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Posts Tagged ‘planning’
Help for the Arm-Long To-Do List!
..IS YOUR TO DO LIST TOO LONG?
..You may be making THESE mistakes!
Is YOUR To Do list as long as your right arm? Whether it’s on paper, stored on our phones or stuck in our heads, we all have a long list of things undone that are with us constantly. We also tend to make two major mistakes with our lists that could make a HUGE different to our productivity if we could just overcome them!
First, we are often guilty of confusing quantity with quality. Don’t associate your self-worth with the number of things that you check off your list. Accomplishing tasks move us forward, but make sure that you are not working at smaller, urgent yet less important tasks instead of allotting time to complete what is most important first. Review your list again and set some new priorities.
The other huge mistake that we see people make is to use our to-do lists as a form of torture! We create lists that are so long that it is virtually impossible to complete them. Then we feel badly when we don’t accomplish everything that we had set out to do. Negative thoughts take far too much energy and often cause us to be less productive. Reduce the size of your list, reward yourself and feel better about your accomplishments. We wish you all the best in the New Year and hope that these ideas will help you to turn over a new leaf and make 2016 your most organized year yet!
Try these two small suggestions for yourself, and let us know how you did on our BLOG or FACEBOOK PAGE.
Have Your New Year’s Resolutions Survived?
..DO YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
.. LAST PAST FEBRUARY?
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What trait do EVERY one of our clients and probably most of our readers have in common? We want our spaces to be better organized, because we all know that this is one of the greatest keys to motivation, productivity and inspiration. At least 80% of us will TRY to accomplish this by making a list of resolutions this January, while only about 10% of us will actually keep them past February!
What is the key, then, to keeping our resolutions to improve our spaces AND our lives? We need to find the right approach that works for US personally! Here’s a list that we’ve compiled from our experience with helping our clients keep those resolutions all the way to NEXT New Year’s Eve.
1) WRITE IT DOWN! Any goal is just a dream until you write it down! Making a checklist is NOT just for kids. Keep a chart where you can see it, and check off the boxes as you achieve your objectives.
2) BREAK IT DOWN! Our resolutions tend to be for LARGE projects, like organizing your home for example. Break large goals down into smaller steps, and try setting up a rough schedule in advance which sets out your tasks month to month. Next, take a look at your tasks, and make a list of things that can be accomplished in a small amount of time and do them first!
3) NARROW IT DOWN! Most of us set ourselves up for failure by making more goals than we could ever accomplish. Start off with just a few goals. Accomplish those first before you set out to do more.
4) REMIND YOURSELF! If you are into high-tech, set up mobile reminders on your phone or mobile device. There are many apps available to help you with this! For the less technically inclined, set up notes where you will see them often and remind yourself of your goals.
5) MAKE IT FUN! Not every goal needs to be a grueling one! Add enjoyable goals such as adding more plants or cut flowers to your home or redecorating a room. Goals can also be more fun to accomplish when you have a buddy or even a group to help you along the way. Try to stick with positive thinkers. Don’t forget to reward yourself for your good work along the way!
We wish you all the best in the New Year. Our hope is that these ideas will help you to turn over a new leaf and make 2016 your most organized year yet!
P.S. Do you have other suggestions for keeping your New Year’s resolutions? Comment on our blog or Facebook page and let us know!
Melted Snowman Cookies… oh my!
Anyone who knows me knows that I love snowmen. I couldn’t resist sharing this recipe for Easy Melted Snowman Cookies!
Check out this fun way to serve veggies and dip during the holidays.
For more healthy and delicious recipes, check out our Archives!
LAST CHANCE to Get 11 Banner Ads for $40!
GET THE WORD OUT TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS!
Would you like to see YOUR ad in our next newsletter? For the month of
..December, we’re offering our readers the option to place banner ads in our
..newsletter for all of our 2016 issues. That’s at least 11 issues for the low
..price of $40 for the entire year. We LOVE creating this newsletter for
..you, and we’re proud of our high open rate.
..
Send us an email before the end of December, and we’ll send you the ad specifications and payment details.
Get Ready to Get Productive!
TAKE BACK YOUR CALENDAR!
Here are our TOP 5 time-saving ideas for
..December!
MAKE A LIST, CHECK IT TWICE. In addition to making a list before you head out, ask family members to provide you with their wish list in advance of the Holidays. Take advantage of online wish lists and store registries.
PLAN BACKWARDS. Look at your calendar in terms of deadlines. For instance, if you want your cards in the mail by December 10th, plan for all of the related tasks, such as writing a newsletter and getting stamps, and schedule enough time to complete them prior to your deadline. Do the same to plan for your gifts, meal planning, decorating and all the myriad tasks on your list.
STREAMLINE YOUR GIFT GIVING. Unless you REALLY enjoy them, avoid buying marathons by purchasing gifts online and even outsourcing to an assistant or family member. Having a list and a set budget can help reduce time lost to decision making and retracing your steps. Consider a gift exchange instead of giving a gift to all extended family members individually.
STRATEGIZE YOUR GIFT WRAPPING. Have a dedicated (and well-stocked) location in your home which everyone is expected to use. Encourage your family (and yourself!) to “wrap as you go” and NOT leave it all until the last minute. Another good idea is to purchase a number of the same gifts to give to teachers, hosts/hostesses, bosses, etc. Have a couple of these wrapped and on hand in case guests show up with an unexpected gift.
SIMPLIFY FOOD AND DECORATIONS. Stock your pantry with staples, so that you are well supplied for baking and food preparation. Not every dish and treat needs to be homemade–and neither does every meal! Consider a potluck dinner or giving out assignments. Have decorations like your tree and other greenery delivered.
These are just our TOP FIVE suggestions and you, no doubt, have many more. If you can think of some that we’ve missed, add your comments on our blog or FACEBOOK PAGE.
A Simple Plan to Simplify Your Holidays!
SIMPLIFY YOUR HOLIDAYS!
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Last month we talked a LOT about how to reduce stress by planning ahead and organizing your Holiday activities. No matter how well you plan, your stress level is likely to be proportional to the length of your to-do list! When we get caught up in all of the bustle, we not only run the risk of becoming tired, cranky and run-down; we can ALSO forget the reason for our preparations.
If your Holiday preparations are launching you into panic mode, it’s time to step back and control the chaos. Here are some reminders of the BEST of the many suggestions that we have provided to our Monthly Organizer readers to simplify their Holidays AND their lives!
1) Write it all down! There are so many things to remember, aren’t there? Jot everything down, keep a calendar and a master list to help yourself stay organized.
2) Start early! Divide your task list into smaller pieces and spread your tasks over as much time as you can. We aren’t fond of seeing Christmas décor on the shelves before Halloween either, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get ahead with tasks like house cleaning and Christmas cards.
3) Take time to rest! Allow yourself time to rest and relax instead of hustling and bustling. Sometimes it helps to look at the Holidays through the eyes of a child.
4) Avoid the crowds! Make your purchases early if you can or opt for gift cards, charitable donations or other gifts that can be taken care of with a few clicks of the mouse instead of a trip to the store.
5) Get help! Don’t be afraid to assign tasks to family members, employees or associates. Your tasks may not be completed exactly the way you would do them, but at least they will be done!
6) Don’t break the bank! If your gift list is long and your funds are short, consider giving handmade crafts, baking or offering a service. Don’t forget to make a budget and stick to it!
7) Learn that important little word! It’s not “please” or even “thank you.” It’s “NO!” Set limits for yourself if you’re speading yourself too thin, and remember that you can’t do everything. Saying “no” can be hard but think of it as opening up more chances for you to say “yes.”
What’s our very best suggestion for simplifying your Holiday? Remember the reasons why you are celebrating and the things that are most important to you!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at A New Leaf Organizers!
P.S. Do you have other suggestions for simplifying your Holidays? Comment on our blog or Facebook page and let us know!
Give the Gift of Organization!
This year, give the gift of organization!
Send a gift certificate to a friend from A New Leaf Organizers!
CLICK HERE for more info.
Time to Get INTO The Monthly Organizer…Literally!
.We usually feature an article by an associate here.
.For the months of November and December, however, we’re offering .our readers the option to place banner ads in our newsletter for all of .our 2016 issues.
.That’s at least 11 issues for the low price of $40 for the entire .year. We LOVE creating this newsletter for you, and we’re proud of .our high open rate.
.Send us an email before the end of December, and we’ll .send you the ad specifications and payment details.
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