Organizing Your Time and Priorities

 As we approach the end of the year, I am beginning to think more about my goals and priorities for next year.  I am also interested in teaching this idea to my clients and friends.  The first step would be to have a better sense of how we spend our time and our awareness of time.  Begin by getting to know yourself and your pace.  How fast do you get things done?  Know your commitment.  What does the passage of time mean to you ?   What are your goals and aspirations?  What would you like to have accomplished at the end of the day? the week?  the year?  end of time?   What really motivates you to change?  Create goals?  Create Priorities?  These questions can be the beginning of your answer.   The process is to first believe in yourself.  Ask yourself what is it that your REALLY want?  Acknowledge that you have to start with baby steps, one day at a time.

Changing Habits come slow and patiently.  Create goals and set priorities  by writing them down in a notebook.  Write something down for each day, week and for the year.  Try to set four goals for the coming new year.  Give yourself some time to think and plan for the future.

How to entertain at Thanksgiving without feeling like a Turkey

I promised myself that I would not think about Thanksgiving before November 1.  I just thought that being in the moment, dealing with first things first (my Stephen Covey training) told me to do that.  This morning as I was taking my 6am walk before driving my son to high school at 7am, I thought about Thanksgiving.  Here are my thoughts.  Now I am ready to look at my magazines at all the yummy, delicious pictures of Turkeys, stuffing, and side dishes for the Holiday.  I have my mind set on making my famous apple pie and carrot cake for sure.  In line with my newly acquired learning from Harold Taylor (www.taylorintime.com)I can set out on my organizing principles.
Firstly, have the Vision, ask yourself what is it you want.  What are your goals and priorities? Second, planning, what do you need to do to make the evening a success?  Who do you want to invite, what do you want to serve, what items do you need to buy,  Third,  your action, How can you get things done, who needs to help you, where will you buy, rent, shop, call for that evening. And Finally Schedule, Look at your day planner and write out all your "to do's" and schedule something for each day of the week counting to the Dinner Evening itself.  Spread the actions over time so you will not be rushed nor go crazy making things the last minute.  Remember, It's all in the planning… which means THE VISION, THE PLANNING, THE ACTION, THE SCHEDULING.  Take it slow and Enjoy.  You will have a great meal with good company and be ready for my December's Holiday tips.

Questions and Answers for School Organization

1. What kind of system can you suggest to keep all the kids paperwork in one place?

Each child should have a basket, container or drawer in the home to put their school work in where they can find it easily for themselves. In this location, when your child gets home from school and wants to leave their "work-in-progress" notes, spelling test, assignment at home they will have a holding area, which can have two folders, one for work-in-progress and another for work that can be saved as memorabilia or tossed. This insures a place for them to look to for work that needs to go back to school and follow up at home. This basket can be in the kitchen or family room or close by to where they do their homework. It should be thinned out once a month and kept up to date.

 2. What methods (whiteboards etc) do you recommend using to have the kids know which day they are expected to bring in what? 

Some mothers like whiteboards and the student responds well to them. You can use different color dry erase markers for each child/student. Some families like a different calendar for each child individually. This can be used for homework and school/activities appointment. Some people like a wall calendar and this works fine also. There are schools that use a planner that is expected to be checked at school and signed by the parent. Either way, what needs to be done is consistency and follow-up. Some homes need a hard poster board to write each activity and schedule for the day. It mostly depends on how much memory the mom has and how much each child needs to be reminded.  Calendar boards are really good if used religiously and diligently.

 3. What is the most important thing we can do to help our kids become organized? 

If the parents can role model for the child/student, that is the best form of support. That means that the parent is on time; follow through with activities, requests and promises. The good CEO of any organization is the key to success and the CEO here is the Parent. Other than that, set up a well organized home, have it clutter and stress free. Have it well planned out and follow up with a smile and praise. (Just like in a well run business)

 4. Should we help them to plan their time or should they do it themselves in 6th grade?

I think each parent should evaluate how much time their child need to get work done, For example, you will find that some of your children will need to eat something small as a snack while they are doing their homework, Others will need complete silent and nothing on the table. Some might need background noise, music to work and concentrate. This goes for time also. Each child works at a different speed. Spend time observing your child and talking to them. Experiment with different locations in the house to complete homework and /or different types of environment. Some might need to go to the Library to do work, or use a different location in the home. Help them plan for their time, Measure their time by how long it takes them to finish an easier project or something they are more interested in. Some students do well with starting with the hardest homework first and saving the easiest for last as they might get too tired in the later evening. On the other hand some students like to start with the easier work first to give them encouragement that they can do the harder one later. Just watch the time and take a survey.

 5. Do you think organizing their room is part of helping them organize their homework? 

I personally think an organized room helps the student focus. How can children works in a cluttered distracted environment? I vote for setting up a homework area with a desk and chair, good lighting and supplies. If the student does not spend time doing homework in their room then let that be a place for them to relax in a clean carefree healthy space.

 6. Do you personally expect the kid's rooms to be tidy every evening before they go to bed or is tidying once a week enough in your experience?

I think that depends on how much tidiness is important to the mom. I would think that you would want you kids room to be tidy and clean for your own satisfaction. I do. I like to clean up the room to set a good example for how we should live. Its' your home and you are in charge. If you child says "It is my room … Pick your battles. But I would point out the positive aspects of having a clutter free tidy room that they can hang out in and feel good about.

 7. How much input do you think that the parents should have when helping to keep kids organized? 

The parent should set up the systems and supply the tools to make the organization "user friendly". This means giving them a plastic container for their supplies, a drawer or basket for their papers and homework holder. Follow up daily or weekly. See what they need and mix things up if they are not working. Think of school as their job. Sometimes the supervisor or boss needs to give advice and input to make the project successful. School and students are not difference then Employer and employee. Your home and children are your most important assess. Protect, support and value their work and efforts.

Organizing A Move In

The Before and After Picture on the Left of this Blog is a example of what could be done in three hours of my organizing time during a move in. Today I had the pleasure of helping a newly divorced mother of two, unpack and de-clutter her living room. In just three short hours we were able to make a clear path and create some "living room" in her living room. The main idea here is to just keep what you really need and cherish, let go of the items and things that just don't fit into your new apartment and lifestyle. Begin with baby steps and realize that every step you make can make a difference when you stay focused, have your priorities set and think positive.

Organizing for the Holidays

                As the Holidays near, the “to do” lists seems to grow longer and longer, with endless tasks to accomplish, gifts to buy, and events to plan and attend.  New Years is just around the corner, but with a little bit of thought and planning, organizing your life even before the time to make new resolutions can make this year and this holiday season run more smoothly than ever before.

Gifts:

                Buying gift for your loved ones can be an overwhelming experience.  Often, people wait until last minute to go shopping, and end up spending more time and money than they had planned originally.  This can be avoided by taking a few simple steps.

                Firstly, make a list delineating whom you plan to give gifts to, with several possible options next to their names.  Think about how much money you want to spend, and how much your loved one wants or needs the intended gift.  Has he or she recently bought a new home, had a child, or started a new job? Keeping these types of things in mind will direct you to buying a gift that will truly be appreciated, whether it is a beautiful new mailbox, a gift certificate for two for dinner and a show (for the new parents who need some alone time), or desk organizing trays and the perfect scarf to wear to business meetings.  When buying for children, keep their parents and friends in mind, Will the child be able to play/wear this at school?  Will his parents approve of the gift?  By contemplating gift options and personal needs, you avoid buying something that your friends or family member will not really appreciate.

                Go through your house with a pen and paper and jot down a list of things you and your family need or want.  That way, when friends or family ask you if there is anything specific they can get you, you can mention some thought out options. People want to get you something you will enjoy, and by putting some time and thought into your own needs, you will save yourself the hassle of returning gifts after the holidays.

                Finally, save valuable time by ordering gifts online.  So many hours are spent driving, parking and wandering through stores looking for appropriate gifts.  Market research analysts advise retail chains to place certain items in the high trafficked parts of the store, and place toys and clothes they desperately want to sell at eye level, while other (possibly cheaper) items are stored in harder to find spots.  Online, however, a savvy shopper can compare prices on websites such as www.shopping.com, and on most websites, can organize the gift possibilities they are viewing by price or choose toys based on a specific price bracket (i.e.: $50-$70).  Many stores offer free shipping this time of year, so a shopper does not lose out monetarily by shopping online rather than traveling to the store.  Another bonus is that you can check your shopping cart every few minutes to make sure you are staying on budget.  This is much harder to do at tan actual store, where you may feel embarrassed to put things back once you have already reached the cash register.

Your house:

                Before you start entertaining your family or friends and before the loads of new packages and gifts arrive, you may want to de-clutter your home.  Spring cleaning is just around the corner, and there is so much to do around the holiday season as it is, so don’t set such high expectations for you.  However, there are a few simple things you can do so that you can enter the New Year feeling like your life is in order.

                Remember that the focus is on de-cluttering instead of deep cleaning.  Right now, there is no need to wash all the curtains and carpets in your house.  They will probably just get dirty again from all of the entertaining that will be going on!  Rather, go through your closets as well as those of your children. What can be better than donating like-new clothes that are never used or don’t fit to those who really need them this holiday season?  Prepare three bags or cardboard boxes marked:”Trash”, “Store” or “Donate.”  Instead of throwing everything that needs to be out of your closet on the floor (to be divided into piles later), immediately put the item into the appropriate box.  If you or your child hasn’t worn something in the past 6 months, it probably has no place in your closet.  Similarly, if a toy has not been used frequently in the past 3 months, or there are multiples of the same items, it does not need to be taking up valuable room.

                Another area which can be organized is your kitchen.  We tend to cook and bake more during this time of year than any other.  Don’t you deserve for it to be an enjoyable experience?  Invest in buying matching plastic, glass or aluminum containers for all of your baking ingredients.  When you look in the pantry, your flour, sugars, chocolate chips, and assorted powders will be neatly and beautifully arranged.  Go through your pots and pans and see which ones need replacing.  Are some pots missing their lids?  Are some too scratched to be effectively used?  Use this opportunity to figure out what you really need in your kitchen to make cooking and baking a pleasure.

Events:

                This season is the time when family and friends get together to celebrate and to enjoy each other’s company.  You can avoid being overwhelmed by planning your events in advance.  Think about which other events you will have to attend, the family and friends who will want to host at your home, and do not overbook yourself.

                Here is where making a list is once again so valuable.  Who do you want to see or spend time with this season?  Jotting down the names of family and friends you want spend time with will help you avoid forgetting to invite someone to a party and hurting their feelings.  Don’t overlook getting together with friends if that is what is important.  So, if you are having family and enough “free nights” where you can go to bed early, or relax without having to attend a function.

                Buy things that can be used multiple times or later on in the year in bulk.  For example, clear plastic plates are essentials at almost all parties or events and are much cheaper when buying a few hundred of them at a time.  If using nice paper and/or plastic is acceptable for your functions and will save you time and energy, take this option into consideration.  Treat yourself to some pretty household items (new picture, plant, candles, and vase) for around the house.  After all, there is no better time to invest in beautifying your home than right before an opportunity to get complements from your family and friends!  People tend to take more pictures inside that outside during this time of year, so the elegant touches vases, plants, or pictures will give to your background will really make a difference.

                Finally, it is important to make a list before you set out to the supermarket to buy food and goods, for your events.  This is a good rule all year round, but is especially important now.  Think about where you can take shortcuts in your cooking, and where homemade items will really be noticed.  For example, rice pilaf from the box or ready make icing for a cake will save you a lot of time and will allow you to focus on preparing a delectable roast or Grandma’s special chocolate fudge cake from scratch.  Be cognizant of how much you can handle and do not overwork yourself in the kitchen and when entertaining.

                The holidays are an exciting time.  We all enjoy being with our loved ones, sharing meals, exchanging presents, and spending quality time with people we don’t get to see all year.  Utilizing some of the tips mentioned above  can help you avoid the rush and stress that often comes along with the gift giving and entertaining in the next few months.  When your home is de-cluttered, and your events planned and well organized, you will be able to truly enjoy this holiday season!