Category: Time Management

  • 10 Ways to Improve Your Sex Life

    Who would have thought that being organized could improve your sex life? The truth is that when you work, manage a house, and have kids, “extra” time is not something that comes easily. But with some thoughtful planning, you can (and should) definitely make more time for yourself and your spouse.

    improve your sex life

    Check out what you can in order to improve your sex life:

    1. Clear the clutter. Your bedroom should be a refuge from the real world, where you go to relax at the end of the day. When you walk into your bedroom, you should feel a sense of peace and calmness. If your bedroom doesn’t convey that feeling, it’s time to make some changes.

     

    2. Remove the kid stuff—and the kids—from your bedroom. There will always be those nights when someone has a bad dream and needs a little comfort from mom and dad. But your bedroom should not be a playroom. If you have to keep a few toys in the room, find a way to hide and contain them in a nice bin or basket with a lid.

     

    3. Have a chore list for the entire family and commit to it. When you establish your family as a team working together, you eliminate the stress of daily chores.

    Sit down with the whole family and make a list of all the week’s chores. Have everyone volunteer for the ones that they would like, then move on to negotiating which person will do the remaining chores. Assigning chores places the responsibility with you again. Instead, work as a team to distribute all the tasks, so each member of the family feels ownership.

    Establish a deadline for the weekly chores and a person responsible for checking to make sure that another has completed the work. That includes someone making sure that Dad took out the trash or that Mom has made her bed.

    Set rewards for work well done. The rewards might be money, special outings, or family game nights. Pick a reward that makes sense for your family.

     

    4. Schedule time for sex. If you and your family are scheduled to death and all you do is come home at the end of the day and crash, then chances are that you won’t have or make time to have sex. If you would like more time for sex or at least for the possibility of it, then put it on the calendar.

     

    5. Take time for pampering. Some days early on in motherhood, showering may be the only answer to “What did you do today?” Make time for self-care, whether that’s showering, putting on something other than yoga pants, getting a haircut, or whatever else makes you feel good about yourself.

     

    6. Exercise. As Elle Woods said in Legally Blonde, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands.” Exercise improves your health, your strength and endurance, and your mood. You may not have time for workouts every day, but do what you can. Something is always better than nothing.

     

    7. Goody Drawer. Many different things can be part of your goody drawer. Sex accessories are the obvious, but for many that is not the answer. For some, mental mood is more important than physical mood, so love notes or pictures of favorite memories of the two of you together can help rekindle the spark. A healthy sex life is about more than just sex.

     

    8. Turn off the business talk. It’s important to know when to stop talking about business. Make sure you have enough time to talk about other things and just chat with your spouse. Business conversations will have the opposite effect on you and probably just make you think more about finances, or your to do list. You and your partner won’t relax.

     

    9. Idiot proof your family calendar. Having one calendar that everyone can access transfers responsibility to the individual to take care of his or her own to-do list. When everyone knows what they have to do and when and how to get there, fewer miscommunications happen. A missed appointment or practice can lead to arguments and resentment. Setting up the game plan for the day ensures that at the end of it, even if you’ve all been running around separately, you worked as a team to accomplish your family goals. Everyone is happier and less-stressed.

     

    10. Have a date night. Take some time to do something different with your spouse: go out for dinner, go to the movies, theater, whatever makes you both get dressed and ready to spend some quality time outside the house.

    Always make time for yourself and your spouse. Sex life is important in a marriage, making partners happier, boosting their intimacy, and building confidence and trust between them.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps executives, entrepreneurs and busy families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • 9 Ways to NOT Waste Time While Waiting

    I have three kids and a job, so that means I am constantly driving someone somewhere and waiting.  Plus, I am an organizer, so I hate to waste time.  Here are 9 ways I have found to not waste time while waiting.  Between sports activities, client sessions, doctor visits and then the more fun unexpected things like cavities, physical therapy or early school closings for heat, I find myself waiting in check out lines, carpool lines, outside clients’ houses or doctors’ waiting rooms at least once a week.  I could view this as lost time and get frustrated at all the time I am WASTING…….OR, I can look at it as found time in my day!

    Here is a list of 9 things you can do while waiting:

    • Make your own doctors appointment. When was your last check-up? Often when taking care of our family we forget to take care of ourselves. We have created a Health Care checklist on our website, just click here to download it.
    • Take advantage of all the Good Housekeeping magazines at your disposal and search for a new recipe for your family. Snap a picture of the recipe or scan it with your phone. (yes there is an app for that!)
    • Send a text or email to that friend you have been meaning to call. Set up a time to meet.
    • Send a text to your spouse or partner. You would be amazed the effect a simple “I love you” text will have.
    • Check your calendar. Make sure you have not forgotten any important dates. Check for overlaps or missed appointments or important events.  While you are at it schedule “ME” time!
    • Use your smart phone for more than Candy Crush. Check out the app store for new apps.  New apps are constantly being introduced, you never know when the app you have been looking for will pop up.
    • This may be the only “ME” time you get all day! Don’t waste it!  Go ahead and read a book or even take a few minutes to meditate.
    • Plan your next party or dinner with friends.  Write up the guest list and create the menu and shopping lists.
    • Do a brain dump.  There are always about 10-40 things going on in my head and putting them down on paper not only reduces the stress of having to remember, but it allows you to schedule those tasks on the calendar or create a to do list for the next day.

    If you hate wasting time as much as I do, follow this next tip.  Next time you are headed out the door, be prepared with your phone fully charged and put a book and notpad in the car so that when you are stuck waiting, you can make the most of your time!

    If you liked this article, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Joan Robinson, our Senior Project Manager, helps families get organized and declutter so that they can focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Top Four Reasons Chronically Disorganized People Don’t Hire Organizers

    When you boil it down, there are two types of disorganization: Situational and Chronic.  Situational disorganization happens after a life event (Move, New Job, Marriage, Divorce, Death of family member, New Baby) and is usually temporary.  The Chronically disorganized usually have a life long struggle with organizing or can stem from an injury, illness or a brain based condition like ADD, ADHD, dementia or Alzheimer’s. I am going to share with you the top four reasons chronically disorganized people don’t hire organizers.

    improve your sex life

    If you have tried numerous times to get organized and can’t, you have a pattern of disorganization.  You are probably not showing hoarding behavior and your situation isn’t bad enough to be on one of those TV shows, but your disorganization is probably getting in the way.  You have probably paid late fees for some of your bills, failed to send in a permission slip for your child’s field trip or even missed a deadline at work.

    Every day, I run into people at the gym, my kids’ school and networking events and when people find out what I do, they often say, “Wow!  Can you come to my office (house, etc)?”.  Then, when I tell them that I would be happy to and that they should give me a call, they don’t.  When 43% of people say they would categorize themselves as “disorganized” and all the statistics out there show that being organized saves time and money, increases your chances of work promotions and reduces stress, I would think that you would WANT to get organized.

    Here are the four biggest excuses as to why you haven’t picked up the phone to get some organizing assistance:

    1. I don’t have the time. I am so busy that I just can’t take a whole day (or series of days) from my work to organize. 

    The average person spends 2-3 hours per week searching for things.  So, spending a day with us will only cost you the 4-6 hours that you would have lost anyway searching for things AND you won’t lose those 2-3 hours per week in the future.  The loss of office time in the short run will save you hours every week in the long run.  We can spread out your sessions over several months so that you can work around your schedule.  Plus, we offer maintenance packages so we can help you stay on top of things so you never get back to where you are now.

    1. I am too embarrassed to let you see my office. I am sure my office is the worst you have ever seen. 

    I have been in business for 14 years and helped hundreds of clients.  I am positive that your office is not the worst I have ever seen.  We do what we do because we LOVE to help people just like you make huge improvements in their lives.  When you see a disorganized space, we see a finished, functional space that is a pleasure to work and live in.  Plus, it is worth the pain of letting me help you to stop the months or years of embarrassment coming in the future if you don’t take the time to get organized AND learn the skills to stay organized.  Your disorganization may have cost you clients, raises or even a promotion or two.  Stop letting it get in your way so that you can be the organized, confident rock star that you are meant to be.

    1. It costs too much to hire professional organizers. 

    With Consumer Reports saying that you can increase the value of your home by 3-5% by decluttering and getting organized, https://tinyurl.com/n65krne and employers saying that they are 30% more likely to pass over someone for a promotion if they appear disorganized, it is costing you WAY more money to stay the way you are, than to hire professionals.  And, that doesn’t factor in the money you have wasted by throwing out expired food, late payments on bills or buying items you already own but couldn’t find.  Yes, hiring organizers costs money, but it is an investment in your physical, mental and financial health and often reduces tension in your relationships as well.  Think of us a personal trainers for your stuff and life.  We help you “lose weight” (declutter), “strength train” (learn skills to help you stay organized) and provide the support and accountability to maintain what you have achieved.

    1. I can do it myself.  I don’t need to hire anyone.

    I also hear people telling their spouses that they don’t need to hire and they SHOULD be able to do it themselves.  No, they can’t or No, you can’t!  If you could, then you would have already done it and you wouldn’t be seeing negative consequences of the disorganization.  You need help!  This is not a failure for you as a person, this is a recognition of an area where you need to “build muscle” and a professional can help you figure out a system for how YOUR brain works and learn the skills to help stay organized.  Having an appointment on the calendar, me showing up at your door and you having paid money for the session, will all keep you focused on getting the job done.

    Stop letting excuses get in the way.  Get organized and make the commitment to work your systems so that you stay organized.  It will reduce your stress, save you money and make you look like the rock star that you are in every other part of your life!

    If you liked this article, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps families get organized and declutter so that they can focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • 25 Things To Do When You Have A Two Hour Delay

    The dreaded two hour delay.  You whole day hasn’t gotten derailed, but the morning sure has.  Here are 25 things you can do when you are home with the kids for 2 extra hours in the morning.  You can stay productive and get some things done that you either haven’t thought of or have put off for too long.

    1. Make breakfast with your kids.
    2. Plan your child’s next birthday party.
    3. Download pictures off your camera to your computer.
    4. Update your holiday card list (and then throw out last year’s cards)
    5. Two loads of laundry
    6. Fold and put away 5 loads of laundry that are washed and dried but haven’t made their way back into the closets and dressers
    7. Strip all the beds and remake them.  The kids can definitely help with this one and it fosters team work trying to get that fitted sheet on the mattress.
    8. Clean out two drawers of your desk, kitchen or bedroom.
    9. Go through the spring/summer clothes and make your shopping list of items to replace or round out your wardrobe.
    10. Prep and load the slow cooker pot for dinner tonight.
    11. Meal plan for the upcoming week and create your grocery shopping list.
    12. Research vacation ideas (although your research may be clouded by the need to escape to somewhere warm)
    13. Do a workout at home.  Check out Fitness Blender  for free online videos.
    14. Create your training program for an upcoming race.  Hal Higdon’s website has training programs for 5k up to a marathon.
    15. Give yourself an at-home facial.  My personal favorite is Arbonne’s 3 step ultimate facial.
    16. Look ahead at your calendar and schedule your babysitters.
    17. Check calendar for upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby showers and shop online.
    18. Create your packing list for spring break
    19. Schedule your doctor, dental, eye doctor and mammogram appointments
    20. Call your parents, grandparents or a friend that you haven’t spoken to in a while.
    21. Write and send a thank you or thinking of you note to someone.
    22. Clean out your refrigerator.
    23. Go on www.abcya.com with your elementary school kids and play some educational games.  My kids are currently loving the geography ones in preparation for their upcoming school Geobee.
    24. Do your nails.
    25. Roll over and go back to sleep.   Or, just let the kids sleep in and enjoy the silence.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps working moms and families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Get 10 More Hours Out of your Week

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    If you are a busy professional, then chances are you have more money than time. If you constantly feel like you need 30 hours in a day to get everything done then it is time to take a closer look at where you spend your time. What if I told you that you can get 10 more hours out of your week?  Get organized and be real about what can be done in a given day or week and you will stop the dread and get more done.

    The Law of Delegation. If someone can do the job 75% as well as you can, delegate it. This could apply to the office or your home. At the office, we often take the stance of it takes too long to train someone to do a task, so I will just do it myself. That is very short sighted. If you take the time to train a person, then that task will be off your plate forever. You can’t be penny wise and pound foolish with your time.

    At home it could be dry cleaning, mowing the lawn, making dinner, doing laundry, house cleaning, etc. House keepers, dry cleaning companies that pick up and deliver, yard service companies, personal chefs. They are available in all metropolitan areas to help you get these activities off your list. If you don’t need help year round, consider hiring help for just a few weeks or months to get you through busy times at work, during an illness/surgery or after the birth of a child.

    Time Blocking. If you want to get something done, it needs to be on your calendar. Most people have hopes for their week instead of a schedule. Everything that you do in a week should be on your calendar (except for maybe meals and bathroom breaks). You may even need to put sleep and exercise on your calendar to ensure that you are hitting your target amount.

    Daily To Do vs. Master To Do. Constantly looking at a long master to do list is daunting. If you have a day in the office (or at home) that you are dedicating to getting lots of smaller tasks done, I recommend creating a list just for that day. We always feel more accomplished when we get to cross things off a list and it will help keep you focused. Don’t put more on the list than you can reasonable get done in a day and don’t be aggressive. It feels much better to completely finish the list and pull more off the master list than to not finish.

    Keeping a master to do list of EVERYTHING that you need to get done will help take the pressure off having to keep all of that information in your brain. My master list has everything from fixing a dripping sink, buying lacrosse supplies for my daughter and sending a birthday card to making business calls and registering for a networking event.

    What’s for Dinner? That is the dreaded question of the day. Whether you have a family or not, this one seems to cause everyone stress. The biggest roadblock to healthy eating is poor planning. Take a few minutes to plan each week and do one grocery shop. If you are too busy, consider ordering groceries from peapod.com or hometownharvest.com. If even that is too much time, hire a personal chef like Shirlé at www.fourcornerscuisine.com

    Night before prep. Mornings set the tone for the day, so make them as stress-free as possible. Prepare your work bag, clothes, lunches and kid’s stuff the night before.

    Done, but not perfect. I love this mantra and I think everyone needs to adopt it (except for accountants doing tax returns). Don’t set yourself up for failure or waste precious minutes by trying to make everything perfect. Send the birthday card even if it is late, the recipient will still appreciate it. Bring store bought items to the picnic because you had a crazy week. Stop stressing about things that only matter to you!

    Say “No”. The main reason that we have too much on our plates is that we PUT too much on our plate. It seems simple, but it is the hardest thing to learn. Next time you are ready to say “yes” to something, consider what else in your life you are saying “no” to. I guarantee that you will feel better saying “no”, than you will only putting in 50% effort to the thing you said “yes” to.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own newsletter or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Tara Rudo, Life Strategist, helps working moms and families focus on what’s important. Get our FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

    Image courtesy of arztsamui at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Don’t Forget! Organizing Tips for Remembering Things

    On any given day we need to remember a ton of things: what to get at the grocery store, take our vitamins, brush our teeth, call someone, email someone else, send a birthday card, etc. How can we possibly remember everything that we need to do? In my humble opinion, it is virtually impossible to just ‘remember’ everything that we need to do. So, if you are relying only on your brain to remember everything that you need to remember, you are setting yourself up for failure.

    Here are some of my tips to keep you organized and looking like you remember everything with ease!

    1. Have a central calendar.  By this, I mean have a calendar that has ALL of your information on it.  It doesn’t necessarily need to be in a central location, although that would be preferable.  This calendar should contain all the appointments, birthdays or events that are happening at a specific time in the future. Tip 1a of this is: You need to check the calendar at least once per day.

    2. Write it down.  If you are busy and most of us are, don’t rely on your brain to remember something you were thinking of as you fell asleep by the time you wake up in the morning.  Keep a note pad by your bed, in the kitchen, in the car or wherever you have thoughts OR, if you are techno savvy, make the notes on your phone or tablet.

    3. Set alarms or timers.  If there are certain things that need to happen at a certain time, set an alarm or timer.  Most of us are not very good a judging time, so this will ensure you are punctual.  This could be for picking up Johnny from school, taking medications or baking something in the oven.  You can use a manual timer, your calendar program on your computer or there are several apps where you can set alarms or reminders.  My favorite is Alarmed.  You can set alarms with multiple reminders.  Have to make an important dinner and you are notorious for trying to get ‘one more thing done before you leave’, you can set it to chime 30 minutes before, 15 minutes before, 10 minutes before to really light a fire under you to get out the door on time.  There is an upgrade from the free version for $1.99 that will allow you to repeat reminders throughout the day to get up and stretch every hour or drink your water.

    4. Make lists of other’s good ideas.  We have all had those conversations where your friend tell you about the great movie, book, restaurant, wine, etc that you MUST watch/try/read.  You think it is a great idea and can’t wait to take their advice.  The problem is that the minute you get home you have already forgotten what restaurant/book/wine you were supposed to remember.  This is what I think Evernote or SpringPad apps are perfect for.  I have a ‘notebook’ in SpringPad for each of these great categories and every time someone tells me about their great idea, I have someone to put it AND somewhere to look when I want a new movie, wine, restaurant, etc.  I also have a notebook for gift ideas, so that if I see something when I am out and about, I can log it in.

    5. Make checklists.  If you are someone that needs a checklist to get out the door in the morning, pack a suitcase or complete a project, then make one.  You can do it on paper,in a word document or on an app like paperless lite, reminders, toodledo.  This way you can set up a check list once and reset it each time you need it without starting from scratch.

    6. Create visual reminders.  If you absolutely CAN’T leave the house in the morning without the really important work file, put a giant note on the door leading out of your house reminding you to get the file.  It is not silly to have a giant note on your door.  It IS silly to forget the really important work file.  I have a weekly reminder of my kids daily activities where they need extra items for school and it is on the door to my garage.  It is easy for the kids and me to check the board before we leave the house to ensure we haven’t forgotten the gym shoes, library books or special projects (see picture).  It is dry erase, so it can be easily changed for schedule changes.

    Remembering details, being prompt for appointments, sending timely emails or calling someone on their special day makes everyone in your life feel respected and cared for.  Remembering to take necessary medications, test blood sugar and eat on a regular schedule can prevent unnecessary side effects of chronic illnesses.  Taking the time to put systems in place will help you take better care of yourself and those around you.  It will also reduce your stress knowing that you don’t have to ‘remember’ everything!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important.  Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

  • Stop Playing Phone Tag!

    Do you find yourself calling the same person 3 times and always getting their voice mail?  Are you tired of calling someone back, getting their voice mail and because you have no idea what they needed, leaving a ‘please call me back’ message?  Let’s join forces to stop the phone tag!  Phone tag slows productivity by forcing us to make unnecessary calls that just take up extra minutes in our day.  By being more direct and clear with leaving messages, we can reduce the need for ‘call backs’ and thus gain precious minutes in our day.

    Here are 4 tips to stop phone tag:
    1. When inviting people to events or just out to dinner, leave details and be specific, so they can check their calendar and make a decision before calling you back!

    Example 1 – Mary, this is Tara.  I was calling you to see if you wanted to join me and the kids for dinner on Thursday night at the Pizza Place  at 5:30.  Hubby is working late and I thought it would be fun to take the kids out.

    Example 2 – Tara, this is Jane.  We would love to have you on our upcoming radio show next Friday, January 11th at 11 a.m.  The show would last about 30 minutes and we would need you in our studio by 10:45.  Would that work in your schedule?

    2. With clients or prospects, leave all the pertinent details, so you can make the most of your working hours.

    Example 1 – Client, this is Tara.  I just wanted to remind you that we are scheduled to work together on Monday, Jan 7th from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.  When we last spoke, our plan was to work on your home office.  See you then.  (This allows the client to only have to call you back if they want to change the plan.)

    Example 2 – Prospect, this is Tara.  I got your email and would love to talk to you about how No More Piles can help you with your organizing project.  I will be in my office from 9-2 today if you would like to call me, or you can leave me a message and let me know a good time to call you back.

    Example 3 – Tara, this is your Accountant.  I have received the paperwork to start on your taxes, but I am missing your bank statement for July.  If you could please scan it or fax it to my office, that would be great. (No need to return the call.  I can just send over the missing statement.)

    3.  If you are looking to hire someone and you are making the call for the first time, leave the details and repeat them.  Sometimes, cell phones break up or call waiting puts gaps in your message.  Repeating your name and phone number, at a slow pace, will ensure a call back.

    Example 1- Roofer, this is Tara.  I got your name from Joe Shmoe whose roof you did last month.  I would like to get an estimate on replacing my roof.  I will be home this evening or all day Saturday, if you could call me then.  My name again is Tara and my number is 444-867-5309.  Again, that number is 444-867-5309.

    Example 2 – Terry, this is Tara Rudo.  I found your website on the internet.  I am interested in learning more about your services and the costs.  I can be reached on my cell phone at 444-867-5309.  That’s 444-867-5309.  I look forward to hearing from you.

    4. If your call is urgent, say so!  By the same token, if your call isn’t remotely urgent, tell them.  The is especially important when leaving messages for kids, parents or other family members.

    Example 1 – Child, this is your mother.  Please call or text me immediately.  You were supposed to call when you got home since I had a late meeting today and wouldn’t be there when you got home from school and I haven’t heard from you.  If I don’t hear from you in the next 15 minutes, I am calling the police!

    Example 2 – Mom, this is your child.  I am just calling to let you know that my flight arrived in Florida on time.  No need to call back, just wanted to let you know that I am here, safe and sound.

    By using these four tips, you can help everyone you talk to improve their productivity, reduce calls and even communicate more clearly.  Best yet, utilizing these tips doesn’t take any extra time, but they all add extra time to your day!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.    Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • The 24 Hour Rule

    I was working with someone last week to schedule a meeting with 7 other people. We had sent out an email with all the details and gave a deadline 5 days out to respond to various action items.  On the day of the deadline, we had still not heard from half the group.  I had to send a second email reminding the group about the deadline and promptly got everyone’s responses. Why did they wait so long to respond?  If they could respond so quickly to the second email, why couldn’t they have responded just as quickly to the first?

    I am guilty of this too.  A friend called me on a Friday and when she hadn’t heard from me by Sunday, emailed to make sure that I was OK.  I am sure that you are either guilty of this offense or have been on the receiving end of the ‘no response’.

    In this day of instant messaging and access to email and text messages from our phones which we carry with us everywhere, why is it that so many people don’t respond, don’t call back and don’t RSVP. Are we too busy? Are we just rude?  OR, are we not placing high enough priority on prompt responsiveness and our personal relationships.

    If we waited several days to call our mothers back, we would probably find the cops or fire department banging down our front door.  Whether personal or for business, I think we should adopt the 24 hour rule.  If you are soooo busy that you can’t find the time to call someone, then shoot them an email and arrange a time for the call.  If you have an email that requires lots of time and thought, at least send an email back telling the sender that you need a little time and will respond by____ (fill in the blank). Responding promptly will let the people in your life know that you appreciate and respect them and their time.

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com.

     

     

  • I Can’t Do It All By Myself!

    My husband regularly makes fun of me for always having my ‘team’ of people that I need to run my life. My ‘team’ consists of quite a few people in various categories and I feel that their contributions make me a much happier and successful businesswoman, mother and human being. I have a chiropractor, acupuncturist, house cleaning duo, several babysitters, a virtual assistant, Terri (my right hand organizer), massage therapist (a.k.a. my mother), marketing guru, my group fitness instructors at the gym and probably a few others that I can’t remember off the top of my head. As far as I am concerned, my husband can make fun of me all he wants because I LOVE my team!

    In today’s hectic society, with two working parents who also want to have a life outside of their home, I feel that having a team is a necessity. I can’t do it ALL by myself! I have learned and embraced the Law of Delegation. I am not sure where I learned this and have searched to find out whom I should credit but have had no luck. So, here it is:

    The Law of Delegation: If someone else can do the task 75% as well as you could do it yourself, delegate it.
    The way I see it, there are two ways to delegate. You can delegate up. For example, hire a marketing guru, chiropractor, acupuncturist who is an expert in something you CAN’T do for yourself to tell you or teach you how to achieve your goals in the most effective and efficient way. Or, you can delegate down. For example, hiring a babysitter, house cleaning duo or virtual assistant to do something that you COULD do for yourself, but you choose to pay them to do it so you can spend your time and efforts elsewhere.

    You can’t expect perfection or to have something done EXACTLY the way you would do it, but it will be done and that is more important than perfect. I think that learning to delegate is a difficult skill for both business people and parents alike. You know that some things won’t get done well the first time. Accept that there will be a learning curve as you teach someone else to do these tasks. But, if you are a little lucky and thoughtful as to which tasks you delegate and which people you bring on your team, you can achieve amazing things. You can gain TIME. You can gain better health. You can gain a stronger marriage. You can earn more money.

    If you are a parent and choose to delegate to your children, you may gain some extra headaches in the short term while you teach and train them to take over tasks. But, in the long run, you will gain the knowledge and pride that comes from knowing that you are raising your child to be a self sufficient and responsible human. This is a slow process that starts with toddlers helping clean the playroom, sort socks and set the dinner table.

    My advice: Delegate early and often. The GAINS are worth it!

    If you liked today’s post, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com . Photo is courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

  • Microsoft Outlook Saved My Marriage

    Any of you out there in a relationship or married have probably had the following conversation.

    Person 1 – “I have a long work day today and I won’t be home until late because I have a meeting with the bossman at 5:30 p.m.”
    Person 2 – “What do you mean you won’t be home until late? Johnny has his school play (or insert other event) tonight and we were going to that and then out for pizza with the Johnsons.”

    Person 1 – “Johnny’s play is tonight? You never told me that! It’s not on my calendar. I can’t cancel my meeting with my boss!

    Person 2 – “Don’t you remember we talked about it last week?”

    Fight continues and yelling begins…if it hasn’t already.

    After spending several months having these ‘discussions’ with my husband, I was sick of it! I began searching for solutions. I was already using Microsoft Outlook for my email and contact management and discovered that for each calendar event I could ‘invite attendees’. This meant that the calendar event was emailed to hubby and he could either accept, tentative or decline the event and I would receive a response back. Easy, peasy.

    If he accepted, it was automatically put on his Outlook calendar. If declined, he could put a response in the email back to me so we could discuss the scheduling problem. The other great feature here is that if one of us changes the times on an event or deletes it off our calendar, it requires that you send an update to the other ‘attendees’. This has been a MARRIAGE-SAVER!! No more fights about scheduling. No excuses for not know what is going on and when. I LOVE IT!

    If you don’t use Outlook, but want to have similar features, check out Google Calendar. You can set up multiple calendars, so you can have one for your personal stuff and set up one for ‘Family’ events or set up one for each of the kids schedules and they can be shared with others. You can also set up the notifications so it would have similar features to what I mentioned above in Outlook.

    If you are not a computer person, you can use the pen and paper method. Just make sure that a family calendar is posted in a high-traffic area of the house like the kitchen where it will be easily seen. That it is big enough to easily see events.

    No matter which type of system you use there are a few things you will need to do for it to be successful.

    1. Always put events on your calendar! The system only works if you are diligent about entering events on it.
    2. Every week you need to have a quick family meeting to make sure that everyone has their events on the calendar and knows where they need to be when.
    3. Don’t overbook your calendar! This is the most important rule. If you jam pack every minute of your week, you will feel stressed, rushed and things will fall apart.

    Calendars are one system that EVERY family needs to run smoothly. They also give every family member accountability and help you avoid the stress of conversations like the one at the top of the page.

    If you liked today’s article, you’re welcome to use it in your own ezine or blog as long as you include the following blurb: Certified Professional Organizer, Tara Donohue Rudo, CPO, helps families, solopreneurs and mompreneurs focus on what is important. Get her FREE weekly tips and advice at www.NoMorePiles.com .