Common Sense Living

Posts Tagged ‘Time Management’

 

Even though I write to you a lot, I still have a lot of people who are in awe and wonder how the heck I can keep up with so much. I’m about to reveal a secret here, so listen up.

 

I survive through ritual.

 

That sounds really boring, doesn’t it?

 

Maybe so, but it’s a lifesaver.

 

My kitchen and bathroom are always clean because I clean them every night. Because I stay on top of it, it only takes about 15 minutes total. I have a whole system to keep the house clean in little spurts. I don’t have hours to spend cleaning house. Do you?

 

I keep my health and energy up by eating right. I make sure to get 2 or 3 veggies and a fruit in at dinner. I drink orange juice and cranberry juice every day. I take my vitamins. And too much more to go into in this post. I have a whole different philosophy on eating healthy.

 

I walk the dog 2 miles most days. Some days only one mile. We both get exercise, and it lets me clear out my mind and blow off some steam, and run into friends, or talk with my daughter when she goes with… Exercise doesn’t have to be painful. It just has to be consistent.

 

I try to write something useful here most weekdays.

 

I try to do at least 2 things to move my business forward every day – no matter how little those tasks might be. Those little things add up over time.

 

I try to get a decent amount of sleep every night.

 

I make time for recreation.

 

I spend quality time with my daughter.

 

You probably have rituals at work. You arrive at a certain time. You do tasks at set times, or within deadlines. Without these rituals, not much would get done when it’s supposed to.

 

Now, if you run your whole life this way, you actually end up with more done AND more free time.

 

I have a favorite quote that I used to use to close my old ezine –

 

In my youth, I stressed freedom, and in my old age
I stress order. I have made the great discovery that
liberty is a product of order.

-Will Durant

 

And it’s true. When you’re looking at piles of housework – I’m ready to play.

 

 

 

When you’re too tired to do anything other than stare at your TV, I’m out walking the dog, or talking to friends, or working on my business, or taking my daughter out for ice cream.

 

Yes, rituals seem painful sometimes. There are days when I have to force myself to do the things I require of myself. I worked an hour later tonight than usual, so I didn’t feel like making dinner, or walking the dog 2 miles. But I did. Now I’m glad I did – but it took some self-talk to get me to do it.

 

I listened to a training video and actually applied a couple of little things. The dishes are done – kitchen is cleaned. And soon I’ll be off to bed. I can end my day feeling satisfied – instead of being under the weight of things left undone.

 

And the extra bonus is – it’s rubbing of on my daughter

 

OK, OK, I didn’t get that load of laundry in. Hey, I never claimed to be perfect!

 

You can start small. The next time you’re about to put something on the table to put away later – just put it away. When you do the dishes, take 2 extra minutes and wipe down the stove and counters.

 

Some people like to make their lunch the night before. I like mine as fresh as possible – so I don’t, but a lot of people do.

 

Some people like to lay their clothes out the night before. That one doesn’t work for me either. I never seem to feel like wearing that outfit when I get up the next day.

 

The point here is – you can find the rituals that work for you.

 

We’re all given the same 1440 minutes a day. Use them wisely.

 

Carole

 

How many days do you have where you just don’t feel like doing this, or that? Or you spend more time deciding what you need to be doing, rather than actually getting anything done? Days spent spinning your wheels but never really accomplishing anything? Here are 3 things that when done everyday – will turn your entire life around.

Give yourself a fresh start everyday

Take 15 minutes before you go to bed and clean up your kitchen and bathroom. “What does that have to do with improving my life”, you ask?

When you get up to a clean kitchen and bath, it’s like giving yourself a fresh start every morning. No facing a splattered mirror and smelly dishes to remind you of what you didn’t finish yesterday. Nope, now you start with a clean slate every morning. Besides, once you develop this habit – it really only
takes you 15 minutes. You can pat yourself on the back for a job well done before you go to bed too. You can’t have too much positive reinforcement!

Put your best face forward everyday

When you look good, you feel good.
When you feel good, you get more done.
The more you get done, the better you feel.

But most people have it backwards. You feel depressed, so you don’t fix yourself up and then you feel worse because you look worse. See how those nasty cycles work? Take the time and look your best everyday.

The magic list

Why do I call this magic? Because it truly works. This one tip is so effective it can change your entire life. But most people won’t take the time “to-do” it.

Yep, the “to-do list”.

At the end of your business day or before bed, think about what you need to accomplish the next day. It’s best to do it while things are still on your mind. What did you not get done? What are the next steps you need to take? Always put down at least 3 things related to your business or goals. They
can be as simple as a phone call you need to make.

Put both business and personal things you need to do on the list. You still have to dust the living room, do a load of laundry, order a birthday gift, take Johnny to soccer, and so on…

The list will keep you organized and on track. Your day will have focus. Now your attention is on getting the list done, not how you feel, or what should you do today. It’s right there ready for you to start working at it. Within a day or two you will notice an immediate difference in how productive you are.

I know a lot of you use PDAs, and task managers and such, but the most effective list is one that is handwritten. There’s a different sort of wiring in your brain that responds when you actually take the time to write something down. Remember in school it was easier to learn something if your read it, wrote it, spoke it, and heard it? The same principles apply here. You’re telling your subconscious that this is what you expect to get done today- so get to it! You’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll get done.

Now there’s just one more thing – and this is actually fun when you start doing it- As you finish each task, cross it off the list.

Not just a check mark – cross it off! It’s a little psychological trick, almost like rewarding yourself for a job well done. Hey, as you cross it off, tell yourself – “good job!” You like it when someone else tells you that you’ve done a good job. But somehow we’re wired to beat up on ourselves faster than giving
ourselves any credit. This is an easy way for you to acknowledge your daily accomplishments and start to feel better about yourself.

This may all seem so primitive and simple. But let me tell you, it works. Just these 3 little things can make a big difference in how productive you are everyday.

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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. She’s a single mom. Here’s some tips from the ultimate time-management professional on how to get through it all, with almost all of your sanity in tact;

 

Lesson #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.

 

Lesson #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.

 

Lesson #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. 

 

Lesson #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. 

 

Lesson #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. 

 

Lesson #6 – 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. 

 

Lesson #7 – 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! 

 

Lesson #8 – 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!

 

Lesson #9 – Get enough sleep. You know how much sleep you need to function through the next day. Make sure you get it. For most people, 6 hours is the minimum. 7 is optimal for me. How about you? 

 

If you are practicing the other lessons, 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.

 

Lesson #10 – Make time for fun. Especially with your kids. Friends and family are important too, but your kids will be grown before you know it. How do you want to be remembered? As a workaholic? A grouch? Depressed? Or happy, fun, confident, and capable?

 

And fun is important for your well-being. You can’t just live in a world of constant drudgery. It’s not healthy, and it sure doesn’t give you much to look forward to each day. All work and no play makes any of us dull.

 

Lesson #11 – You don’t have to have a mate to be complete. I see men and women all the time who are waiting for that perfect person, (or at least acceptable person) to make their life complete. I think this is so sad. There is so much to do in life, having someone else to answer to might actually be a hindrance. Go do things with your kids. Go out for lunch or dinner, or to a movie or play or museum, or art show, or concert, with friends. Get together often with friends who have kids. They don’t have to be single. You can enjoy each other’s company even if you don’t have a mate. Maybe even more.

 

Start a business. Take up a hobby. Create a garden. Decorate a room. Read books. Rent movies that you want to watch.

 

Make your life fulfilling. Then if someone comes along who fits in – that’s icing on the cake. But you’ll be less likely to settle for someone who’s wrong if you’re living a full life.

 

Lesson #12 – 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.

 

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You can do more than you think you can.

Need more help managing daily chaos? Check this out!