After the solemnity of Remembrance Day, it's time to turn our minds (and our organizing skills!) to the holidays. There is always excitement and anticipation in this time of year, whether you are marking Chanukah, Kwanza, Christmas or you simply plan to enjoy the season. Along with all the festive store fronts and decorations galore, there are also plenty of reasons to dread the season: expectations, anxiety and being pressed for time. Have you started to feel the pressures of the season? If so, then hopefully these tips for a more relaxed holiday will be of benefit to you.
Focus on what matters - to you: The pressure to be "perfect" at the holidays may seem overwhelming so take a moment to consider what really matters to you. Bigger and more expensive isn't always better. What are the traditions that really matter to you and which ones might you be able to modify or skip in an effort to enjoy more and stress less? Instead of writing fifty cards, for example, pick the ten that matter most and enjoy writing each one with a personal message. Cut yourself some slack: Hang onto little rituals during the day that bring you pleasure or put you into a more relaxed frame of mind. Do you relish the 30 minutes of reading you do before bed? How about sipping a second cup of tea that you don't really need, but want? Perhaps most importantly, protect your gym or yoga time to help you stay healthy and strong. Keep the little things knowing that they will help you to be your best as you tackle what the season brings. Ask for help: Between free gift wrapping, delivery services and gourmet ready-to-eat meals, there are many options available that are both time-saving and inexpensive. Take advantage of them! Enlist the help of friends and family members to pick up a few extra items while they're shopping - why do you all have to hit the same stores? Turn a family meal into a potluck event or turn a formal dinner party into an open house or dessert exchange...anything helps. Make a plan: Shopping lists, a map of the mall and a gift list are all easy-to-use ways of staying relaxed. Sure, getting organized might get your heart rate up at first as you realize the work ahead of you, but once you have a plan you'll be able to prepare for the holidays with confidence. No last minute rushing around for the forgotten gift or the missing ingredient. Have fun & take breaks: Keep the fun in the season by making a mindful effort to recognize and appreciate the moments that make the season memorable. Take a few deep breaths and give yourself permission to unplug for a while. Taking a few extra minutes to relax will refresh you and allow you to see even the most traditional holiday rituals in a new and inspired light. I'd love to hear from you with tips, success stories or questions about meal planning. Feel free to use the Comments section to connect with me and the Smart.Organized.Simple community.
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How many messages are in your inbox right now? Between home and work accounts, you probably have more messages than you care to admit, and most of them are probably outdated, unimportant or of little value to you. So why are they cluttering up your virtual space and choking out the messages that are important to you? Statistics compiled by Radicati Group from February 2015 estimate the number of e-mails send per day in 2015 to be approximately 205 billion. That means that there are almost 2.4 million messages sent every second and almost 74 trillion per year. No wonder your inboxes are stuffed with missives from friends, family members, clients, suppliers, marketers and spam. If you feel like you're drowning in virtual "stuff", you're not alone.
But there is a way to manage all these messages. About 15 years ago, I started using a 5D system to manage my inbox. At the time (we're talking turn of the century!) I was getting about 10 to 15 messages a day and needed a way to keep on top of them. Since then, the system has proven effective in managing the dozens of e-mails that arrive addressed to me daily. It's simple, effective and I'm happy to share my 5Ds with you. Dump: Don't be afraid of the "delete" button. Get ruthless and clear out anything you don't really need or want. We get tons of reminders, special offers, spam and general junk and for some reason we seem to just keep it hanging around. Why? Dump it and move on. Do: If the request being made of you is simple, just do it. My benchmark is 2 minutes. If you can find, figure out, solve or reply in under two minutes, then take a page out of Nike's book and just do it. Once the message has been answered, file it or dump it. Delegate: Are you the right person to respond to a message? If not, then delegate it. Use the "forward" button when it's the right thing to do. We sometimes get caught up in trying to solve every problem, provide all the advice or respond to every request. But if you're not the best person to do so, then help the sender by connecting them with the person best placed to provide the right answer. Defer: If you are the right person for the job but need to do some research before sending a reply, defer the response. You can send out a quick message to acknowledge the sender's request, but schedule time in your calendar to properly address the question or concern. Blocking off time will allow you to provide the best answer without feeling rushed or under pressure to reply right away. Consider using colour-coding options or other flags to mark messages in your inbox that have been tagged as "deferred". De-clutter: Do you want all the automated messages that you're receiving? Are they providing value? If not, then consider using the "unsubscribe" button. While it may take an extra minute or two to remove yourself from a mailing list, the lack of unwanted mail will be a welcome change. If you decide later that you're missing out on a something, then click back onto the mailing list. Chances are though that you won't miss the messages that you delete out of habit. For some reason, I always think of September as the "real" start of the new year. I know that January 1st gets all the attention, but September just seems like a better time to try new things, to tackle projects that have been on the "to do" list for too long and to get organized! The cooler temperatures, the back-to-school excitement...maybe it's just me, but I'm feeling motivated!
But where to start? As with my "real" new year's resolutions, I believe in starting small. Successes build momentum and give us the much-needed boost we need to tackle some of the loftier goals on our list. What could be more basic than food? Meal planning is a great way to stay organized because it helps you to: - save on the grocery bill (coupons? sales?) and cut down on food waste; - avoid last-minute takeout foods and pre-packaged meals; - eat a wider variety of food items; - get the whole family involved in making and enjoying meals; - save time and money on last minute trips to the grocery store or market; and - encourage family members to share a meal, giving you more time with those you love. Menu Planning Tips: 1. Pick a time and stick to it: Decide when you will make your weekly menu (monthly menus seem too daunting for me because you never know when the calendar might change, but you could try it too!) and make it part of your routine. Ask family members to help by contributing meal ideas and look at recipes for inspiration. 2. Check your calendar and know your routine: When do you go grocery shopping? What are the recurring activities that make dinnertime a bit rushed on some nights of the week? Are there nights when slow cooker meals might work best or do you need some meals that are "make your own" because people arrive home at vastly different times? 3. Make menus and lists at the same time: While you make up your menu, create a complimentary shopping list. This ensures that you have everything on hand to turn the menu ideas into meals without extra trips to the store. If you have coupons, paperclip them to the shopping list and check local flyers for sales or bulk-buying opportunities. 4. Make and take your list: Remember to take your shopping list (and coupons) to the store and stick to it when shopping. This helps you save money and cut down on food waste. Build your shopping list throughout the week by adding items that you need to replace as soon as you recycle the empty container. If you're lucky enough to have pantry space, consider stocking up on family favourites like taco kits, soups or pasta so that you'll have extra options for healthy last-minute meals. 5. Stick with it: Menu planning can be easy, but only once it's part of your organized routine. It may take a few weeks to get into a routine, so be patient with yourself. You may also like to track your progress, even anecdotally. Did you manage to cut down on the number of trips to the store? Is the composter or garbage bin feeling lonelier now that food waste has been reduced? Are you enjoying the variety of meals being created and enjoyed by the family? I'd love to hear from you with tips, success stories or questions about meal planning. Feel free to use the Comments section to connect with me and the Smart.Organized.Simple community. |
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