July 23rd, 2010
Is technology stealing your time instead of helping you manage it? Are you sabotaging yourself by letting interruptions get in the way of accomplishing tasks? Are distractions putting you and others at risk? We have so much going on in our lives like social media (Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, MySpace), iPhones, texting, email, apps to remind us to do this and that. You name it it’s out there. We’re multi-tasking trying to do so many things at the same time, running to different activities, attending meetings, running a household and/or a business. So much to do in a certain amount of time yet we waste a lot of time with distractions that can be avoided.
Maura Thomas of RegainYourTime.com gave her presentation “The Future of Communication & Attention in the Age of Social Media” at my monthly NAPO-Austin chapter meeting this past Monday. Some of the things she said that made an impact on me are: “It’s difficult to control our brain if we sabotage ourselves all the time”; “If you’re doing two things at the same time physically you’re only doing one of them mentally”; and “We voluntarily give away our attention”. Boy did she hit close to home and gave me a lot to think about. I let too many distractions consume my time which makes me less productive. So instead of keeping the TV on in my office when I’m working at my desk I now turn it off. The only thing I have going on is soothing music playing in the living room. I spent half the time watching TV instead of concentrating on the task at hand. I even kept the TV on while listening to a teleclass by phone. Who says we have to constantly check our email or answer every phone call? If you’re working on a project at your job or a task around the house let phone calls go to voice mail and check email when you’re done unless you’re expecting an email or call that relates to the project or task you’re working on. Turn off alerts that may be distracting.
Here’s another question. Are you stealing your employer’s time by constantly checking personal email, tweeting on Twitter or posting on Facebook while on the job? Are you texting all day long on your employer’s time? There was a story on one of the TV networks (I don’t remember which one) a couple of weeks ago about moms who ignored their kids because they were constantly texting. How sad is that? Are you texting while driving? Is it worth risking yours, your passengers and other lives because you’re distracted while driving? Gosh, even social etiquette is being ignored. People talking on their cell phone or texting during meetings, at the dinner table, or even worse, at church. It also seems like we’re forgetting how to interact with other people face to face. For example, texting someone who’s in another room in the same house instead of going to that person and talking to them. This absolutely blows my mind.
Don’t get me wrong. I think technology is wonderful. We have information at our fingertips which makes life easier and it can also make us more productive. But we have to know when to draw the line. We need to be more in control of how to effectively use technology to our advantage and not let it control us.
Tags: Attention, Central Texas, Communication, Distractions, Email, Employers, Lita Daniel, Multi-Tasking, Professional Organizer, Regain Your Space, Social Etiquette, Social Media, Technology, Texting, Texting While Driving, Time Management
Posted in Social Media, Technology, Time Management | No Comments »
July 7th, 2010
A couple weeks ago we experienced severe weather in my area. After all it’s a part of summer that we’ve come to accept. There was the usual thunder, lightning and extremely high winds. When severe weather is approaching I make sure I’m prepared just in case. You might think I’m nuts but one of the first things I do is to make sure that I’m wearing proper footwear. This means that if I’m wearing slippers I put on my sneakers. Why? Because heaven forbid my home is damaged I don’t want to cut my feet walking through debris. The safe room in my home is my master closet so I always keep a flashlight & extra batteries in there. My four legged family members (the cat & the dog) of course have to go into the closet with me, as well as the cat’s carrier and dog’s harness & leash. I also take my purse and cell & a cordless phone.
My question to you is, do you and/or your family have a plan? Do you have a safe room or rooms in your home? Do you have emergency supplies on hand that you or family members can quickly grab? This link http://www.weather.com/ready/severeweatherprep.html from The Weather Channel will give you tips on what to do if a disaster strikes. There are links to emergency plans, supply kits, tornadoes, and much more. Don’t wait until something happens before you take action. Take action NOW!
Tags: Emergency Planning, Severe Weather
Posted in Emergency Planning | No Comments »
January 7th, 2010
Have you ever been frustrated by the fact that every time you had to get something (pot, pan, or storage container, etc.) out of a kitchen cabinet that you had to move things around or take them out just to get to the item you wanted? Well I was frustrated for the past 1-1/2 years because of this. It’s also a killer on the knees. I didn’t want to spend a fortune on my kitchen but knew that I had to do something. I discovered a product called My Rollouts by Shelf Improvement. The great thing about these rollout shelves is that they are installed on top of the existing cabinet shelves and they are easily installed with four screws. I had them installed about 6 months ago and they have made my life so much easier. No more frustration. The shelves pull out and I can get what I need without killing my knees. See what these shelves look like at www.myrollouts.com. I absolutely LOVE them.
Posted in Kitchen | 3 Comments »
December 29th, 2009
Christmas has come and gone once again and 2010 is only 3 days away. How many times has your new year’s resolution been I’ve got to get organized or I’ve got to lose weight, etc., etc., etc.? Yes, we’ve all made these resolutions that never materialize. The question is why do they not materialize. My thought is that we do not really commit to our resolutions. We say “Oh, I’ll start tomorrow” and tomorrow never happens and then we find ourselves back in the same situation, as frustrated as ever. But we have no one to blame but ourselves.
One of the biggest misconceptions that I encounter as an organizer is that people think that everything has to be done at the same time. So, if you have made quite a few resolutions focus on one of them at a time and give yourself a realistic deadline to accomplish it (say by April, or in 2-3 months). My resolution for 2010 is to try my very best to commit to the things that I want to accomplish. Keep in mind that life gets in the way sometimes but try to get back on track ASAP. I wish everyone a happy, prosperous and organized 2010.
Posted in Holidays | 1 Comment »
November 29th, 2009
Gift giving is not only expensive but also can contribute to an already cluttered space. Kids receive too many toys, most of which they’ll probably never play with. Dad may receive that tie he’ll never wear or mom may receive another kitchen gadget she’ll never use. Why not rethink this gift giving thing. Save the money you were going to spend on gifts and put it towards the family skiing trip or cruise you’ve always wanted to take.
Some suggestions for gifts that will not add to the clutter or take up valuable space are:
- Movie passes
- Amusement park tickets
- Cleaning service
- Savings bond towards a college fund
- Gift card to a favorite store
- Floral or fruit arrangement
- Donation to a charity
- Restaurant gift certificate
- Health club membership
- Concert tickets
Instead of Christmas being a time when we receive a lot of presents, let’s get back to its true meaning, which is about appreciating what we have and helping others. As a family, donate some of your time to volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen, or other organization that’s in desperate need of volunteers. Ask your kids to donate some of their gently used unwanted toys to a local charity or organization so that a less fortunate child can enjoy them.
We have so much to be grateful for in this great country of ours. Blessings, Happy Holidays, & Happy Organizing.
Copyright (c) Lita M. Daniel, Regain Your Space, www.regainyourspace.com
Posted in Holidays | 7 Comments »
November 19th, 2009
The holidays are fast approaching. The wonderful aroma of pies, cakes, turkey, ham and other dishes start to fill the air of your home. School plays, family gatherings, and holiday parties are non stop. You have family and friends visiting for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. The stores are filled with holiday decorations, shoppers are frantically running around looking for the perfect gift, and yes, the stress starts to build. You realize that there’s clutter everywhere and you can’t find anything; there’s no place for your guests to sleep; the holiday decorations you want to put up are as disorganized as ever. Why not reduce the stress and get a head start on preparing for the holidays?
Finding precious time to clean, declutter or organize is almost impossible between work, family, shopping and other commitments, but maybe it’s time to reassess your constant long list of “TO DOs”. Focus on what you want to accomplish during the holidays.
Holiday Decorations
Now is the time to donate or toss any unwanted holiday decorations. Donation organizations usually have an area devoted to holiday decorations and would love to take them off your hands. As you go through your decorations, sort them by putting like items together and then decide which ones you want to keep or donate/toss. Then based on the ones you decide to keep, designate containers for them. Clear plastic containers work best but if you already have other containers use them first before purchasing new ones (you do have to watch the budget). The important thing to remember is to label the containers (lights, ornaments, wreaths, pumpkins, table decorations, etc.). When it comes time to take down your decorations and put them away, you’ll already have labeled containers to put them into.
Helpful Hints
- Schedule your cleaning over a period of 3-4 weekends instead of waiting until the last minute to do everything. Focus on one room or area at a time. Pickup clutter and give the space a good cleaning. If you don’t have time to clean, hire a cleaning service to do it for you if your budget allows.
- Pickup stray clutter every night. Put items where they belong. Get the whole family involved. It’s never too early to start teaching kids to be responsible and to pick up after themselves. It’s easier to keep up than it is to catch up.
- Set a realistic budget and stick to it. Save money by drawing names in large families to reduce the number of gifts you have to buy.
- Shop early, especially for those gifts that have to be mailed, to avoid paying overnight shipping charges.
- Wrap gifts as you bring them home.
Copyright (c) 2009 Lita M. Daniel, Regain Your Space, www.regainyourspace.com
Posted in Holidays | 5 Comments »
