments, and if you have already started planning for your new life after COVID…

In the mean time, make sure you subscribe to the blog to recieve weekly updates!

Also follow me over on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with me and all sorts.

View this post on Instagram

✨Isn’t it hard to think of captions when your days are all the same lol… Here’s a side profile pic because I don’t actually mind this side of my face, hence why I got my nose pierced on this side. Anyone else like this?✨ – Today I have been at work in the office and not the classroom… Fair today office life isn’t for me since I am awful at talking on the phone sometimes ? – Anyway, has anyone else gone back to work? How are we all doing at the moment ? – – – – – – #sideprofileselfie #hairscrunchiesfordays #darkhairedgirls #lifestylebloggeruk #femalebloggersuk #theblogsociety #thegirlgang #bloggerstribe #nosepiercings #golddetails #filmframe #unfold #vscocam #girlboss #femalebossmovement #thursdayvibes #thursdaymood #backtowork #lifestylethings #discoverunder2k #prettyaesthetic #hairbunstyle #bloggerstyle #minimaliststyle #analogframe #femaleempowerment

A post shared by Char | Writing / Books ⚡️ (@writtenbycharlotte) on May 14, 2020 at 10:49am PDT

Plugins for WordPress Beginners – What You Need

13/05/2020

Here are a few plugins for WordPress I could not survive without on my blog.

Don’t worry, they’re all free!

There are tons and tons of plugins you can install on your blog, but these are the ones I think are best for beginners and those who are trying to make their blog a bit easier to handle.

The plugins you install depend on what kind of blog you have and what you want them to do.

But first, these are just the general plugins that are a good idea to have run for your blog to keep everything working smoothly, and help you understand it better.

If you have never installed a plugin before, this website will help! – WordPress for Beginners, how to install a plugin.

plugins for wordpress blogging beginners

Plugins for WordPress – The ones you need…

There are so many plugins available to download on WordPress, the list is endless!

However, these are the plugins I started with.

The following plugins keep things running smoothly, and are easy to use.

Once you have become well established on your blog, you can then research and find different plugins that you might want to help your blog run better for you.

For example, you might want a plugin for a shop, or even to have different fonts.

But for now, these are the plugins I recommend you download to simply help you understand your site better and help it run smoothly.

Blog performance

These two plugins are super simple and all you really need to start your blog. Having too many plugins will confuse you and you might find you don’t need them all. So start with these at least!

* Askimet anti-spam

This plugin will protect your site from spam. (All the scary stuff like hackers or spam comments etc.)

You really need this one!

Without it, your blog will be hit with hundreds of spam comments which is so annoying to filter through on your own…

This plugin filters the spam entering your blog and blocks it out.
Leaving legit comments for you to reply to.

Super simple and easy to set up and install too.

* Redirect

This plugin helps your blog run smoothly by simply adding a redirect to your blog posts that you have decided to delete, or are not working.

Basically, having a redirect plugin will enable your blog to redirect viewers to the home page when the page they were clicking on doesn’t work or is deleted.

Much nicer than hitting a 404 page.

Follow the instructions when you activate the plugin, and it will work right away.

If you don’t have any deleted blog posts yet, it’s still a good idea to have it just uncase something stops working.

redirect-plugins-for-wordpress — I use the top left plugin, however there are lots of redirect plugins for WordPress you can use. (Preferably ones that are updated often!)

Blog Post Writing

Writing a blog post can take some time getting used too. So getting some help with plugins is a fab idea.

The best and easiest tips I have for writing a blog post is to make sure you do the following in each and every post;

Create more space in your writing. Having the whole text bunched together is not easy on the eye, and fewer people will want to read it. Add spaces between sentences, and keep them short!
Use images to break up the text so it doesn’t look like just a load of words.
Include headers above different topics to also split up text.
Use bullet points or lists for short bursts of information.

There are tons of blog posts about how to structure and write your posts too. Have a play around and find the style that you like.

I have a board on Pinterest all about blogging if you wanted to check it out. It includes post structure to monetising your blog.
– Blogging Tips & Help

* Grammarly

This isn’t a plugin to install on WordPress BUT I couldn’t live without having grammarly in my toolbar to check for all my spelling and punctuation mistakes.

To install grammarly, simply google it, and follow the instructions. You can then add the little green circle to your toolbar. Not only will grammarly check your blog posts, it will check ALL of your writing everywhere; emails, comments, social media posts…

When you have written your blog post, grammarly will go over it and check it.

You can have the free version or pay to get more information about your text and how to make it better.

It makes proofreading so much faster and your text so much better for readers.

* Yoast for SEO

I still don’t really understand SEO (will I ever?), but this plugin helps you tweak your posts so that they are SEO ready, and better all round.

Yoast SEO comes up at the bottom of your blog post when you are editing it. It gives you a list of things you need to do to improve the SEO (search engine optimisation) of your post.

You will then see a red, orange or green light depending on how well you have done.
Adjust your post until the SEO light is green, and the readability light is green.

Readability is so important for your blog posts, so make sure this light is always green too. It can take some time to learn what the suggestions mean, but Yoast have a great support website.

My blog posts really improved once I started to use this!

yoast-plugins-for-wordpress — This is the Yoast Plugin.

For your readers

The main thing your readers want is good content, but they will also want a way to subscribe to your blog!

I had tons of people message me because they couldn’t sign up to my blog… So, I created a way for them to subscribe!

Your readers will want to subscribe to your blog if your content is great, they support you, and want more.

* Mailchimp

If you haven’t started collecting emails to create a mail list yet, then you should! (For the reasons stated above.)

Even if you aren’t using your emails or sending anything out, having a way for people to subscribe to your blog is a huge YES in the blogging world.

Having people subscribe to your blog will be in your benefit in the future when you create a downloadable, a product, or want to create a paid mailing list etc.

For Tracking Performance

Tracking your blog is a good way to understand how it works.

You don’t really need to focus on the numbers too much in the beginning. However, it is good to keep an eye on what posts are doing well and how to improve your stats. By tracking your blog you can understand who your audience is and what times they are visiting your blog.

* Google analytics & Exact Metrics

Google Analytics isn’t a plugin you have installed on your blog. You need to sign up for it in order to start getting stats about your blog.

If you haven’t done it yet, then go sign up!
(Google search and fill in the details, then follow the instructions).

Once you have installed google analytics, then install the Exact Metrics plugin on WordPress.

Google Analytics and Exact Metrics work together to collate information.

Installing Exact Metrics allows you to see stats on your dashboard.

You can track how many people are visiting your blog, commenting, liking all that stuff. In the beginning, numbers don’t really matter that much, but it does help to see what does well and what doesn’t so you can improve.

Plugins for wordpress you need for your blog!

How to Install Plugins for WordPress

It is super simple to install and activate plugins.

If the plugins you are installing require further work, you will be talked through each step anyway, so dont stress.

All you need to do is head over to your dashboard (the darker bit down the side) and select;

Plugins
Add New
Search
Install
Activate

And you’re done! You can see your installed plugins by clicking on ‘installed plugins’ and you can deactivate or uninstall whenever you want too.

Askimet-plugins-for-wordpress — This is what it should look like in your sidebar.

(You could also click this link to see in more detail how to install a plugin for WordPress)

If you are planning on installing other plugins for your site, be sure to read reviews and do some research first. The last thing you want to do is install something that will break your blog!

***

Thank you for reading, I hope this helps with your blogging! These plugins for wordpress will really make your time blogging so much easier and seamless…

Here are some other related posts you might want to read!

Subscribe to the blog to get weekly updates!

Also don’t forget to follow me over on instagram! I post daily and share my social media progress…

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Char | Writing / Books ⚡️ (@writtenbycharlotte)

How To Perfect Your Morning Routine

11/05/2020

Here is the next edition of the routine blog posts! Having a Morning Routine…
(The best kind of routine to have)

I have written two blog posts about routines already here if you want to read them first…
Creating a nighttime routine, and how to integrate self-care into your daily routine.

This post is going to tell you why having a morning routine is important, and a few steps you can make to change your habits and create a new routine.

Learning new habits does take time, but worth it in the end! If you are having trouble with staying focused and productive, then a morning routine will certainly help.

Why Do I Need a Morning Routine?

Everyone’s morning routine looks different depending on what they need to do throughout the day when they start their jobs etc.

You will already have some sort of routine. Things you do every morning from the moment you wake up, until you’re ready for your day.

Your morning routine just might not be working for you, or it might work perfectly fine and you want to make it better!

Having a routine in the morning will just help set you off for the rest of the day.

It doesn’t need to be drastic, your routine could just involve a few important steps that will push you forward to having a good, positive day no matter what you are doing.

Your Current Routine

If your current routine goes something like this, then continue reading this post! We all do these things from time to time.
(If you are reading this during the coronavirus lockdown… We are all guilty!)
I have some posts about things to do during lockdown and how to stay healthy during lockdown too.

Staying in bed until late (by late I mean past morning and almost lunchtime).
Scrolling through your phone for an hour before leaving the bed.
Snoozing the alarm five times every morning.
Rolling out of bed and rushing to get ready.
Having nothing to drink or nothing to eat before your day starts…

There might be more things you do in the morning that you shouldn’t, but above are the main culprits. These things are fine now and then, maybe when you’re having a lie-in at the weekend and things like that.

However, if you have work an hour after your alarm goes off, or you need to have your girl boss hat on straight away, then maybe change up your morning routine.

What a Good Morning Routine Looks Like

There isnt a perfect mornign routine since it all depends on how your mornings go and what they look like for you. However, here is a very simple idea of what a perfectly good morning routine looks like.

Wake up when your alarm goes off… Don’t snooze it
When your alarm has gone off, don’t feed into the temptation of then sitting on your phone. Stop the alarm, and sit up.
Open the curtains to let natural light in (if it’s still dark, turn a light on)
Letting in the light wakes up your eyes and your brain, it also stops you from wanting to crawl back under the covers.
Have a drink and rehydrate
Your body has had no intake of fluids the whole time you’ve slept! Have a drink of water before you reach for your morning coffee or tea.
Hop in the shower
Get ready for the day by having a cold-ish shower, brush your teeth and get dressed in the clothes you sorted the night before!
Have breakfast
Eat a healthy breakfast that will see you through until lunch! Feeling hungry will lead to snacking or spending a long time.

So, there’s a really easy morning routine to achieve, and one that will get you ready for the day ahead. The above routine will work for those who need to get up early and have a job to go to since there isn’t a lot of steps.

These following things are also a good idea to add into your morning routine. Especially if you are reading this during the lockdown and not at work, or working from home. I have a board on Pinterest all about self-care and personal development if you wanted to include that into your routine.

Include some form of exercise
Write in your diary or journal
Tidy up your room
Moisturise your body
Daily affirmations
Put some music on
Listen to a podcast or audiobook
Read something
Meditate
Go for a walk

How to Achieve a Routine That Works For you

Achieveing your morning routine depends on how indepth you want to be, and what you want to do during your morning. If you have more time to exercise in the morning, then shcedule it in, or if you want to read in the morning then you can do so.

You will want to include these important steps, and then adjust the routine to work for you

Wake up with the alarm
Let light in
Have a drink
Exercise (if you want too)
Get ready for the day
Have breakfast

Once you have done those things, you can integrate the other activities listed above if you think they will increase your productivity and your mood throughout the day.

Doing things like writing in your diary, or creating your daily affirmations will help set your day on a positive note. I have a post about gratitude journalling here – How to start a gratitude journal

Exercising or at least practising some yoga or stretching will help your body to wake up and feel energised.

You might want to tick something boring off your list in the morning so you wont have to spend the day dreading it. For example checking emails, making a call etc…

***

Thank you for reading this post! I hope it has helped you create your perfect morning routine…

If you want to get weekly updates from the blog subscribe down below!

Dont forget to follow me on instagram too! I share content daily and all day at the moment. Also find me on twitter and pinterest.

View this post on Instagram

?? I only paint my nails like once a month so here is a picture of when they were fresh… now they’re all chipped and gross but we will present I have all this beauty stuff down to a T (does anyone at the moment?) ?? – Still on the hunt for some affordable yet super nice rings that I can wear all the time and my skin won’t go green… If you know someone who has their own shop with cute and quirky gold or silver rings DM me the link! ? – Today I am writing blog posts because it’s TUESDAY not Wednesday (I am getting my days mixed up) ? Tomorrows blog post is just a short and sweet listicle one giving you season lifestyle blog post ideas ? I always search Pinterest for ideas when my mind is blank so I thought I’d write a little one of my own ✌? – Also, I am looking to connect with other lifestyle bloggers so send me your blog links or tell me about your latest post! I’ll be commenting on new blogs today ???‍? – – – – – – #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #handselfie #jewellery #rings #ukbloggers #lifestylebloggers #moneybloggers #healthbloggers #iwearglasses #goldnails #prettythings #bloggercommunity #bloggingcommunity #bloggerstribe #bloggersgetsocial #bloglovin #girlblogger #bloggerlife #nailoftheday #nailpolish #nailselfie #pursuepretty #lifestyleinspo #lifestyleblog #lockdownuk #lockdownlife #discoverunder2k

A post shared by Char | Writing / Books ⚡️ (@writtenbycharlotte) on May 5, 2020 at 12:48am PDT

The Simplest Way to Achieve Clear Skin

08/05/2020

This post may not be for everyone… However, if you have tried everything to achieve clear skin (or even clearer skin), then maybe it will help.

This information is so simple, so ridiculously easy and possibly the cheapest way to achieve clear skin.

If you have problematic skin and suffer from severe acne, then this might not work (you have probably already tried this). However, if you haven’t, it’s worth a go!

If you find yourself having bouts of spots, dry or greasy skin. Then you must try this super-easy way to clear your skin.

*This post contains affiliate links*

How to REALLY Achieve Clear Skin…

I honestly think you’re going to read this and think ‘has she really written a post about this’ but yes, I have…

I see EVERYWHERE people using tons of things to clear their skin. You have probably seen the tons of adverts and promotions for products that you’re not quite sure of. Surely using so many things and chemicals on your face isn’t good for you.

I am not saying that skincare products don’t work. Of course, they do!
The problem is using so many products so consistently that your skin is crying out for help!
(In the form of breakouts and grease.)

Not everyone is blessed with non-probablematic skin. However, most people will have something specific about their skin that they want to keep under control.
Some may have dry skin, oily skin, prone to breakout skin, etc…

Once you have figured out what your problems are, then you can fix them using products that are catered to your needs.

BUT

Before you buy tons of products and whack them on you face, try this super simple way to achieve clear skin.

easiest-way-to-achieve-clear-skin — You can find these products in the links below! (Click the pictures)

What you’re doing wrong…

The following things are not going to help you achieve clear skin, if you do them already, you probably know you need to change your skincare routine anyway…

Picking your skin is a no-no. It is easy to get too excited and start squeezing the tiniest things on your face. Leave them! They will go on their own, and you can always cover them up.

Using makeup wipes and not washing your face properly… Wipes are not a good idea to remove makeup anyway… Although they do the job, they don’t really clean your face, leaving makeup still on there.

Sleeping in makeup! Sleeping in your make up just isn’t a good idea unless you have come in from a night out and wiping it off is the least of your concerns.

Eating and drinking sugary things. Sugar is going to make your skin break out. Try swapping to healthier snacks and drinking water or sugar-free drinks.

What you’re doing right

Trying to find products that will work and making an effort with sorting out your skin. If you are trying to fix your skin, you’re off to a good start! Determine what type of skin you have, then try one or two products sparingly to see if they help.

If you are doing the following, then keep it up.

Washing your face with face wash and warm water in the morning and night.
Drinking water.
Moisturising after washing your face.
Only applying facemask treatments once a week.

It just sounds so easy… But getting into a new routine is hard and does take time. You’ll get there!

Things you should use

These are the only products I use on my skin…

I wouldn’t say I have perfect skin, but it is clear and I don’t often have problems (apart from the odd spot here and there)…

These are just products I have found that work on my skin and that don’t harm it. These are super simple and inexpensive products that work for me.
I would say I have combination skin. Sometimes it’s dry, sometimes it’s greasy.

I wash my face using the Biore Baking Soda face wash. It isn’t harsh on your skin, and it really makes it feel clean afterwards.
Always moisturise after washing my face otherwise it gets dry quickly. I use the simple moisturiser with SPF to protect my skin from the sun.
If I need too, I use the Biore Baking Soda micellar water to remove makeup before the shower, or if I have missed any mascara… I don’t often need to do this if I wash my face in the shower.
If I do use micellar water, I use these bamboo reusable makeup pads ONCE, then put them in the bag ready for the washing machine.

Daily things to do for clear skin

You can do these simple things every day to care for your skin.
You will notice a difference within around a weeks time after starting these new habits!

Wash your face with a clean flannel or cloth in the morning. I like to use just warm water. (I originally started doing this because it helps with hayfever!)
Use a face wash in the shower (your preferred one that works for you) to remove makeup and to clean skin.
Moisturise daily.
Remove your makeup at the end of the day, and wash your face to make sure it’s super clean!
Don’t use tons of products to remove it.
Don’t sleep in your make up.
Have makeup-free days if you aren’t going anywhere or doing anything.
Drink water and sugar-free drinks, cut out sugar intake.
Start eating healthier foods. ( I have a post about being healthy here – *Stay healthy during lockdown*)
Stop touching your face a lot!
Use clean hands to apply moisturiser.
Keep face cloths and make up pads clean for each use.

To Note

By all means, treat yourself to other skincare products, use face masks, try out the trends! If you never try things you’ll never know what works for you.

I would love to know what other things you do at home to keep your skin clear and what products really work for you… Like I said at the start of this post, this is super simple!
Too simple in fact, I’m sure I probably didn’t have to write a post about it, but I’m hoping it is helpful for some!

***

Thank you for reading, I hope this has helped and you liked it!

Don’t forget to subscribe to stay up to date with whats going on with the blog.

Also, follow me over on Instagram! I am constantly looking for new people to connect with.

View this post on Instagram

? Hello L A Z Y Sunday ? This morning was the first time I have slept in for ages and it felt GOOD ? It’s also the first day I have actually felt quite chilled and relaxed ? How is your Sunday going? Does anyone else only know what day it is because of the day on their pill packet lol x – Last night I published another post on the blog about 6 steps to perfect your nighttime routine ? Having a good routine at night makes all the difference in how you sleep and how you’re morning will go (morning routine post pending) ☀️ Id love to hear your opinions and what you do before you sleep ? – One of the things I am trying to do is drink more water… I’m so bad for forgetting to eat and drink throughout the day especially when I’m feeling stressed and have things to do ? – Anyway, have a good day! I’m going to chill for a few hours then get back to prepping the next blog post ✌? – – – – – – – #bloggervibes #bloggersofinstagram #lemonwater #waterinfusions #ukbloggers #discoverunder2k #discoverunder5k #thegirlgang #femalebloggers #floweryclothes #healthyliving #nighttimeroutine #blogposts #lifestyleblogposts #bloggerstribe #drinkmorewater #bloggerlove #bloggerlifestyle #bloggerbabe #bloggersdiaries #bloggercommunity #blogsociety #girlblogger #healthyhappylife #selfloveclub #naturalhealth #positivemood #positivevibesonly #positiveliving #positivelifestyle

A post shared by Char | Writing / Books ⚡️ (@writtenbycharlotte) on May 3, 2020 at 2:25am PDT

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Life Hacks to Drink More Water!

Why You Need To Be Hydrated…

Water Infusion Ideas

Sustainable Water Bottles

Share this:

How To Become a Blogger – A series

What To Expect

Share this:

What is an Emergency Fund?

The Benefits of an Emergency Fund

Building your Emergency Fund Account

How to use it

Share this:

Glow Up Phase 1 – Assess

Physical Changes

Mental Changes

Glow Up Phase 2 – Plan

Friday

Saturday

Glow Up Phase 3 – Perform

Share this:

Normal Life Right Now

The New Normal

A few other little things;

Life After COVID– Things To Do

Life after COVID – What To Appreciate

Share this:

Plugins for WordPress – The ones you need…

Blog performance

* Askimet anti-spam

* Redirect

Blog Post Writing

* Grammarly

* Yoast for SEO

For your readers

* Mailchimp

For Tracking Performance

* Google analytics & Exact Metrics

How to Install Plugins for WordPress

Share this:

Why Do I Need a Morning Routine?

Your Current Routine

What a Good Morning Routine Looks Like

How to Achieve a Routine That Works For you

Share this:

How to REALLY Achieve Clear Skin…

What you’re doing wrong…

What you’re doing right

Things you should use

Daily things to do for clear skin

To Note

Share this:

Life After COVID
– Things To Do

Life after COVID
– What To Appreciate