22
May 2013

5 Ways to Manage Work Stress

By Leave a Comment

5 Ways to Manage Work Stress

I just returned from a weekend conference all about stress in the workplace. Listening to the array of international attendees and presenters I realize that we are not alone in this issue. However, stress is a serious concern.

Personally, I call stress the “root of all evil”, since it often leads to poor coping behaviors like smoking or excessive drinking, poor diet and lack of exercise. Let’s face it, after a rough day, people don’t crave salads.

While this particular conference was looking at what employers can and should do for their employees, not every workplace effectively addresses stress. If you don’t have a workplace program, you are left to figure it out on your own. Here are some of the most basic tips I can give.

 

  1. Set Boundaries – In a time of downsizing it can seem like everyone is expected to do the work of two or three people. Of course, you can’t “pass” on all of the projects your boss has for you, but you can be clear about your available time, energy and expectations of quality. Being able to effectively communicate how additional projects justifiably means that others might have to be delayed or less than complete is essential to preventing burnout. Additionally, being smart in eliminating unnecessary tasks or streamlining tasks is important. For instance, don’t check your email every 30 minutes and PLEASE turn off the new message notifications! At the same time, if you agree to check emails on your personal time, know that you create an expectation that you can be reached at all hours. You can only do what one person can do and you have to be clear on where your boundaries lie. Taking on more than you can handle only means quality of the work and your health will suffer.
  2. Single-Task – We’ve all been told that effective time management is just about learning how to do more within the time we have. Therefore, we all jumped on the multi-tasking bandwagon and found ourselves clearing out emails while on conference calls, working through lunch, and working on projects while on the phone with a client. Sometimes it is important to focus on one thing at a time. To be in tune with the person you are talking to, whether that is over email, the phone or in person you have to remove all distractions. Focusing means you will often finish a task faster and with better quality. It certainly means less frayed nerves too.
  3. Maintain a Good Attitude/Focus on the Positive – Much of stress is about perception. If you perceive that you work in a hostile environment and everyone is out to get you, you’ll leave stressed each day. If you feel that you are in a secure environment that rewards risk-taking and recognizes a job well done, you will likely feel challenged by tasks. While these workplace cultures can be very real, our minds can look for “facts” that prove our theory. Try to look for the good. Better yet, be the example of good. I have seen employees from all types of industries have an impact on making their work fun. Attitudes are contagious – both positive and negative. Be the positive force.
  4. Support a Culture of Health –Building off of that concept of being a positive force, it is your responsibility to help support a culture of health. This means being the one who congratulates others’ work, not being jealous and stirring up the rumor mill. You and your coworkers are in this together. I realize it can seem like a dog-eat-dog world at times, but look to build a network of supportive coworkers. I promise this good workplace karma will come back to benefit you.
  5. Reflect on Successes – It may be no surprise that those who feel like they are more employable are able to find jobs faster after a layoff than those who don’t have the same confidence – regardless of skill. When we remind ourselves of our accomplishments and the challenges we have overcome, it helps us build upon that success to achieve more. You are also more likely to set and stick to those boundaries I mentioned before (see #1).

Whether your workplace offers stress management and wellness programming or not, you have the power to choose to be healthy. Just like Eleanor Roosevelt said “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent”, I believe no one can make you feel stressed without your consent. Learn to reduce and manage your own work stress for health and longevity.

 

photo credit: mark sebastian via photopin cc

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
08
May 2013

Perfect Gift Ideas for Mom

By Leave a Comment

Mother's Day

How do you adequately thank the woman who birthed you, sacrificed for you, passed along wisdom and grace and taught you how to give YOUR misbehaving children the “eye” as only moms can do? Certainly not with a scented candle!

A recent poll showed that moms would rather have a gift card over the traditional flowers for Mothers’ Day. Duh! What most moms REALLY want is a break from being a mom. Of course we love our children and we really do feel blessed to have them, yet sometimes you just need a little downtime.

Ideally, if we really love and support our moms, we want to give gifts that will enhance their lives or help them live better. I think quality Mother’s Day gifts fall into 4 main categories – promoting relaxation, physical health, better sleep and connection with others.


Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Of course, you need to be careful not to give mom a gift that might be misinterpreted as a commentary for improvement. No one needs a guilt trip on Mother’s Day. If you have a mom that loves adventure, is a foodie at heart or has an interest in improving her physical health, you are probably safe to give without confused intensions. Basically, you should give with YOUR mom in mind.

Every mom on Mother’s Day wants to feel loved, beautiful and appreciated. Don’t think in terms of “what can I buy her”, but think in terms of how can I show her how much she is loved, how beautiful she is, and how much we appreciate all of the little things she does every day for us. That’s the best way to celebrate your mom.

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
29
Apr 2013

3 Steps to Make Sure You Never Lose a Photo Again

By Leave a Comment

How to Organize Your Photos

Not long ago I heard two heart-wrenching stories about two different women losing their smartphones. For both ladies, the loss was most difficult when they recalled the photos that were stored on the phone. One lady was literally sickened over losing photos from her “vacation last summer” and the other was devastated over losing the last photos she had of her recently deceased mother.

Both stories are tragic, but we can probably all admit to having precious photos that exist on only one medium. When that device is as mobile as our phones, we are at greater risk of losing them entirely.

Less heartbreaking than physically losing photos is the more probable inability to find pictures because of a lack of organization. For my piece of mind, I have a system that works for me. I’ll admit that I am a recovering scrapbooker with many printed photos waiting to make their way into beautifully-crafted albums with adorable stickers and clever catch phrases. Yet, when it comes from trying to find my digital photos, I believe I have a few strategies that will help you to find what you need when you need it. The 3 key steps to my system are something that you have to practice until it becomes habit, but following these steps will assure you that you’ll never lose a photo again.

1. Upload Frequently – Whether you take photos with a classic digital camera, a DSLR camera, your iPhone, iPad or all of the above, there needs to be a schedule for uploading photos. Even if your photos are automatically on a cloud or server, I would suggest you think of this in terms of your backup plan too – keep on reading.

2. Categorize Photos – Just like a paper filing system needs to make sense to you, so does you digital storage system. For me, when it comes to photos, I find it easiest to think chronologically. Since I upload photos monthly, this pairs well with my “filing” system. I have folders for each year and within those, one for each month. If I have a particular occasion with many photos, like a family reunion or a special vacation, I make subfolders within the month with the title of the occasion. Categorizing photos in this way helps me to find photos I’m looking for without having to rename each photo. If you prefer to go to that level of organization, go for it! For me, I look for the minimum level of organization (read as: the minimum amount of time required to maintain a system) that works for me. Photos I take for work (ahem, this blog) I organize in a different system apart from my personal photos.

3. Backup – I know we are living in the world of clouds and that seems pretty secure, but I always have this inner angst that IF anything were to ever happen to my kids’ baby pictures I would be heartbroken. So, I go an extra step of assuring that I have photos in more than one place. Once a year, I upload all my photos to an online service (I prefer Shutterfly because I like  being able to make the photobooks for gifts and I can share photos easily with family members) and I upload to flash drives that physically go in a fire-proof box or safety deposit box at my bank. Sounds extreme, I know but that’s how important my personal photos are to me. You may decide that one backup method is fine. For me, I can free up my computer’s memory and give myself piece of mind this way.

So that’s it, an easy 1-2-3 for making sure you protect and can find all of your precious photos. Upload monthly, categorize sensibly, and back up annually. I can’t wait to hear if this works for you!

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
26
Apr 2013

How to Organize Your Recipes

By Leave a Comment

How to Organize Your Recipes

Americans eat out on average 3 to 4 times each week. If that seems high to you, consider every breakfast you pick up on the way to work, each time you meet a friend or colleague for lunch, and every time you are too exhausted to cook and opt for delivery or take-out.

Let’s be honest, we eat out so often because it seems easier than trying to figure out what to cook, get the ingredients, actually make the meal and then clean all of the dishes. I hear ya! At the same time, we know that the foods we grab on the go are not giving us the energy, health, and longevity that we desire.

One of the keys to restoring our health is to get America cooking again. While some say that cooking is a lost art, I don’t think we have to rely on the techniques our grandmothers used. Cooking was almost an all-day affair. We simply don’t have time for that! Yet there are ways to make simple, delicious, and dare I say, healthy meals in a hurry.

The first part of being a successful cook (notice I didn’t say chef) is in being prepared. I’ve talked about the importance of spending a few minutes each week in planning, including planning for your meals before you make your weekly grocery store run (I find a weekly grocery shopping trip is the best balance of saving time and having fresh foods available). When you are deciding what you are going to eat each week, it helps to have a few go-to recipes.

Being organized with your recipes can be a feat all on its own. Personally, I have one system for my physical recipes and one for my virtual ones.

Organizing Recipes in Cookbooks

My physical system consists of cookbooks and binders. I love the look of cookbooks in a kitchen, but there are many kitchens in which they are merely decoration. When I get a new cookbook, I like flipping through the pages and marking the recipes that interest me with post-it notes. Then, when I try a recipe, I will make a note on the post-it about any substitutions or changes that I would make, or if it is perfect as is. If the recipe isn’t something I would make again, the post-it note is removed from the page. That way, I can go directly to the recipes that I like or that I still want to try.

Organizing Recipes in Binders

I use recipe binders for all of those recipes that I get from magazines or ones I used to print before I found my online system (I know, not very eco-friendly, but I’m changing my ways). I slip pages into page protectors because the kitchen can be a messy place and categorize them using different binders and tabs.

Sample Recipe in Binder

I have a separate folder for “to try” recipes. That way, only the ones I like make it to a binder. Now I will admit that my binders need weeding out from time to time, just like clothes in your closet. I might have liked a particular recipe years ago and now don’t care for it as much.

As for my virtual system, I have fallen in love with Ziplist. This is an app and online tool that helps you to collect recipes that you come across from all sorts of online sources. There is a clipper function that you can install on your browser, so no matter where you find the recipe, you can add it to your box. The nice thing is that you can select the recipe and have the ingredients automatically added to a grocery list. You can decide to remove certain ingredients from your grocery list, like that cinnamon you already have in your cupboard. You can also add items like milk or eggs, not included on the ingredient list but staples you might need on your next grocery trip. When you get to the grocery, you can use the app to access your list – on your phone and ready to go.

Getting back in the kichen requires just a little bit of prep and know-how to be a success. Yet, the simple act of cooking means a world of difference in how we eat, not to mention the money you can save. Spend the time to get your recipes in order and you’ll be amazed at how good a low-stress meal can taste!

 
initial photo credit: Phil Roeder via photopin cc

Categories: Get it Together, Play with Your Food Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
19
Apr 2013

Taming Digital Clutter

By Leave a Comment

How to Organize Digital Clutter

I will be the first to admit that getting a handle on all of the digital “stuff” that enters my life is quite a challenge. It used to be that just organizing word documents or excel spreadsheets was enough. Now, I find that my digital world includes a borderline paparazzi-amount of photos, vast text messages, apps, links, RSS feeds, music files, videos, links to videos or other bookmarked sites, and countless emails ranging from friendly hellos to urgent notices, all peppered with coupon deals that expire in 2 days! It’s enough to make anyone stressed out.

The trouble with organizing our digital worlds is that they are virtual. It is very different from trying to organize clothes and shoes in a cramped closet. When you can’t find your shoes, you know it is time to get organized. With digital storage there seems to be an endless amount of space and with the creation of cloud storage, it seems less tangible – no worries, everything is stored up there!
Having more digital space doesn’t mean that we should save everything. When we have trouble finding what we need, it is time to get organized. Just think of it as a large purse. For me, the bigger the purse, the more junk I manage to carry around each day and the harder it is for me to find my keys.
Being organized in our digital “spaces” is just as important to our sanity as being organized in our physical spaces. Disorganization of any kind leads to lost time, greater expense, worry, frustration, and embarrassment. By following the same basic principles of organizing your physical space, you can learn how to tame the digital clutter in your life, too.
When you begin the process of decluttering, think SPA!

  1. Sort – Sorting seems much easier when you are physically piling like items together within a room. Think of this process much like creating a paper filing system. Start by “piling” like items together, in categories that make sense to you. The filing system should exist on your computer, shared drive, and within your email too. If you use one computer for work and personal use, or if you have multiple users on one device, you’ll want to make clear separations within your system. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Hoarders, you know this step can be the most difficult and time consuming. Block a serious chunk of time and stay focused. If you don’t have a day or weekend to spare, start by just tackling your email inbox or the desktop on your laptop. Professional Organizers say that it is best to start with the area that is giving you the most angst. Can’t find precious photos? Bingo! You found your starting point.
  2. Process – Once you have “piles” of like items in categories (I find it easier to write down the categories I’m considering along the way), you need to go through each pile to clean out the junk. This is a great time to delete those photos of someone caught blinking or those old emails you no longer need. Remember, don’t just file everything. If you had a physical filing cabinet it would be stuffed. Just because you have the space, doesn’t mean you should fill it. Having some breathing room allows for new (and better) things to come into your life. In your processing, ask yourself if the item requires any follow-up action and put it on a to-do list or calendar. Just make a list, don’t get distracted by following through with any action now unless it is urgent.
  3. Assign a Home – As you go through the steps of sorting and processing, you will naturally begin to determine a proper place to store remaining items. Of course you can create folders on your computer, in cloud storage, or in your email. One tool that I really like is Evernote. Evernote is an online way to store and sort digital information into notebooks. Similar to a folder, a notebook can hold individual notes which can include text that you enter, links to websites, photos and audio recordings. The nice thing about Evernote is that I can access my notebooks online or from my iPhone. You can even decide to share notes or notebooks with others. I have found it useful for projects that I might be working on. For instance, I could create a notebook called “Posts in Progress” and have several notes for the various posts that I am working on at any given time. If I come across a website or a news article online that serves as inspiration or would be a great reference, I can use the Evernote webclipper function that I installed on my browser to capture that site. If I am away from my computer or if I receive an email with information that I want to include, I can forward the email message to my Evernote email address and it becomes a new note. I have found the Evernote app comes in handy for personal projects too. Recently I was looking for a piece of furniture for a particular room. By taking pictures of my current room and fabrics in the room, I could access the information when out shopping to see if a particular item would be a good fit. I even added text to include the dimensions I was searching for. I’m sure I’m just scratching the surface for the potential, because there are many other features you can use. No matter where you decide to store your digital items, the point is to create a system that works for you.

Once you have made sense of your digital mess, you need to establish a way of preventing the all-to-often slip back into disorganization. To keep things in order, you have to Manage your System and Work your System.

  1. Manage Your System – Think of Managing your System like a bodyguard for organization. Managing your System involves limiting what comes in and regular maintenance to keep the volume from growing. For instance, I know that if my email inbox grows to “below the fold” (when you have to scroll to see what is below the initial screen shot), chances of me losing an email or more accurately losing control of my inbox is highly likely. Spending a few minutes at the end of your day weeding through any unprocessed messages will keep you focused. Better yet, limit the emails coming in by unsubscribing from those emails that you never open (you can use a service like UnrollMe.com to handle many at one time). To limit the time needed for maintenance, you can set up “rules” or parameters that allow certain messages to go directly to a determined folder (do not pass go, but do pass the inbox). For example, I have a “to read” folder set up for those worthy e-letters or links I subscribe to. I establish a time to regularly check the folder to read them when I am ready – not when they arrive in my inbox. You can also set up a separate email account for coupons or promotions. When you are ready to go shopping, check that account for the specific coupon you need. Any coupon emails more than a week old are likely expired and should be deleted. Just be careful about opening too many email accounts that you won’t check. When it comes to photos, decide on a regular schedule for uploading photos and commit to sorting and processing them before they ever make their way into their home (remember SPA?).
  2. Work Your System – No two people organize exactly the same way. Learning which tools and methods work best for you is how you Work your System. It seems like there are new tools available daily; just look at the number of apps available! If you have gone through the SPA process and are working to manage your system, but it seems difficult to keep up, you might need a new tool. Instead of storing recipes on cards, maybe you could try a Pinterest board (more about recipe organization in a future post!). Instead of writing your grocery list on a dry erase board on your pantry door, maybe you need a more mobile list or app. The point is to be willing to shake it up if things are working for you. There is no wrong way other than the one that is slowing you down! To stay on top of technology trends and treasures, my favorite digital guru is Carley Knobloch at Digitwirl. Aside from her adorable personality, Carley’s videos make daunting new technology seem downright fun.

Following the SPA process to get your digital world in order and then keeping it in order by Managing and Working your System is the best way to stay on top of the avalanche of digital information we receive daily. Taking the time to get organized digitally will improve your focus, your productivity, and most importantly your health.
Tell me about your digital world. What tools and techniques work for you?

 
photo credit: Johan Larsson via photopin cc

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
04
Apr 2013

Getting Organized by Managing Paper Clutter

By 2 Comments

Get Organized and Manage Paper Clutter Simply

Living a life you crave goes far beyond eating well and being active. Stress is quickly becoming one of the main culprits of our disease, so finding ways to be organized are essential to a healthy life.

When it comes to paper, I will admit that it is a challenge for me to stay organized from time to time. I am the kind of person that still likes to read from a piece of paper occasionally, cross things off a list, and sketch out ideas on notepads. While I rely heavily on apps, my laptop, and electronic reminders, the need for organizing paper is still much needed in this digital world.

We are bombarded by information digitally, no doubt. Yet, we have not become as “paperless” as people may have proclaimed 10 or 20 years ago. Having a good system for managing paper is essential to saving you time and money.

With tax day looming, this is often the time you are hit with the realization that you either have a good system or you painfully do not.

To create a system and a sense of organization with your papers, you need the following.

1.       Process for Collecting and Sorting Incoming Papers – Whether it is your mail, kids’ school work, receipts, magazines or otherwise, paper makes its way into your home. I have posted previously on the importance of a good launch pad area in your home where mail can be sorted and kids’ papers can be filed. If you can, establish a small place where you make decisions about papers right at the point of entry. That way, paper doesn’t get out of control. Have a trash and/or recycling bin at this location and ask yourself what needs to be done with each paper – is it trash? Does it need a follow-up action? Do you need to save it for reference? The cause of much disorganization in life is delayed decisions. Don’t hang on to things you no longer need.

2.       Tickler or Pending Files – There are certain papers that come into your home, which don’t need action at the moment but will or may need action in the future. For example, you might receive an invitation (not everyone has transitioned to evite yet) and need to check with others in your household or secure a babysitter before RSVP’ing. It is important that there be a regular schedule for checking a tickler or pending file, or another cue to remind you when to follow-up with the action. Some people sort bills in this way. They may file bills received (if still receiving by mail – more on email methods to come) by date due or otherwise. Obviously, it is essentially to have a timely reminder to go back and complete the action of paying them. Just be careful that your pending files don’t become a catch-all for papers that really need to have decisions or action steps completed.

3.       Filing Systems – Files should be for papers you need to reference later. It is easy for files to become the black hole of all “important” documents and before long you have drawers that are so overly stuffed that you no longer want to try wedging in one more piece of paper. And so the filing ceases. The best filing systems are the ones that make sense to you – not a system created by someone else. For me, I like files by category. For instance, all of the financial folders are green and alphabetized within that category. All of the files related to my family – i.e. children’s school or activity folders, medical folders, etc. are yellow. All of the folders related to my profession – certifications, credentialing, etc. are another color category. By grouping my files, it is easy for me to look within subcategories for what I need. It makes sense in my mind, but you need to create a filing system that is logical to you. Just create a system and put it to the test. The key is to avoid over-stuffing filing drawers with papers you will never reference and no longer need. Here is a great guide for how long you need to keep certain papers and where you should keep them for safety. It is equally important to clean out files as it is to file papers regularly. Don’t fall in the trap of creating a “to file” file…it ends up becoming the junk drawer of reference papers.

4.       To Read Baskets – I used to have files of great articles that I either read and wanted to save, or articles that I still wanted to read. Guess what happened to these papers? Don’t kid yourself – you’ll never go back to that file. I now have a basket that holds magazines, articles, or other items that I would like to read. When I have time for reading, I go to the basket and “shop” for what interests me. When the basket gets full, something has to go. When I read something I like, I ask myself specifically what I need to do with the information. For instance, if I read about a new eye cream that I want to try at the store, I would write the name of the item on my shopping list or take a picture of the product with an electronic reminder to purchase the item on my next shopping day. Then, I can recycle the magazine – nothing gets filed. Maybe I read about a new restaurant in town that I would like to try. I add the name of the restaurant on an Evernote list (more about this helpful tool in the upcoming digital organizing post!) that I created for recommended restaurants. When I’m looking for a new place to try for dinner, I know exactly where to go to find my list. If I come across a recipe that sounds worth trying, I might tear out the page – because I love recipes with pictures – and file in the “to try” section of my recipe binders (more about this system coming too…you really need to stay tuned this month). The point is, decide what you need to DO and resist filing away in one big folder that will do little more than collect dust. I often ask myself where I would go to find the information I’m trying to save or file. If the answer is to Google the information, then I know to toss the paper. If the answer is to look within my reference papers, it is worth saving.

I have said it before, but it bears repeating…Organizing is about creating systems and processes to help us live our lives in a way that works for us. No one method works for everyone because we are so different. Yet, there are many of us who have no system and we suffer because of it. We don’t want to have people over to our homes because of embarrassment. We can’t find things we need which can cost us money in late fees, buying duplicate items, or worse. At the very least, we spend time in frustration looking for things or worrying about finding things that need action. You don’t need to have OCD to be organized and you certainly don’t need multiple pretty containers…although they can make getting organized so much more enjoyable. What you really need is to try and revise your systems until you find something that works for you. Create a system to manage your papers with the four characteristics previously described and stay tuned for more organizing posts this month!

 

photo credit: vpickering via photopin cc

 

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
04
Feb 2013

Share the Love this February

By Leave a Comment

Be Kind to Your Heart by Sharing the Love

It’s February and love is in the air – at least that is what every jewelry company and florist would like you to believe. Actually, I dig the whole concept. Coming off January, a month of hope and renewal, you might need a little love in February.

We tend to start a New Year with a list of aspirations and by February we can be feeling a bit deflated over the lack of progress we’ve made or the loss in drive to keep trying.

That is why February is the time to show yourself a little love…and those around you. February doesn’t have to be just about romantic love, but more about showing extra care for those who mean most to you – especially, yourself!

First of all, give yourself a break for not being perfect. Then, give yourself a pat on the back for the successes you have accomplished – we all have some! Lastly, reward yourself in a way that reinforces the changes you want to continue. So if you are happy for losing 10 pounds in January, don’t reward yourself with a chocolate cake. Instead, reward yourself with a new pair of jeans or workout tunes.

This is also a great time to look outside of you. How can you share a little love with your friends, family, or even complete strangers? Maybe you can volunteer at a food bank, bring a neighbor some homemade banana bread, or just call a family member to tell them how much you care. The great thing about sharing a little love is that you gain physical and emotional benefits in the process!

Love isn’t about finding that right person and having some cheesy chick-flick moment. Love is all around you. Be mindful of receiving and giving it this month and you may be surprised at how much more love you feel.

How will you add a little more love in your life? Leave a comment or pose a question. I’d love to start a conversation!

photo credit: Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ via photopin cc

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
31
Jan 2013

Effectively Tracking Your Time

By Leave a Comment

 Time Management Skill of Tracking

Over the course of the past month, I’ve given you several tips on time management and goal setting.  But I know how difficult it can be to manage complex daily lives. Even with all of the time management tips and tools sometimes you still may not feel as if you effectively use your time.

There are moments in my life in which I feel I’m doing all I can just to keep up - a feeling of treading water. That should be my first warning! If I get  to the point of feeling as if I’m drowning, I’m often forced to stop by illness, fatigue, or plain old burnout. 

When I’m overwhelmed I will be tense – in my muscles AND my reaction to others – and I won’t be able to think clearly. At this point, I’m not effective. I tend to be more forgetful and can’t seem to focus on getting things accomplished. That’s when I know I need to stop, take a breath, and evaluate. Trust me, taking this time is a favor for everyone!

One of the best (and slightly annoying ) tools I’ve found for getting back on track is a time map. A time map is basically a way of helping you visualize how you are using your 24 hours. You keep a general running list from midnight to midnight (or wake to sleep) of how you spend chunks of time and then look to see if your time is spent on the things that matter most. This process doesn’t have to be complex, but you do have to write a bit more than “work” from 8am to 5pm.

There are apps available to do the same job (Office Time is one such app) or you can use our free Time Map printable. Using this tool for a few days helps you to see when you get distracted by shiny objects (otherwise known as Pinterest) or when you have pockets of time in which you can get things accomplished, like while waiting for your child’s soccer practice to end. Give it a try and don’t worry if it takes a few days to get the hang of things. You’ll see; it is worth the time – pun intended.

I would love to hear how this tool works for you? Leave a comment to let me know!

 

 

 

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
17
Jan 2013

Six Ways to Conquer Time Management

By Leave a Comment

 Improve Your Time Management Skills

Time seems to be the one resource we can never get enough of. We try to find ways to maximize our time by doing multiple things at once. We rely on clocks, computers and phones to prompt us to do certain things throughout the day. We buy calendars, to-do lists, planners and sticky notes all in an effort to get more done in our fleeting amount of time. Alas, we still feel that we are falling behind.

The truth is that we all have the exact same amount of time – 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. We can’t buy more, earn more, or trade for more. So rather than trying to manage something that is constant, we have to learn to manage ourselves and how we choose to use the time we have.

1. Know What’s Important

The first key to ultimate time management is to make sure that we are happy with how we use it. What’s important in your life? Do important things get the time and attention they deserve? If you completed the New Year’s Action Plan I posted earlier this month, than you are clear on your goals! If not, just hope on over to that post and check off step one.

2. What are the Priorities?

Be careful of how much you commit to. There can be many things that seem important to you and seem to support your goal. However, you can’t do them all at once. You have to prioritize. As Richard Koch said in his book 80/20, we get 80% of our results from 20% of the things we do. So of the list of things you want to do, really hone in on those that will give you the most results.

3.  How Much Time is Needed?

Being able to acurately estimate how long a task will take requires skill and practice – and I’m still practicing! This is an important consideration before saying “yes” to obligations. For instance, if I believe that volunteering at my son’s school is important, then I need to carefully think about how much time I am able to dedicate to that – rather than just signing up for any open request. What I have learned is to always assume that the task will take longer than you may first think.

4. When Will You Do It?

Once you know how long things will take, you have to schedule it. When we commit without scheduling, we end up with a raging to-do list and no hope of ever getting everything done. That is a perfect recipe for frustration! Schedule when you will work on projects or complete tasks. Remember to include any prep or travel time. Another great time management expert, Peter Drucker, recommends that we schedule no more than 65% of our day. This allows for those unexpected emergencies and tasks that run longer than anticipated.

5. Staying in Action

This is the step where a good majority of people fail. Time management is not something you do in a workshop or on a weekend. It is something you practice daily. For me, I set annual goals, check my progress quarterly, set action steps monthly, coordinate with my schedule weekly and implement daily. That may seem like a lot, but really it becomes habit and takes very little time with practice. The most essential pieces, I’ve found, are the weekly and monthly reviews.  By taking time at the first of each month to be clear on what steps that will effectively move me towards my goals, I have a clear focus on tasks to accomplish. Weekly planning then becomes a matter of fitting in those tasks while looking at the realities of life. If I’m traveling on vacation with family, I’m not likely to accomplish as many tasks that week. Conversely, if my schedule includes lots of time running children to after school activities, my weekly review lets me plan for how to best use that time…even if it is to support my goal of having more social time with friends.

6. Making the Most of Idle Time

To be honest, I’m awful about leaving extra time in my day – that 65% schedule I mentioned above. I don’t like to be idle when I know there are things to do, and I don’t want to spend my time meaninglessly searching my phone to stay occupied. This is when is it good to have those “keep busy” tasks available. This is the only time I’m going to recommend a list. If you have been wanting to search for a new chicken recipe, call to schedule an appointment that isn’t an urgent matter, or you’ve been meaning to read an article – those idle moments are the perfect time. Keep any items you need, like magazines or thank you notes and postage with you for when the moment presents itself. This way, you won’t be tempted to feverishly schedule every minute of your day.

Finding a system that works for you sometimes takes some trial and error. Think about which of these steps might help you to be effective. I’ve got even more time management tips coming in a few weeks. Subscribe to the RSS feed to make sure that you won’t miss a single post! I can’t wait to hear how these tips work for you.

photo credit: John-Morgan via photopin cc

Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
31
Dec 2012

Try a Resolution Revolution: A New Year’s Action Plan

By 2 Comments

We all know it – resolutions are a joke! The problem is we decide on a night of champagne-filled glasses that we are finally going to do something to change our path. We give this whole process a few moments of thought and then feel frustrated come February 1 when we are nowhere closer to where we vowed to be. Maybe you are one of those people who after so many years of feeling that February frustration vow to never make a resolution again. Neither solution really gets you what you want.

This year, resolve to do what the most successful people do…create an annual action plan!

If you really want to move forward in 2013, you need to get clear on what you want, why, and how you are going to get there. Here are 4 easy steps to help you get moving!

  1. Get Clear On What Is Important To You – What do you value most? What excites you? What do you want to accomplish? When I ask people what they want, so many think of possessions – the car they’d like to drive or the house they’d like to live in, rather than the feeling they are trying to achieve or the legacy they want to leave. We all have a purpose and aspirations. You don’t have to be a Nobel Peace Prize winner to have lived a worthy life. Yet we should all be growing and pursuing what we love. Close your eyes and envision yourself one year, 5 years, and 10 years from now. Really take the time to see the vision. Make sure this is YOUR vision, not what you think others expect of you. Take a few moments to write down what you see yourself doing or feeling at each of these time frames. How is your vision different from where you are now? Write down notes about your vision. You can use the Action Plan worksheet I have created or just a blank piece of paper (post-it notes and napkins are not enough!).
  2. Decide What You Really Want – Take that vision and think of 1 to 3 goals (more than 3 goals makes you less productive) for how you can close the gap between your vision and your reality. You may also have roles in your life that don’t feel like goals, but that are important to your vision. For instance, connecting with your children or spouse. Take time to write these down too. It is also important to think about those things that replenish the soul. We need to have joy, fun, and creativity in our lives to restore our energy. Write down the things you need to incorporate in your life to make sure you have the energy you see having in your vision.
  3. Consider Why You Want The Goal – Now’s the time to check in. Once you think you know your goal(s), you need to ask yourself why you want it. How will you feel once you achieve it? So many times we think a particular goal will bring about a certain feeling and we are disheartened to find out that it doesn’t. Losing weight doesn’t mean you’ll be confident, gaining wealth doesn’t mean you’ll be happy, getting that promotion or a new job doesn’t mean you’ll feel worthy. Make sure that your goal is what you REALLY want. Take the time to think about what brings you joy, passion, or satisfaction and make any edits to your notes now.
  4. Determine How You Will Get There – This is where the rubber meets the road. Once you are clear on your goal(s), roles, and ways to replenish your soul, you need to create a clear action plan. I’ve heard it said that a goal without a plan is merely a wish. Don’t just hope or wish for a bright 2013, do the work to make it happen. Of course, there are many goals for which we don’t know all of the steps when we begin. What is important is that you have a plan and start moving towards what you desire. Write as many specific steps as you can to help you achieve the goal. Commit to a target date for each of the steps and write it on your plan. Think of any people who might be able to help you with each step or any resources you will need. Many people stop progress towards a goal with excuses such as pursuing the goal is too expensive. Yet, when asked, they have no idea how much it will cost!  I know its a lot of writing, but those who have clearly written goals and plans are much more likely to be successful in achieving their goals. After you complete your action plan, DO NOT (I repeat – DO NOT) file it away. Your plan needs to be prominently placed for you to see it on a daily or weekly basis. I will have another post on time management coming in January, but for now, know that you should be working towards your goals, roles, or replenish the soul items daily, or at least weekly. Increase your odds of success by telling everyone about your goals. You can enlist the help of an accountability partner – a friend who will hold you to your action plan, or hire a life coach. Always keep your goal visible and keep adding steps or revising goals along the way. Action plans are meant to be fluid.

 

Follow these four steps and you will be much further along than all of those who are setting traditional New Year’s resolutions right now. Feel free to share a comment on how this process worked for you and what your goals are for the New Year. Get into action!

 I wish for you the best year yet!

Need a little help getting started? Check out these thought-provoking questions at Simple Mom.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Categories: Get it Together Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
«Older Posts