Fight Procrastination Week - coming up tomorrow for the first week of September
You can do it!! Plus check out the Unclutterer blog to help you too :) (details below)
Most of us are guilty of it at least some of the time...Yes even someone like me in the Professional Organizing Industry! We're only human!
Even if you only get one thing off your to d list (whether it a list in your head or a proper written to do list!) doesn't matter just choose one thing..easy if it helps get you to do it, harder if you can manage it and know how good that will make you feel once accomplished.
If a voice inside your head keeps telling you to do it later, respond with a question like Why not now? Usually there is no good reason and it can help you change your attitude and mindset and therefore your motivation levels. give it a go. i dare You!!! We can beat procrastination, at least some of the time anyway. :)
Good luck
For thos ewho need more help, a great Organizing / declutter related blog with heaps more tips on getting and staying organized and clutter free, is the aptly titled Unclutterer check them out....NOW before you forget and start procrastinating!
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Friday 20 August 2010
Motherhood Study USA participants Call out - Get involved in this important research!
Long term Organize Your Life Now readers may remember a post last year about the International Motherhood Study spearheaded by Author of Your Sexy
Mother Jodie Hedley Ward, when they were conducting the Australain and New Zealand component of the study.
Well the USA componenent of the study is now occuring and due to the size of the study - the more mothers who participate the more recognition the study and it's important findings will get.So to those of my blog followers who live in the USA. Please Click the link below to take part:
http://www.motherhoodstudy.net/usa/
As Jodie says about the study so far..."I am writing up the results of this study now and I can tell you that it is compelling beyond anything you might imagine. Even as I am looking at the results and writing up the findings, I am continually astounded by what amazing insights we now have into the contemporary motherhood experience."
So get involved and spread the word!!
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
Mother Jodie Hedley Ward, when they were conducting the Australain and New Zealand component of the study.
Well the USA componenent of the study is now occuring and due to the size of the study - the more mothers who participate the more recognition the study and it's important findings will get.So to those of my blog followers who live in the USA. Please Click the link below to take part:
http://www.motherhoodstudy.net/usa/
As Jodie says about the study so far..."I am writing up the results of this study now and I can tell you that it is compelling beyond anything you might imagine. Even as I am looking at the results and writing up the findings, I am continually astounded by what amazing insights we now have into the contemporary motherhood experience."
So get involved and spread the word!!
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
Monday 9 August 2010
Kids, chores and You - A stressed you or a calmer you?
Our kids are well and truly at an age where they can help out with various household chores and house cleaning jobs - now being 11 and 8. I have been surprised to discover that a lot of my kids friend's parents' don't get them to do much in the way of housework, if any.
But you can often see in those parents, who don't get their more-than-capable kids to lift their weight, much higher stress levels. One mum said to me recently "You're so good at getting your kids to do chores around the house. I should too." To help encourage her to follow through with this, I added "Getting the kids to help out around the house, equates to a less stressed mum." to which she said as the penny dropped "Yeah - I'm a stressed Mum!" At the end of the day, getting kids to do some housework benefits not only you but them too." Getting your kids to understand this helps in getting them to do their fair share without too much resistance.
Your kids probably won't be thrilled with having to all of a sudden do household chores if they have never had to do them before, but it's never too late to start and they will come around....albeit eventually for some. You may well need to tie in non-payment of pocket money and other repercussions if you encounter too much non-compliance. You are creating a rod for your own back if you do not instill a level of personal responsibility of tidiness and cleanliness into your kids. What sort of house mates let alone partners and subsequently parents will they make without such guidance and participation early on.
So if you are one of those martyr mums who does 'everything' but also complains about it, start to spread the load and become a less stressed and happier mum as a result. It really is a win-win situation.
For more tips on how to get the family on board housework and keeping their things organized click here.Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
But you can often see in those parents, who don't get their more-than-capable kids to lift their weight, much higher stress levels. One mum said to me recently "You're so good at getting your kids to do chores around the house. I should too." To help encourage her to follow through with this, I added "Getting the kids to help out around the house, equates to a less stressed mum." to which she said as the penny dropped "Yeah - I'm a stressed Mum!" At the end of the day, getting kids to do some housework benefits not only you but them too." Getting your kids to understand this helps in getting them to do their fair share without too much resistance.
Your kids probably won't be thrilled with having to all of a sudden do household chores if they have never had to do them before, but it's never too late to start and they will come around....albeit eventually for some. You may well need to tie in non-payment of pocket money and other repercussions if you encounter too much non-compliance. You are creating a rod for your own back if you do not instill a level of personal responsibility of tidiness and cleanliness into your kids. What sort of house mates let alone partners and subsequently parents will they make without such guidance and participation early on.
So if you are one of those martyr mums who does 'everything' but also complains about it, start to spread the load and become a less stressed and happier mum as a result. It really is a win-win situation.
For more tips on how to get the family on board housework and keeping their things organized click here.Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Multi-tasking too much?!!? Watch those Eggs!
Yes as women (in particular) we know we are pretty good at Multi tasking, but at what cost? More and more research is coming out telling us that we actually get less done due to multi-tasking and not concentrating on one thing or at least less things at once. Difficult I know to anyone who has young children, works, runs a household etc etc.
It is worth giving decreasing multi tasking a go though. Coming from someone who is as guilty as the next person of multi tasking too much, sometimes to the detriment of myself, my family and my work.
It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking, if I just do this while I do this, and I may as well get this done while I do this, being 'present' to none. Therefore often not doing any of the jobs properly. Sad when it comes to time spent with our children and we are not focusing on them enough.
One thing I try to do to prevent not concentrating on my kids is generally not work from 3-8pm - says she working at 5pm on a school day -only because both kids have friends over and are otherwise engaged!
When it comes to work I block out time in my diary for the jobs at hand and avoid emails and other distractions during these blocked out times. When I successfully do this the amount of concentrated and productive work I do is much higher than when this doesn't happen. Having a husband who is self-employed and often home alongside me - he is often the distraction!! Surprisingly to many people, as I am more renowned for being a chatter box, and he known as the 'quiet' one - he is the one who wants to chat all the time!
I have to ever so kindly tell him I can't concentrate and get my work done with constant questions and chit chat. Generally he 'gets' it but there are days when he forgets and I have to jokingly ignore him till he remembers to stop interrupting me so much!! we can catch up over a cuppa or lunch when I try to switch off from work.
On to why you have to be careful with Eggs!!
A friend told me funny story the other day about the traps of multi-tasking having thought she was saving time by brushing her teeth and attempting to transfer half a dozen eggs from one carton to another -doing a good deed by sending off an empty one to school to use. You guesses it, she ended up dropping the carton and breaking all theeggs in the process. A great lesson to do one thing at a time no 2, 3 or god forbid more!!
There was a great article called Stop the Madness, in The Age on the weekend, with an excerpt from a book by A J Jacobs called My Experimental Life. Summing up our increasing obsession with multi-tasking as "In one sense , task-juggling makes me feel great: busy, energised, fulfills, as if I'm living three lives in the space of one. but I also know I'm scattered. I'm overloading my circuits. This overstimulated, under focused world is driving us all batty..."
Worth thinking about. ...Watch those eggs or any breakable object if doing more than one thing!
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
It is worth giving decreasing multi tasking a go though. Coming from someone who is as guilty as the next person of multi tasking too much, sometimes to the detriment of myself, my family and my work.
It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking, if I just do this while I do this, and I may as well get this done while I do this, being 'present' to none. Therefore often not doing any of the jobs properly. Sad when it comes to time spent with our children and we are not focusing on them enough.
One thing I try to do to prevent not concentrating on my kids is generally not work from 3-8pm - says she working at 5pm on a school day -only because both kids have friends over and are otherwise engaged!
When it comes to work I block out time in my diary for the jobs at hand and avoid emails and other distractions during these blocked out times. When I successfully do this the amount of concentrated and productive work I do is much higher than when this doesn't happen. Having a husband who is self-employed and often home alongside me - he is often the distraction!! Surprisingly to many people, as I am more renowned for being a chatter box, and he known as the 'quiet' one - he is the one who wants to chat all the time!
I have to ever so kindly tell him I can't concentrate and get my work done with constant questions and chit chat. Generally he 'gets' it but there are days when he forgets and I have to jokingly ignore him till he remembers to stop interrupting me so much!! we can catch up over a cuppa or lunch when I try to switch off from work.
On to why you have to be careful with Eggs!!
A friend told me funny story the other day about the traps of multi-tasking having thought she was saving time by brushing her teeth and attempting to transfer half a dozen eggs from one carton to another -doing a good deed by sending off an empty one to school to use. You guesses it, she ended up dropping the carton and breaking all theeggs in the process. A great lesson to do one thing at a time no 2, 3 or god forbid more!!
There was a great article called Stop the Madness, in The Age on the weekend, with an excerpt from a book by A J Jacobs called My Experimental Life. Summing up our increasing obsession with multi-tasking as "In one sense , task-juggling makes me feel great: busy, energised, fulfills, as if I'm living three lives in the space of one. but I also know I'm scattered. I'm overloading my circuits. This overstimulated, under focused world is driving us all batty..."
Worth thinking about. ...Watch those eggs or any breakable object if doing more than one thing!
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
Monday 2 August 2010
Simplify your Life week...give simplifying a go!
OK then. It is officially Simplify Your Life week this week, so even if you just choose one thing - go simplify, simplify, simplify.
Life doesn't have to be so cluttered and stressful. We just need to keep on top of our clutter...stuff...paperwork etc meaning get rid of heaps of it as we simply don't need it!!
It is so freeing to de-clutter and be able to see what you own and appreciate those things more.
Go on give it a go. You won't regret it..it may even be the start of a whole new more organized, happier you!
Simplify your life. it's never too late.
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
For more Organizing advice, tips and articles go to our Organize Your Life website.
Life doesn't have to be so cluttered and stressful. We just need to keep on top of our clutter...stuff...paperwork etc meaning get rid of heaps of it as we simply don't need it!!
It is so freeing to de-clutter and be able to see what you own and appreciate those things more.
Go on give it a go. You won't regret it..it may even be the start of a whole new more organized, happier you!
Simplify your life. it's never too late.
Claire McFee Creator Organize Your Life Organizers
For more Organizing advice, tips and articles go to our Organize Your Life website.
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