I Spent 4 Hours and 49 Minutes on My Phone Today!! Should I be worried?

October 24, 2018

Ok, don’t judge me- but I really wanted to know exactly how much time I was spending on my phone so I measured it using the Moments App (ioS 12 also has a built in feature to help you keep track as well). I was introduced to the app a while ago and I have been documenting my usage and time for the past few weeks. I thought I was going to feel bad about the amount of time I spent, but I found something even more interesting and awesome instead!

If you have an iPhone here is how your can check your usage now!

Launch Settings from your Home screen. > Tap on Battery. > Wait a moment for Battery Usage to populate. > Tap on the Show Detailed Usage button to get a breakdown of foreground and background power usage. > Tap on Last 7 Days to get a broader look at power consumption over time.

**First pic is from one day, second pic is from seven day summary**

Screenshots from Moments App:

My Results

It turns out I get plenty of sleep – averaging 7-8 hours a night – awesome right!?! It also turns out that I spend almost 5 hours a day on my phone…I thought I would have negative feelings about this, but it turns out I don’t. Let me explain. I work at home and with my time divided between Digital Chicks Media and our blog, it makes sense to me that I would be spending the equivalent of a day’s work on my phone, aka my computer on the go. With social media and engagement at the core of what I do, I guess it is not surprising, but there is a silver lining to all this information.

Black and White Sweater Dress for $35 (available in every color) another one I love is linked here | Loafers are Chanel, shop similar here | My go to red lipstick is linked here

The Silver Lining

I am living day-to-day moments for most of my day – that is time that I am spending with my family, at the gym, cooking, driving, etc. That is a nice find that somehow I can’t ignore. I actually felt good about that, is that weird? My kids get home from school around 3:30PM and go to bed around 8PM. The main thing I try hard to work on is the amount of time I spend on my phone while they are home. I want to make sure that those 8 hours of living are happening sans my phone while my family is together.

Something my husband and I try to do walk away from our devices to resist the temptation to not be present in the moment while the kids are home. While work can sometimes creep in trying to move to another room to finish out an email or call is a helpful way to recenter and be present in the time you are away from your phone.

The Takeaway

In life we have to strike a balance between the things that we do and find a place in our day to day lives for all of it. Smartphones are a necessary evil that really are not that bad, they have enhanced our lives by so much. So, next time you resent the amount of time you may be spending on your phone, find out how much time you are actually spending and let that knowledge either empower you or help you create changes you wish to see to make being in the moment more meaningful.

Your Chick,

Sonia

Chick Picks:

Fashion

Mad About Plaid

October 10, 2018

There are some annual trends that are so consistent that I don’t have to let go of those pieces from year to year. Once the weather turns and the colors (for me, mainly black) turn to orange, rust, brown, and yellow, we turn to plaid to help ring in the new season.

Well, kind of.

I love black – so when I found this black and white plaid blazer I knew I had to have it. It’s the perfect compromise for someone like me not totally ready to commit to the fall palette but ready to layer up! This blazer from TopShop is different though – it is jersey knit and double breasted which means it is super soft to the touch, has a little bit of give to it, and looks as amazing as it feels. Jersey knits are a staple in my wardrobe all year round — special shout-out to my jersey maxi dresses that keep me going through the summers.

The Look

You can see from my feed, unknowingly I have acquired many TopShop items lately, whether it is from Nordstom or TopShop itself. I guess TopShop’s style speaks to me – like this animal print crossbody (pictured here)or leopard print dress that I have rocked in multiple ways. They do a good job of staying on trend. Even with accessories, trendy resin earrings are from TopShop too ($18)!

The best curvy girls jeans are linked here | The comfiest clear heels under $50 are here (size up 1.5 sizes | This plaid blazer is linked here | My resin earrings are $18 and linked here

I take inspiration from many fashion bloggers (Sarah from House of Sequin is a favorite lately!) when I put together an outfit and this look is no different. Mixing and matching vibes by pairing my rocker tee and blazer is just one inspired look that I have tried. Anyone can recreate this with what they already have in their closet — its a good excuse to pull out that comfy tee.

Thanks for all the love you showed this look on Instagram. I have reviewed several of my handbags in this video so check it out for details on sizing and styling.

As always, thank you for checking out this post. If you have not already, consider subscribing to our channel on YouTube for a closer look at who the chicks are.

Cheers,

Rina

Chick Picks:

food, Lifestyle

5 Reasons Why NOW is the Right Time For You To Buy An Instant Pot

September 19, 2018

I love to cook, and even more so after I had kids. I wanted to be the super mom that made fresh home cooked meals for her kids. Let’s be real though cooking is – messy and time consuming. The easy way out sometimes is to pull something out of the freezer. BUT buying an instant pot was life changing.

I bought the instant pot last summer only because it was on sale. I had no clue how to use it and frankly speaking it sat in the box for 4 months because its intimidating! I would look at it and say to myself, “that thing looks way too confusing, and I don’t have time to figure it out.”I was so wrong. It is the most convenient and efficient cooker I have EVER used.

Time

It has saved me so much time (like tons). Once the meal is in there and you have set the time – you can walk away. The meal then cooks and switches to keeping the food warm or turns off depending on what you have chosen. The instant pot cooks 70% faster than a slow cooker. If you’re Indian and are comparing it to our mom’s Indian pressure cookers: IT IS 100% safer (those things are crazy).

6 Quart Instant Pot (My Recommendation) | Instant Pot Cookbook | Accessories for Steaming

Nutrients

The instant pot cooks with high heat which comes in handy in thoroughly cooking your food. The temperature is between 239 degrees F to 244 degrees F, it kills toxins that slow cookers may miss. In addition, vegetables and other foods will maintain their nutrients by being cooked at higher temps.

Scent Free Cooking

I like to make Indian food, and Indian food aroma can spread throughout the house. My dear husband would walk into the home and be bombarded with the smell of onions and masala. I’ve switched a lot of my Indian meals to instant pot meals. Not only has it saved me time, but my house doesn’t smell like a restaurant anymore!

Neat and Clean

Using the instant pot reduces the amount time you will spend cleaning your kitchen. There is only one pot to clean in the Instant pot. No stove messes at all. The is a WIN WIN in my book. I dread kitchen clean ups.

Healthier Meals

Whatever your work schedule consists of I promise the instant pot is going to make your life easier. It’s so easy for everyone to use. With a little bit of planning, you can have your instant pot meal all ready for you the moment you walk in the door. So you can have “fast food” that is far more healthier. The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Cookbook was a great buy for me to get started. I’ve been able to keep things ready and my husband will come home and just dump it in the instant pot and start the IP.

I initially had bought a 3qt instant pot but real quickly realized that the 6qt was way more handy dandy plus had more functions.. I did a lot of research and bought this one. It is the most efficient for me: Indian food, baby food, snacks, homemade yogurt, and even ghee!

Pro Tip #1: For larger beans like Rajma (Kidney Beans) or Chole (Garbanzo Beans) you will need to up the cook time to 90 minutes instead of the pre-set 30 minutes. Smaller beans will cook just fine with the default setting.

Pro Tip #2: For those of you with young children like me, the Instant Pot Duo has a sterilize feature that can be used for baby bottles and breast pumps – such a convenient feature!

Pro Tip #3: Want to make Daal Makhani or Biriyani in your Instant Pot?? Follow us on Pinterest for Indian Instant Pot recipes!

Invest in one- you won’t regret it!