Hectic Holidays – Part Two

Greetings,

‘Tis the hectic holiday season. Striving for a perfect holiday season is admirable but probably not realistic. Don’t worry. My suggestions will provide more precious time for favorite holiday activities with family and friends.

PART TWO

3. Shop smartly. Shop midweek if possible, and try clustering your shopping rather than driving from one part of town to another. Armchair shopping – catalogue or online – saves even more time.

4. Gift wrap as you go. Wrap gifts soon after bringing them home, or better yet, have them wrapped at the store. That way, there are no last-minute wrapping chores and “naked” gifts won’t be discovered.

5. Call in the troops. Get the family involved in decorating and meal planning. Assign tasks and make it a tradition. Assign start dates for each activity – carry these dates forward every year so it makes for a no-brainer the next year. And, don’t forget to assign a cleanup committee.

Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays. Remember, if you’d like some friendly, professional assistance with organizing, staging, or relocation, please contact me at www.aplaceforeverythingllc.com.

I’d love to help create your perfect world!

Hectic Holidays – Part One

Greetings,

‘Tis the hectic holiday season. Striving for a perfect holiday season is admirable but probably not realistic. Don’t worry. My suggestions will provide more precious time for favorite holiday activities with family and friends.

1. Tackle greeting cards a little at a time. If you don’t already have a Christmas or holiday card list, create one. Use index cards in a file box with A to Z alphabetical dividers. Even better, create a database on your computer so it’s easy to add, delete and print mailing labels. Now, you can break this chore into manageable pieces. Several weeks before mailing your holiday cards, schedule time on your weekly calendar for writing cards to people whose names begin with A to H, the following week tackle the I to P names, and so on.

But if your life is running amok now and the holiday card tradition is sending you into a tizzy, what’s the worst that would happen if you miss a year? Pick up the phone and make a few phone calls to greet the new year instead. (I do this on the “off” years, and it’s very rewarding.)

I have a friend who never sends holiday cards. Every month, she mails a card to someone special. When she sees a pretty card she decides who will receive it.

2. Shopping list strategies. Rather than keeping a shopping list in your head, put it down on paper. Group it by family members, friends, clients, etc. Highlight those that must be mailed and tackle them first.

Stay tuned for Part Two!

Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays. Remember, if you’d like some friendly, professional assistance with organizing, staging, or relocation, please contact me at www.aplaceforeverythingllc.com.

I’d love to help create your perfect world!

The Organizing Equation

If your daily life is running amok, now is the time to get your life in order.  You don’t have to be a genius to make this happen.

 As humorist Erma Bombeck wisely stated, “I don’t have stress, but I am sure that I am a carrier.”  To ease stress, try using my organizing equation to get you started and where you want to be this year and beyond.

TM + DA + PS + IC + YC = AOL

Time Management + Daily Assessment + Personalized Systems + Initiating Change + Your Commitment = An Organized Life

The first part of the equation is the lifeblood of success. Time has a life of its own – it keeps moving on no matter how much you wish it to stop!

The Organizing Equation factors in the reality that we can’t change time (there are 24 hours in a day no matter what we do) but we can manage our lives to make better use of time.

It’s been said, “Don’t manage time, manage yourself.”

So, how well do you manage yourself? Let’s find out.

Rate how well each of the following sentences describes you.

	Frequently    Seldom     Never
I always use a snooze alarm to wake up.	2                1             0
I always feel rushed when leaving my home or office.	2                1             0
I’m never quite sure what I’m scheduled to do today.	2                1             0
I have trouble delegating.	2                 1            0
I often multi-task to save time.	2                 1            0
I seldom give myself permission to say no.	2                 1            0
I find goal-setting a waste of my time.	2                 1            0
I work better under pressure.	2                 1            0
I spend a lot time on non-priority tasks.	2                 1            0
I’m easily distracted by interruptions.	2                 1            0
I get frustrated by too many options and information.	2                 1            0
I tend to respond to the “loudest voice.”	2                 1            0
I’m a procrastinator.	2                 1            0
I want things to be perfect.	2                 1            0
I enjoy consuming more and more to try and live comfortably.	2                 1            0
I’m always late.	2                 1            0
I call to reschedule appointments.	2                 1            0
I’m overwhelmed.	2                 1            0

Scoring: Add up the points to learn how well you manage time.

25-36: It’s time to regain control
12-24: It’s time to review.
0-11: Congratulations! You’ve got control over the time bandit.

 

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A Perfect World – Stay in Control

Imagine a perfect world where you feel good in your workplace, you feel productive and in control, and you are physically in a good place. We sometimes get so entrenched in our “work” that we forget how to make and enjoy a healthy workplace

Here are few ideas to get you closer to that perfect world:

Stay in control –

• Time management. Plan your day every day. Use your calendar for your daily priorities.
• Analyze your daily routine: Did you use your time and talent in the best way possible.
• Follow the 80/20 rule. Devote your time and energy to the 20 percent of activities that will have the greatest impact on your success.

Enjoy your day. Enjoy your life. Enjoy your TIME.

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A Perfect World – The Mind-ease

Imagine a perfect world where you feel good in your workplace, you feel productive and in control, and you are physically in a good place. We sometimes get so entrenched in our “work” that we forget how to make and enjoy a healthy workplace

Here are few ideas to get you closer to that perfect world:

Mind-ease -

• Clear the clutter. What section of the office is most frustrating for you? Begin there. Is it the top of your desk? The top of your desk should hold only those items that you work on daily.
• Knickknacks belong on a shelf, not on your work area.
• The things you work on weekly belong inside your desk and the things you work on monthly can be around your desk space. Toss or archive the rest
• Give yourself a small break after decluttering and enjoy the look of your environment.

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A Perfect World – The Time-out

Imagine a perfect world where you feel good in your workplace, you feel productive and in control, and you are physically in a good place. We sometimes get so entrenched in our “work” that we forget how to make and enjoy a healthy workplace

Here are few ideas to get you closer to that perfect world:

The time-out -

• Breaks. Take a break now and then to refresh your body and your mind. If you can take in some sun while doing it, all the better.
• Coffee. Ditch the coffee. Water does the trick. I like to add a bit of organic limeade to mine for flavor.
• Lunch. Bring your own lunch. Keep it healthy. If you like to snack make that healthy too.

 

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A Perfect World – The Environment

Imagine a perfect world where you feel good in your workplace, you feel productive and in control, and you are physically in a good place. We sometimes get so entrenched in our “work” that we forget how to make and enjoy a healthy workplace

Here are few ideas to get you closer to that perfect world:

The environment

• Plants. Did you know that plants naturally purify the air….and add ambience to your space? Add a few plants in the corner of the room to soften the corners. Suggest you keep them off desks and workspaces to allow more room for you to work.
• Lighting. When it comes to lighting, eyestrain makes for brain strain, which makes for less productive use of your time. A desk lamp is essential. Try the LED sustainable bulbs. The latest technology provides limitless opportunities for improved lighting AND creates sustainability – you buy fewer bulls and send less to the landfill.
• Desk chair. Invest in a chair that suits you – right height, right depth, and right feel. Place guest chairs in front or to the side of the desk and don’t make them too comfortable lest your guests overstay their welcome.

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