Sunday with The Scribes - #38 (Interview Edition)
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Sunday with The Scribes - #38 (Interview Edition)

For the next couple of weeks, Sunday with The Scribes is going to look a bit different. Instead of offering up our standard 'Productivity Tip' and 'What's in our journal,' we are bringing the productivity experts to you. We are bringing you the words of some of our personal and professional role models, who happen to be titans in their respective fields. To kick us off, we are going to be hearing from Vicky Tsai! Vicky is the founder and CEO of Tatcha, a San Francisco based skin-care company who recently sold to Unilever. We have long been familiar of Tatcha, but we had no idea of Vicky's incredible story until listening to her episode of our favorite podcast, How I Built This (highly recommend). Vicky also happens to be a happy customer of The Scribes!We got the chance to ask Vicky a few questions around her routine, habits, and what keeps her productive. Enjoy!OUR CONVERSATION WITH VICKY TSAIThis is Sunday with The Scribes, a newsletter that goes out every Sunday morning with the hopes to inspire the day and week ahead. Vicky - What does your typical Sunday look like?Regardless of the day, my husband and I usually wake up around 5:45am. My daughter, and our five rescues (two dogs and three cats) don’t wake up until around 6:30 or 7am, so I look forward to this small window of quiet time. I’ll first meditate for a few moments to set my intentions for the day, and then use the remaining time to create my to do list and write in my journal. Over the years, I’ve come to find that journaling daily helps me get my head in a good mindset and allows me to prioritize what I need to do that day. I never go anywhere without one.Once everyone’s awake, we’ll make breakfast together and plan out the day over pancakes. Because of Covid, we’re currently living in a snowy mountain town, so our Sundays are relatively low-key. They usually involve exploring outside and building snowmen together in the backyard, and then we’ll cook dinner together and eat around 6 or 6:30pm.After dinner, my daughter and I will read together in her bed until she falls asleep. Normally I’m on the road for about 200 days out of the year, so not being able to travel because of the pandemic has made me really cherish this time I’m able to spend with her.I’m usually asleep by 8:30pm, so after I tuck her into bed I’ll do my nighttime skincare ritual. It takes me about five minutes and involves a different mantra for each of the five steps, which helps me clear my head before tucking into bed and starting all over again the next morningIt's Monday morning and your calendar is booked with meetings from 9:00am to 6:00pm. A meeting gets cancelled and all of a sudden you have a free hour in the middle of your day. How are you going to spend this time?Outside, either going for a walk or meditating in the woods.While technology and the increased screen time allows us to keep moving forward with work, it’s also important to take a break and immerse yourself in nature. In Japan, they practice something called shinrin-yoku, which translates to bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through our senses. I first discovered it on one of my many trips to Kyoto, and I now try to do it whenever possible, even if just for a few moments. By connecting with nature through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch, we’re able to bridge the gap between us and the natural world, and studies have shown that it can provide a multitude of health benefits, including reduced blood pressure, stress, fatigue and anxiety levels.What’s a habit or ritual that helps you be your most productive self?Prioritization.Starting Tatcha and having a child at the same time taught me that if I don’t prioritize, there’s no way I’ll be able to get everything done and still be happy at the end of the day. I've mapped my work time against the time I want to be available to my family, and I’ll predetermine how much time I want to spend on something so I don't extend myself or get spread too thin. I find that as a leader, the more you focus on your own efficiency and productivity the more you can set the tone for your family and the people you have the honor of leading.---We hope you enjoyed this weeks newsletter! A special thank you to Vicky Tsai for taking time out of her busy schedule to share her wisdom with us. Respond to this email with any feedback you may have. Another amazing guest is queued up for next week!- Mike, Pooja, and Alden
Sunday with The Scribes - #37
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Sunday with The Scribes - #37

PRODUCTIVITY TIPThis Sunday, we are taking the day off from being productive and replacing it with something else - being present.Spend some time with your Valentine. Give them a card with a nice note. Go on a walk together. Enjoy.WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALA few quick announcements: Over the weekend, 200+ orders went out to customers all over the country who have eagerly been awaiting the return of The Quill. As part of this re-stock, we took our customers feedback to heart and we now have a finer point available for purchase! Shop the 0.5mm Quill.If you haven't heard, we are hosting a giveaway with five amazing brands and the stakes are high. Leave your email here for a chance to win a boatload of cool stuff (and a 3-night getaway in the desert). Winner will be announced in T-Minus 72 hours.Happy Valentine's Day!Mike, Pooja, and Alden
Sunday with The Scribes - #36
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Sunday with The Scribes - #36

It's Super Bowl Sunday! Before you dive into the nachos and chicken wings, let us grab your attention for a minute or two. PRODUCTIVITY TIPRead any article online and you'll find that one of the secrets to productivity is waking up early. We are believers in that, no doubt.However, what you do on those early mornings before the world is awake is not so black and white. Most people will suggest that you must take this time to exercise. Exercise is certainly a great option, but it's not the only option.What if you took this time to catch up on reading? What about that laundry sitting in the basket? How about a call home to your parents, who also wake up early?Don't be hard on yourself. Anything you do - for yourself - before the world is awake, is sure to make the rest of your day all the more productive. WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALWe've mentioned this a few times in the past, but we are on the verge of a completing a brand overhaul that is sure to make you ask, "Who is their designer - he is good."As part of this, we'll have a new website, new product line, and an all around face-lift to the brand we've known for about a year now. As part of this brand overhaul, we are doing something we've never done before. We are dropping some prints, designed and created by our very own Alden Bohrmann. These prints were originally intended to decorate our new office with, however, after chatting with some friends, we learned that some of our customers and members of this community might want them too. These prints are meant for the manilla walls in your office, above your bedside table, or, if you really love us, your living room? Some of them make perfect sense, and others are more abstract, giving you the ability to decide what they mean for you. We hope you'll check them out and show us some love by purchasing one today. Happy Sunday - enjoy the big game!Mike, Pooja, and Alden
Sunday with The Scribes - #35
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Sunday with The Scribes - #35

The year is off to a fast start. In order to catch up, keep up, and thrive, it is important to reflect on what's happening in your own little world.Going forward, on the last day of each month, or in the Sunday newsletter that most closely aligns with the end of the month, we are going to pose a few questions for you to answer.In the 'What's in our journal' section, we'll answer these same questions as a team.PRODUCTIVITY TIPLet's get started: In what areas did you succeed? What are some of your favorite memories of January? In what ways did you fail? If you have regrets, what are they? What do you need more of? WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNAL In what areas did we succeed?In January, we took an important step in diversifying our advertising channels. Over the past year, we've relied primarily on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out about our work. In January, we took a big swing and teamed up with Whalebone Magazine to form a partnership that will help tell our story, and reach a new audience. What are some of our favorite memories of January?Over the past year, the three of us have spent very little time together in person. In January, we got together and made a huge donation of journals and school supplies to four different schools in New York. Man, it felt good to be back together. In what ways did we fail?We'll be the first to admit that we did a really poor job of forecasting how much inventory we would need to keep up with a busy January. As a result, one of our best months ever has also been one of the most stressful, as inventory levels are low and shipping times to our customers are delayed.4. If we had to name a few of our regrets, what are they?If you recently received a Holiday post card in the mail from us, you might be wondering, "Why did they send these out in January?" Well, we didn't.. These postcards were sent out in early December, but given the delays at USPS, the delivery of these postcards did not go as planned, and we lost quite a bit of money and potential revenue in the process. If we could do it again, we'd send them even sooner, or, not send them at all. 5. What do we need more of?Like most people, we need more human interaction. January was a cold, dark month in New York City, where face-to-face conversations were hard to come by. With that said, we want to hear from you. Tell us what you think of our products. Tell us about a retail shop near you that could be a good fit for our products. Tell us about how you are using our products. Tell us a name of a teacher in need of support. We hope this exercise is a helpful way to recap the month of January and get you ready for the month ahead. Let us know what you thought of this week's newsletter by responding to this email. Take care,Mike, Pooja, and Alden
Sunday with The Scribes - #33
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Sunday with The Scribes - #33

PRODUCTIVITY TIPUse your Sundays to set yourself up for the week! Here are some quick things to add into your Sunday schedule that will make your week more organized and productive: Understand what you would like to accomplish during the week, both personally and professionally. Set some time aside for week-ahead goal-setting. Make sure your calendar is up to date. (schedule meetings, dinner plans, etc.) Get a workout in! If you start your week with a workout you are much more likely to continue to workout through out the week. End your Sunday on a quiet note. Turn on some relaxing music, cook dinner, and remember - you are not in a hurry to do anything today. If you have specific routine for Sundays, share it with us! We'd love to hear. WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALWe are now 17 days into the new year and we already have some big news!Over the weekend, we donated over 800 journals to four schools in the NYC metro area. We personally delivered the journals to each of the schools and even met a couple of the teachers who will be using the 'scribes' in their classrooms. We are so thankful to our customers who allow for us to make a difference in the lives of students.And last, but not least, we finally have an office! The new 'Scribes HQ' in lower Manhattan will become the place where we take our business to the next level. After a year of operating from our apartments, the time has come for us to get our own space. No longer will journals, pens, boxes, mailers, and packing tape be a step away from our beds, and we couldn't be more excited to have a place where we can think, work, and make things happen, together. We can't wait to share pictures with you all very soon!
Sunday with The Scribes - #32
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Sunday with The Scribes - #32

PRODUCTIVITY TIPHere's something you should start doing ASAP.Carve out 30 minutes of your day to totally disconnect. No phone, no computer, no podcasts, no music. Go to your favorite coffee shop, sit outside, and take it all in. If we can do it in NYC where it's 30 degrees, you can do it too. You'll be amazed at the flow of ideas and feeling of clarity when you are free from the constant chatter of your devices.Oh, and bring a Scribe with you. You'll want to catch these ideas.WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALThis week, we started collecting feedback from the early adopters of our newest product, The Optimalist.Our favorite piece of feedback came from college basketball coach, Tom Palombo of Guilford College (Mike's alma mater), who is using The Optimalist for practice planning and game prep. At the start of his journal, he wrote a simple note to himself that we could all do more of. The note read "Do something for someone else." Keep it up Coach P!We can't wait to see how The Optimalist improves your daily life with a few minutes of planning and reflection each day. If you haven't checked it out yet, we encourage you to purchase one today. Have a great week!
Sunday with The Scribes - #31
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Sunday with The Scribes - #31

PRODUCTIVITY TIPOur past few newsletters have centered around goal-setting for 2021. Today, we want to remind you to write those goals down. (preferably in a Scribe)If you are struggling on where to focus, try to goal-set for each area of your life: Professional Goals Health / Fitness Goals Financial Goals Personal Goals If you find that your goals are big and daunting, break them up into bite-size pieces.For example, Pooja wants to read 12 books this year. On the surface, that sounds like a lot. So instead of thinking about the big picture goal of twelve books, she set a goal for herself to read for 10 minutes per day. At the end of the year, the result will likely be the same, but the journey will be much less stressful.Throughout the year, check in on a monthly basis to reflect on the progress you are making. And share your goals with friends and family. If you get the word out, others will help hold you accountable.WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALThis week we thought it would be fun to share some of our individual goals for 2021: Michael Reiney: "Far too often in 2020, I would roll out of bed and immediately sit down at my desk to begin working. On the mornings where I went on a walk, got some exercise, or went out for coffee, I was infinitely happier and more productive. One of my goals for 2021 is to carve out some time between the time I wake up and the time I begin working." Pooja Patel: "In 2020, like most of us, I spent far too much money ordering takeout. This year, as a way to save money, get healthier, and learn a new skill, I am committed to cooking more. I'll be using this cookbook to help me get started." Alden Bohrmann: "This year, I want to focus less on being busy and more on being present in my work. Deep work > busy work." Aside from these personal goals, we've spent a lot of time as a team planning for 2021 and what we envision for The Scribes. We are incredibly excited to get back to work and we are forever grateful to have you on this journey with us!
Sunday with The Scribes - #30
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Sunday with The Scribes - #30

Can you believe it? Today marks 30 consecutive weeks of Sunday with The Scribes. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter.PRODUCTIVITY TIPSetting goals for the new year can be a daunting task.As a way to get started, grab your Scribe and answer the following questions for yourself. What are the five things you didn't enjoy doing this year? What are your five best memories of the year?By answering these two questions, you'll remind yourself of both good times and bad. Use this reminder to guide how you work, live, and play in 2021. WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALAfter a few days off, we are rested and ready to take on a New Year. This week, we'll be meeting as a team to outline our 2021 objectives, which is sure to include new marketing channels, an improved product line, and a strategy to make our give-back efforts as impactful as possible. We'll be sure to send a recap in next week's newsletter, and if you have any ideas for The Scribes x 2021, we'd love your feedback!In other news, we'd like to send a special shoutout to our very own Pooja Patel! Pooja is celebrating the big #26 today, so respond to this email and send her some love. Lastly, our holiday sale is running until the end of the year, which means 20% off and free shipping when you use promo code 'Holiday20'. Everyone could use a new journal for the new year, so grab one for yourself, or send one to a friend. Enjoy your Sunday and Happy New Year!Mike, Pooja, and Alden
Sunday with The Scribes - #29
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Sunday with The Scribes - #29

PRODUCTIVITY TIPThe holiday season is officially here, so let's not kid ourselves about being 'productive'. Let's use the next 10 days to spend time with our families, reflect on the year, and get into the holiday spirit.So do your best to log off, do something nice for your neighbor, write a note to a friend, and enjoy this special time of year.WHAT'S IN OUR JOURNALSimilar to last week's message, our minds have been wrapped around one thing: shipping. We want to take a minute to recognize one 'scribe' in particular and her family for all of their hard work in this department. Over the past few days, Pooja and her family have gotten over 750 packages out the door, with the hopes to get these delivered to folks before the holidays.That's a lot of boxes, long wait times at UPS, and quite a few paper cuts. If you want to imagine what it looks like, picture your living room stacked floor to ceiling. So props to Pooja + family for making all of this happen!--A few more things:20% off site-wide when you use code 'Holiday20.' FREE SHIPPING on all orders! You won't receive your order before before Christmas, but we can promise that you won't pay a dime for shipping. If you haven't already, check out our newest journal, The Optimalist. This journal might just be your perfect companion to 2021. (a very thoughtful gift, too.)Enjoy your Sunday and Happy Holidays!Mike, Pooja, and Alden