Lauren Sieben

In praise of the Good Shit board, the tool I use to track accomplishments large and small

Website Building
Managing a website can be a full-time job, and for a small-business owner, the constant demands on your website can slowly begin to encroach on all your other responsibilities and priorities. If you find yourself spending more time keeping your site up-to-date than bringing your next great idea to life, it may be time to bring in a website agency to help manage your site.
An agency can be a life-saver for small-business owners. By handing the technical, day-to-day tasks over ...

Until Homeownership 101 becomes a prerequisite for obtaining a mortgage, most of us will learn how to handle many household tasks through trial and error.
And even though they say “One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning,” there are certain tasks—like replacing critical items before they reach the end of their life span—that you don’t want to learn the hard way.
We talked to experts to find out which household items you should replace on a regular basis, and what can ha...

Your outdoor space should be your sanctuary: a chill spot for relaxing with a book, enjoying a glass of wine, or hosting a barbecue with friends.
But even if you scored your dream balcony or a sprawling backyard, there are ways your outdoor oasis could actually be stressing you out. This is not only a potential bummer, but also a wasted opportunity: Research shows that more time outdoors can have a therapeutic effect—if you’re doing it right.
“Outdoor living is shifting from a ‘nice to have’ ...

It starts like this: You’re listening to a co-worker describe tiling their own kitchen backsplash last weekend. “That doesn’t sound so hard,” you think to yourself. “I could do that!”
And sure, you could—but should you?
Some projects, like renovating your entire kitchen or turning a closet into a full bathroom, are too ambitious for most beginners. But even if you’re a DIY newbie, there are plenty of projects you can tackle without specialized expertise or experience.
Plus, becoming more hand...

After the loss of a loved one, the thought of sorting through that person’s belongings can be heart-wrenching. But in many situations, there’s no time to delay, especially if you’re in a time crunch to get a late family member’s house ready to sell.
Before you embark on the emotional task of sorting through a loved one’s possessions, check out these tips from experts on where to begin the process, how to find support and resolve disputes, and—most importantly—how to take it easy on yourself a...

In the best-case scenario, your bathroom is your own blissful retreat—a little slice of spa heaven where youv can unwind without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.
In reality, your bathroom is probably not so idyllic. In fact, a grim water closet could actually be adding to your stress instead of subtracting from it.
Fortunately, there are plenty of simple, affordable ways to add some Zen to your lavatory. Learn what experts say are the biggest sources of anxiety and despair in the ba...

Digital Marketing
Whether you realize it or not, many of the websites that you visit collect data about your browsing habits.
Data tracking informs websites about your preferences, and can actually improve your online experience. This practice is what allows websites to remember your login credentials, and the items in your shopping cart. Other times, websites collect data from users to tailor advertisements based on browsing history.
It’s important to understand how websites track you, so th...

Digital Marketing
Every business can benefit from creating a clear mission statement to articulate its objectives and guide important business decisions. But for charitable organizations, a nonprofit mission statement isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s the cornerstone of your organization’s identity.
If creating a mission statement is still on your to-do list, follow the tips below to craft a statement that will help you communicate your mission to the world.
What’s in a mission statement?
Put ...

I’m one of those sick people who loves going to the dentist.
Yes, such people exist, albeit in small numbers. It turns out that 36 percent of the population is afflicted by dental anxiety, and another 12 percent suffers from extreme dental fear, so I’m part of a small pool of oddballs who genuinely look forward to letting near-strangers poke and prod inside their mouths.
But it’s not that weird, really, if I can psychoanalyze myself for a minute: Since childhood, the dentist has been a place ...

These days, writers and bloggers alike strive to be creative in order to capture and maintain reader attention.
According to HubSpot, 43 percent of readers admit to only skimming blog posts. But, if you pivot your writing strategy and focus on presenting readers with “snackable content” (posts and articles that are informative, but easily digestible), you’ll successfully reel in readers for the duration of your post.
Why we skim
Part of the blame can be placed on the many screens vying for ou...

In 2012, Leslie Becker threw caution to the wind and scheduled ankle surgery without knowing the cost.
She was 23, fresh out of college and covered by her employer’s high-deductible insurance plan. She did her best to anticipate how much she’d have to pay for the procedure. When she asked about the cost during a pre-surgery visit, a nurse told her it could be anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000.
“I pressed her for more information but didn’t really get any,” says Becker, now 31 and working as an ...

If you and your partner are a prime example of the theory that opposites attract, then chances are good your differences extend down to your financial habits.
Even in the happiest of unions, conflicting attitudes about money can test a relationship. In fact, one in five Americans say they have financial disagreements with their partner at least once a month, according to our 2018 Planning & Progress study.
But coming together to bridge your differences can strengthen a relationship, too. It’s...

Fyre Festival might just be the biggest event fail of our time. If you aren’t up to speed on the ill-fated 2017 festival, it was the brainchild of an alleged pathological liar and a has-been rapper that promised to bring a star-studded music festival to an island paradise. Hordes of festival goers eagerly emptied their bank accounts for tickets that cost up to nearly $400,000.
But things didn’t go quite as planned.
The masterminds behind the festival couldn’t deliver on their lofty promises. ...