I know it’s summer, and for many people, it’s likely the time
of year when you feel most lazy. If you’re on holidays, that’s
OK.
If you’re supposed to be working, it’s a different story.
How well do you manage your time?
Check out Lolly Daskal’s short article 7 Time Management Mistakes That Are a Complete Waste of Time.
Ask yourself, “How can I be more productive?”
It’s the beginning of another year!
Another year is now behind us, and a clean slate is in front of us.
What do you want to accomplish in 2015? Set aside some time to think about what you’d like to do. An important part of accomplishing your goals is planning. Grab a cup of your favourite beverage, find a quiet spot, a pen and some paper. Did you know that if you write down your goals, you are more likely to achieve them?
Brainstorm! Create a master list. Write down all of the big and small projects you’d like to complete this year. Remember, if you break a big project down into small projects, it’s not so overwhelming. Don’t let procrastination stop you before you even start.
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu told us that “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
So let’s get started and turn over another leaf!
Jacquelyn Smith of Forbes Magazine wrote two articles which contain a number of great suggestions. Remember–to be successful, it’s best if you try to establish one or two new habits at a time.
16 Things You Should Do At The Start Of Every Work Day
16 Things You Should Do At The End Of Every Work Day
Spring has finally sprung!
Spring is the time of year when we like to clear out the cobwebs, splash on a fresh coat of paint, and spruce up tired areas of our homes.
So let’s get started and turn over another leaf!
ORGANIZING A DECORATING/RENOVATING PROJECT
“Among these several kinds of beauty the eye takes most delight in colours.”
Joseph Addison (English Poet, 1672-1719)
Planning
If you’re planning to redecorate or renovate, start your plan on paper. Determine your budget.
Renovating can be stressful. However long you think the project will take, add some extra time to your estimate. Unexpected delays are often a reality of renovation projects.
Supplies
Create a list of everything you will need in order to avoid numerous trips to the store.
Professional Help
Hiring a decorating professional for a 1-2 hour consultation may seem expensive, but one large mistake may prove more costly.
Choose a contractor if you’re not doing the work yourself. Get family and friends to recommend someone. Check out the contractor’s references, and contact the Better Business Bureau.
Outside Projects
If you are planning to build a new deck or outside structure, don’t forget to contact your local utilities in advance. “Call before you dig” is always sound advice. You don’t want to cut hydro/power, telephone or TV/internet cables, and/or water or gas lines. Always think safety first!
Inspiration
Which styles do you like–traditional, contemporary, country, cottage or eclectic? What colours do you like?
A piece of fabric or artwork can be the inspiration for a whole room/area. If you plan to redecorate more than one room/area, think about the colour flow.
Watch a decorating show. Take a walk through a furniture store or fabric store. Peruse some decorating magazines. Canadian House & Home and Style at Home are good ones; they provide the Canadian sources for many of the featured items.
Storage
How can you decide what to build for storage if you don’t know what items will be stored in that location? Purge as you pack your belongings, so that you can determine your storage needs. Reassembling your room will be easier also.
Furniture and Placement
Will you be rearranging your current furniture, switching pieces from another room in your home or adding new pieces?
Decorators often recommend neutral colours for investment pieces. It is much easier to replace your accessories than to replace your sofa.
Remember that large pieces of furniture look smaller in the showroom than they will in your home. It is extremely important to take the measurements home beforehand and check to see if the new pieces will fit. You can tape an outline of the furniture on the floor, so that you don’t have to move heavy furniture.
Choose furniture that performs double duty—an ottoman with a tray and storage inside, a sofa with a bed, etc.
Colour
Changing the colour of a room is the easiest change you can make, and it will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
Keep in mind that it is easier to mix a paint colour to co-ordinate with your fabric and/or furniture than the other way around. Take fabric samples to the paint store. We can recognize over 7,000,000 colours, but we can’t remember an exact colour for more than 30 seconds.
Choose an environmentally friendly paint if your budget allows. Large paint chips and test pots are available at some paint stores. If you don’t want to test the paint on the wall, paint a small piece of bristol board. You will be able to move the board around to different locations to see what the colour looks like at different times of the day and night. Light is an important issue when choosing a paint colour.
Did you know that if you paint a cool colour in a north-facing room, it feels even cooler? Did you know that if you paint a warm colour in a south-facing room, it feels even warmer?
If you choose a neutral colour, a variety of textures in the room will make it work well.
Accessories
Here is where you can use this year’s trendy colours. Take paint chips and fabric samples when you look for accessories. Remember that items don’t need to match exactly—as long as the colours blend.
Meals
Plan ahead for easy meals. When cooking, double a recipe and freeze one batch. This is especially important if you are renovating your kitchen. What will you be able to access? Can you cook outside? Consider using paper plates if you won’t have a kitchen sink to wash dishes or use your dishwasher.
If you’ll be ordering take-out, don’t forget to include those costs in your budget.
If you take the time to plan well, your decorating/renovating project should go more smoothly, and your money will likely be spent more wisely.
Have you heard the expression “Eat That Frog” before? It’s the phrase that Brian Tracy uses “as a metaphor for tackling the most challenging task of your day.”
Many of us procrastinate when it comes to getting started on tasks we don’t really want to do. I’d like to share some information from EAT THAT FROG! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (ISBN 978-1-57675-422-1)–one of my favourite productivity books.
In our September and October issues, I shared the first 14 ways on Brian’s list. Here are the last seven!
15. Maximize your personal power: Identify your periods of highest mental…energy each day, and structure your most important and demanding tasks around these times. Get lots of rest so you can perform at your best.
16. Motivate yourself into action: Be your own cheerleader. Look for the good in every situation. Focus on the solution rather than the problem. Always be optimistic and constructive.
17. Get out of the technological time sinks: Use technology to improve the quality of your communications, but do not allow yourself to become a slave to it. Learn to occasionally turn things off and leave them off.
18. Slice and dice the task: Break large, complex tasks down into bite-sized pieces, and then do just one small part of the task to get started.
Create large chunks of time: Organize your days around large blocks of time where you can concentrate for extended periods on your most important tasks.
19. Develop a sense of urgency: Make a habit of moving fast on your key tasks. Become known as a person who does things quickly and well.
20. Single handle every task: Set clear priorities, start immediately on your most important task, and then work without stopping until the task is 100 percent complete. This is the real key to high performance and maximum personal productivity.”
I hope you have found a few of Brian’s 21 ways useful to help you stop procrastinating and get more things done faster!
Take action and EAT THAT FROG!
Yes, I know it’s hard to believe, but the holidays are just around the corner. Make this the year that everything runs smoothly. If you start planning now, there’s no reason why that can’t happen.
So let’s get started and turn over another leaf!
PLANNING FOR THE HOLIDAYS – PART 1
“The more prepared I am, the more I’ll be in control, less nervous, less stressed and more focused.” Marilu Henner
Never has this statement been truer than when it comes to the holidays.
If Thanksgiving was too hectic, think about what you can do differently. I’m not going to scare you and tell you how many days are left until Christmas.
Start Early
Spreading out your tasks over an eight-week period instead of trying to cram everything into the last few weeks is the best approach.
Family Traditions
Now is the time to think about your family traditions. Which are your most favourite? Which are your least favourite? You don’t have to do something just because you feel it is expected. It might not be as important to others as you think. Talk to your family about eliminating the least favourite.
If dinner is at your home this year, and the idea of cooking dinner for 25 people overwhelms you, don’t try to do it all yourself. Make it a potluck dinner. Ask relatives or friends to bring their favourite dish. Remember to keep a list, so that you don’t end up with too much of an item.
Calendar and Activities Schedule
Update your family calendar with school events, parties, concerts, parades and tournaments. Try not to overschedule yourself. Remember that it’s OK to say NO! It may be tough if you’re not used to it. If you do say no, don’t feel guilty about it.
Create a Master List
Your master list should contain all of the tasks that you want to complete. Write the tasks on your calendar and plan to do one task each day.
Gifts
Start a notebook, and make a list of everyone for whom you need to find a gift. Ask for suggestions. Listen carefully to people; they often provide ideas without even realizing it. Don’t forget to jot down ideas as you think of them.
Your time is valuable; perhaps you can order online or use the Yellow Pages. Call ahead to see if the store has an item in stock. Most stores will set items aside.
Label an envelope for gift receipts. If an item needs to be returned or exchanged, you’ll only have one place to look.
Stock up on any items you need–especially if they’re on sale. Pick up hostess gift items—boxes of holiday chocolates, holiday napkins tied up with colourful ribbon, a bottle of their favourite beverage, etc.
Give gifts that are kind to the environment. Check out the many church bazaars and shows which showcase talented local artisans. A gift certificate to a nursery for plants, flowers or trees makes a great gift for someone who loves gardening.
Make your own gift certificates—several hours of babysitting for a friend, a home-cooked dinner, shovelling snow for a neighbour, etc. Let your children have some fun creating the gift certificates.
For those people who have everything, make a donation to their favourite charity. Make a donation to a Christmas Goodwill program in their name. Or give them a card stating that you have bought an Angel Tree gift, so that a child has a gift to open on Christmas morning.
Baking
Would four kinds of cookies suffice for the six or eight kinds you made last year? Organize a cookie exchange. Make sure to order ahead from your favourite bakery, if you decide not to bake. If you have a friend who loves to bake, ask her if she’ll bake for you in exchange for wrapping gifts or another task.
Cooking
Try out new recipes ahead of time. Don’t attempt them on Christmas Eve when you have numerous other things to worry about.
When cooking meals now, double the recipe and put the second batch in the freezer. You’ll appreciate not having to cook when you have a particularly hectic night.
Volunteer
Make time to volunteer—even if it’s for a couple of hours. Involve your children. Whether it’s buying gifts, serving a meal at a soup kitchen, helping at the Food Bank, wrapping gifts, delivering Christmas hampers or visiting with someone who lives alone, there are unlimited ways to get involved in your community.
Realistic Expectations
We all want everything to be perfect, but it’s not good if we’re so stressed that we can’t enjoy it. Be realistic. Set reasonable limits on gift-making, wrapping and baking projects. Don’t add to your stress level by being a perfectionist.
The important thing about the holidays is that you set aside some time to be with your relatives, friends and neighbours or doing whatever means the most to you!
I invite you to share our newsletter with your friends and family. As well, I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Stay tuned for Part 2 next month!
Fall is here—with its coloured leaves (if you live in eastern Canada or the United States), cool nights, and a crispness in the air! The lazy days of summer are almost behind us, and we’re getting back into our busy routines.
So let’s get started and turn over another leaf!
“We can lick gravity, but sometimes the paperwork is overwhelming.” Wernher von Braun
ORGANIZING SCHOOL AND HOME PAPERWORK
Back to school brings with it much more than structured routines and homework—a seemingly endless stream of paper!
Here are some suggestions to help you handle all of that paper.
Designated Paperwork Area
Designate one area where you will deal with paperwork. Use a tray or basket as an inbox. Get everyone in the family into the habit of using it. If it doesn’t go in the inbox, it won’t get looked at. Remember–it can take up to 21 times repeating an action before it becomes a habit. Gentle reminders will help the process when you first start. Perhaps you can offer a small reward as an incentive.
Routine
Having a routine for keeping paperwork under control is critical. When your children get home from school, have them unload their knapsacks—dirty lunch containers go in the sink or dishwasher, books go to their homework or study area, paperwork goes to the inbox, etc.
Calendar and Activities Schedule
The family calendar should be kept in your designated paperwork area. All activities should be put onto one calendar. Keeping more than one calendar up to date is difficult; it usually results in missed appointments. Label each family member’s activities in a different colour; let your children pick their favourite colour.
Once you add all of your children’s extra-curricular activities to the calendar, you may realize that they are overscheduled. Remember that it’s OK to limit the number of activities for each child. Your children need some time to just be kids!
Reference Binder
A three-ring binder can be used to store frequently used information–names and phone numbers for your dentist, school, babysitter, veterinarian or lawn care company. Lists for children’s sports activities and take-out menus can also be included.
Tickler File
Set up a tickler file. A tickler file system consists of folders with tabs for each month and day of the month. This system should hold all of your current household paper—bills to pay, receipts, coupons, wedding invitations, etc. A file cabinet should contain your non-current household paper.
If you would like further information on setting up a tickler file, please contact us.
Schedule Time for Paperwork
Set aside a few minutes every day to deal with paperwork. What’s important is that it happens on a regular basis as required. Review paperwork in the late afternoon or evening. It is less stressful than trying to deal with it as everyone is trying to get ready and out the door in the morning!
Don’t forget to place signed permission slips, tests or notes into the children’s knapsacks as soon as possible after completion in order to avoid misplacing them.
Artwork and Projects
Is your fridge or bulletin board covered in artwork? Each child should have their own box for artwork and projects. Let your child have fun and decorate the box. Place a folder inside for current masterpieces. At the end of the month (or whatever time period you decide), ask your child to select his or her favourite piece or two. You’ll run out of space in no time if you keep all of them. If necessary, take photos of bigger projects and artwork that they decide not to keep. Remember to label each box with the year and grade.
Keep it Simple
Don’t make your system for dealing with paperwork more complicated than it needs to be. Controlling your family’s paper will be much easier if you keep it simple.
I invite you to share our newsletter with your friends and family. As well, I welcome your feedback and suggestions.
Cathy Mendler
Phone: 519-669-1377
Email: info@anewleaforganizers.ca
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