Consider using a Time Timer. Learn more about it in PR Newswire’s Seven Practical Tips for Making 2018 The Year You Get Organized and Manage Time.
Posts Tagged ‘scheduling’
Introducing Georgina Forrest from Smartworks!
The Super Simple Secret To Getting Stuff Done!
When you look around, do you see evidence of incomplete commitments, projects, tasks and “I’ll deal with that later” piles?
Do you wonder how on earth you are EVER going to get it all done?
If you answered yes to these questions, you’re not alone.
Now, let me ask you this: are you as tired as I am about hearing from the ‘experts’ on how to get this stuff done? You know … write down your goals, prioritize them, set dates and schedule them in your planner … yadda yadda blahdey blah.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Boooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiinnnng!
Not that this isn’t good advice, and there’s no denying we wouldn’t ALL benefit from following these practices, but for some people this is the stopping point in the whole process of getting stuff done.
It may just be too complicated and structured for some of you … right now.
We live and work in a time where there’s much more to do than we have time to do it. It’s the reason it’s more critical today, than ever before, to find simpler ways to stay on top of our ever-expanding workloads.
Want to know my super simple secret to getting stuff done?
I set time limits and I limit the amount of stuff I can reasonably do.
Yup. It’s that easy.
Before you toss this idea out, think about it for a moment.
If you knew you had a set amount of time to work on something, how likely is it you’d get down to the crux of the work and eliminate the superfluous stuff?
For example, how ruthless are you the day before you leave for vacation? Suddenly many tasks and commitments don’t appear to be nearly as important as you thought when it seemed you had time available to do it.
And if you limited the amount of commitments and stuff to do, wouldn’t your workload get a bit lighter? Thereby giving you more time to work on the REALLY important stuff?
I think so.
Time management doesn’t need to be a complicated, step-by-step process. It can be as easy as setting time limits and limiting how much you can reasonably get done.
It’s time to GET REAL!!
You are not Superhuman – you cannot get it all done at the pace you’re currently working at. And an endless amount of ‘time’ is NOT going to suddenly drop down into your life.
You need to start doing something – anything – to get that stuff done quickly.
So, what can you limit today? Do it. Get more done.
Now, get on with your day!
Georgina Forrest owns and operates Smartworks! in Red Deer, Alberta. Smartworks! specializes in helping people learn the principles of organizing and developing good work practices, so they can work in the kind of stress-free environment that they’ve always dreamed of. Additional services include getting your office and computer organized and functional, enhancing your productivity and time management through coaching, and process improvement and/or development.
Holiday help…
If organizing your home before the holidays is on your to-do list, take advantage of this month’s offer.
Contact A New Leaf by November 15, 2017 and let us help you get ready.
Pay for 3 hours and receive a 4th hour at no charge!
What habits can you improve?
Start fresh now that it’s September! What habits can you improve?
Belle B. Cooper of RescueTime shares her Tips for organizing your calendar.
Check out Tom Popomaronis’ 4 Toxic Habits That Are Poisoning Your Productivity (And How to Break Them).
Ask yourself, “How can I be more productive?”
Mud Rooms
It’s September already!
As I’m putting together this edition, it is 23C (73F) and I’m out on my deck–even though we’ve already had frost a number of times. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t want summer to end, make sure you get outside and enjoy everything that fall has to offer.
I’m excited that I have become a grandmother! Congratulations to Jason and Amber on the birth of Nash Carter Blaxall on the morning of August 20. He’s adorable! Spending time with Nash has definitely been added to my list of priorities. I just wish they lived closer!
MUD ROOMS
Let’s talk about mud rooms. This topic piggybacks nicely on last month’s topic of laundry areas. While writing this article, I realized a separate discussion about front/main entryways is needed. Stay tuned!
When I Googled “mud room”, I found over 21,000,000 results–just a few more than expected!
Perhaps you’re one of the many people who wants a “to die for” mud room you’ve seen on Pinterest. Unless you’re building a new home or renovating, it may not be realistic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find some great ideas and inspiration which can be adapted to your home.
While a mud room isn’t usually the main entrance to your home, it’s likely a very high traffic area. If you have a garage, often the door from the garage into the house leads to a mud room.
If you’re thinking about renovating to add/create a mud room, there are many things to consider. What are your expectations?
Take the time to plan your space. Make it as functional as possible. Yes, you want it to look nice, but it needs to function on a day-to-day basis. Nowadays, a main floor laundry is often located in this area. I frequently see clients who find it’s difficult to do laundry in a mud room when there is nowhere to store 15 pairs of shoes. Piles of dirty laundry on the floor often make the entrance impassable.
Unless you’re a designer, consulting a professional for his/her expert advice will be worth the investment.
Make a list of everything you would like to store in your mud room.
- Outerwear – Sweaters, coats, hats, scarves, mittens/gloves
- Footwear – Shoes, boots, sandals, flip flops
- Sports Equipment
- Backpacks
- Laundry Supplies – Detergent, fabric softener, stain remover, hamper, laundry basket(s), hangers – (if your laundry is located there)
- Pet Supplies – Food, water dish, leashes
Unless you have a large room, you will need to limit the number of items that can be stored there. Otherwise, disorganization can still occur.
REMEMBER – No amount of storage space will satisfy you if the people using the space don’t put things away. Designate homes–with LABELS–for everything! If your children don’t hang coats or jackets on hangers, consider adding some hooks. Hooks generally work better for young children. Just remember to hang them at a height they can reach!
Until next month,
A Happy Client in Burlington!
“Cathy has helped me immensely with a family member’s move.
Not only is Cathy [pleasant] to work with, very knowledgeable and proficient at her work, she went above and beyond her duties. Cathy was able to reuse or donate items to assist other families which meant a great deal to me.
I highly recommend Cathy as her expertise would benefit those who must tackle any type of project.”
N Schreiner, Burlington, ON
Thanks for reading…
P.S. To read more testimonials, please Click Here
Let’s Declutter and Get Things Done!
Check out Rachel Hartman’s 9 Decluttering Projects to Tackle This Summer.
How does Richard Branson accomplish so much? Lists! In How I get things done, he shares his top 10 tips for making lists.
Ask yourself, “How can I be more productive?”
Slow Down and Enjoy Your Summer!
I hope you were able to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. It’s great to still see so many Canadian flags everywhere. Our neighbourhood get-together on Canada Day was a lot of fun. We enjoyed great company, a delicious assortment of food and ended the night with a campfire watching several fireworks displays.
SUMMERTIME
“Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective.” I love this quote of Doe Zantamata’s. And it’s so true! How often do you find that you’re worried about something and after taking a break, it’s not as much of a problem?
In our last edition, I talked about life’s fast pace and the fact that most people feel they are too busy.
Take some time to slow down and enjoy all that summer has to offer. Continue to reflect and make some decisions about what you can do differently to lighten your schedule this fall. Yes, it will take some effort–especially if you’re trying to create some new habits.
“I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they do their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change.” Jim Rohn
In 5 Reasons to Streamline Your Life, Susan Krauss Whitbourne tells us “…. clutter, physical and mental, can interrupt our flow–both your ability to move and your ability to think. … your well-being could also become victim to what we might call the “clutter effect.”
The 5 reasons:
- “Low subjective well-being
- Unhealthier eating
- Poorer mental health
- Less efficient visual processing
- Less efficient thinking”
Susan’s article is worth reading in its entirety. She concludes with “Streamlining seems to have its advantages, … not just as a housekeeping tool, but as an essential process for maintaining your happiness in your home environment and at work.”
And for those of you who have trouble unplugging while you’re away, ParkSleepFly’s How to Unplug while on Vacation is a great read.
If you’re cleaning out your closets this month, please consider donating any gently used professional attire to Moore’s Canadian Suit Drive being held July 1-31. This drive assists at-risk men and women who want to join the workforce. Give a suit. Change a life!
So get started and turn over another leaf!
Until next month,
Wouldn’t YOU like 10x the results?
Have you heard of the Pomodoro Technique? It’s similar to other productivity ideas where you focus on your tasks for a block of time–25 minutes.
Thomas Oppong explains the technique in This Simple Life-Changing Technique Can Help You Achieve 10x Results.
Ask yourself, “How can I be more productive?”
It’s Yard Sale Season!
Whether you’re putting your home up for sale or are clearing out some clutter, check out our Yard Sale Checklist.
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