I’m still on that mini-sabbatical, so while I’m gone, check out this post about designated texters.

Today’s quick tip is a no-brainer. Friends don’t let friends drink and drive and they shouldn’t let them text and drive either. Think about it. If you’re in the car with someone who’s texting, aren’t you in danger?

If you’re the passenger, why not volunteer to be the designated texter? Is there a designated texter in the car with your son or daughter? 

I’m on a mini-sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time, like this one for all you folks working on projects. So, basically, everybody.  And, for this one, size really doesn’t matter. Do these three things consistently and you’ll almost always be guaranteed a happy ending. Yes, we are talking about productivity. Ok, now off you go. J

Whenever you’re tackling a big or small project, there are a couple things you need to do to make sure that you get it done on time.

1. Map out a plan:  What are all the steps you need to take to get the job done?

2. Get help and delegate: Who can you bribe ask for help? Who – including you -will do what?

These steps are needed, but one of the best ways to make sure that you actually finish the project is to figure out who will do what WHEN.  When is very important.

3. Make an appointment with yourself. Everyone involved needs to do one simple thing – put the project on their calendar. That’s it.

In theory, it’s simple. And, in reality, it can be simple, too. It’s just that life throws a few hot peppers in your soda sometimes. But, you’ll stand a better chance of making progress if you write it down, just like you would write down a doctor’s appointment or that performance review meeting with your boss.

When something is important and you want to remind yourself to work on it, you put it on your calendar AND you block off uninterrupted time to focus on that something.

Now, don’t go giving that time away to something or someone else. That time is special time for you and your project to do a bit of bonding. Now go make nice with that project. It is Valentine’s Day after all. ;)

Give it a shot and see how it works. Or, if you have a better idea, leave a comment. I’d love to hear it.

I’m on a mini-sabbatical but while I’m away, check out this video by Donna Smallin Kuper on how to get your container lids under control. Need more help? Here’s an oldie but goodie on what to do When Plasticware Attacks. J

I’m taking a sabbatical and have lined up a few posts ahead of time, like this one about getting control of meal times. What are some of your favorite tips for staying on top of things?

Many of us struggle with food…what we eat and how much…and sometimes, what to cook (for those of you who are fond of spending time in the kitchen). While decluttering is very much like dieting, today I’m focusing on ways you can get a better handle on meal planning.  

It might take a bit of time in the beginning, but once you get in the swing of things, you’ll be happy you spent that time planning so you can get on with the business of eating!

The Six O’Clock Scramble

Aviva Goldfarb, author and founder of The Six O’Clock Scramble, wanted to find a way to help busy parents cook healthy meals…often…AND save time and money. Sounds like a great combo to me! You can also search for specialty meals, like gluten- and dairy-free, vegetarian, low-sodium, etc. recipes.

When you sign up for one of her three subscriptions, you will get:

• Family-tested meals

• Grocery List (weekly)

• Healthy Eating Tips

• And, a bunch more stuff!

Get Two Weeks Free with The Scramble

..

Plan to Eat

Plan to Eat lets you keep your recipes, shopping lists, and meal planner all in one location. You can import and share your recipes (and shopping lists, too) and tag them for easier searching. Use the drag and drop feature to plan your meals with the online calendar. Even better, your shopping lists are taken automatically from your meal planner.

Sign Up for a Free 30-Day Trial

While I’m away for a quick sabbatical, check out this lifehack on what to do when your fitted sheets give you the finger.

I hear this complaint often from family members, friends, and clients alike. Folding a fitted sheets is like wrestling with a boa constrictor. The end result is not good and you come up with the short end of the stick, er, lumpy sheet.

Now, some of you may not care about this, but if you’re interested in taking advantage of this lifehack on how to properly fold a fitted sheet AND hang on to your brain cells, you should check out this very funny Martha Stewart video.

So, you know I’m all for passwords, but I recently learned that changing them frequently is a bit of a waste. You actually need a group of tools to keep your e-stuff safe. You can read more about that here.

…and, you can watch this cool video by Lorie Marrero of Clutter Diet about how to better organize the passwords you do have.

Get the Internet Password Organizer

You’re all probably familiar with finding flights by using Travelocity, Kyak, Priceline, and Expedia, to name a few. Did you know about AirfareWatchdog.com? All you have to do is sign up for low fare alerts (sent to your inbox) to your favorite cities.  No airline is off limits so you’ll get to travel on your preferred carrier. Quick, easy, and simple.

If you’re struggling with your to do list, take a minute to get to know it a little bit. Understand it’s landscape and what should be on it. And, most importantly, what shouldn’t make it to your list at all.

To help you enhance your relationship with your to do list, I’m sharing this bit of advice from Merlin Mann’s 43Folders.com. This is just a snippet, so click on the link at the end to get more in-depth info.

Anatomy of a To-do

The primary idea of a to-do is that it’s a task that can and should be done–a point that might seem obvious until you start uncovering how many of the items on your to-do list may not belong there (or, conversely, how many uncaptured items do). The best and most useful to-dos share common qualities:

• it’s a physical action
• it can be accomplished at a sitting
• it supports valuable progress toward a recognized goal
• it’s something for which you are the most appropriate person for the job

Glancing at your own to-do list, do you see any potential troublemakers? Notice any items that make you squeamish? Any mystery meat tasks that seem “un-doable” as is?

 Read More at 43Folders.com

]]> http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2011/11/22/quick-tip-get-to-know-your-to-do-list/feed/ 0 http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2011/11/08/quick-tip-don%e2%80%99t-miss-the-good-stuff-video/ http://dallisonlee.com/blog/2011/11/08/quick-tip-don%e2%80%99t-miss-the-good-stuff-video/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000 Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer® http://dallisonlee.com/blog/?p=20422

Have you stopped and smelled the petunias lately? They’re probably not around anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a couple minutes to stop and just be…to do something – no matter how small – for you. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make our day great. Profound. Awesome. Just fabulous.

I recently watched a video by Scott McKain (awesome fella) who reminded viewers to take the time to make each day count. From the looks of things, he added an extra day to a business trip and spent some time at the beach. Nothing special. Just a beach. But, I’m sure there was a whole lotta relaxation that worked wonders for his well-being. Which means that if he’s happy, then everyone around him will be happy, too.

Here’s a snippet of what he had to say…

“Just do what it takes to not miss the good stuff in life. To find little things that you can do along the way…that make an incredible difference that helps center you, that helps get you back on track…that helps remind you of the things that are really important…”

…and for the rest of his message, check out his video…

If you celebrated Halloween, you probably have a couple of pumpkins (not to mention left over candy) laying around. Earth911.com thinks there are other things you can do with those pumpkins besides throwing them in the trash, like recycle them.

Here are some ways you can do that:

#1 Make a Puree. Why would you need a puree? If you make pumpkin pies, the puree will come in handy. Whip up a batch and freeze it for when you need it.

#4  Make Your Own Latte. If  you like lattes (like I do), try adding a little pumpkin. It’s not my thing. I prefer vanilla, but if you normally make a trip to Starbucks to get a Pumpkin Spice latte, try making your own.

#5 Use Pumpkin Guts to Make Pasta. Gutting a pumpkin might sound messy and it probably is, but it might add a new twist your pasta.

#8 Make a Scrub. Hmmm…this one surprised me. I didn’t think pumpkin guts could scrub anything. And they don’t. You need to add a bit of sugar, but the vitamins in your gourd will make your skin feel fab. If I had pumpkins, I’d definitely try this one.

See All 10 Ways to Recycle Your Pumpkins