Category Archives: Personal

Procrastinating? 4 Steps to Stop!

07 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Stress, Time

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Procrastination - Thief of Time

We ALL procrastinate now and then, and it’s nothing more than the time gap between when we decide to do something and when we actually take action.  A big part of procrastination is not knowing where to start or how to organize what you need to do.

Here are some common procrastination problems and solutions:

  # 1 – You Just Don’t Want To  (Let’s face it, some things just aren’t fun.)

Solution:  Establish a reward for yourself.    Schedule a beginning and ending time for what needs to be done,  and then take yourself out for an ice cream or another other treat.    Call a friend and schedule to have coffee or do something fun with them.  Let them know that THEY are your motivation to make sure that YOU are successful!

# 2 – You Don’t Know Where to Start (Example:  Preparing to move a student or yourself home at the end of a year at college)

Solution:  Google It!   Almost any problem you meet, someone else has already faced!  Save time and Google your way to solutions.  There are pages of websites about students moving back home.

# 3 – You’re Overwhelmed (Example:  Moving, again)

Solution:  Break down the problem into “do-able” tasks and make a list:

1.   A date to pick up boxes and newspapers or other items needed for packing.
2.   A list of items that be packed away first (winter clothes, etc.)
3.   A list of items which should be packed last.
4.   Which utilities must be notified?

# 4 – Lack of Motivation (Example:  Cleaning Closets)

Solution:  Find a friend who is also struggling to get motivated.

If you have work to do at home, plan a time to phone and catch up while you’re both sorting drawers, closets and doing general cleaning.

If you live nearby, maybe you can share the burden by helping each other. Windows will go a lot faster if you have a friend with you!

Listen to music, podcasts or an audio books while you clean or sort belongings

If you’re interested in making more out of your time, check out this earlier post on “Time Robbers”.

The Instant Stress Reducer

09 Saturday Apr 2016

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ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - STRESS GAUGE

We’re all overwhelmed with this fast-paced “Do-It-All and Do-It-Now Lifestyle”.  Call it “stress”, “anxiety” or “pressure”, most of us are feeling it.  We struggle to fall asleep and then to wake up.  We wrestle and worry about what has to be done tomorrow and what we may have forgotten to do yesterday.  As a result, we suffer from tension headaches, high blood pressure and poor diets.

The real problem is that we haven’t identified the necessary from the optional. When when we pinpoint the critical needs and responsibilities, we’re able to focus on problem-solving.  Once the critical has been identified, it needs to be written down! Because when we identify and list our priorities we permit ourselves to push the “non-essentials” to another time.  In turn, we may find ourselves feeling less overwhelmed and more in control.

When we make a list, we are able to comprehend the priorities, everything becomes more manageable. 

People who want to appear clever rely on memory.  People who want to get things done make lists.

 

7 REASONS WHY LISTS WORK & HOW THEY BENEFIT YOU:      

  1.  Stress – Lists reduce stress levels as they help us to feel in control.  We organize what is otherwise overwhelming and bring order to chaos.

2)  Our Brains – They’re good for the brain as it gives us clarity.  We’re now able to focus our minds and process the information we are receiving.

3)  Accomplishment – We get a feeling of accomplishment and this positive feeling of completion encourages us to start another task.

4)  Reminders – Lists tell us what we have done and what we have left to do.

5)  Options – They give us opportunities to ask ourselves: “Are there things on my list I can “outsource” to others?”  “Do I have to do all of this myself?”

6)  Moods – If we write down what needs to be done we’re able to tackle different tasks at different times based upon how tired we are physically, mentally and/or emotionally.

7)  Problem Solving – When we create lists, we automatically consider how we can tackle big tasks by breaking them down into manageable parts.

ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - Keep Calm & Make a List

10 Strategies to Get Past Perfectionism & Get It Done!

16 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Personal, Planning, Uncategorized

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Done is better than perfect

The definition of perfectionism is “striving for excessively high standards accompanied by overly critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others’ evaluations.”

 Perfect Is The Enemy of Good.  It’s time to strive for the best, but ultimately, we just need to get it done!

The law of diminishing returns shows us that the time we spent in going from good to perfect could have been better spent in other activities.

So I ask myself, “Is agonizing over these details going to impact anything or even be noticed?”   “Am I unable to start what I need to because I can’t finish what I’m doing?”

THE 10 STRATEGIES  (from “The Cult of Done” – A Manifesto)

  1. There are three states of being: Not knowing, action and completion.
  2. Accept that everything is a draft. It helps to get it done.
  3. There is no editing stage.
  4. Pretending you know what you’re doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you’re doing even if you don’t and do it.
  5. Banish procrastination. If you wait more than a week to get an idea done, abandon it.
  6. The point of being done is not to finish but to get other things done.
  7. Once you’re done you can throw it away.
  8. Laugh at perfection. It’s boring and keeps you from being done.
  9. People without dirty hands are wrong. Doing something makes you right.
  10. Failure counts as done. So do mistakes.
  11. Destruction is a variant of done.
  12. If you have an idea and publish it on the internet that counts as a ghost of done.
  13. Done is the engine of more.

Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they’ve started.

Credit goes to Bre Pettis and Kio Stark from “The Cult of Done” 

For Busy Business People – Google

20 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by in Business, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Time, Work Space

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Google - all appsDo you use Google?  Do you use it to its maximum potential to save you TIME and increase Communication AND save Money?

Google - contacts to cell

 

Contacts – Add co-workers, clients, or vendors for immediate auto-dialing and texting.

Email Groups – create “Groups when adding contacts and send one email to multiple people for faster, clearer communication.Google Mail

Multiple Emails – set up multiple email accounts to respond by business entities/divisions (or even personal).  Switch back and forth between email addresses and they stay separate.

Google Calendar Image

Multiple, Integrated Calendars – these are automatically color-coded and can be viewed separately or integrated.  Have office meetings, projects and deadlines in one location with pop-up reminders sent via email to all those involved. Reduce the confusion and increase the accountability!

Google Drive 2

Cloud – upload files to Google Drive and create access for everyone to review and types of documents whether agendas, meeting notes, spreadsheets or PDFs.  (No reason to open a laptop or even a tablet!)

What does this mean to you? 

Integration = Efficiency = Time Savings = Focus – All the information you need is at your fingertips to make decisions on the spot

Here’s Google’s mission, shouldn’t it be yours?Google - Mission 2

If you need help or training with any of these features, feel free to phone or email!

 

An Olympic-Sized Clean Up

23 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in Clutter, Personal, Residential

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Olympic - 2Can you imagine how many people and how much time it’s going to take to clean up Sochi after 100,000 were there?

Just cleaning a teenager’s room could be considered an Olympic event, especially if doing closets and under the bed!

Our living areas can become a jumbled mess and we find ourselves stepping over objects or looking for space to put down a drink We step into the kitchen and need to clear a spot to just to begin preparing a meal.

Are you overwhelmed when walking into a room? Do you need to “train before you jump in?

Do you wonder “How did this happen?

Do we, as Americans, “over own”? Based on the Pareto Principle, we only use or wear, about 20% of what we own. So why do we keep all this STUFF?

Here are several justifications we use… 

Reason: “I may not use it, but I paid a lot for it.”  Neiman Marcus

The Challenge: Then why are you keeping the evidence? If you keep it another year, will you have paid less for it?

Reason: “It’s valuable.”

Challenge: Its value is based on what somebody else is willing to pay for it. If you keep a lamp in the attic, it has no value. If you sell the lamp, it has/had value (not to mention you have more space).

Reason: “It was a gift.”

Challenge: The person who gave it to you didn’t mean for it be a burden, it’s o.k. to let go; it doesn’t mean you don’t love the person. (If it makes you feel better, take a photo of it before you “let it go”.)

Reason: “I don’t have time to deal with it.”

Challenge: But you can have your time burdened with facing it everyday? Even if it’s not right in front of you, you still KNOW it’s there and that if you put one more item in that closet or attic you may trigger an avalanche.  (The burden is still there.)reduce, simplify, donate, etc

Here are 6 ways to “Reduce Ownership”

Give-away – it’s a much better feeling to pass on treasures to loved ones
Donate – a box of items here and there is sometimes easier than trying to do it all at once (this is my preferred method)
On-Line – eBay, Craig’s List, Facebook or community boards
On-Site – garage sales and auctioneers
Recycle – Google to find the site closest to you
Toss – call your local city office to see what, where and when to take items or you may want call a refuse company to bring a container to your home
 
Need a little help or encouragement?  Feel free to phone or email!

3 Strategies for a Successful Non-New Year’s Resolution

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Time, Work Space

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NY Resolution

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution yet?  Well, if you haven’t, I recommend you don’t!   Instead, consider beginning with a few goals that are realistic and attainable.

Aim for success in the “first quarter” and you’ll feel better moving on through the year and setting more goals. Wondering what the difference between a goal and a resolution is?  

Resolutions – are often abstract, they may have a vision but rarely include the details.

 Goals are specific, measurable and have a timeline associated with them.

Don’t Make a Resolution, Create a Goal!

3 Strategies to Help You Succeed 

1) BE kind to yourself – Don’t try taking on too much at once – set yourself up for success!

2) DEfine your goals – write them out  in detail and what “success” will look like to you! 

3) REmind yourself – put them on the bathroom mirror, above the kitchen sink or in your smartphone (they can pop up during the day as encouragement)

“Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding.”       – Harvey Mackay

Choosing Your Goals

Business – Is it completing a business plan, installing a new filing system, or going paperless? 

Home – Is it painting a room, getting the garage organized or cleaning out specific closets?

Good Habits – If it’s a habit, commit to the practice, not perfection. Start with small changes and permit yourself time to build the habit slowly.  You can always increase your goal as continue. 

Need some encouragement or ideas? I’m just an email away and would love to help you define and execute your goals!

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10 Christmas Gifts That Don’t Clutter

01 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Clutter, Money, Personal, Residential

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It’s that time of year and we’re all being inundated with gifts (and sometimes we are the “inundaters” of gifts) that we won’t know what to do with when the tree comes down.  In the spirit of the season here are some ideas for gifts that almost anyone would be thrilled to receive and won’t take up any space after the holidays.

  1. Movie Tickets – Have a family you’re close to and don’t know what to do?  How about getting tickets for a whole family?  Tape them to a box of Orville Redenbacher’s and wrap in Christmas paper.  This is a real luxury for a family these days and they’ll think of you when they use them! 
  1. Food – There are so many possibilities, ranging from home-made to Harry and David’s Fruit of the Month Club.  The traditional fruit basket is always a hit and edible arrangements are as much a treat as an eye-catcher.  (Let’s ditch the fruit cake this year!) 
  1. Local Theatre – Do you have a friend you can never get together with?  Purchase tickets to an upcoming show and make a date to go together, you’ll make a wonderful memory for both of you and be much more inclined to “save the date”! 
  1. Massages & Facials – Here’s an indulgence that anyone would enjoy – a gift massage is even more relaxing than one that is purchased.  This is heaven to an over-whelmed parent! 
  1. Lessons – New experiences make great memories!  There are so many to choose from whether it is yoga, dancing, golf, ceramics, knitting, horseback riding or swimming.  If you really want to make this special, join your friend or be there to take some photos of them when the day arrives.  
  1. Manicures & Pedicures – another indulgence, but this one can be enjoyed for weeks!  
  1. Books – Does this sound boring? Not to a bookworm!  Receiving a gift card for a Kindle or Nook can be “just what the doctor ordered” to get through the months of January and February!  For a college student a gift card to their college library can take a lot of stress off facing the upcoming semester. 
  1. Gift Cards –retail gift cards are becoming the mainstay of America’s Christmas.  They may be the answer to everything, but take a moment to make it special in the way you give it.  If you have your children make a Christmas card to put this in, you’ll warm their hearts even before they see the gift.  
  1. Experiences – Are there any big events coming up in the next year that someone you know might enjoy?  A few years ago the U.S. Open came to Pittsburgh (Oakmont Country Club) and so I surprised my husband with tickets and another year with tickets to the Preakness.  I made up an official “invitation” to the event using parchment paper and wrapping a ribbon around it and voila!  What events would your friends of family enjoy? 
  1. For the Person Who Has Everything – Give a Gift of Charity in Their Name

The Gift of Remembrance – For the person who has everything, why not give generously in their name? There are so many wonderful opportunities whether it’s their favorite charity or a memorial in the name of their loved ones.

The Gift of Food & Life – Another way to give in another person’s name.   Options include Oxfam, World Vision, Feeding America and so many other great organizations (not to mention there is always your local Food Pantry).

The Gift of Education – School isn’t free or available everywhere.  (We just happen to be abundantly blessed.)  Why not sponsor a child’s schooling for the next year and have a friend receive information and letters of thanks from their child?  I especially recommend a child from Won By One to Jamaica as I’ve worked with this wonderful mission myself for the past 12 years.  (http://www.wonbyonetojamaica.com/school-sponsorship)WB1 - chalkboard

For as little as $25 per month you can open the door to opportunities for a young mind.

Remember almost any gift becomes twice as nice if you include a handwritten note!

Take a moment to thank a friend or family member for a kind word or deed from that year that meant something to you.  Recounting a special memory or a time of laughter with them will make them feel special and touch a chord in their heart (especially more than that Chia pet).

Time Robbers

09 Saturday Nov 2013

Posted by in Organizing, Personal, Time

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Melting Clock

Time management is like money management.  If you continually come up short at the end of the day or month, eventually you’re going to have to try to figure out where you’re spending your money or, in this case, spending your time.

You see, time can be managed the same way as money. But, first we need to do an honest evaluation of where we are spending (or losing) our time now. This Time Map in 30-Minute Increments is a great tool to help you evaluate objectively where your hours are going.  For a clear illustration of where you spend your time, this should be completed for two weeks. (I know this sounds difficult, but some time management specialists suggest 15 minute segments!)

Your time is as valuable as your bank account, it’s important that you honestly record your time for the full two weeks. The average person is unable to account for about 3 hours each day, which makes us wonder “Where do they go?”.

We’re quick to name when others rob of us of our time; but, we also need to be honest with ourselves and take responsibility for the hours we fritter away. We may complain about not having enough time or money, but we need to see factually where these resources are going.

Self-imposed Time-Robbers: 
      • Facebook (social or games)
      • Pinterest
      • YouTube
      • Email
      • TV shows
      • Movie Watching
      • Social Texting
 Self-imposed but LESS RECOGNIZED Time-Robbers –
      • Inability to say no
      • Fuzzy priorities
      • Perfectionism
      • Lack of planning
      • Disorganization
      • Poor delegation
      • Lack of discipline
      • Poor planning

By the way, there are many times when we are waiting for other people (and perceive them to be wasting our time) when we could actually be using that time productively for ourselves or family.  (More about that in another post!)

“It’s not so much what you do each day – it’s what you get done that counts.” – Will Rogers

Anybody brave enough to time map with me for the next two weeks?  I’m willing to share mine!  

A partner makes it all the more fun – email me and let me know when we start together!

Christmas Chaos!

11 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by in Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Time

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I’m bringing back the old Christmas of simplicity and heart-warming visits with friends all through a little thinking and planning ahead.

I’m the early Christmas shopper, but not the one who starts in January (I hate holding on to things for that long – it reminds me of clutter even if it isn’t).  I usually have a list of people and ideas completed by mid August, wrapped by Thanksgiving and enjoy visits with friends in early December.

August – I’ve kept a spreadsheet since 2001 which lists every person, every gift and the amounts.  This lets me see what I’ve done, get ideas for new friends, and make sure I don’t duplicate from the previous year!  I always have a dollar amount in mind as I do this and I keep the list with me at all times.   (Actually, I have it as an Excel spreadsheet saved to Google Drive so I can look at it anytime on my phone).

September & October – I don’t like taking time to shop so if I have to be in a store, I might as well take a look around and see if anything is available that ‘fits’ my list. (I have my list, but like to stay flexible in the event I find an even better idea for someone special.) It’s just a matter of doing two things at once.  My theory is that if I’ve prepared the list well in August and keep my eyes open in September and October I can catch some sales and spread the cost out over a few months too! January is so much better when there’s nothing on the credit card from December!

November – after I’ve purchased the gifts I put post-it notes on them with the name of the recipient and they go in the spare bedroom; this way I don’t walk in and feel overwhelmed because I can easily see organized piles with bright tags on each item!   At this point I can enjoy wrapping a few items here and there while watching one of my favorite programs – Duck Dynasty or Big Bang Theory. By the way, this is also a great time to address Christmas cards so you can just drop them in the mail in December – no pressure!

December – I don’t like crowds so the thought of being elbow to elbow with hundreds of harried people makes me feel anxious. Instead of putting myself through that, I’ve wrapped and tagged the gifts over Thanksgiving and they’re stacked in chronological order for delivery.

As December 1st has rolled in I’ve called some friends and have a few short visits on the calendar.  Whether it’s shortbread, Irish soda bread, candies, or jar gifts, I make a little batch each week when it’s convenient.  Since I’m not in a rush I can enjoy thinking of the people who will receive the home-made tokens.  When it’s time to hit the road, I just match my “kitchen gift” to the small item in a gift bag upstairs and I’m ready to go.

I want to look back on my life and remember the moments, not the Christmas chaos that rolls from one year into the other.  I want to cherish the people, admire the tree, take a treat for the dog, share some home-made Irish Cream and have a few laughs.

Just to get you started, here’s a Christmas List template for you to download. – Christmas List

P.S. – If you’re a spreadsheet person like me, you can keep a status column on your Christmas list and sort it regularly to stay on top of everything.  I sort by “purchase, wrap, bake, and completed”.    If you’re interested in having a customized template in Excel, feel free to email me!

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar. 

Homepreneurs & Solopreneurs

22 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Time, Work Space

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More than half of all U.S. businesses are based at home and an estimated 6.6 million home-based enterprises provide at least half of their owners’ household income.  Together these “homepreneurs” employ one in 10 private-sector workers.

So how do we separate our home life from our business life?

Having a ‘separation of states’ for managing information (appointments, tasks, email, etc.) is a good beginning. If you can manage it, have a room designated as a home office and let your family know that if the door is closed, you’re not available at that moment.  You can even put a “Be Back in 1 Hour” sign on the door! If you don’t have a spare room, consider a corner of a room and use an attractive room divider so that you have private space to work and think.

Conversely, we need to integrate our work and home life with as little confusion as possible – which is why Google is so popular.  Personal calendars and business calendars can be linked and viewed independently or jointly (each calendar is a different color).  When adding an event, view the combined appointment calendars to reduce the chance of double-bookings.

Google also offers cloud computing and on-line collaboration.  If you’re working on a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, but have to leave the house, just upload it to the cloud and later you can access it from your smartphone to make changes and add content. Additionally, business and personal email accounts can be linked so you can ‘toggle’ on your phone to access each one separately even when you’re out of the office.

Cloud computing, email, calendars and smartphones have accelerated the trend of independently working from home.  But if we want to be successful, we must stay in tune with both the big picture and details jointly for home and work.

If you have questions, need assistance in setting up an account or would like more information about the benefits, feel free to email me.

If you have any tips or favorite planning applications, I would love to hear from you!

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar.  I always enjoy tips and feedback!