Anna Burgess Yang

Hello Reader 👋 - This issue of Tinkering With Ideas is a little different. I'm not going to share productivity tips and apps. But I'm going to share some resources about a topic that's very important to me. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S., about 10-25% of known pregnancies will end in miscarriage. About 1% of pregnancies will end in stillbirth. If you have lost a baby, I'm so sorry. I know how much it hurts,...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday. This week has certainly taken an unexpected turn. My family and I are leaving for Disney World tomorrow morning. And on Monday evening, my son fractured his arm. 😕 It's minor as far as fractures go, but he has a cast. Going to make our trip a bit more logistically challenging since he injured his right arm and he's right-handed. But hopefully he'll still have a magical time. 1) Reflection: I learned money management from my dad. I had my first checking account...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday and happy new season (Fall, here in Chicagoland). I've had an awesome few days: one of my cats escaped the house back in August and over the weekend she came home — after a 43-day adventure in the neighborhood. Anyway, here she is, back in her usual spot on my desk. If you'd like to read more about her homecoming, you can head over to my blog. 1) Reflection: Your to-dos are a list of your priorities. Your email inbox is a list of other people's priorities. Isn't...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday. I didn't send a newsletter two weeks ago... it was the week before school started, my parents were visiting, and my 6-year-old was sick. I thought about sending it late, but why stress? And that's kind of the theme of today's newsletter: protecting your peace. 1) Reflection: I recently joined TikTok (yes, I know, I'm late to the party) and one video garnered a few thousand views. And along with it, some critical comments. There may have been a time in my life...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday. I'm writing this while eating Unexpected Cheddar Spread from Trader Joe's. I've been a fan of Unexpected Cheddar for a long time, but the spread is next level. Smear it on crackers. Boom. Snack. If you live near a Trader Joe's, go get some, stat. And also, if you love Trader Joe's, can you reply and tell me your favorite item? I'm always on the lookout for new things to try! 1) Reflection: I'm a big fan of time blocking so this image from Janis Ozolins caught my...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday. I'm planning to launch something new on September 1 which is (checks calendar) less than a month away now. I'm not ready to provide more details yet, but I figure that I'm speaking it into existence by telling more people. It's something I've talked about for a long time and finally taking steps to make it happen. So stay tuned. 1) Reflection: My dad has always said, "Houses are money pits." And it's true. Something is always breaking down. And unless you are...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday. If you're in a part of the world engulfed in record-breaking heat, I hope you're finding ways to stay cool. In about a month, school will resume here. My youngest child has a birthday at the beginning of August. And two different groups of out-of-town guests will be visiting over the next few weeks. Whew! Summer is great, but often feels hectic. 1) Reflection: I've been writing in journals for years: a Moleskin notebook, and I fill out one page every day. I'm...

Hi Reader 👋 - Happy Wednesday, and if you're in the U.S. I hope you had a safe and festive 4th of July. My day included hosting a croquet tournament in my backyard. Croquet tournaments were an annual 4th of July tradition in my family for more than 20 years. Now I've picked up the torch and continued with some of our friends. It's a blast because no one is good at croquet. Plus there are prizes. 1) Reflection: I've been thinking about changes that are outside of our control. Like the annual...