time management

It is the Little Things That Devour Time

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Time running outHave you ever felt like time was getting away from you? Me too!

What I have realized is that it is often the little things, like the appointment I need to make, the bill I need to look into or something else that although it probably won’t take a lot of time, it is enough to disrupt my workflow and focus. Then when I try to get back to what I was doing – it takes extra time. The research actually says that once that focus is broken, it can take about 25 minutes to get back to that same level of focus. That’s 25 minutes that could have been used to complete what I was working on.

As a former professional organizer, I know all about time blocking and task batching for saving time. Both of those strategies involve grouping similar tasks together and setting aside a specific time to get them done. By focusing on one type of task, you are able to maintain better focus. That saves mental energy and because you are not switching from one type of task to another you can finish them faster – no extra time spent refocusing. That also means your brain can focus easier without having to distract you as its way of reminding you of the other things you have to do. That means less stress.

What about the tasks that don’t fit into one category? The appointment you need to make, the membership you need to cancel (Audible for me) or the phone call you have been putting off? How do you get those various nagging tasks done? Solution: Add an Admin Block. A set time and place for focusing on those tasks only and completing as many as you can.

Who?

    • Self
    • Significant other
    • Family members (ex. teens that have college paperwork to get done)
    • Friends

When?

    • Weekend morning
    • Early afternoon
    • Evening

What to do?

    • Start a list of those nagging tasks and include the details you will need like the email or phone number
    • Create a folder (physical or digital) to hold key information
    • Set an appointment with yourself or group for when and how long

When the time comes, grab a beverage and a snack and get to work completing the tasks. Using the Pomodoro method of working for 25 minutes and taking a 5-minute break can help you stay focused. That little break helps recharge your brain and processes the new information. If you’re working with someone else, then you are benefitting from the body doubling strategy we often talk about and the accountability too.

Here is a blog from my good friend and Productivity Coach, Colleen, about an Admin night at a local Chicago area restaurant. It may give you ideas on how to make your admin block more fun and productive.

Celebrate whatever you accomplish. Those nagging tasks will no longer be taking up space in your brain. That means fewer distracting thoughts and when they do pop up you can park them on your list for the next Admin Block. Less mental clutter, more calm, and improved productivity. It’s a win-win!

Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?   ~Zig Ziglar

 

Image by Lynda Smith-McDaniel

 

Four Steps to Reset Your Week

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Reset your weekIt’s Sunday evening and out of nowhere comes that uneasy feeling of dread. It starts small, but then as you think about your chaotic week ahead it begins to build, filling your brain with to-dos, appointments, problems to solve and unfinished leftovers from last week. All of these “extras” can impact your capacity to handle your most important priorities – those of yourself and your family.

Think of your computer when you have a dozen or more open tabs. How long does it take for you to find the tab you really need? Or have you ever put off changing the hoses on the washing machine? We all know the damage that can occur if that task is neglected too long. So, getting back to homeostasis (your baseline) can prevent other problems from sabotaging your week.

How can we get things back under control? Well, it starts by regaining control of what you can. Ready to learn how?

Enter the magic of a “Reset.” Webster defines “reset” to mean: “to set, adjust, or restore something to a new or initial state.”  It’s really about taking some time to think about what would make your life easier and then putting some things in place (or back in place) to help you glide through the week.

Where are your stress points? Think about the little things that seem to add to the stress of your week. How can you adjust or improve those things? Did you have to search for anything? Forget anything? Were you on time or late? Did you have to make an unscheduled stop at the grocery store for dinner ingredients? Whatever it is that causes you to pivot, see what you can do to prevent it from happening this week.

Our weekly reset process has just 4 steps. Only you can determine what a “reset” looks like for you and your family. It can be as long or as short as necessary and can occur on any day of the week. I like Sundays because my Mondays start with a meeting at 9:30am and I don’t want to be late! I encourage you to find what works for you and your family and make sure your home remains a sanctuary rather than a reflection of the chaos out in the world. Here’s how to start:

Reset Step 1: Review

Take a step back as if you were an outside observer and mentally go through your week. What do you notice? Where are the challenges and what can you do to mitigate them? It’s about the choices you make and when you make them. Think about what will make this week less stressful.

    • What went well last week? Celebrate those wins!
    • What didn’t go well last week?
    • One thing I can change or improve:

Reset Step 2: Record

Our working memory is designed to hold onto information while we need it. Unfortunately, it can only hold about 7 thoughts at a time. If you try to hold onto more, it may “drop or forget” something else. Using a planner, index card, post it or calendar to keep track of date specific things makes it less likely you will forget something. Digital or physical, doesn’t matter as long as you trust where you noted it.

    • What is important for this week (appointments, deadlines or responsibilities)?
    • Add in some self-care time for yourself
    • Do you want to decide about meals for the week?
    • What are your top 3 priorities for this week?

Reset Step 3: Reclaim

Reclaim your physical spaces. It is not about organizing your entire home. It is about looking at the areas that you use most often and determining what would make things run smoother.

    • Reset an area that will make your week run more smoothly (desk, kitchen, laundry)
    • Set a timer for 15 minutes and see what you can get done (get the family involved too)
    • Focus on progress, not perfection
    • Other ideas:
      • Clean up the mail
      • Clean out your pocketbook, backpack or car, or fill up the gas tank
      • Tackle one task that has been bugging you

Reset Step 4: Reboot or Recharge

Lastly, it is important to take care of yourself. As Dr. Phil said, “You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.” Taking time to recharge benefits your health, your sleep, your memory, and resting your brain can increase your focus and enhance your problem solving.

    • What do you need to recharge?
    • Take a walk in nature (just 20 minutes can calm and reset your brain)
    • Take a nap, or just sit
    • Other Ideas:
      • Yoga or stretching
      • Read
      • Music or Dance party
      • Go screen free for the day

The Sunday Reset is the first step in setting yourself up for a successful week. When you start from a manageable place, rather than continuing to pile the new week onto last week’s leftovers you save time, energy and brain bandwidth. And that is good for you and your family.

What will it feel like to have more control over your week?

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!

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.

Use Your ADHD Super Powers and Get More Done!

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ADHD Super PowersJanuary 1st is meant to encourage thoughts of possibilities but it can also be a reminder of the previous year’s disappointments. For 2024, let’s make a deal, there’s enough negativity in the world, let’s focus on the positive this year. Are you in?

It’s time to embrace our neurodiversity and use our strengths to get things done. Every January there are numerous resolution strategies offered to make this your “best year ever”. Strategies such as having a word, theme, or intention for the year are plentiful. Setting SMART goals and breaking them down into small action steps may work for some, but the statistics say differently. Many people give up within two weeks of the new year. Here’s a clip from npr.org for reasons why.

This year though, let’s try to make small improvements using our ADHD Super Powers such as: being creative and thinking outside the box, being a problem solver, having high energy and being able to pivot when necessary. Also, let’s not forget the ability to hyperfocus.

If the goal is to “get the right things done,” then let’s see how the ADHD Super Powers can help.

Super Power: You are creative:

Your ideas are innovative, often more involved than they need to be, but still creative and you often come up with non-traditional solutions that can solve problems. Watch for places where a creative solution could save you time and energy and fix it when you can. For example:

    • If you have been procrastinating on a task, add some creativity to it, gamify it, break it down into teeny, tiny doable steps to easily cross off or work on it with a friend.
    • Make it a game with the family to race around and put things away so you start each day fresh
    • Dislike using a traditional planner, then create your own system by making it work for you and the way you think.

Super Power: You have high energy:

Your energy level is often directly related to your level of motivation and of course the basics like sleep and self-care. If you find yourself with lots of energy to spare:

    • Knocking off several mini tasks will keep the dopamine level up and that makes everything easier.
    • Be sure to have a list to look at filled with those mini tasks so you don’t have to try and think of them in the moment.
    • Keep track of all you do accomplish – it’s much better to focus on what did get done rather than what didn’t.

Super Power: You can pivot quickly and change course or task:

If something more urgent comes up you are able to change gears and quickly dive into it. You are often multi-tasking and that means you are only using 50% of your brain (because you are actually switching from one task to the other and back) but you can assess what is needed and get on it. If you do have to pivot:

    • Be sure to leave yourself a note of where to pick up on the current project, before you jump to the urgent one.
    • You are able to find ways to make things easier and are open to unexpected solutions
    • Life happens – when the unexpected happens, being able to easily pivot can provide other options and solutions minimizing the disruptions.

Super Power: You can Hyperfocus:

Hyperfocus is the ability to sustain attention and focus on the task at hand until it is complete. This often entails either high interest on your part, a looming deadline, or urgency from someone else. It does use up a lot of brain power so be careful how often you use it.

    • You have the ability to deep dive into a project or area of interest so set a timer or reminder notification before beginning so you don’t miss something else.
    • Use hyperfocus to develop the skills needed for a new hobby or a side hustle.
    • The increase in focus can lead to more creative solutions and an increase in attention to details that may not happen with frequent interruptions. Let others around you know that you don’t want to be interrupted.

A change in perspective is needed if you feel that your ADHD is the reason you “can’t” get things done, are always late or forget things. Use your ADHD superpowers to come up with creative strategies and solutions for those challenges and add some fun into each day. What do you want to remember 2024 for? What do you need to do to make that a reality? Use your super powers:-)

Embracing Change – Are You Ready?

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Transitions, a time for changeI have a love/hate relationship with August, how about you? On the one hand it signifies the ending of the summer (hate) and the transition to cooler weather (which I am welcoming after the hot, hazy, and humid, summer we have had in the northeast – love) but also that transition back to “normal”. Normal as in back to school for the kids and back to your more typical routine and schedule if your schedule has been different during the summer. Do you embrace change or try to run from it?

Transitions

These transitions, are a normal part of life, and can elicit both excitement and/or fear and anything in between. Excitement, even though it is for something good, (new home, job, baby) can often bring up fears from the past. The most common fears are the fear of the unknown, the fear of repeating past failures, or self-doubt in your abilities, all of which can increase your stress level.

Through coaching, many of my clients have been able to focus on the things they can control, rather than the fears that they really have no control over. They can begin to embrace change with a more positive outlook, and see it as an opportunity for growth and learning. This increased belief in themselves also builds their resilience and develops their agency.

How to Navigate a Transition

Let’s focus on the things you do have control over. This goes for your children as well. Many of them may experience the same fears as mentioned based on last years’ school experience. Moving to a new school can also bring out the fear of the unknown and some self-doubt about their abilities. These fears, whether realistic or not, should still be accepted rather than dismissed. Together you can explore them more thoroughly to see if they are based in reality or not. Using yourself as an example can help your children see that questioning our abilities is natural, but that by being proactive we can build those skills needed to feel more in control.

Navigating Transitions

    • Set clear goals – what do you want from this change? How can you turn it into a positive rather than focusing on the negative? Now figure out what you need to do, have or be to get that? Break it down into small manageable steps so that you can see the path to get there.
    • Prepare ahead – if this transition involves a change in schedule, start now to practice. Does your bedtime need to change? Start setting an alarm to get up at the time you will need to. (This is also good to get kids in the habit of getting up – on their own).
    • Organize your environment – can you find what you need, when you need it (quickly)? Is your home easy to navigate or do you need to clear the table off before you can eat there? Are you using up energy moving things, or searching for things? Take some time before the transition to help “future you” feel more in control. How about your child’s study space: where is it and is it organized and distraction free?
    • Create routines – routines provide structure to your day and help to take some of the strain off of your brain as they become automatic. We all learned how important structure is during the pandemic when it all went away. Routines save brain bandwidth and decision-making power to be used for more important things in your day. Creating morning, evening and homework routines for the whole family, sets clear expectations and helps your children develop agency and independence.
    • Manage Time/Self – We can’t really “manage” time but we can become more aware of it and how we use it or waste it. Do you often feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it? Take a look and see what is getting in the way. Are you forgetting things because they were not written down or you lost the sticky it was on? Then maybe it is time to create a new system that will work for you. Planners, phones, index cards, notebooks, mind maps, or bullet journals, it doesn’t matter as long as you will use it. We can no longer keep our to do list in our heads (even though it should only have 3-5 tasks on it). One distraction can erase it from our working memory. You need something that works for today, but also something that holds your tasks, thoughts and ideas that are not for today. Ways to manage your tasks can be batching similar tasks together, using a Pomodoro technique approach, delegating or delaying. Lastly, managing your distractions, keeping an eye on an analog clock, and focusing on one priority at a time can help you get more of the important things done.
    • Cultivate Resources – Making sure you have resources for support and help as well as, resources that help you relax and reduce stress. What are the activities that recharge you? How can you use these resources for this new transition? Who can help you when you are feeling overwhelmed, are stuck or don’t understand something? Create a list for these as in the moment, it can be difficult to come up with something that will help.
    • Celebrate – We often focus on the negative, like those things we didn’t get done, rather than taking time to celebrate the wins, no matter how small. Take time and rejoice in your achievements and how you handled the transition and it may just increase your motivation and confidence for what’s next.

These seven steps can help make any transition easier because they help “future you” be less stressed and feel more in control. Help your children with these steps as they get ready for a new start this fall. You can make this your family’s best year yet!

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.

Five Super Strategies to Knockout Stress

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Good strategiesThis September, especially after last year, may be a bit more difficult to manage because we are all out of practice. Sure, some students continued to go to school and maybe you had to continue to go to work. For many, last year was a combination of situations with a few extra pivots thrown in just to keep us on our toes.

Last month we talked about your systems and took a look at them to see what was working and what was not working. If you missed it, you can check it out here. Dealing with a system that doesn’t work adds extra stress and the transition back to the “real” world will be stressful enough. Let’s take a look at 5 simple things you can do to keep those stress levels down as we transition back to reality.

Five Super Strategies

  1. Make time visual – ever notice how time seems to slip away and all of a sudden you are hurrying and wondering how did it get away from me? Keeping analog clocks in certain areas (especially the bathroom) will make you more aware of the passing of time. Make sure your children have a clock in their room as well. It’s never too early to start becoming aware of time.
  2. Routines and habits allow the brain to operate on automatic pilot. Automatic pilot frees up brain energy for more important tasks. Creating a morning and evening routine (and a homework routine, if you have kids) will make your life easier and less stressful. If you plan it right, it can also help you get out the door faster and less stressed.
  3. Keep it simple – the number of steps it takes to do anything should be the least number of steps it takes. If your routine or your habit has very detailed steps then it is probably more work than it is worth. This is often why kids do not put their clothes away in the dresser drawers as it is too many steps – same for the closet. Hooks, shelves and bins work better.
  4. Organization – probably the most important habit to reduce stress and frustration. Making sure everything has a place and that everyone knows where that place is makes it so much easier to find what you are looking for. Ever have to search for the scissors or your car keys?
  5. A weekly reset – will give you a chance to take care of last weeks to dos and challenges and to start fresh for the next week. Simple things like looking at the calendar and seeing what is coming up. Maintaining your systems (maintenance keeps you organized) by putting things back in their places. Preparing for the week ahead helps you stay on track. How would that feel on Monday morning?

If you struggle with any of these super strategies and would like some help – let me know. Coaching can help you design the systems that will work for you.

Three Keys to Being More Productive – From Our Archives

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What does productivity mean to you? Yes, it is about getting things done, but more importantly it is about getting the right things done at the right time.  It is also about making decisions. I am sure you know the feeling of being busy all day long only to wonder at the end of the day what you actually did.  Being busy is not necessarily being productive.  Today’s reality is that we are constantly being bombarded by stimulus (ex. cellphones, internet, social media, news, blog posts, emails, texts, electronic billboards, pop up ads, etc.) we have to be vigilante that all that stimulus doesn’t distract us from the important things. It’s a bit like that dog in the movie UP that yells “squirrel” and runs off after another distraction.

According to two online dictionary definitions, Productivity is “the quality state or fact of being able to generate, create, enhance or bring forth goods and services.” Or it means you “do a lot.” Both of those sound like being a robot; preprogrammed to action without thinking about whether or not what we are doing is important. How do you avoid that?

  1. First step is to set clear boundaries. That word has been overused somewhat but if you think of yourself with a fence around you and only one gate to get in that you control you will get a better idea of what I mean. All this outside stimulus just finds its way to our attention which takes our focus off of the important things or even just the things we want to do. With you in control you get to open the gate and let in only that which is important to you at the time. Or you can be standing in the middle of an open field with no fence and have all that “stuff” assault you from every direction. Which would you prefer?

Ways to set boundaries:

  • Handle or prevent those interruptions that you can control and find a way to limit or cut short those that have you at the mercy of someone else.
  • Turn off your alerts and decide when you will be available.
  • Check email three or four times a day, not constantly
  • Decide if “x” is worth your time, energy or effort before you say yes. Sure, you may want to do it all but at what price?
  • Make/take time for yourself
  1. Taking care of yourself is the next key. I understand you want to do all and be all but you can be of no help if you become ill or feel resentment. Self-care means making the time to exercise, eat healthy, get enough sleep, socialize and do the things that lower your stress level. Being organized makes your life easier too, why do things the hard way when you don’t have to?

Self-Care keys:

  • Create morning and evening routines that serve you that include a specific bedtime and wake up time.
  • Filter out the extraneous stuff. Let go of commitments you are no longer interested in or are of a lower priority.
  • Set aside some time for yourself. (Sometimes that means locking the bathroom door – do whatever it takes).
  • Organize so that you have efficient systems to handle the everyday stuff. Your home needs to serve you, not make your life more difficult. Make sure you can find what you need quickly and return it to that place when you’re done.
  • Choose wisely grasshopper, as you are trading away time that can never be regained.
  1. Planning and Prioritizing will keep the important things on the top of the list. Having a plan will keep you on track. By creating your list the night before you have time to think about how important those tasks are to you. Without a plan your day can go in any direction but often it is not the direction you want it to go in. Priorities should be based on your goals and dreams as you work towards creating the life of those dreams.

Ways to Plan and Prioritize:

  • It’s okay to not be able to do it all – some things should never be done, and some can easily be put off as long as you are the one that decides. Delegate what you can.
  • Prioritize tasks in a way that honors who you are.
  • Schedule in even the tiniest tasks. If you color code your calendar you can see where the majority of your energy and time is going.
  • Estimate how long you think a task will take and then time yourself. Don’t forget to include commuting time, prep time and clean up time.
  • Be realistic in the amount you can accomplish in one day. Start small and build your momentum by getting the higher priorities or the more distasteful (but important) ones done early.

Keeping these keys in mind will help you live the life you dream of. Good luck.

Coffee and Routines

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Routines keep us goingRoutines, we all have them. Some are helpful and some are not. Routines that are based on good habits are sets of things we do every day that have a positive effect. You probably have a morning routine that gets you and your family out the door in the morning, and an evening routine that ends the day. Do they serve you? By that I mean do they make things run smoothly, keeping you relaxed or do they add chaos, disorganization or a sense of hurriedness to your life?

I think the holiday season is one time where the impact of disrupting the routines of the day can show its effect. Behaviors erupt, patience is thin, and chaos reigns. If there is any ADHD in the family, then those routines/habits are even more important. For those with ADHD, a routine may not always be the same from day to day. In fact, for most people/children with ADHD every day is a new day and often a new “routine”. However, it definitely helps if those with ADHD can create a routine of good habits so that they are on automatic pilot rather than having to take the time to figure out what they should do next. It is the thinking “now what do I have to do?” that causes the mind to go blank or to act on whatever is in front of them.

According to pediatricians at www.healthychildren.org, ““Every family needs routines. They help to organize life and keep it from becoming too chaotic. Children do best when routines are regular, predictable, and consistent.” We’ve all seen this. A sudden change of plans can send our day into a tailspin or worse, change our normally happy youngster’s personality into something we don’t recognize (tantrums optional). Routines for kids provide a sense of predictability and that makes them feel safe. It does the same for adults although I would change the feeling of safety to a sense of control.

Routines teach responsibility, organization, and cooperation and positively reduce your stress level, save you time and energy and bring a sense of control to your daily life. It is that simple. Routines are beneficial in the morning, after school or when returning home for the day, dinner time, and bedtime. It’s not just about the “basics” of a routine as there is often room to add something to your routine that you feel has been missing. For example: it is not just about remembering to brush your teeth at night, but also about ending your day on a positive note. Are you watching TV until bed and then tossing and turning or do you read something positive after having set yourself up for a stress free morning?(Clothes out, lunches packed or planned, keys on hook, phone charging, etc.)

Take a look at your routines and those of your family and see if they are beneficial or not. If things are not working, figure out why and try something new. Keep at it until it works. If things are working well, then you might want to consider adding something to an already established routine. Research shows that linking a new behavior to something that is already “routine” makes it easier for it to become a habit. I have added writing in a journal to my morning routine that also includes listing three things I am grateful for. It starts my day with gratitude and a positive attitude. What will you add to your routine?