Tuesday Tip: Get Your To-Do List To-Done

A recent survey conducted by LinkedIn confirmed what many of us already knew. That daily to-do list you make often doesn't get done! And your profession may have something to do with it. Check out this brief article summarizing the findings. Since completing to-do lists seems to be an elusive task, here are a couple of tips to help turn your to-do list into your to-done list!

• Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. For your daily list, instead of writing down everything you have to do from now until the end of time, decide what are the top 3-5 things you must do today. Being realistic in terms of how much you can actually get done in a day will help set you up for success.
• Limit distractions. Distractions including email, phone calls, meetings or impromptu chats with colleagues are likely one of the top barriers to getting that list done. Do what you need to do to limit these or other distractions. Close your door, set times to check email, or schedule meetings with co-workers rather than chatting non-stop.
• Stay focused. While multi-tasking was once considered a required skill for most professionals, focusing on one task at a time when possible actually enhances productivity. Changing from one task to another only wastes time since you're constantly shifting gears.

Test out one or more of these tips to see if you can conquer your to-do list!

Friday Find: The Honest Company

A little while back I learned about The Honest Company, founded by Jessica Alba. Their goal is to provide families with 'honest' family and baby care essentials, ranging from diapers to cleaning products, that are free of harsh chemicals. I like the idea of using safer, greener products, but to be honest (no pun intended), I'm overwhelmed by all the choices out there and tend to hop around to different brands and products with no real direction.

So helping me choose good, safe products is nice, but the kicker for me is that The Honest Company delivers a personalized bundle of products directly to your door every month! This is a great example of automating your to-do's, one of my favorite time management tips. Since household products tend to be used up at different rates, it definitely take some effort to keep track of which items you need when...not to mention remembering to get them when you're at the right store. Having home delivery of family-safe, reasonably priced home and bath supplies sounded good to me...sign me up! So that's what I did. First I received the [almost] free trial (you have to pay for shipping). I liked what I saw, so I stayed on and received the standard family essentials bundle...it arrived just as I was running out of my old laundry detergent! My favorite part is that after your first month when you receive the standard (pre-selected bundle), every month you get to choose any 5 products you need - they have a variety to choose from.

From an organizational standpoint, I think this service is great. As already mentioned, it's a time management winner. It also helps me better manage my home inventory. It took me about 1 minute last night to go to my account and select the products I want in my next delivery. I can guarantee it would've taken more time to do a traditional inventory and shopping for the same products. I also see some value in product consistency. Once you find something you like, being consistent helps eliminate having 7 different partially used bottles of multi-surface cleaner under your sink! Beyond the organizing benefits, it just makes me feel good to know I'm buying family and earth-friendly products. They also donate a portion of their sales to charity - extra bonus!

If convenience and choosing safer, greener products is important to you, you might want to give them a try. I can 'honestly' say I'm a fan :)

The Honest Company Family Essentials

Tuesday Tip: Don't Overload Your Plate!

If you checked out Friday's post, you'll know I talked about re-usable plates to help keep cookout clutter at bay. Well, today I'm happy to report that thanks to my wonderful family, I now have my very own set of Crate & Barrel marimekko melamine plates and even a tray to match for my birthday - yeah! Here they are...

But today I wanted to give a tip that involves a plate of a different kind...our 'plate' of life responsibilities. Most people I know always have over-flowing mental and physical to-do lists...usually it's a combination of life's must do's, should do's and want to do's. While this is ok and even good to some extent (to have ambition and things we want to get done), many times these over-flowing lists are a major source of what I call background stress. For me, it's that nagging feeling of never being 'done' and seeing a million projects everywhere I look. For the most part, the over-flowing lists and background stress are a product of having more on our plates that we can digest. And while it's common sense that we shouldn't overload our plates, it seems to happen all too easily in today's world!

So here's today's tip: If your plate is over-full, don't add anything new until what's already on there is under control! This means if you already feel like you're having trouble keeping up, don't jump into new activities, business ideas, committees, etc. I always have to remind myself that for most things in life, it's not now or never. Things can wait. If you really want to do them, you'll come back to them. This might even include delaying fun things like planning a big family trip if your background stress is keeping you from fully enjoying your want to do's. Does this mean you have to wait until you've got all of life's responsibilities completely under control? No, of course not! That would mean many of us would never get to the fun stuff. But if you're like me and you're bothered by too much 'background stress,' take a breather and hold off on adding more to your plate until you're feeling like you can handle it! Fair enough?

Friday Find: Erin Condren Personlized Life Planner

I'm so excited to tell you about my new Erin Condren personalized life planner! I read about it online about a month back and decided I had to try it. Why, in this age of free online tools to manage just about everything, would I choose to spend my money on a [beautiful] paper planner? Let me explain...

For a couple years I've been strictly using Google Calendar, which works great when I'm able to be online regularly throughout the day and also has the benefit of easily sharing events with my husband. For me though, the online calendar concept has a couple of issues. First, I've never been able to make online task lists work for me when I'm not regularly sitting at a computer (which I'm not anymore). I also still feel this gravitational pull toward paper lists and calendars, especially happy, pretty ones :) There's just something gratifying about putting it down on paper!

So for a couple of years, I've been managing what productivity experts would call a hybrid system of online and paper, carrying around a notebook of some sort to corral lists, related papers, receipts, etc., but still using Google Calendar, which I mainly get to check and update at night. As a part-time working, full-time mom, I rarely get a chance to sit down at a computer during the day. Sure, I check my email on my phone throughout the day, but I'm not a big fan of managing Google Calendar on my phone. So as with many organizational systems, it's clear that my old system is no longer working for my new[ish] life.

Introduce my super-lovely new life planner...it's a compact, durable, all-in-one planner that can house my calendar, to-do lists, notes, papers...all in one lovely place. I think many of you would agree with me that you can't underestimate the power of pretty when it comes to productivity tools. They just make me want to get down to business and get stuff done!

Anyway, enough about me, for those of you who may be struggling with your calendars and to-do lists, here's my advice - it's ok not to go digital if it just doesn't work for you and it's definitely ok to find pretty, productive tools that make you happy! Check out ErinCondren.com for a look at the wonderful, personalized tools they make to help make your life easier. I purchased a discounted April-December 2012 Life Planner, but I believe they have a 2012/2013 version coming out in June. They also just released a great video about using a weekly calendar pad to keep all your family members on the same page! I may just have to give it a try.

Note: I have not received any incentive to write about Erin Condren products...just writing a personal review of my new planner.

Tuesday Tip: Find Your Time

Today's Tuesday Tip comes from a fabulous survey conducted by Real Simple about how women spend their time and what we can do to reclaim some free time for ourselves. Check out the slide show for some eye-opening results. It's like they personally asked me the questions - I couldn't believe how the results fit me to a T. So today's tip is as much for me as it is for you:

Delegate household/family responsibilities and schedule free time for yourself!

I am extremely guilty of not doing either one of these very well, but I am trying to get better and hope many of you will too. Since becoming a mom almost 10 months ago, my life has been amazingly enriched by this new role and my wonderful little girl, but I also often feel like my life has become one long (read endless) to-do list of childcare and household chores. The days that I work here at Organizing Boston often feel like a break - ha, ha. That was one of the most interesting findings of the survey - for most of us, it's not our jobs that are causing our time woes...it's our homes and families, which isn't to say that we don't love them both. I think that's part of the problem. We care so much about our role in caring for our families and homes that we let them take over completely. I am slowly realizing that the household and family to-do lists are (or can be) endless, so the solution is not to wait to do something fun until all the chores are done. If my husband reads this, he'll say that he told me that a LONG time ago :) Two things busy women can do to make themselves happier (as the survey results prove) are to delegate, delegate, delegate and use your calendar for 'me time' appointments.

In order to practice what I preach, I just scheduled a yoga class for myself on Wednesday night. What will you do for yourself today?

Get Ahead of the Holidays

Feeling overwhelmed this time of year? You're not alone. As much as the holiday season should be about joy and celebration, family and friends, many people find that the traditions and festivities add up to stress and too much to do. If you're determined to make this year different and actually enjoy the season like you used to, we've got some tips to help you make sure the holiday to-do's don't get the best of you!

Give Yourself Some TLC

• Start with a KISS - Keep It Simple, Santa. This should be your over-arching theme for the season. As a dietitian, I tell my clients not to fill up at holiday celebrations with boring, everyday foods, but rather to save room to enjoy the seasonal foods they really love. The same should apply to holiday traditions and festivities - make time for those that are most important and give you the most joy and skip the rest.
• Remember to take care of yourself. I recently read that we are much more genuinely generous if we remember to give back to ourselves in addition to giving to others. So get your rest, make time for activities that keep you sane (yoga, anyone?), and get yourself a little gift while you're at it - you've been nice, right?

Be Prepared

• Create a holiday planner. Use a basic multi-subject notebook. Create sections for gift lists, holiday card lists, menu planning, decorating, coupons, etc. Bring it with you everywhere, so you can always reference it or add to it.
• If you're tech-savvy, go digital with your lists and planning. Rest-assured, there's an app for that.
• Do a wardrobe check. Make sure you have the perfect party outfit. Stock up on a few key pieces that can be mixed and matched. Nothing is worse than a frantic, last-minute mall trip to find something to wear!
• Hire a cleaner. Arrange to have a cleaner come a few days before your guests. You’ll only have to worry about doing some last minute tidying.

Shop Smart

• Make a list and check it twice!
• Start shopping early. Many retailers are already offering holiday discounts and looking to move goods off their shelves.
• Call ahead if you're looking for a specific item to avoid wasted trips to the mall.
• Shop Online. Online retailers allow you to shop around and find the best prices.
• Shop locally for unique gifts. You will get personalized service without the hassle of long lines and messy stores.
• If you have to go to the mall…try to shop on Monday and Tuesday mornings when stores are less crowded.

Simple Giving

• Buy in bulk. If you are attending several holiday parties, or have a long list of people to buy for, consider picking up a case of wine or chocolates. This way you’ll always have something handy for that last-minute invitation or forgotten gift.
• Color-code your wrapping paper. Dedicate a specific color or print to each family member. This will avoid confusion.
• Secret Snowman. If you have a large family, suggest picking names from a hat, so that each person only has to buy one gift.

Hassle-free Entertaining

• Plan your holiday menu ahead of time. Try to find recipes that can be made in advance and just re-heated. This will allow more time to spend enjoying the party instead of in the kitchen.
• Create a theme and get guests involved. Ask each guest to bring a bottle of their favorite wine and cheese. You’ll only need to provide the crackers and fruit.
• Go potluck!

Bottom Line: While there are endless opportunities to create, bake, shop, and celebrate, just remember that you don't have to do it all! Decide what matters most to you and your family and take time to stop and smell the 'roses.'

Keep a Lid on Your Inbox

Most people I know have trouble keeping up with incoming email in this information and technology-crazed world we live in. It's no surprise that this can quickly lead to an out-of-control inbox. Some people simply leave the majority of their email sitting in one big "pile" in their inbox, relying on the relatively good search-ability of today's email programs. While this works for some people, many corporate environments have storage limits that can lead to panicked deleting frenzies when you've hit the limit. Also, most people I know feel at least slightly overwhelmed by their over-stuffed inboxes. It's like a giant pile of papers on your desk - at some point you don't know what's in there and you don't know what you're missing, leading to missed deadlines, opportunities, and miscommunication affecting business and even personal relationships. But enough gloom and doom - you can stay on top of your inbox! Just like any other organizing task, there is no one right way to manage your email, but I can tell you what I do, which is a place to start if you're feeling overwhelmed.

1. Set a limit or personal goal for the number of emails in your inbox. My personal goal is 50. In an ideal world, your inbox would be limited to just incoming mail and perhaps action items (though I try to keep those in a separate folder). This limit helps me know when it's time to do a little extra maintenance (see below) to get things back under control.

2. Use folders to organize emails you want to save. I personally have 3 action-related folders, Action, Read/Review, and Waiting For, that help me keep tabs on active emails. Then I have a series of folders to organize emails I'm saving for reference. This means that I don't generally need to "search" for emails - I usually know where to find them. One word of caution, if you set up action-related folders, you must look in them regularly (likely daily) so you don't miss items you need to deal with. Just like any other habit, this takes time to get used to, so reminders on your calendar might be helpful for the first month or so.

3. Maintain, maintain, maintain. An inbox can "pile" up in just a day, so a regular (again, likely daily) maintenance plan is a must. To keep things under control, treat your inbox "pile" just like a regular pile of mail. Go through each item, one by one, and decide what needs to happen to it. The options are delete, reply, take action or save for reference. If you can take care of something with a quick reply, go for it. Otherwise, move action items to your Action folder to be taken care of at an appropriate time. If there's something you'd like to read, but don't want to get side-tracked know, throw it in the Read/Review folder. You get the idea.

Note: If you are starting from an overwhelmed place, my advice is to implement a simple system (like the above) immediately for incoming mail and also spend 10-15 minutes a day dealing with the backlog until you are cleaned up. Follow the same process described above. Often, old emails can be dealt with (and likely deleted) quickly because they are no longer relevant, so the clean-up may be faster than you think. Do yourself a favor and delete e-newsletters, etc. that are older than a few months - nobody has time to read everything they receive.

Bottom Line: Setting up some folders and spending just a few minutes a day to make sure all new emails are dealt with or filed is all you need to keep a lid on your inbox!

What can you do in 15 minutes?

Recently, I've talked about a 5 minute fillers list...little things you can get done when you get a few free minutes of time. The other day, I was reading one of my favorite blogs...The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. She posted a list of tips to stop procrastinating. One of them was Suffer for 15 Minutes..."You can do anything for 15 minutes," she says. She's absolutely right and that tip hit home with me. There are certain organizing tasks that even I don't like to do! This mantra ("you can do anything for 15 minutes") allowed me to make some much-needed progress on these not-so-favorite tasks over the past week. It's a simple concept with magical powers!
Here are a few ideas of nagging organizing tasks that you can chip away at with just 15 minutes a day...and maybe even 15 minutes a week once you get them under control:

• File papers. You know, the stacks on your desk or dining room table. If you need a new file for a new category, go ahead and make it - it doesn't need to be fancy, it just needs to exist.
• Weed files. These first two can be done together (or separately). As you file a paper, take the time to review that file and weed out anything you no longer need.
• Shred papers. - This includes items you've weeded out of your files and other items like solicitations that may have your personal information on them.
• Organize your computer files or digital photos. Create appropriate folders and delete what you don't need.
• Clean up your inbox. Delete, delete, delete. Or archive/file emails you want to save and be able to search for in the future. Most email programs are so easily search-able, that you can save your inbox for incoming mail...I know, easier said than done :)
• Put things back where they belong. Enough said.
• Reconcile financial transactions. This might be in your checkbook, on-line, or maybe filing receipts, depending on how you keep your records. Confession - this is one of my nagging tasks.
• Get rid of expired coupons.
• Recycle old magazines and catalogs. Keep the latest issue or 2 and recycle the rest.
• Clean out past-due food from your fridge and cabinets.
• Round up items for donation. Take a quick pass through your closets and drawers and see what you can part with. Put them in a bag and take it to your car right away.

Bottom Line: Just 15 minutes a day can help you make a huge dent in those nagging organizing tasks that we all avoid. Remember - "you can do anything for 15 minutes!" Thanks, Gretchen, for some great inspiration!

5 Minute Fillers...Revisited

Let's face it - we live in a crazy, busy world. Unless you're on vacation, most of us have way too much to get done in the time we have. Often, when it comes to organizing or just getting things done, we give up before we even start because the overall "project" just seems too big to tackle. The key to success here is breaking things down into much smaller tasks. Most of us don't routinely have large blocks of time to get large projects done at once. Does that mean we can't get anything done? No! It just means we need to know what short tasks we can tackle in the short windows of time we do have.

In January, I wrote about the idea of creating a 5 Minute Fillers list - tasks that take just a few minutes to complete. I challenged myself and all of you to look around your house or your office to create such a list so you know what you can do the next time 5 free minutes present themselves.

I recently realized that this concept is more important than ever for me now as a mom of a 4 month old. My new job taking care of her is 24-7 and I only get sporadic, unpredictable free blocks of time...usually very short. And to make matters worse, my brain is so fried from sleep deprivation that I could look around my condo full of things to do and not be able to think of a single completable task. That's why I need to make a renewed commitment to keeping a 5 minute fillers list. So here goes - here's my new list:

• empty dishwasher
• put away clean clothes
• update baby book
• check/respond to email
• open mail
• finish magazine (yes, there can be fun things on the list)
• clean bathroom
• wipe down counters
• put away toys/equipment
• vacuum couches
• make grocery list
• post on facebook
• lift weights
• return phone calls
• sit down :)

That's just a start! There are many more things that I can and will add to the list after I get a few things done. How about you, what does your list look like?