Common Sense Living

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This time of year, many companies are winding down and employees can have extra time to enjoy the holidays. But for many, not only do the holidays make everything crazy, business is crazy too.

I just got my schedule for the month at the spa – and lets say, it was a few more hours than I was prepared for. Mixed blessing, since we all can use some extra money this month – but how the heck will I manage to fit it all in?

Systems.

You have systems at work to keep things flowing, right? So why not at home?

You already know that I have my housecleaning system at HowToCleanHouseFast.com You probably already own it. Are you using it? Dig it up on your hard drive and start using it. It will save your butt this month. People stop in unannounced this month than any other.

And I for sure will be implementing my fast dinner plans. I will be doing things like a big pot of chili, and stuffed cabbage made in the crock pot, and my 4 dinner plan. With a little planning, you can stay out of the fast food lanes, stay healthier, have more energy, and maybe even lose some weight this holiday season. If you want my fast dinner planning resources, you can find them at RebelWithaFork.com

Take the same prinicples that you use at work to get your job done faster and more efficiently and apply that thinking to running your home, and you’ll find a lot more time and energy.

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There’s one person who brings home the bacon, fries it up in the pan- and manages it all without the help of a man. She’s a baker, a banker, a nurse, a mechanic, a handyman, and whatever else life calls for – everyday. Here’s some tips from a single mom – the ultimate time-management professional on how to get through it all, with your sanity in tact;

 

Tip #1 – there are 24 hours in a day. Use them wisely. Do what you need to do, when you need to do it. The last thing you need is a list of unfinished things to do to drive you over the edge.

 

 Tip #2 – It doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to be done. In later years, you can return to perfectionism if you choose, but for now – don’t take time away from what’s really important to stress over things that aren’t that important.

 

Tip #3 – Learn how to do things efficiently. Learn the tricks to keeping your house clean. Learn how to cook fast healthy dinners. Plan your trips in a logical sequence. Use lists. Shop online. Minutes are precious – save as many as you can.

 

Tip #4 – swallow your pride and ask for help if you need it. As much as you may want to prove to the world that you are capable of everything, we can’t do everything all by ourselves. If you’re running late or tied up in traffic and don’t think you’ll make it in time to get your kid out of daycare, call a friend or neighbor. Offer to feed them. You’ll have a nice visit and relax a little. Everyone wins.

You can share responsibilities with another parent. One of you can drop the kids off and the other can pick them up. Or you can do one day, and the other parent another day. Just ask!Tip #5 – give help as much as you can, without taking away from your own family. If a friend or neighbor doesn’t have a car, offer to take them to the store when you go. If they’re not feeling well, offer to pick up something when you go to the store. Make an extra serving of your dinner to take over. You can do a lot of little things for people with hardly any effort. Leading by example is a great way to mold your kids into giving people. It should be a natural response for them to offer a helping hand. Always remember, what goes around comes around.

Tip #5 – Learn to get along with difficult people – there are many people in your life that you would rather not deal with, but have to. Ex-spouses usually hold the #1 position on that list. But the long-term benefits of not having to argue all the time, less stress on your kid, not having to take everything to court to settle, really do outweigh the discomfort of having to deal with this person and remain civil. If you are newly divorced, take comfort, it gets better after a couple of years in most cases. That is until your child turns 13, but that’s a whole nother story! Other people on your hate to deal with list may include bosses, family members, and some customers. There are benefits to being able to deal with these people. Always remember that point, tough as it is sometimes.

 

 

 

Tip #6 – Choose your battles. Only yell, argue, or stress over things that really make a difference. Let little things slide. That being said, don’t be a doormat either. If it’s important, speak up!

 

Tip #7 – Make health and fitness a priority. You need every ounce of energy. Fruits, vegetables, vitamins, exercise and water need to be on the top of the list for you and your kids so you all can operate at peak performance and get sick less often. Nothing throws a wrench in the works like once of you getting sick. And fresh fruits and vegetables make for really fast dinners and fewer dishes!

 

Tip #8 – Make Dinner! It may seem that you’re saving time by picking up fast food, or preparing instant foods, but it’s really not true. The time you spend picking up fast food could be spent talking with your kids while they do homework. That time is priceless. Homework gets done, and you all get to connect.

Instant foods really don’t save you any measurable time. As an added benefit, eating fresh real foods not only tastes better – but will keep you all healthier, and thinking better too.

 

Tip #9 – Plan ahead for those nights when you need to be somewhere – girl scouts, practice, etc. There are plenty of fast meals you can make in about 15 minutes.  One of my favorites is steak or chicken breast, tossed salad, and (micro)baked potato. You can pick up some great fast dinner ideas here >>>

Again, you’re leading by example – managing your time, and eating healthy. Make it clear that they have to hustle and get as much homework done as quickly as possible.

Don’t look at me like that. I did it for years! Girl scouts, band concerts, talent shows, conferences, art club, youth group…

 

Tip #10 – Don’t over-schedule. You can’t live on a hectic schedule every night. You need a couple nights a week without additional commitments so you’re not all burning out. 

 

Tip #11 – Get enough sleep. You know how much sleep you need to function through the next day. Make sure you get it. For most adults, 6 hours is the minimum. 7 is optimal for me. How about you? It will take some experimentation and observation with your kids to determine just how much sleep they need. My daughter’s performance falls considerably if she doesn’t get enough sleep.

If you are practicing the other tips, such as living efficiently, and getting enough nutrition and exercise, and getting help when you need it, getting enough sleep probably won’t be difficult.

 

Tip #12 – Make time for fun. All work and no play make Jane a dull girl with high blood pressure, depression, and no one left to play with. Seriously, down time and recreation is just as important as working hard. Even if it’s just a quick game of hide and seek, or a 15-minute bike ride – you’ll give your brain a rest and get some exercise

My daughter is almost 18, and we still take walks together, or jump in the lake for a few minutes. We make an effort to spend quality time together. But that doesn’t just happen. You have to start when they’re young. If they’ve grown up that way, it will be natural for them to continue.

Everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, and we wonder why everyone is psychotic, depressed, fatigued, and overweight. You’ve got to lighten up!

 

Tip #13 – turn off the cell phone. I don’t care if it’s the president calling. You don’t have to jump and answer that phone every time it rings or vibrates (unless it’s your kid calling – then you do have to.) Focus on the relationship happening in front of you.

Have you tried helping a customer who’s constantly answering the phone while you’re trying to conduct business?

Have you tried having a conversation with your teen when they’re constantly texting while you’re talking to them?

Are you always putting the people in front of you on hold? How do you think it makes them feel? Pretty unimportant?

Is it any wonder that people feel like they have to act crazy to get any attention?

I almost fell over when my daughter started leaving her phone at home when we take a walk. She’s getting the message. We can break this crazy cycle!

 

Tip #14 – turn off the TV. Better yet – get rid of it all together. That’s what we did. We live where you can’t get reception without cable or satellite. I just refuse to pay that much for mind numbing, time stealing, so called “entertainment”.

Can you imagine actually having a conversation with your kids after dinner? It’s amazing. We spend a lot of time at the table. You will have to learn to put up with their music though. Tough, but it’s worth it. 

 

Tip #15 – Live life on your terms. Your beliefs, dreams, and moral fiber are different from everyone else’s. Do not comprise who you are to make someone else happy. It never works. And certainly don’t compromise yourself to make money. Be rich in spirit. You’ll be a lot happier when you look at your reflection in the morning. 

We’ve lost the health and happiness that comes with living a balanced life. It doesn’t have to be that way. Try life on the other side. It’s really much more enjoyable.

And remember that your kids learn by seeing what you do. Show them the way to live a balanced life. We just might change the world.

Sometimes you have to put your foot down. That takes courage. Do it. Stick to your priorities. People will get used to it

 

Are you a woman who lives by these values? Or wants to but needs a little help? Join the Club. No seriously – join this club >>>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image by Pink Sherbet Photography via Flickr

I’ve been working hard on the official launch party for SaneSuperWomanClub.com. And I’ve let some things go. And I know better! At least I should, right?

And it’s been stupid stuff like not rinsing out the colander after draining the pasta. Pasta residue is like cement when it dries! I was kicking myself.

I ran into the grocery store hungry and without a list. I bought things I didn’t need, and forgot one of the things I did need.

There were a couple nights I worked until I was passing out, so I skipped a shower. Now the sheets stink.

And I still have all the stuff that didn’t sell at the garage sale to haul over and donate.

It’s all just lttle stupid things that you wouldn’t think matter much, but in the long run they sure add up!

Key point here – the next time you are tempted to shove soething aside because it woudl take you an extra 30 seconds – DON”T.

You can pay now, or you can pay later. It always cost more to pay later, doesn’t it?

I’m off to get my life back on track. And maybe review some of my own courses! My friend Linda always used to rib me saying “physician, heal theyself.” Gosh I miss her.

But we’ll all be making new friends at the club. See you over there!

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For some of you, this was the first week of summer vacation. Some of you don’t start summer vacation until next week. But the first week is certainly a period of adjustment, isn’t it?

Routines just sort of fall by the wayside…. well at least temporarily until everyone gets used to the new schedule.

If you have good habits in place, a week of upheaval isn’t too devastating. It’s easy to make adjustments and get back on track.

What kind of habits? Oh you know – healthy eating habits, making meals, keeping up with the dishes, and managing to keep the house clean through all the traffic.

My systems are so easy, even my 17 year old daughter can keep the house clean and make healthy meals. As a matter of fact, she is the brains behind the Sane SuperWoman Club. Accidentally. She was complaining that it was too much trouble to find the ebooks and find the information she needed. She just wanted to get to the food guides and the recipes quickly.

Seriously. She said she wanted to make something – I don’t remember what anymore, but I said, it’s in the ebook, look it up. No, that was too much trouble. Someone else who reads this blog and will remian nameless is the same way… OK, I have to admit that it is a pain to find the ebook. That was originally why I started putting my most used recipes on this blog.

But even that didn’t work as well, It’s a pain to find the recipes on the blog. I admit it.

Sometimes we’re lazy. Sometimes we’re tired. Sometimes we just don’t have the time. We all need an easier solution.

When you join us at the Sane SuperWoman Club – that’s exactly what you get. An easier solution.

You get a 5 Days to a Clean House mini course adapted from Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak so you can keep your house clean faster and easier.

You get great fast, easy, healthy recipes so you’re not spending a bunch of time cooking.

You get the Healthy Foods A-Z listing so you can start relying on great summer foods to help you get that naturally thing helathy body you’ve longed for, and keep you full of energy to enjoy this summer.

You get the latest in natural health news.

You get info on the latest FDA recalls.

Fast, easy access to useful information that will make your life easier right now!

The site is in pre-launch right now. What does that mean? Well, it means that there’s a lot more to come. There’s a lot of useful information already there, but it’s going to grow by leaps and bounds.

It also means that you get a great price.

When you join us now, you get the pre-launch price of only $9.97 a month – no matter how high the price goes in the future.

Imagine having great new recipes for the grill, and new salads for this summer.

Imagine being able to plan healthy meals around foods you and your family like to eat.

Imagine being able to plan a diet to help a particular health issue – like high blood pressure, or A.D.D. There are foods that will help.

Imagine having quick and easy access to tons of useful information that will make your life easier everyday.

Imagine being able to come to the forums and talk about problems and getting feedback from your new friends – other Sane Superwomen.

It’s all coming – and you can lock in your position now.

It’s all happening at the Sane SuperWoman Club right now!

How will you spend your Summer Vacation?

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This week is certainly going to challenge everything that I teach you. Can she make it through in one piece? And with a clean house? 

Last week and this week I am transitioning from one job to the other. Both places need the help – badly. Plus, I’m working on the new site in my ‘spare’ time.

So far I haven’t let my diet slip – haven’t given in to fast food – yet.

I do have to admit that dusting and vacuuming have suffered a little, and there’s dog slobber on the window, but overall the house isn’t too bad – yet.

So, how am I keeping up?

Planning and discipline.

Those sound like curse words, don’t they? At least for most people.

I plan errands that I can run quickly on the way home.

Dinner is planned before I leave.

My kitchen and bathroom routines are done every night, no matter what.

Wed. and Thurs. I’m scheduled for 10 hour days. I told you they need the help! Friday is just 8 hours.

Saturday I finally have a day off – from the jobs at least. I want to get the new site ready for launch, and I still have 2 ebooks not finished – and I’m guessing I’ll have some housework to catch up on.

Will I earn my super woman cape? Stay tuned…

Anyone been watching the development of the new site? I’ve had to learn how to use joomla – so I’ve had to do some things over again, but I think it’s smoother sailing from here on out. I have a couple things to figure out yet…

 Don’t tell me you don’t have time!