Do You Have Time...?

Do You Have Time to Keep All Those Magazines?

One of the  biggest issues my clients deal with is paper clutter. Many times the general feeling of overwhelm a client experiences is related to the amount of bills, letters, receipts, books, or, in this case, magazines they have scattered around the house.  But when we start to deal with the piles of magazines on a one-by-one basis the answer to the keep or toss question is sometimes "keep...keep... keep."

I love to learn, so I get it. I've gotten some cool and useful information I found in the pages of magazines. I found myself holding on to magazines with the "I'll get to it one day" mantra. But I had to be real with myself. As the saying goes: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

If we keep an inordinate amount of magazines, it can create anxiety and overwhelm. How? The mere act of keeping these items makes you feel  the need to read them all, while cluttering up your space.

Unfortunately, many clients feel that if they  throw out a magazine, then they’re throwing out the useful and cool information with it.

Here's the truth: You probably will be throwing out some cool and useful information. BUT...you can't expect that with your busy life--whether it’s caring for your loved ones, completing daily home chores, going to your [barre, body pump, zumba, crossfit] classes, or relaxing at the end of a long day with Netflix--you will have time to read all those magazines.

Let's do the math-- follow me to my imaginary chalkboard:

If you subscribe to three magazines, each with 12 issues a year, then we are looking at 36 magazines each year.

Magazines are usually about 120-150 pages on average.

Let's say your magazines all are 120 pages that comes out to be 4,320 pages left to be read.

If you spend just two minutes on average on each page that's 8,640 minutes or 144 hours.

You would have to spend three hours a week to get through all the magazines.

Do you have time for that?

Knowing the numbers and making a logical decision beforehand will help you override any emotional decision later, helping you to let go.

Here are some tips to prevent the overwhelm and create a balance between what magazines you can actually consume with what you have on hand:

1. Decide when you have time to read and stick to those times (i.e. your daily commute if you commute via public transportation; waiting at the doctor or dentist office; sitting on the royal porcelain throne; etc.).
2. Keep magazines in areas where you're prone to read (by your bedside table, in the car, in your work bag, in a basket in the bathroom).
3. Have a time limit on how long you keep magazines that are outdated (2 months? 1 year?) then throw them out if you see a magazine that’s past its expiration date.
4. Have a delegated place to store magazines and once it's filled you have to decide which ones will get the boot.
5. Use a program like Evernote or Google Drive to store articles that you want to reference in the future.
6. Sign up for Pinterest where you can make your own virtual magazine-type boards. You can create boards on everything from food and drink to travel, home decor to fashion. And the bonus here is you never have to throw any of your pins away as the storage is endless!

If you’re still having trouble determining what to let go, let’s schedule some time to talk. I can help you walk through the letting go process so you can enjoy a more relaxed, clutter-free life.

50 Ways to Be Productive While You’re Waiting

50 Ways to Be Productive While You’re Waiting

For type-A personalities, getting stuck in a situation where you’re waiting around can be endlessly frustrating. While boredom can play a factor, it’s mostly because you consider time your greatest asset. Well, that’s at least how I feel when I’m stuck waiting around! I often think long and hard about my day so I can cram strategically pair what I have to get done with where I'll be. I also brainstorm where I can afford to multi-task. Don’t get me wrong, I am not condoning texting and driving or anything like that, but there are opportunities where we can (safely) double up on tasks—like starting a load of laundry while cooking dinner.  

But there will be times (a bunch of times) when the day just doesn't go as planned and you, unfortunately, find yourself waiting around.This could be due to situations like getting a flat tire and waiting for AAA or your phone’s battery runs out, ensuring that Skype meeting you planned ain't gonna happen. Whatever the case may be, it happens—but that doesn’t mean you can kiss productivity goodbye.

So, before you waste time on Facebook, playing Clash of Clans or Candy Crush, here are 50 ways to be productive while you’re waiting around:  

1. Re-assess your week's goals
2. Delete useless pictures off your phone
3. Text two people you haven't talked to in a while
4. Start (or work on finishing) that book you haven't had time to get into
5. Reorganize your wallet
6. Throw away trash in your immediate area
7. Make a doctor's appointment
8. Read a helpful or fun blog
9. Write in a journal
10. Plan your next vacation
11. Repeat positive affirmations
12. Practice a foreign language
13. Think about an emergency preparedness plan
14. Break out your adult coloring book (or use an app)
15. Practice breathing exercises
16. Practice stretching
17. Clean out your car's trunk or back seat
18. Plan your next meal
19. Reconnect with a friend and plan to have them over for a meal
20. Draw or doodle
21. Play with your pet or kid
22. Write a thank you card/note/email
23. Take a power nap
24. Make a grocery-shopping list
25. Create a budget
26. Update your budget
27. Call a relative
28. Shop on your phone for a great deal for something on your wish list
29. Text your significant other a sincere note of love (or apology)
30. Plan your next day
31. Read a book (great if you have an E-reader or e-reader app)
32. Unsubscribe to e-mail lists you’re no longer interested in
33. Listen to a entertaining or educational podcast
34. Watch some kittens or puppies on YouTube
35. Schedule your next massage
36. Work through a Sudoku puzzle
37. Sing karaoke (if you are waiting alone…)
38. Think of something nice to do for a loved one
39. Take a long walk
40. Dance
41. Delete duplicate contacts in your phone or email
42. Look at shapes in the clouds
43. Write a haiku
44. Clear your desk
45. Clear out a place you haven't looked at in a while (you know what place)
46. Place needed household items in your online cart
47. Post something for sale online
48. Give yourself or get a manicure
49. Meditate/think deeply/pray  
50. Reconcile your checking account

The list doesn’t stop here. Any simple or quick task you can think of will work, too. No matter what you end up doing, try to use the time in a positive way and you’ll find the time spent waiting will fly right by.

If you need a little extra help with productivity planning, let me know. We can work together to find solutions that work best for you.

"You are the one that can stretch your own horizon…” #Quote

We believe in your ability to overcome the obstacles that have been holding back your organizational and productivity goals. What would you do with more time? What would you do with the freedom of clutter in your home and office?  Stretch your imagination and go for the goal!

Beating Burnout: Must-Try Services in the DC Metro Area

What does a typical work day look like for you? Wake up, go to the gym, get the kids ready for school, get ready for work, drive kids to school, drive self to work, work for eight hours (try to squeeze in a few errands on lunch break), come home, help the kids with homework, make dinner, clean up and collapse onto the couch (or bed) in an utter state of exhaustion.

While having a busy schedule is part of life, a life that is way too hectic could send you straight to Burnout Central. I talked about this in my recent post Beating Burnout: How to Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed, but now it’s time to take things one step further. If your schedule is jam packed with things you absolutely need to do, start offloading some of the burden.

I’m a big fan of the following services—or eager to try them! All of them operate in the DC Metro area.

Cross grocery-shopping off the to-do list

Peapod: I started using Peapod when I first built my business. One day I realized all the time I was spending on grocery shopping and knew I needed to free this time up. Using Peapod took all those steps—making a list of things to buy, driving to the store, hunting down all the items, waiting in line to purchase them, hauling them home—and streamlined the process. Now all I did was click to get the groceries I needed, placed the order, open the door, and put the groceries away. Not only was I saving time, but gas money, too.

Instacart: Similar to Peapod, Instacart also offers home grocery shopping and delivery. This company promises the groceries will be delivered in one hour after placing the order.

Make mealtimes a catered affair

Blue Apron: Several of my friends and family are using this service, and they highly recommend it. Blue Apron deliverers farm-fresh ingredients for meals straight to your door. The ingredients for each meal are perfectly portioned so there’s no waste—all you have to do is chop the vegetables and follow the recipe instructions. Overall, this helps save time on shopping and figuring what to make for dinner.

GrubHub: I personally use GrubHub all the time. We can order takeout from restaurants that don’t offer delivery, so it opens up our options. AlI we need to do is pick out what to eat, customize the order so there are no mistakes, and click “order food.” It shows up pretty quickly, and I don’t have a sink full of pots and pans to worry about!

Postmates: Let’s say you need printer ink, Ziplock bags, a latté, and lunch. You could spend at least two hours running to Staples, the grocery store, and your favorite café to get everything you need.Or, you could use Postmates. This on-demand delivery service is mostly used for delivering food from restaurants, but they deliver other local goods as well. Check the app to see the specific vendors they work with and if they work in your area.

Get some help around the house

TaskRabbit: If the never-ending tasks on your to-do list are giving you anxiety, it’s time to call in for backup. Fortunately, TaskRabbit is a fantastic resource to use. All you do is pick a task—like building a new IKEA desk, cleaning up the kitchen, moving seasonal items into storage, etc.—and TaskRabbit will match you with a pro to help you get it done.

Let Mommy Sleep: This is an incredible local service for new parents. Let Mommy Sleep provides overnight care to newborns and evidence-based education to their parents for as long as a family needs. A typical overnight is from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., during which time a registered nurse or newborn care provider will assist with the baby so you can catch some much-needed zzz’s.

Track the details without losing your mind

Shoeboxed: This is another go-to service for me. It takes away the time factor (and growing burden) of organizing all the documents of your day-to-day life (receipts, business cards, etc.). You can then turn your attention to more important things—like importing the data from those documents into reports and records.

Bring the spa to you

In The Nick of Time: If you want to get a haircut, spray tan, massage, and pedicure without leaving the house, then this spa on wheels is an absolute must. You can sit back, relax and get pampered all in the comfort of your home. While this can definitely save some time, it’s also important to your overall well-being. It’s hard to fall victim to stress when you’re more blissed out than burnt out.

This is only a partial list of time-saving services you can use to beat burnout. If you’re looking to finally take control of your busy schedule and better organize your life, I offer one-on-one consultations to help. To set up a time to chat, schedule a discovery call with me today.

"Your spark can become a flame and change everything" #Quote

It may seem overwhelming with all the things you have to get done.  But set a timer for 15 minutes and see what you can get done.  It may spark another 15 minutes or you might just get that overwhelming task done in 15 minutes with focus.  Go...set a timer...get 'er done!

Beating Burnout: How to Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed

On the road to burnout city? Here are four simple tactics that will show you how to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

I was talking with a client the other day (we’ll call her Sandra), and she was telling me about her tendency to over-commit. Sandra’s husband will say something to her like, “Hey, can you take care of [insert task or errand here] today?” and her automatic response is, “Sure, I’ll handle it.”

Sandra commits to these requests without calculating what she has on her plate, how long the task will take and if it’s something she can feasibly do. Then, when she can’t fulfill her promise, she not only puts more pressure on herself, but lets her husband down as well.

So much of burnout stems from us taking on more than we can handle. Over the years, I’ve noticed the mistakes that we all make on the road to burnout city. Fortunately, once identified, they’re easy to remedy. Take a look at these tactics on how to avoid  feeling overwhelmed:  

Choose your words wisely

If you give an exact time and date as to when you can do something, you need to be sure you can see it through. This is why it’s important to select the right response when someone asks you to do something that is important. If you say, “Yeah, I can do that today,” and you can’t, it can hurt your relationships and connections. Trust is eroded when you can’t keep promises—and you end up feeling even more frazzled.

Takeaway: When possible say things like “soon” or “by the end of the week” instead of “tomorrow at five.”

Avoid making promises without reservation

Let’s jump back to the example of Sandra. Instead of telling her husband “Sure!” right off the bat, she should have said something like “Let me check my calendar first.” This would have given her a better idea of what she had going on and if she was able to accommodate his request.

Takeaway: Always check your schedule before making a commitment. And speaking of calendars…

Create and maintain a schedule

I recently read a book called Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. In the book, Allen talks about “open loops,” which are all the to-dos you carry with you throughout the day. These open loops rattle around in your brain and you constantly circle back to them, reminding yourself you need to get this done or remember to pick up that. This causes anxiety. Instead, we need to close our loops by scheduling them out.  

Takeaway: Keep a calendar and add to-do items to your calendar. This will get them out of your head and give you a visual representation of what you have on your plate.

Don’t volunteer your time without thinking it through

A few days ago, I told a friend whose husband recently came home from the hospital that I would bring a rotisserie chicken to her house the next day at 11:00 am. I volunteered to do this without checking my calendar or even thinking through what I had going on. When the day arrived, I realized I over-extended myself and was running behind schedule. At 10:30 am she called to ask if I was still coming. I ended up having to tell her I’d bring it at 12:00 pm instead.

Takeaway: Do for others, but only be specific when you’ve checked your schedule and know for sure what you can commit to.

With a clear idea of what you’ve got going on and by managing expectations, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed. And the less we feel overwhelmed, the further we distance ourselves from burnout.

If you need some suggestions on any of the tips above or if you have questions, feel free to reach out and schedule a discovery call with me today!