organize

Three Things to Add for More Rhythm, Less Routine

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routines add calm like the oceanWhenever I mention the word, “routine” people seem to roll their eyes or instantly say, “Routines don’t work for me.” Maybe they are thinking that a routine is too rigid or it is too much to remember at the beginning and so they give up before giving it a good try, which is about 66 days.

A routine does not need to be “perfect”, but having one reduces the strain on the brain, gives a feeling of being in control, and helps you manage yourself and your time more realistically. If you’re a parent, helping your children design their own routines can encourage ownership and builds independence.

Step 1: Bookends

When creating a new routine, it is helpful to have something to remind you to start or end it. That added structure needs a cue of some sort to help you remember. For example, you could set a specific bedtime and wake up time. Add in a visual or auditory cue to help signal that it is getting close to that time. Reminders on your phone if that works for you, but don’t just dismiss it unless you have started your routine that it is marking.

Getting a consistent good night’s sleep does wonders for your energy level, mood and focus. Not to mention all the health benefits. Keep the phones out of the bedroom to sleep deeper. Clear the clutter and the path to the bed and cover or disconnect the random light sources as they interfere with your body’s ability to maintain the melatonin levels needed for deep sleep. Add in a calming activity to help transition into sleep.

Step 2: Prep and Organize

In a previous article, I mentioned that decision fatigue was real and that each decision you make in the morning uses up some of that finite amount. To save some decision energy for later in the day, you need to minimize the number of decisions in the morning. That means prep whatever you can the night before.

We’ve all heard about putting your clothes out the night before and packing your lunch or work bag and leaving it by the door, but creating special “spaces” for these things, helps you better manage the morning. For example, a landing/launch pad for things going out the door, a specific hook for tomorrow’s outfit and/or space for two pairs of shoes near the door instead of all of your shoes, will save you so much time and stress. Add in a hook for the car keys and your bag and you can greatly reduce that stress.

Organizing the kitchen, your closet, your kids’ clothes, a homework space and the entry way to have just the necessities can greatly cut down on the time it takes to get ready and out the door. Checklists or pictures for younger children to start building their routines (with your support) encourages their independence and makes them feel capable. That’s the way to a great day!

Step 3: Making Connections

Taking time to make connections is probably the most important step of all. How often are we rushing through the day trying to either get things done or get the kids to different activities that we don’t slow down long enough to really connect?

Trying to have dinner together as a family, or even breakfast if that time works better can go a long way towards building a strong connection. Checking in shows you care (just don’t mention homework) and provides an opening for your kids to share that might not happen during the course of a rush here and there evening. It’s a great way to check in with your spouse too. Share good parts of their day or the toughest, doesn’t matter as long as you listen and don’t try to solve their problems for them.

Sometimes, a short walk around the neighborhood can help a child open up about something that is bothering them. Taking a walk alone can also help you connect with yourself, if it’s been one of “those” days. Having a family game night or planning a weekend activity builds confidence and reinforces the family as a team.

For those kids with ADHD, the smallest positives can help to outweigh the negatives they may be hearing all day long. Remember to praise their efforts and not their “intelligence” which they have no control over. Guide and support yourself and your kids to develop routines that work and you will be able to calm the chaos and reduce the stress. And that benefits everyone!

The Sunday Reset

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Do you love or hate Monday mornings?

 

Sunday ResetSundays are my new favorite day of the week. Over the last 6 months or so, I have developed my own reset plan for Sundays. It helps me start the week off with clear goals and clean laundry.

 

You can adapt this plan to fit your needs by thinking of what would lessen the hustle and bustle of Monday mornings and then get to it. This is about creating the life that you want – and that “fits” your family. Use the ideas however you like.

 

This may be the shortest blog I have ever written and it is definitely the first that is a video. So, I hope you will take 3 minutes and check it out. (Yes, it is only 3 minutes long.)

If you click on this link, it should bring you to my Youtube channel where you will see a PowerPoint of 7 slides that runs automatically. https://youtu.be/5gh7Swi8Cq8

That’s a Wrap On Another Year

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Wrap up the yearAs my friend and fellow Productivity Coach, Colleen, said recently, “and just like that it is December!” Yes, December is here, marking the end (almost) of another year. As we close the door and wrap up another year, do you think it was a good year? I hope so. If you’re like me, you might need some help remembering what you did do in early 2024 and not just what you didn’t do. Our brains naturally hang onto the negative more than the positive so before we judge how the year went, let’s take a step back.

Time to Look Back

        • Grab your planner, calendar, phone or sticky notes from 2024 and let’s go back to January.
        • Look for the positives, big or small, you should celebrate them all
        • Any milestones for you, your family or friends?
        • How about vacations, weekends away, social events?
        • What were the challenges, or obstacles you faced and what helped you through them?
        • How did the holidays and special occasions go?
        • Now think about the different areas of your life (health, family, work, etc.) whatever they are for you. Rate them on a scale of 1-10. You can use the pie chart below. Consider the point/center of the pie to be zero and move up the slice with the edge = 10. You can change the categories to fit your life. Any areas you might want to improve on? Write those down.

          Life with ADHD
          Which slice of pie needs work?

Once you have refreshed your memory on the past year, it is time to think about next year. What are the categories with the lowest scores? Any areas where you would like to improve? Pretend it is December 31, 2025 and you are again reviewing your year. It was the best year of your life! What have you learned? How have you grown? Now, figure out what has to happen to make that a reality.

Get Ready for 2025

        • Decide – will it be a paper planner or digital calendar?
        • Add in the dates you already know. School vacations, ½ days, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries.
        • Special events – weddings and other celebrations with the details
        • Vacations and reservation numbers, flights, etc. (Reminders to bring your passport and phone charger – you get the idea).

Don’t just add in the dates but be sure to leave yourself notes about what you’ll need. Will you need a gift? What will you wear? How will you get there? Thinking about those details in advance can save you lots of time and energy.

How about the holidays too? What would you like to tell future you about this holiday? Did you maybe wait a bit too long to start that tree skirt that is long overdue? (Yup, I did, but there is no time for a do-over so I’ll keep at it.)

I do like to summarize the holidays in my journal – after they are over. It’s a good reminder to read the last two or three years before the holiday, to refresh my memory. Each year gets easier and this year, I am keeping track of things in Notion. (It’s an app that works like a second brain). That way I can see what I can do to improve next year and even keep track of gift ideas, recipes, and clothing sizes throughout the year.

Whew! That may seem like a lot to think about but, when you are more prepared for whatever life throws at you – you’ll be glad you took the time to prepare for your best year ever!

Keep Calm and Celebrate: 5 Stress Busting Strategies to Use Now

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Stress BusterIt’s official, we are in the holiday season. With Thanksgiving falling at the very end of November, it seems everyone is getting into the holiday spirit a lot earlier this year. How about you? Do you feel your stress level increasing at this time of the year as you try to juggle multiple responsibilities? Here is some help to ease the stress.

Here are my 5 Stress Busters:

              1. Declutter – not your typical way
              2. Prioritize health
              3. Create a realistic plan
              4. Stress free zone
              5. Reduce and unplug

Stress Buster #1:Declutter Important Spaces

If you are entertaining (or would like to) this holiday season but feel a bit overwhelmed by the clutter around you, then I am sorry to tell you that now is NOT the time to declutter or organize. Sorry to tell you that, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make things easier on yourself quickly and painlessly so that you CAN do the hosting you want.

There are three areas of your home that you probably use for guests. The living room/family room/great room where the entertaining happens, the kitchen where you do all the preparing and the bathroom, are the three key areas to declutter.

Step 1: Get a trash bag and a recycle bin and go as quickly as possible around those three rooms in a clockwise manner and toss, or recycle whatever you can. (Estimate:<30 mins)

Step 2: Find as many bins and boxes as you can and head to the bathroom with one or two. Put away anything that belongs there and load what doesn’t belong or doesn’t have a place, into your bins or boxes. Is the counter clear? How about the floor? Wet towels go in the laundry bin not the decluttering bins😊 (Estimate: <15 minutes)

Continue this process in the entertaining room. Start to the left of the doorway and work your way around the room in a clockwise manner loading whatever doesn’t belong or does not have a “home” into the bins. You could also make bins for each family member to take care of their own things rather than storing them. We all know our family and friends are probably not judging us, but when our homes are overwhelming us, it is harder to focus on others through our own embarrassment. When you feel good about your space, and it works, you can relax and enjoy. (Estimate: <60 minutes)

Lastly, it’s time to tackle the kitchen. This is probably the most difficult space to clear out but also the one with the biggest impact. Imagine working in your kitchen with clear counters and finding the tools you need quickly and effortlessly. What would that feel like (first name?) Now remove anything that you won’t need for entertaining into a bin. Start from the sink and move clockwise, touching things only once to put into a bin or return to its home. For kitchen items you might want to categorize what goes into each bin, just in case you need something in a hurry. (Ex. Extra pans, knick knacks, appliances like instant pot or extra storage containers, etc.) (Estimate: <90 minutes)

Step 3: Remove all the bins to some other space where your guests won’t see them but where you can access them if necessary. Take a look around, how does that feel?

Step 4: Now it should be easier to quickly clean these spaces. (For your family’s health, please use products that are environmentally friendly and people friendly. Chemicals and fragrances can be harmful to your health.)

Stress Buster #2:Take Care of Yourself

Holidays are no fun, if you get sick. Yet, that’s when we tend to squeeze more things into an already overpacked schedule. Eating and sleeping tend to get less attention the busier we are, but have the greatest impact on our energy and health. With some advance planning you can have quick and healthy options ready. Make a list of your favorites and the time it takes to get them ready. Looking at a list to pick from is so much easier than trying to think of what you can make when it is already late and you’re starving. Better yet, make a meal plan for the week.

Stick to a bedtime, seven days a week. What time will that be? That is up to you, but it needs to be consistent or your body will call you on it. Getting some sunlight in the morning or afternoon can help reset your circadian rhythms making it easier to fall asleep. Reading for as little as 7 minutes is also supposed to help. Some people find listening to audible books or the calm app is helpful. Making sure to avoid screens (TV included) for 60-90 minutes before bed helps melatonin do its job. Aim for at least 7-8 hours so you can wake up refreshed.

Stress Buster #3: Your Plan

Create a REALISTIC plan. I know your cape comes out at this time of year and you become a superhero but, as your coach, I have to ask you, “what is it costing you?” When you are running on adrenaline and cortisol, it takes a toll on your reserves. You know those things that when they run out, you end up exhausted, cranky and sometimes sick.

A realistic plan starts with knowing what you “have to” and “want to” do in the next few weeks. Maybe brain dump (cranial cleanse all those thoughts) out onto paper. Get the family’s input and put rough estimates on the time each task takes next to them. Add them up. Humanly possible? Probably not. What can go? What’s really important and where can you schedule it in? Make sure your calendar is already up to date with school scheduled events, family parties and appointments. Now try to fit in 3-5 similar tasks a day, several days this week. Keep weekends open for fun and Sunday prep for the week time if possible. Any events in the future you need tickets or reservations for, book them now. Sometimes the future seems so far off and then suddenly….it’s here.

Stress Buster #4: Stress Free Chill Zone

Create a stress-free zone. Any area where you can go to relax and/or spend some time doing something you love without thinking about all the other stuff you still have to do. You need some downtime to recharge and clear out the brain RAM so you are ready for whatever comes next. Try to take a 30-60-minute break for yourself each day, (I know it seems impossible) but the benefits are incredible! Unplug, be creative or just take a catnap – whatever helps to recharge your batteries give it a try and see what happens.

Stress Buster #5:Limit the Negative

This is probably the toughest, yet, most effective stress buster if you want to relax and unwind at home – reduce your exposure to social media and the news. It is hard to escape the constant attention grabbing, sensationalism, that the news has become. From verywellmind.com…

“…constant exposure to negative information can impact our brain,” says Annie Miller, MSW, LCSW-C, LICSW. Consuming the news can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which causes your body to release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.” Even if the news is just background noise it was shown to have a negative impact.

Reduce your exposure and you will reduce anxiety, worry and fear that often comes with the news. The article goes on to suggest doing something to “energize and enrich” your life rather than watching what makes you feel worse. Maybe head to your stress-free zone or have a family game night, do a puzzle, watch Hallmark, hang some decorations – whatever you see as positive. I hope it will also help you sleep better. Your brain continues to process whatever you have done or seen in the last 30 minutes once you are in bed. No wonder we can’t sleep!

This is the time to protect yourself and your family from the stress of the outside world. Your home is your sanctuary and it should be filled with love and calmness that nurtures and recharges you and your family.

ADHD Hacks: Empower Yourself with Strategies, Not Labels

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Aware and EmpowerOctober is ADHD Awareness/Empowerment Month. Each year the media, and the three national ADHD organizations, provide information on the latest scientific research to publicize and educate. The myths and misinformation continue to interfere with individuals seeking or getting help but, these three organizations are trying to help CHADD.org, ADDA and ACO.

Does it matter if you have been “officially” diagnosed? I don’t think so, unless you feel medication may help. Always talk to your doctor, of course, but medication doesn’t teach strategies and structure. Those are things you can try on your own. You can “experiment” with different ideas and then evaluate their success or failure. Pretend you are a scientist, and just collect the data – what worked and what didn’t and then build from there. No guilt, just learning.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a neurobiological condition – meaning it is the result of lower levels of neurotransmitter chemicals that are important in the brain, which results in lower levels of stimulus in the brain. Non-technical definition: it is a chemical imbalance and not a personality/behavior or motivation problem. Just like near sightedness or hearing loss, it cannot be “fixed” at this point in time, but it can be helped.

Many people with ADHD are often very intelligent, but they may have difficulty showing it at times. That’s often a combination of the lower level of brain chemicals and difficulty with their executive function skills. Dr. Thomas Brown believes there are “6 clusters of executive function skills: activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory and action.” These executive function skills work together to help us get things done. (FYI they are not fully developed until around age 25 and yet we use them every day.) Inside these “clusters” are things like organization, planning/prioritization, working memory, self-regulation, focus and time management. Ever struggle with any of these?

Start Here

One of the most important, yet often most difficult things to do, is to consistently get a good night’s sleep. You know you feel better when you are well rested and are often more capable of handling frustration, stress and overwhelm without the added guilt of cookies, ice cream and/or junk food.

Meditation, relaxation exercises, and taking breaks can help manage those impulsive emotions before they break through. Remember, ADHD is a chemical imbalance, it is not “who you are”. Be gentle with yourself and keep those ANTS away. (ANTS=Automatic Negative Thoughts)

What do you need to do to create a nighttime routine that will help you get a good night’s sleep (most nights)? We’re not looking for perfection, just a routine that can become a habit. Include some screen free time, cozy pajamas and whatever else helps your body get ready for sleep. Reading in bed has been shown to be helpful for getting to sleep depending on what you are reading, of course. Give it a try, just don’t give up.

Organize for Ease of Operation

Are you a problem solver or a tolerator? (If that’s even a word). Think about the morning, when you are trying to get ready for your day, or get kids off to school. Is it calm and stress free or hectic and frustrating?

What is getting in the way and preventing you from a smooth start? (Hint: systems, routines and habits, oh my)

Are there:

    • Dishes in the sink from the night or days before?
    • Cluttered counters so there is no place to make breakfast or lunches?
    • Full dishwasher?
    • Crowded closet, yet nothing to wear?
    • Missing keys, pocketbook or left shoe?
    • Kids that need 98% of your attention to get ready?

Whatever it is, you can figure it out. You’re a problem solver and you can put systems and routines in place and get the family involved. Or you can continue to tolerate it and pretend the stress isn’t affecting you and impacting your relationships and your health. (But it probably is.)

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Declutter – things are just things. But they suck up time and energy both physical and mental every time you have to move them or work around them. They add frustration to your day when they are hiding your keys from view. If they don’t bring value or sentiment to your home then, they are just stealing precious moments of your life.

Clutter impacts your family whether you realize it or not. Visual clutter can easily overwhelm a brain with ADHD, increasing everyone’s stress level. Or maybe clutter is interfering with your motivation to prepare family dinners so you opt for quick microwaveable and possibly less healthy options.

Good nutrition is important for all brains throughout the day. According to Children’s Health, “good nutrition not only helps bodies grow strong – it can also help kids focus and even improve their behavior.…. While the right foods are important, it is just as important to help your child eat at consistent mealtimes throughout the day and to avoid hunger.” Craven, the author, goes on to say “That children need three meals every day and one to three snacks as well so, they should be eating about every three hours.”

Decluttering can save you time, money, energy and brain bandwidth. Clutter, most importantly, takes time away from the things that really matter. What can you do today to reduce the clutter in your home and life? Start today, even 10 minutes done consistently can make a huge impact.

Battery Recharge

Having ADHD can make it difficult to remember tasks at the right time and place, and it often distorts our sense of time—speeding it up unexpectedly, which can leave us feeling rushed or running late. When time is short, self-care is often the first thing to go. If your “batteries” are running low, the first thing to do, is to stop pushing yourself. Take a few minutes to do something that will help you recharge.

When you take care of yourself first, you are better able to take care of others. If you have kids that have ADHD, then these are three very important words to remember: consistency, predictability and simplicity. Dr. Jacque mentioned them as foundational for reducing anxiety and helping kids with ADHD thrive with fewer disruptive behaviors.

Managing the things you can, can help lower your stress level and give your ADHD superpowers a chance to shine. You’ve got this!

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Summer Balance – What Does That Mean For You?

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juggler mom trying to balanceWe’ve all heard the term “work/life balance” and its implied connotation that it is possible to achieve a 50/50 balance between work and our other responsibilities to ourselves and our families. I believe that we each have to find our own sense of “balance” and the summer is the perfect time to change things up. What do you think?

Time Management

Time is the one resource that we cannot make more of so, we need to find ways to be more efficient. I am not talking about multi-tasking! When we truly multi-task we are actually flipping from one thing to another and it is about as effective as losing 20 IQ points.

However, here are a few things to think about:

  • Do you start each day with a prioritized plan?
  • Do you create time blocks to do similar tasks together?
  • Are you clear about your work and personal boundaries?
  • Can you take advantage of flexible hours, such as earlier or later start times or working longer to have a ½ or full day off, or working from home?
  • Do you have morning and evening routines that work for you with very little thought?

Recharging Your Batteries

When we make more time available, it is important that we know what we want to do with it. It can be as simple as taking time for a walk after dinner, or reading a book under a tree or more of a project like planning and taking a family vacation. Recharging activities just seem to be easier in the summer. Of course, this year we have had some extreme heat, so remember to stay hydrated and don’t overdo.

Think about:

  • Planning a weekend away or a vacation (and taking it)
  • Adding some exercise into your day by getting outside
  • Take advantage of farmer’s markets and fresh produce for healthy eating
  • Disconnect from technology now and then (Tech free Tuesdays, maybe?)
  • Spend more time with family and friends – picnics, bbqs, and get togethers
  • Take up a new hobby, or make time for an old one
  • Read
  • Garden
  • Start a meditation practice
  • Go to the beach

Whatever it is that helps you feel like you have taken advantage of the summer weather and feel more rested and energized, that’s what you need to do more of.

Thinking Ahead

Summer is also the time to check in on your goals, hopes and dreams for 2024 since we are halfway through the year. How are you doing (first name)? Is it time to revise or update those goals? What’s working in your life and what is not? We’ve been talking about balance, so what is it that would make your life feel more balanced? Don’t limit your thinking to just the summer because the transition to fall comes with the start of school and the winter holidays are not far behind. Sorry, don’t want to stress you out, but want to help you think more into the future. Picture your life as you would like it to be and then think about the steps that can get you there. What is one step you can do this week that will move you towards that “future you?”

Do you….

  • Need to adjust or make new goals for the second half of the year?
  • Want to take an online course or workshop to develop a skill?
  • Want to be more organized? What is the first step you can take?
  • Enjoy coming home? Is your home a sanctuary where you feel relaxed?
  • Take time for yourself each day?
  • Say “no?”
  • Get outside every day?

Just 15 minutes outdoors can have a relaxing effect on your stress level and blood pressure and recharges your brain with dopamine and endorphins. So, you’ll have more energy and be happier. What is your biggest take away from this newsletter? Let me know on my FB page.

Hack Your Workspace – Up Your Game

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neat workspaceDoes your workspace help you focus and get things done or does it just add more challenge to your task? Since we can’t add more time to our day, we have to find ways to be more effective and/or productive with the time we do have. Wouldn’t you agree? We can start with making sure our workspace (whether it is a counter, desk or small table) works for us and our needs.

Impact of Clutter

Did you know that clutter on your desk can affect your stress level? If your desk is covered in papers and other clutter, it makes it difficult to stay focused on the task at hand, because your attention will keep shifting to the visual clutter. That shift can then interfere with your working memory – you forget what you were doing or that brilliant idea you had, because you were distracted and your working memory lost its focus. Or worse, that pile of unknowns makes you think you have forgotten something important but you can’t stop and look now because you are already feeling behind. That would definitely increase my stress level.

Hack Your Space

  • Clear the clutter – anything you don’t need to do the job
  • Contain the papers in a basket or bin and move them out of your line of sight (don’t hide them especially if you are a piler)
  • Make sure you have good lighting without casting shadows on your work
  • Does the chair fit you and is it comfortable? (Feet reach the floor?)
  • Is there an analog clock in sight or maybe you prefer a time timer?
  • Add something that makes you smile – a picture, photo, plant or your favorite fidget

Brain Hacks

  • Pick one task – think of it as having a beginning, middle and ending. If you typically stop working before the task is completed or you leave all the supporting documents out after it is completed then you are not working until the end. The end means nothing is left to do or take care of for that task or project.
  • Start a master task list by categories. This is where you keep track of the things you don’t want to forget to do, but it is not your to-do list! (I’ll get to that in a minute) Categories such as work, at home, at computer, away from home, etc.
  • Create a close out the day routine. Each day before you leave your workspace, wrap up what you are doing and if you need to continue it tomorrow, make a note of the next step. Take a look at your master list and decide the top 3 priorities for tomorrow, keeping in mind the beginning, middle and end of each task. Put away what you can and set yourself up for a fast start in the morning.
  • Check your calendar and your master list – your to-do list should have 3-5 tasks that you want to complete for the next day. Sure, you can do more, but only if you get those things you think are important done first. It’s called a REASONABLE LIST.
  • A weekly reset is an opportunity to clear the clutter, file or recycle those papers, sharpen your pencils, put paper in the printer and blow the dust off your keyboard. Maybe even reboot your computer if it has been a while. Whatever it takes to prevent you from taking last week’s problems into next week. You want to start the week off knowing your priorities, your appointments, your kid’s schedules and having your week planned out and your desk cleaned up and ready for action.

These strategies can help your children handle their homework more effectively too. Make sure their study space works for them and is not distracting them. For middle schoolers that are using their computers more, you may want to find a way to add another screen for them to avoid having to switch back and forth – saves on working memory and time. Help them use their agendas to keep their extra-curricular activity schedules, appointments and special events as well as, their homework in there each week. That way they can better plan when to study for those upcoming tests and there will be fewer surprises.

The biggest changes may come from just knowing what to do first when you sit down at your workspace. It doesn’t matter if you are going to work, working from home or just working on home “work”, using your time wisely, reducing distractions and having a plan, will save you time, improve your focus, save working memory space, improve decision making and reduce your stress according to Jim Kwik. Even if you try just one hack, I think you will be surprised at its benefits.

 

Time Management vs. Choice Management

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time or choice

Time management, what does that mean to you? For me, it is my ability to manage the available time I have to get what needs to be done, done. Notice, I said it is MY ability to manage – myself really and manage my choices. We really can’t “manage” time as we have no control over it. It keeps going on its own whether we want it to or not. However, the choices we make of how to use our time can have a huge impact on our productivity, as well as, on how we feel about ourselves and our lives. So, what is choice management?

Choice management is taking time to look at all the options/tasks/choices you have and actually choosing your priorities given the time you have. There are lots of things that “should” be done, but are they really the important stuff or just the easy stuff? Estimate how long you think things will take before you decide if it’s a realistic task to take on.

Choose the top three priorities to begin with and set clear boundaries around the time you will work on them. Don’t wait for the deadlines to get closer as although deadlines help provide a sense of urgency, they often bring extra stress if you miscalculate the time needed to complete it.

Five Ways to Save Time

  • Use the Pomodoro method
  • Time blocking
  • Task batching
  • Create systems and routines to “keep up”
  • Organize and declutter the extras out of your life

It comes down to having to make choices because the reality is you probably can’t do it all. So rather than getting stressed, why not choose wisely and ask yourself…”is this important enough for me to use “x” hours of my day to do? Then figure out which method above, works best for you. Watch out for things that can eat up your time, like distractions, multitasking and not having a plan.

The Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro method breaks your work time into four, 25-minute blocks of time with a 5-minute break in between each block. The short time frame tricks the brain into thinking the task is more urgent since the clock is ticking. It helps to know that you only have to work on that one “challenging or boring” task for 25 minutes and then you can take a break.

The one thing I have found to help increase it’s effectiveness is to have other people know what I am working on in that block. This body doubling technique also adds accountability to the tasks and helps to keep me on track. If you’d like to give it a try, feel free to join us for Work It Wednesday from 10am-12pm ET via zoom. (Email me for link). At the end, you are encouraged to celebrate your accomplishments and appreciate your productivity (and take a longer break).

Create Systems and Routines

We all want to work “smarter” because that makes things easier on us. Creating systems and routines is a great way to do that. Time blocking and task batching are examples of systems you can use, if they work for you. However, time management is not just about work tasks; you probably also have “home” tasks some of which occur daily.

Setting up systems and/or routines for those things can save you time and stress. For example, if there is no routine of cleaning up the kitchen after dinner (or at least before going to bed) then the morning becomes more of a hassle as you dodge last night’s dirty dishes and cluttered counters trying to get everyone out the door on time. Not to mention the extra time it takes to get dried food off.

Routines work well for weekly tasks too. Pick a day for specific things, like meal planning, grocery shopping, and laundry. Why wait until you have no clothes and there are 6 loads to do when you can keep up by doing laundry once or twice during the week. Much easier to put clothes away if it is manageable.

Organize and Declutter

Lastly, but most importantly, take the time to organize and declutter. Out of all the things you can do, this may save you the most time and frustration. We’ve all wasted time searching for things, things that either didn’t get put back in their “home” or they didn’t have a home to begin with. Your home should work for you not against you.

Create organization so that you know where the things you use daily and weekly belong. Don’t organize so you can stack more stuff into a space. Let the space determine how much can go in there and reduce your inventory. The bigger the load of laundry the longer it takes to get it to its final destination. If your clothes don’t fit in the closet or dresser once they are all clean, then (I’ll be direct) maybe you have too many clothes. Think of how much time you are using/forfeiting to laundry.

Things you use often, should be easy to get to. Why should the big lobster pot take up an entire cabinet when you only use it once or twice a year? It shouldn’t. Make life simpler by clearing counters of appliances and knick knacks you don’t use weekly. You might think it only takes a minute to move things out of the way so you can work, but those minutes add up. You are choosing to use them clearing space when you could be using them for yourself and your family.

Think about the choices you make each day. Yes, it would be wonderful to be able to do all the things we want and need to do but, there are so many options and opportunities that it is impossible to do it all. So, “choose wisely, grasshopper” as a famous TV Kung Fu master once said. Or maybe you’re inspired by Yoda’s line, “do or do not. There is no try.”  Whatever “method” you use for saving time is just one piece of the puzzle, it is the choices you make all day, every day that provides the frame work. Choose what matters to you.

Routines, Rituals and Dopamine, Oh Yeah!

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Rituals and routines are good habitsDo you struggle to think, problem solve or make decisions during the day? If you end up feeling overwhelmed it may be because there are just too many things swirling around in your brain. The term, “brain bandwidth” which simply means, the amount of brain resources you have in the moment, can fluctuate depending on what is going on in your life.

Think about all that your brain is responsible for behind the scenes and then it is asked to think, problem solve, and make decisions all day long too? No wonder it is always trying to “save energy” as Ed Mylett, mentions in his book, The Power of One More. We can’t create more bandwidth, but just like a computer that is slowing down, you can clear out some files to make more space.

How To Save Brain Bandwidth with Rituals

      • Create habits, routines and rituals to help
      • Reduce distractions
      • Make fewer decisions
      • Stop multi-tasking (which is really sequencing and not as effective as one thing at a time)
      • Delegate
      • Reduce your to do list
      • Let go of your phone
      • Get a good night’s sleep
      • Declutter and organize
      • Plan ahead

Let’s talk about habits. A habit (an action that has become automatic) signals your brain to go into “autopilot” mode which uses much less energy. That “automatic pilot” takes away the thought and the argument that happens when the “angel” and “devil” on your shoulders start fighting. When habits result in a positive outcome then your brain is happy. The dopamine that gets released tells your brain – this feels good, let’s do it again.

Habits when strung together become a routine. You already have routines in your life for getting up in the morning, making meals, laundry, going to bed, etc. Where’s the joy in those? No joy? Then maybe you should create a “ritual” rather than a routine.

Greg McKeown, author of, effortless (not a typo) defines a ritual as the “how” of what we do. It “infuses joy into our everyday moments.” Adding moments of joy throughout your day which lightens your day and feels good = more dopamine. He uses Marie Kondo as an example of how little rituals (like thanking that worn out pair of jeans before recycling) can add pleasure to the act of decluttering.

One ritual you may want to think about is a “Close Out the Day” ritual. A routine with added joy, pleasure, or self-care added becomes a ritual. This one ritual is a good habit that will support “future you” and save brain bandwidth also. Creating an end of the day ritual can help you start tomorrow with more focus, motivation and an early “win.”

If you are working in an office, what can you do to set yourself up for success tomorrow before leaving for home and still make it enjoyable? Same question for those of us working from home. Then getting started on your work would be as easy as “plug and play” as my friend, Alison says.

How about a ritual for the home that will create a smoother morning? Aren’t you tired of seeing dirty dishes in the morning? Creating a ritual here is a good habit to build.

We’ve mentioned before about deciding what you will eat, wear and do for tomorrow, to save decision power, but how can you add some pleasure to the process? The more pleasure = more dopamine = more brain bandwidth.

Ways to Add Pleasure to Your Ritual

      • Sitting with your favorite beverage and planning tomorrow’s big 3?
      • Take a walk
      • Spend time with your family
      • Go screen free (don’t panic, even an hour helps)
      • Read or learn something new
      • Journal
      • For some, putting the house to bed is a ritual
      • Add to a “success” list each day
      • Get up earlier so your morning isn’t rushed and enjoy a leisurely breakfast

Sometimes we think that having routines and being “pre-programmed” will be boring and take the joy out of our day. In reality, having routines for the fundamentals of your life, actually frees up brain space, which allows you to be more creative, productive, and less stressed.

A close out the day ritual the night before is a good habit to ensure you start your morning off with more decision-making power and brain bandwidth for the important things. Having routines and rituals actually gives you more freedom and energy for the significant people and priorities in your life. And isn’t that what it is all about?

Related Articles from the Archives:

Is It a Routine or a Struggle? https://thinkinganddoingskillscenter.com/is-it-a-routine-or-a-struggle/

Coffee and Routines? https://thinkinganddoingskillscenter.com/coffee-and-routines/

Got 5 Minutes?

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5 minutes on Time timerTime is our most precious commodity. If we don’t use it, we lose it and it is one thing we can never get back. Sure, we can try to pack more into a day but often that leaves us feeling overworked, exhausted or stressed. Ever feel cheated that you didn’t get to do what you REALLY wanted or needed to do?

Instead of cramming more into our day, look for a few spaces between tasks, errands or transitions. I am sure there are several five-minute blocks somewhere in your day. For today, let’s assume you found 3 blocks of 5 minutes = 15 minutes total. You decide what works for you. Just don’t overdo it trying to get one more thing done and make yourself late.

Now how will you use those 5-minute blocks? You can decide your three big categories, and then list ideas under each. My three categories are listed below with some ideas to help get you started. Use your imagination and make it work for you. I have seen how having a specific time limit can help motivate us for unpleasant tasks every week during Work It Wednesday when we use 3, 25-minute blocks to get things done (contact me for zoom link to join us at 10am ET). Let’s use these blocks to improve our lives.

Self-Care

  • Drink a glass of water
  • Go outside and breathe
  • Stretch my muscles
  • Call or text a friend
  • Meditate (yes, even 5 minutes is beneficial)

Declutter/Organize

  • Put away the winter jackets and boots
  • Clean out and organize a drawer
  • Remove 5+ things no longer needed or wanted
  • Toss/recycle today’s junk mail and catalogs
  • Declutter a shelf or clear a counter of all non-essentials

Family

  • Spend 5 minutes with each child and listen
  • Plan a family activity for the weekend
  • Make a meal plan for the week
  • Go outside (take a walk, shoot hoops, swing, etc.)
  • Do a 5 minute (maybe longer) reset to be ready for tomorrow

Creating routines and habits that keep the family organized impacts the level of stress in your home. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish in five minutes. Feel free to build onto the momentum as we have seen how clutter and disorganization can impact mood, weight, stress and health.

Let me know what you are most proud of doing in your 5 minutes over on my Facebook page. Let’s get a conversation going.