“In the context of a happy life, a messy coat closet should be trivial…but there is something about getting ahold of physical clutter that makes people feel energized, freer and happier. Order contributes to inner calm for most people.” ~Gretchen Rubin
Read More:
Four ways to get organized around the house this summer · Jura Koncious · June 24, 2010 · WashingtonPost.com
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Today’s guest blogger, Cori Padgett, is new to OTR and is just as fabulous as our other visiting authors! She’s a busy mompreneur who has few tricks up her sleeve that help keep her head above water.
Let’s just say that organized and productive are pretty relative terms when it comes to what I do and how I do it! While I have all the theory and know how to stay on top of things and keep my business running smoothly… implementing that theory and know how is another story altogether. Sometimes things simply do NOT go according to plan!
However, there are a few things that I find help me to keep things efficient, which is what I’ll share with you now.
Create a Schedule for Yourself
I know, sounds a bit dumb… after all, you go into work for yourself to work how you want, when you want.
Right?
Except when you operate from that mindset, what happens is that the things that should be done end up falling by the wayside, because you wind up not managing your time appropriately. So… set a schedule for yourself, even if it’s a somewhat loose one.
Figure out what are your most productive times of the day, and make it a point to reserve those hours specifically for high priority projects whenever possible. For me, that is usually from 8am to 2 or 3pm, which are the hours that my kids are in school. After 3pm, any additional work I get done is just gravy!
Create Timed Priorities
I’m a ghostwriter, so the bulk of my high value activities involve writing consistently. I’ve found the best way for me to do this is to do it in blocks, or chunks of time. So invest in a simple kitchen timer, set it on your desk, allocate 15, 30, or 45 minutes, or whatever chunk of time feels most comfortable to you… and then start working until that timer dings. No stopping, no getting distracted, no interruptions.
When the timer dings, take a 10 or 15 minute break to recharge, goof off, check Facebook, grab a snack or whatever you need to do… then set your timer again and start another round of productivity. Aim for 5-10 of these blocks a day (depending upon how long you make them) and you’ll suddenly find that your productivity and overall efficiency skyrockets. Stick with it at least 21 days in a row… and suddenly you’ve got a new great habit!
Give Yourself a Break
For me, it’s not an easy job running a business, raising a family, and being a partner to my guy. But killing yourself trying to be super-human doesn’t cut it. Perfection is highly over-rated, let me tell ya. So I prefer instead to strive for excellence in the things I do, not perfection… and if I screw up… miss a deadline… write something that’s a total flop. Oh well… it happens.
My priorities are my kids and family, and my business comes second, as much as I adore it. So even if I’m drowning in work, screwing up right and left, and have major fires that need dousing… if it’s after 3pm and my kiddies are home demanding my attention… my attention is what they get! Everything else can be worried about later.
So cut yourself a break when you need to, and don’t get too hung up on mistakes or blunders… follow that schedule as best you can, and if you veer off a bit… life happens, sometimes you have to just roll with it.
About the Author
Cori is a wildly hire-able freelance ‘ghost’ as well as the creative brains and dubious brawn behind her blog Big Girl Branding. If you’d like to harness her creative brains and dubious brawn and put it to work for you, just stalk her on Twitter and ask her. I’m “almost” sure she doesn’t bite. Well… like 95% sure.
Connect With Cori: Web | Blog | Twitter
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Good morning…
Hope all is well with you today. Here we are, in the midst of summer and the heat is at an all time high (at least where I live) and unfortunately my time management routine is at an all time low. Yes, folks, as of late, I have fallen off the wagon (well not totally, one hand is holding on and luckily the wagon is still).
Things, process-wise, seem broken. Two weeks ago, though I got an email about it, I COMPLETELY forgot my son’s day camp was closed for the entire week. I filed the email away without populating my Google Calendar and that’s all she wrote. When did I find this out? The Monday I took him there and…*crickets*
The CD project calendar of tasks my partner and I planned over a two hour meeting at Panera Bread was a bust, and it needs to be redone. We are now behind schedule and I haven’t made the progress on my tracks that I anticipated. I am so guilty of the sin of procrastination, it isn’t funny.
That being said, I ask for your forgiveness (smile) and that you allow me to redeem myself. I assure you a 180 degree turn of events in the subsequent post. Please join me then as well. As always (in my best commercial narrator voice), “Thank you for your support!”
Have a great day!
Conquer Procrastination!
A few weeks ago, I shared a tip on how to manage your dirty laundry while on a road trip. Here’s another quick tip on how to keep some of the stuff in your car from flying all about the place while you’re driving.
Want the trunk organizer profiled in this video? Send me an e-mail to place your order! …or buy the one below from Amazon.
Buy from Amazon
Over the last week, I read several helpful and interesting articles related to organizing. Check them out.
- How I’d Hack Your Weak Passwords Think your internet password is strong? This Lifehacker.com article explains the various ways your identity can be compromised.
- Separating Clutter from Keepsakes “You don’t need cable bills from 1972.” Enough said.
- 5 Reasons to Clear Out Your Inbox It makes sense to clear out your inbox, but these 5 reasons will motivate you actually give it a try.
- Hoarding as Art: What You Didn’t See on Oprah The article and accompanying video explores the notion of scarce resources and the “I may need it in the future” way of thinking via an art exhibit.
- Top 10 Reasons Building a Smaller House is Better Some of the reasons are funny (well, I thought they were) and others are just practical. I especially like reason #2 – you have the right to refuse unwanted gifts!
“E-mail is a quick and convenient way to convey information. It is not, however, a great way to build trust and confidence among co-workers collaborating for the first time, researchers say, and it can actually hurt both work relationships and productivity.”
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Workzone: E-mail isn’t the way to build trust at work · Steve Twedt · July 12, 2010 · PostGazette.com
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Some of you might remember today’s guest blogger, Lindsey Mastis. She was the first person I interviewed for OTR. Stardate 2009. Back then, she talked about her daily routine and how she stayed on top of things. Today, she tells the tale of lessons learned during her recent move.
I’d like to take a few moments to simply sigh. It’s been three weeks since my husband and I moved into our new home. I’m still trying to catch my breath.
As a news reporter, I’ve moved around a lot. From St. Louis to Carbondale to living in a hotel in Dallas to interning in DC and then moving back to Southern Illinois. Two years ago, my husband packed up our three bedroom house. I packed up my two bedroom apartment. We drove to DC, and moved into a two-bedroom (one bath) apartment in the Rockville Town Square. We loved living there, but decided it was time to get our stuff out of storage. So we got a house.
This was supposed to be the “easy” and “cheap” move. Three weeks later, I’m eating my words.
I’m overwhelmed with the amount of stuff we have.
Confused about where some of our stuff is.
And, I’m getting impatient with the time it’s taking to put it all away.
Here’s a list of some of the things we did that worked, didn’t work, and could have done better to stay organized:
1. Start packing a few weeks in advance. We were able to clean, dust, and gently pack everything into labeled boxes.
2. Use trash bags. This is my favorite kind of move because it’s quick. It’s best to double-bag a trash bag and use it to pack clothes. Don’t forget to label the bag, otherwise it might become trash.
3. Be nice to U-Haul. We rented our truck for one day, and promised to have it back by 5 pm that night. Around 4 am — yes, AM — we were so tired, we decided to get some rest. We took the truck back almost 24 hours late. But, they were so nice (and probably felt sorry for us) so they didn’t charge us any extra. Thank you U-Haul!
4. Find friends to help. We moved 4th of July weekend. We felt too guilty to ask anyone to give up their holiday for us. Big mistake. It took us four-times as long to move big items. Having a few friends would have kept us more sane.
5. Watch what you throw away. My parents loaded up a 20-foot trailer with some items we had in storage and some of my husband’s childhood things. I hadn’t seen some of this stuff for 20 years. Because of all the stress, it’s hard to tell what’s truly sentimental. I threw a lot of it away (trophies, pictures of old boyfriends, notes from school). Now, I’m regretting it. So our new rule is: Don’t throw anything (but trash) away for at least a month.
6. Watch what you give away or sell. When we moved across the country, we sold as much as we could. Two years later, I’m politely asking family members if they’re still using the table/elliptical machine/bar stools/cookware. And we are having to re-purchase some items. It’s getting expensive – fast.
7. Take pictures. Moving can feel like a traumatic experience. Take a few moments to be silly, climb on top of some (stable) boxes, and smile. It will help.
8. Learn how to multi-task. I’m having a hard time doing anything but unpacking. That means I’ve missed out on some very special social events. It also means I’ve missed out on training for my half-marathon in two weeks. It’s hard to ignore the mess, but it would have been better if I kept up my running schedule and other commitments.
9. Live tweet your move. I didn’t tweet until we took the U-Haul back. That’s when one of my friends offered to bring us his truck. It was too late.
10. Sleep. My husband made a great point at 4 am. Getting the moving truck back in time wasn’t worth the risk. We were tired, and because it was a holiday weekend, who knows how many drunk people were driving. We rested, had a good breakfast, and went back to work the next day. It all turned out for the better.
About the Author
Lindsey Mastis is a Digital Correspondent with WUSA 9 News Now, a local CBS affilate in Washington, DC. She covers Government 2.0 and Social Networking. Lindsey is also an avid runner and participated in the 10-Mile Cherry Blossom Race last April.
Connect With Lindsey: Website | Twitter
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Greetings readers…
I hope all is well with you. Your Time and Tech guy has decided (since being off the wagon soo long) that ‘s it’s time to get back on track with fitness. Luckily for me, I’m still blessed with high metabolism and muscle memory. The added and new activity is…running…an activitiy that I loathed all of my life, but that I can’t deny the cardio vascular merits of. I shared a (somewhat) long blog post about my first run here. If there are any runners out there that can provide some good advice for a beginner, I’d be glad to hear from you.
Ironically enough, starting a fitness program fits wonderfully into my topics about time management and tech. Of course, the first question I asked myself was, “With everything I have going on already, where am I going to fit THIS in?” As I began to answer that question, I started to analyze where I may be wasting time (always a good thing to do every once in awhile).
I’ve done the analysis and found that I can fit this in as a priority, especially because of the benefits I’ll reap. For the moment, the morning seems to be the best time to work this in, with the weekend providing even better flexibility. Next week I’ll be able to tell you more about how I’ve started to manage my time for fitness.
Techwise, I’m using (if you haven’t read the blog post yet), the Nike+, or Nike + iPod system which allows me to upload my workout data online line to track and analyze goals. Being the techie that I am, I’m already liking this aspect of it. Of course, I’m using my iPod Touch with some other time management apps to take the greatest advantage of this.
If you have kids or if you’re a crafter (or both!), this tip is for you. =) Kids usually come home with little, itsy bitsy objects. Most of my clients have no idea how to store these precious bits that their children love. Here’s a simple way to keep them from getting lost or taking over your home.
You may not think of an egg keeper as storage for anything except eggs, but think again! It’s perfect for those tiny things kids always have. It’s especially nice for when you’re taking a road trip and need to just carry a few things with you. You crafters who make jewelry might like it, too.
How do you store the teeny tiny’s in your life?
You can get to know a lot about someone by the books they read or even the music they listen to. When that person is your co-worker, you probably get more details that you ever thought was possible. Multiply that by a zillion if he or she is your roommate or spouse. What if that person were your friendly neighborhood blogger and pro organizer?
It occurred to me over the weekend that I’m a little quirky. I can hear some of you snickering right now. ;) I mean, I know I can be a bit off center sometimes, but this weekend, it sorta became more, ah, clear.
A little background…
I was being interviewed on Saturday at Starbucks for a local community publication and decided to grab a latte. Like a good citizen, I paid for my coffee, collected my change, put my coins inside the zippered section of my wallet, then turned my one dollar bill right side up (front facing out), and made sure that it wasn’t folded or creased.
I realized while putting my change away that this process was taking an extra couple of seconds and that someone was waiting to chat with me. I thought for a nanosecond that I might just throw it all in my wallet and fix it later, but my brain wouldn’t let me do that. So, I took the extra time to make sure my wallet was “right.”
This doesn’t sound so odd, does it? Seriously, who doesn’t want a nice, neat wallet? Why did this turn into my moment of
clarity? Honestly, IDK. I was still thinking about it even after the interview was over and several of my unique qualities came to mind.
So, here is more of the quirkiness that is Deb Lee…
1. Toiletries. All shampoo bottles of the same maker must live together (same for the conditioners). That means the Paul Mitchell Awapuhi shampoo and conditioner must live in the same basket…and ALL labels on the front must face out so they can be seen. They cannot be laying down…must stand nice and tall. Did I mention that I have several types of “good for your hair” bottles? Sometimes, my “roomate” purposely turns them all around so they’re backwards. Yep, that adds a few seconds to my day.
2. Clothing. Ok, so let’s talk about clothing. I have to fold clothing in a special way. Sorry, I don’t give lessons, but suffice it to say that when my husband attempts to fold anything, I re-fold them. I’m sure it goes without saying that T-shirts are separated by color and sleeve length. Oh, and long socks do not live with short (sport) socks. There’s more where clothing is concerned, but I think you get the picture.
3. Dishes. When doing the dishes, I wash the glasses first, followed by utensils, and then plates/dishes. Isn’t that how everybody does it? …and when using a dishwasher, all utensils of the same type go in the basket together. Forks, spoons, and knives are not allowed to mingle with each other. Of course, that also means that glasses of the same height also live together for the short time they’re in the dishwasher.
4. Coffee. I have one of those fabulous coffee makers that you put pods in and a pod holder thingy. When I restock the pod holder, I put them in a specific order and all the same flavors are grouped together.
5. Spices. My spices are grouped together by type and then height order. I KNOW everyone does that! ;) Yes, all labels are facing out.
6. Decor. If I see a crooked picture or a tangled phone cord, I fix them. My most recent fix – the hotel I stayed in for the 2010 NAPO conference. One of the elevators had a crooked photo. It was a simple fix but when I tried to adjust the crooked items on one of the hotel tables, not even I could do it…because they were glued on!
Alright, that’s the last one that I care to mention, but I will say this, some of my oddities help me do my job well. I see the little details that someone else may not and structure is definitely my friend. They also help me at home, though that roommate I mentioned before might disagree. In some cases, they can slow me down, but more on that later.
So, what do you think? Am I super quirky or just regular quirky? What are some of your own “strange” behaviors and how do they help you?
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