Archive for February, 2008
3 Ways to Save Time
Posted by: | CommentsIs life running you ragged? Do you constantly feel like you never have enough time to get everything done you need to do? This article gives you three super-simple ways to save a little time throughout your day. Here they are…
PLAN YOUR WEEKLY MENU AHEAD – Many families have two working parents, or a single working parent. This leaves for very little time to cook meals every day, so many opt for unhealthy fast food, simply because it’s easy and fast. Change things up by planning your dinner menu a week in advance. Not only will you have a full menu planned, but your family can help out with the cooking and you can create your grocery list from your menu as well.
TURN OFF THE TUBE – Television can be a huge time waster without you even realizing it. Let’s say you get home around 6 in the evening from work, cook dinner, and clean the kitchen. By 7, the kids may be studying or finishing up homework and getting ready for bed. You’re worn out from a long day at work, so you crash on the couch to watch some T.V. At 10 you get up and head to bed. You’ve just wasted three hours of time on T.V. that could have been spent paying bills, folding clothes, or any other household chore. Double up your duties or turn off the tube.
SHOP EARLY – One of the best reasons to shop before 7 a.m. is because there are very few people in the store. Most super centers are open 24 hours so you can head out for groceries around 5:30 or 6 a.m. If you bring a list, you’ll get in and out really quick because there won’t be any long lines to wait in.
It is possible to save time. You simply have to look in the most obvious places to figure out how to do it.
Goals at Work
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are a planner and goal setter, do you have a measuring stick to check your progress? How do you know your goals are working for you? Can you spot noticeable change brought about by your goals? When you set goals, you want to be sure you are able to see positive changes. Here are some tips to make sure your goals are working for you.
You Have Reached Measurable Accomplishments.
One of the surest ways to tell if your goals are working for you is to take a look at what you have accomplished over a set period of time. In comparison to your goals, what concrete accomplishments have you experienced in the last three months? If you can’t come up with a clear answer, you might need to rethink your goals.
You’re Seeing Slow And Steady Progress.
Do your goals lend themselves to slow and steady progress? Can you literally feel yourself growing as you work towards your goals? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then your goals are working great for you.
You Have Specific Tasks To Complete.
Are you working on very specific tasks that will lead you to your ultimate goal? Do you have clear-cut steps to climb to your goal? When you set a goal, you should be able to work out exact, actionable steps that will lead you to your goal. If not, your goal probably won’t work very well for you.
Brainstorm Your Way to Better Health
Posted by: | CommentsUC Medical Center Women’s Health Research Program conducted a research which showed that women are more prone to depression than men. Furthermore, evidence proved that healthy women produce less serotonin than men. What does this mean? For women who already have a low level of serotonin, stress can totally wipe out the remaining, which leads to an onslaught of depression.
Perhaps one of the reasons for women being more susceptible to depression than men is because we are the caregivers. We take care of our families and everyone else and put ourselves on the back burners. It is time to stand up and make a positive change, though. Here are several ways you can brainstorm your way to better health:
1) Write down 5 ways you would like your health to improve.
2) List 4 reasons why you need to work harder on improving your health.
3) Write down every person in your family who has health problems and list what problems they are. Now put a check by the ones that you are experiencing right now.
Continue brainstorming in this fashion. Sometimes it just takes a cold, harsh dose of reality to wake you up.
After you get all these things on paper, now start over and brainstorm all things you can do to become proactive in your life. List all the tiny changes you can start to make. Once you get busy working n the little things, the bigger things will become easier to change, too.
How to Improve Productivity
Posted by: | CommentsAre you feeling wiped out? Does it seem like no matter how hard you try, or how many hours you put into something, it never quite turns out right? If your productivity levels decrease, so does the quality of your work. As such, you must figure out a way to improve your productivity and I’m going to show you how to do that.
First, take a look at how long it takes you to complete something. Do you spend 40 hours per week in your office, only to complete about 20 hours worth of work? If so, you’re in big trouble. You have lost balance in your productivity. One of the big questions you should ask yourself is, “Why doesn’t this excite me?” When you can answer this question, you’ll be able to pinpoint the root of your marginal success.
Second, take some time off. Sometimes the cause for unproductiveness is simply because you are burned out. This almost always happens when you begin working long hours and burn the candle at both ends. Make an appointment at a day spa. Take a two week vacation. Go on a cruise. Do something out of the normal to rejuvenate yourself.
Third, start planning ahead. Lack of good time management skills can cost you a great deal, where productivity is concerned. Keep a day planner or small calendar handy at all times to record upcoming dates, appointments, and project deadlines. You’ll find that your productivity will increase as you become more conscious of planning in advance.
Fourth, be alert to procrastination and wipe it out. Procrastination is quite possibly the number one cause of unproductiveness. If you tend to put things off until the last minute, ask yourself why you do this. Is the project overwhelming? Do you feel incapable of handling it? Are you bored with it? Get the worst things done first and you won’t leave any room for procrastination any longer.
Staying Grateful Despite Problems
Posted by: | CommentsAre you dreading Thanksgiving this year because you aren’t so thankful? Do your problems loom so large over you that you don’t think there’s any possible way to enjoy this thankful holiday season? There is hope!
The trick is staying grateful, despite your problems. Look, it’s no secret. We all have problems that we deal with on a daily basis. Have you ever wondered why it seems like some people can laugh and smile, even though they have problems that weigh on their minds?
Their secret isn’t a secret at all. It’s all in your mindset.
You can choose to be happy, regardless of what problems you face. Or, you can choose to let your problems weigh you down so much that you can’t sleep at night and you walk around with a sour look on your face.
It is a proven fact that people who seem happy simply choose to not allow their problems to get the best of them. Not only that, but they have a positive outlook on life. They believe that no matter what problems arise, they are going to make it through them just fine.
Even though you are facing surmounting problems, stop for a moment and ask yourself what is GOOD in your life right now.
· What is going right for you?
· Is your family healthy?
· Do you have a job?
· Are you steadily working to change your situation?
Choose to remain grateful in the middle of your difficult situation. Find a way to put a smile on your face, no matter what you’re going through.
You can choose to suffer, or choose to be grateful. What do you choose?
Procrastination and Anxiety
Posted by: | CommentsProcrastination and anxiety hold hands. If you’ve ever procrastinated, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you are procrastinating now, then you know what I’m talking about. You can’t have one without the other. Here’s why…
Procrastination, putting things off, always causes anxiety. Why? When you put something off, it’s always hanging over your head. You know that you have something to do but haven’t done it yet.
Leaving things until the very last minute is never a good thing. It stresses anyone out! The pressure of knowing that there is something that must be done will cause anxiety in a heartbeat. Knowing that you could have (and should have) done the task a week (or two!) ago stresses you out because you know you had plenty of time to do it.
Furthermore, procrastination puts you in a time crunch. Putting things off for another day means you will have to double up on your tasks for that day, or put them off for another day. It’s an endless, vicious cycle and when you get wrapped up in it, it’s difficult to get out of it.
If you spend more time procrastinating than getting things done, it’s no wonder why you’ve had anxiety attacks. Do you feel that tightness in your chest? Heavy breathing? Racing heart? Sweaty palms? These are all anxiety symptoms brought on by procrastination.
Stop hurting yourself. Stop procrastinating and your anxiety will surely cease. If you don’t believe me, then try it and see for yourself what will happen.
5 Simple Things You Should Do For Yourself Every Day
Posted by: | CommentsDo you take time to pamper yourself every day? If not, why? You are the most important person in your life. Here are five simple things you should for yourself every single day:
1. Smile. You’ve probably heard it said a million times, but I’ll say it again. It takes less facial muscles to smile than it does to frown.
2. Take a 10-minute break. If you’re like me, then you probably work hard all day long and rarely think about stopping for a break. Taking a short, 10-minute break to recharge your batteries can help tremendously.
3. Read a book. One of the best ways to stimulate your mind is to read a book. Some of my favorite books lately are self-help and inspirational non-fiction books. Books like the Chicken Soup For The Soul series are great because you can grab one, read a section quickly, then put it down and come back for more later.
4. Go for a walk. If you work indoors, you probably don’t get out for fresh air much, do you? Go for a brisk walk on your lunch break, or in the evening when your work is done. Not only is it great to clear your head, but walking usually stimulates fresh ideas as well.
5. Break out of your routine. Are you accustomed to following the same routine or pattern on a daily basis? Why not try something new. Sometimes just doing something out of the ordinary can help make you feel 100% better.
Time Management Tips for College Students
Posted by: | CommentsAs you head to college, the last thing on your mind is time management…right? In order to thrive in college, you must learn and apply time management skills though. It’s your best chance for survival.
With that being said, here are some good time management tips to help you get started:
· Plan ahead – So you know you’re going to college now. But do you know what you’ll be doing in a year from now? Three? Five? Set some benchmarks for yourself and plan ahead.
· Plan for your financial security – Let’s face it. Most college students live off their parents for the entire duration of their college life (unless they get a part-time job on the side). If you are going to make it in the real world, you need to be able to stand on your own two feet. Why not start planning for that independence now?
· Get organized – Do you know where your auto insurance records are? How about last year’s taxes if you worked? The sooner you organize these types of records, the easier it is to keep up with them year-round. This can be a huge time saver in the long run.
· Arrange for study partners – If you find that you spend countless hours studying, perhaps you should consider organizing a study buddy system. Sometimes those long hours of studying can be greatly reduced by getting together with other students. You can share and swap notes and help each other prepare for tests.
· Don’t waste the extra time you have – When you have some free time on your hands, use it wisely. Instead of vegging out in front of the T.V. or spending mindless hours playing video games, use that time to balance your checkbook or file important paperwork.
How to Handle the Holiday Know-It-All
Posted by: | CommentsChristmas is coming. For many that means family get-togethers. But not all family gatherings are fun. Many are stressful because of the holiday know-it-all. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. There aren’t many families without one.
The holiday know-it-all always has an answer for everything. She usually talks over others and interrupts others, rather than waiting her turn to speak. She has an opinion about everything and expresses it quite loudly, whether everyone wants to hear it or not.
If you have suffered through years of miserable family gatherings because of a holiday know-it-all, here are some tips to help you deal with it better this year:
· Ignore him. You’re probably thinking, ‘Easier said than done!’ You can ignore him though. Rather than meeting his statements with a rebuttal, simply smile and say nothing.
· Walk away. Some confrontations by know-it-alls are best dealt with by just walking away from them. Don’t storm off in anger, but walk away with your head held high and leave her wondering.
· Patronize him. If you want to get a really good laugh out of the situation, patronize the know-it-all. Sit beside him every chance you get and ask big questions. Hang onto every word he says. Pretend like he’s the best thing in the world. There’s usually nothing the know-it-all hates more than being patronized. Chances are you’ll run him off without too much effort.
Regardless of how you choose to handle your holiday know-it-all, just remember to never attempt to engage in an all-out war of words. Hold your ground and maintain integrity at all times.
Stress Management Tips for Moms
Posted by: | CommentsMom, are you stressed out to the max? Have you had just about all you can handle for one day? Here are some tried and true stress management tips for you.
· Take a breather. Sometimes you just need to walk away. Put Dad in charge, or another family member, and step away for a few minutes.
· Go outside. While you’re taking that breather, why not go outside for a while. Sit on the front porch or go for a 20-minute walk. Clearing your head will help you stay calm and not react to the situation with anger.
· Call on a friend for help. Look, you’re not Superwoman. You’re just a mom trying to do the best she can. So don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Call a good friend you trust and tell her you need her sitting services for a couple of hours. Leave the kids with her and go do something nice for yourself.
· Give in every now and then. Sometimes the stress you feel is really brought on because you want things done your way. It doesn’t hurt to give in every now and then. If your daughter wants to wear last year’s pajama bottoms with her brand new blouse to the store, what will it hurt? It isn’t a reflection of “bad” parenting skills. It’s you being smart and not letting the little things stress you out.
· Don’t focus on the negative. Look, there are enough bad things happening in the world without you focusing on more negative things. Stop looking for and pointing out all the bad things and start looking for the good things to focus on.
