With congressional recess, DC is a little less hectic but that doesn’t mean that we’re not kicking butt in fundraising for our clients. Thus far, we have 13 events scheduled on 8 different days so we’re ready for September 30th to hurry up and get here. OK, not really but I’m going for momentum! #GOFIGHTWIN

• There are times when I stop and think about why I continue to work in politics. A moment of clarity in the storm of what can be endless hours calling and emailing people to ask them for money. This constant and unrelenting pace can be daunting in figuring out how I fit into the bigger scheme of political life. I try to take a “work to live instead of live to work” mentality and these steps help with mindfulness, not only in your professional live but also in personal maturity as well.

• I’m a procrastinator although I disguise it very well with my organizational skills (most people think I’m kidding when I describe myself that way but I’m being brutally honest!). I tend to focus on deadlines and know my limits when it comes to just how much I can procrastinate to get things done. As a result, I end up working in full on “get it done” mode and then chill out. Being more productive while also being efficient is the sweet spot of work productivity – here’s how you can do it.

• I meet so many people in my line of work and oftentimes, it requires me to be my version of Andy Sachs from the “Devil Wears Prada” (the scene specifically where she recalls names of spouses and the last time Miranda Priestly last saw a person) to my clients. I, on the other hand, can’t recall people in my personal endeavors to save my life. The stakes are a little higher in my professional career and it’s funny when people tell me that I have such a keen memory, but yet I can’t remember the person I just met in my pilates class (sorry, whoever you are who said hi to me, but I can’t remember when I met you!). People tend to forget names and here’s why but honestly, I wish they included a few tricks in this article!

• As a serial entrepreneur (did you know that I used to own a small catering company?), I’m always looking for knowledge from more experienced entrepreneurs. Here are 7 suggestions of people you can follow who drop knowledge on the daily.

• I hear a lot about female competition, which is tough already when as women we’re faced with so many external challenges. It can be difficult to stop comparing your narrative to someone else’s, but I think being an only child, I already have a different mentality about doing my own thang. I truly believe that a fellow female’s accomplishments shows everyone that females have the ability and the wherewithal to get things done. So I rejoice in my friends’ successes and love to see how they’ve grown. I like reveling in their light because it encourages me to focus. Reading this article only reinforced my own personal beliefs – we can all get it girl!

• As a former Director of Training for the Democratic National Committee, I have a soft spot for campaign training and my colleagues over at the Campaign Workshop, compiled a list of resources for the progressive community for campaign training. I usually work with the folks at the Virginia Leadership Institute, who work to get more African Americans elected and America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF), who work to get more communities of color to participate in the electoral process so check them out for campaign updates. Also, new to training but not new to organizing is The Brain Trust. They recently completed their first digital weekend training so keep up with them to see when they schedule the next one.

Thanks for reading and hit me up with your comments!

— Madalene