6 Time Management Tips
What type of calendar or time management system do you use? Time management is much harder for some people than others, yet it is a very useful stress management tool and life skill. Here are 6 time management tips to help you plan and balance your time. Time Management Tips Use a calendar or agenda system to manage your time. Having some type of system other than your head is a very helpful habit. Block time for important things. Use your calendar to block time for more than just appointments. Block time for work, school, appointments, commitments, hobbies, self-care, fun, family, etc. Blocking time will help you easily see where you need to include more balance and where you can fit in the urgent things that arise. I am much less stressed if my week has a starting point. When urgent things pop up, and they do, I can look at my calendar to see where I have an empty block or time or what I can rearrange rather than feeling overwhelmed in choosing between the important and the urgent. Plan, then pivot. Finding balance may mean color-coding your commitments (easy to do on Google Calendar) so that you can…
Shop Small Business
What if you made every Saturday, small business Saturday? What if you shopped small, local, independent businesses every Saturday for a year? An American Express study in 2022 found that “ $0.68 of every dollar spent at a small business in the U.S. stays in the local community and that every dollar spent at small businesses creates an additional $0.48 in local business activity as a result of employees and local businesses purchasing local goods and services.” Small Business Saturday was started in 2010 to encourage shoppers to shop locally on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It has since grown to #shopsmall which encourages people to shop small businesses year-round. Since I’ve become a small business, I greatly value supporting other small businesses, especially local ones. I also love it when a client gives me a teacher appreciation gift or gift card that’s from a local business! It’s a win-win for everyone! As you are shopping this month, shop local and shop small. Of course, I love the convenience of big box stores and the quick delivery of Amazon, but there’s something to be said about knowing a shop owner and giving back to the community. Drop into the comments below…
Finding Purpose in Midlife
Is the empty nest a syndrome? Guest post by Cindy Stumme of Back to You and Me, a blog for finding purpose in midlife. “What am I going to do with myself after all the kids have left the house?” This was the question that popped into my mind when I waved goodbye to my third child and only daughter as she began her freshman year of college. And then I googled “empty nest syndrome.” The internet is loaded with information about almost everything, and the empty nest is no exception. In fact, one of the most common myths floating around cyberspace is that there is some sort of syndrome associated with the empty nest. Did you know empty nest syndrome is not an actual psychological diagnosis? It’s just an expression, and I think that the addition of the word syndrome has created some negative expectations for what can be a really great stage in our lives. Yet, there is no denying that many of us struggle as our children leave the home. My own experiences led me to ask, “If the empty nest is not a syndrome, why is this so hard?” Here’s what I found: Midlife and the…
Product Review: LB Love Organics
How do you choose what type of hand lotion to buy? With so many “avoid these chemicals” messages it’s hard to find a good hand lotion, let alone a swoon-worthy hard lotion bar that smells nice and supports small businesses. So how do you know what organic small businesses you can support? If you are like me, word of mouth is the best advertisement for any business, big or small. When a friend tells me they love a product, it’s helpful, or that they know and trust the owner, I’m interested! Let me tell you about a product I am LOVING right now. Spice Cider Hard Lotion Bar by LB Love Organics. Not only does this company focus on sensitive skin products, but it uses simple and organic ingredients. The tagline is “sensitive skincare, simple ingredients.” Meredith of LB Love Organics grew her company out of her personal research for products for the dry and sensitive skin of her family members and her friends’ love of her creations. She did all the research AND created products so all we have to do is click the purchase button. As a bonus, my order came quickly and with a personal note and…
Midlife Blog Review: Back to You and Me
What stage of life is midlife? Most define midlife as when the kids are out of the house but you are not yet retired, so typically between ages 40-60. While life will not look exactly the same for us “new grays,” we do share many similarities and challenges in the midlife season including shifting priorities, relationships with adult children, and becoming a couple again. My cousin, Cindy Stumme, has recently started an informative and encouraging blog for those of us in midlife called Back to You and Me. This blog grew out of her experiences with an empty nest and midlife transition that became the focus of her recent master’s thesis. Just as many of you reached out to friends who had kids when you were just starting your parenting adventure, now you can get some advice and encouragement to thrive, not just survive, midlife. Cindy helps readers put purpose and meaning into this transitional season of life through resources, research, and building community. As a bonus, Cindy often adds free downloadable phone wallpaper for extra encouragement. Check out Cindy’s blog, Back to You and Me, for more information and encouragement for “thriving in midlife and the empty nest through…
Free Printable Agenda Page
How many late or missing assignments has your child had this week? How could a free printable agenda page help you? I’m a huge fan of agendas, but I also know that many kids struggle to use them. Recently I wrote a post about using Google calendars as digital agendas, but there are plenty of kids and families who just need a printable agenda page. I’ve got one for you! Whether you have a 5 subject day or 8, I’ve got a sheet for you. You can simply use the extra rows for notes, extracurricular activities, work, etc. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or tutor, this free printable agenda page is for you. Print this free printable agenda page and help your child get back on track. I suggest printing it on colored paper, but not so bright or dark that your child can’t write on it with a pencil. A nice fluorescent green, yellow, or orange helps kids find their printable agenda page in the folder crammed with worksheets, handouts, and missing homework. Take time at the start of the week to write in as many assignments as the teachers have posted online or are predictably due each…
Free Home Maintenance Checklist
How do you document your home maintenance? The best way to document home maintenance is to have a 3-ring house binder for all your warranties, product manuals, purchase receipts, and home maintenance checklist. Some people use a box or file system in the same way. To get started, first purchase a large 3-ring binder and some page protectors. Clear page protectors or pocket folders are good for storing and sorting the manuals in your house binder. At the top of the product manual, write the purchase date and/or attach the receipt. For online/digital manuals, you can set up a folder on your computer or a file on your email specifically for these. Next, create a document for home maintenance where you record when you change the air filters (and what size to buy), replace the batteries in the smoke detector, and check the fire extinguisher. Or you can simply put the date next to the task on the home maintenance checklist. When you sell or move, consider which manuals and documents you will leave for the next resident. Hint: just leave the current ones! If you have replaced the stove, just leave the current manual! Additionally, set task…
Reset the house
How long does it take you to unpack after a trip? I’m halfway through my own Clean the Chaos course and highly motivated to keep my rooms clean and reset the house. (Yes, I’m taking my OWN course!) We recently came home from a beach trip and would have normally had time to unpack, do laundry, grocery shop, etc. But instead, we went to the airport to pick up international friends whose flight was delayed 2 days. Unexpected houseguest on top of regular house guests and unpacking from a trip was delightful chaos, of which we are quite accustomed to. We survived pretty easily on pantry supplies, popsicles, air mattresses, and board games. However, once everyone left I was itching to get my closet back together. I had emptied my suitcase on the floor, piled in some clean laundry, and tried to sort out travel supplies in one corner. My previously clean closet motivated me to not wait very long before taking the time to return it to order after my trip. Same with the rest of my house. Now that my linen closet and guest rooms have been decluttered, it makes me want to quickly do laundry and reset…
10 Tasks to Clean Your Digital Spaces
How full is your email inbox? When I teach my course “Clean the Chaos,” I not only want my clients to clean their physical spaces but also their digital spaces, too. Here’s a short segment right out of a recent email to my clients on cleaning out home office spaces. These 10 tasks will help you clean the chaos in your digital life and lighten the junk mail and unnecessary files that burden your devices. Set aside some time this month and work through these 10 tasks. You will be so glad you did! Delete junk emails Unsubscribe to email lists Create folders or filters for important emails Create folders on your device for important files with names that work for you (home, personal, health, auto, receipts/orders, pet, manuals, etc.) including a folder for each person in your household Delete unnecessary photos and files Delete apps and subscriptions you do not use Delete trash files periodically Use digital bookkeeping and bill pay to manage bills and minimize paper use Use a financial app to monitor your credit scores, find and manage subscriptions, and cancel recurring charges Back up your files Bonus tip? Delete junk mail once a day to keep…
Best Back to School Traditions
What are your back to school traditions? The start of a new school year can be a hard transition from the freedom of summer break for some parents and kids. Having some back-to-school traditions can ease this transition. Ice cream night was our favorite and best back-to-school tradition. On the first day of school (and the last) we went out to ice cream for dinner. We asked good questions and the kids actually gave answers between bites. It was casual but meaningful. Other families have a special breakfast on the first day of school or a school supply shopping day. Some families prioritize the first day of school photo shoot on the front porch. It all comes down to being intentional and building traditions. Maybe it did not start out at first as something that would become a tradition or ease the transition, but eventually, families repeat special moments, and traditions are begun. As a teacher and tutor, I have the opportunity to talk with students at the start of the school year. One of my traditions is asking students to tell me what they character traits hope their new teacher will see in them. With some praise and encouragement…