You're Not Guaranteed Another Minute, and That's Beautiful

No one is guaranteed a certain amount of time on this planet. There are 24 hours in a day, but not one of them is promised to you. You aren't guaranteed to see the ending of a movie just because you've made it up to the climax.

 

Truth be told, you can't be sure you'll be existing 60 seconds from now.

 

You're probably thinking that this is a dismal and negative picture we're painting. Please don't believe that. There is incredible beauty found in this idea if you let it come to light.

 

It's something that we often learn later in life. We suffer a devastating loss, and we look back on our past. Perhaps a friend or family member passes away. We think about all the things we wish we would've told that person. 

 

Regret often accompanies the loss of a loved one. The wise person will let that regret pass. They begin to think of all the wonderful memories created with the person that's no longer in their life. They smile and get good feelings reminiscing that way.

 

Eventually, our own mortality comes to mind. We realize that the world can change in the blink of an eye. When this happens to you, hopefully you never forget that lesson.

 

Embrace All the Beauty and Positivity in the Present Moment

 

The things you've done in your past, even the past few seconds, cannot be changed. For all intents and purposes, that means it doesn't exist. You can reminisce about wonderful times in the past and that's a good thing. But you have no control over your past.

 

The future doesn't exist. You can't guarantee the future, even a few seconds or minutes or an hour from now. Embrace that. Understand what it means. This natural fact means that you owe it to yourself to live in the present moment right now.

 

Own it. Experience it fully with all of your senses. With the knowledge that we're guaranteed no amount of time on earth, you'll start to see beauty everywhere. You understand how your entire existence is only one present moment at a time. 

 

Think about it this way and you'll make better plans. While your future isn't guaranteed, embracing this mindset will have you making smarter plans for your future. You'll take your relationships much more seriously. Embrace the present moment without guarantees of anything in the future and you'll start calling the people that you love and telling them how much they mean to you.

 

No matter what you do, you can't alter the fact that nothing is guaranteed in life. 

 

This may seem like a heavy conversation to have with young people, but it needs to happen. It can produce an appreciation for relationships and beauty and positivity that otherwise might not exist. You owe it to yourself to plan for a wonderful future. You should also give yourself the gift of being totally alive and present in the now.

 

We Often Learn Too Late That Priorities Are Important

What's the most important commodity in your life? It's time. You can never get back any time you wasted or spent inappropriately. A lot of us beat ourselves up when we think about all the time we've wasted in our past.

 

That's okay, as long as we've learned our lesson. It's a shame this isn't something that's taught early in life. Your parents might have told you as a child that you need to have a list of priorities. That probably didn't mean anything to you at the time. You were young and had your whole life ahead of you.

 

Then you blinked your eyes and winded up far removed from your childhood. You've got several decades behind you as an adult. You regret not having paid attention to priorities over the years.

 

You know that what you prioritize highly gets the most of your attention. This happens subconsciously and consciously. The person who prioritizes becoming wealthy above all other things is very likely to achieve that goal. His relationships may suffer, unless he places them high up on his list of priorities as well.

 

Have You Written down Your Priorities?

 

You don't have to do this with pen and paper. You can use your smartphone or your computer. That way you'll always have your list of priorities available. By the way, this should be something you review constantly. You're an entirely different person now than when you were younger. You're going to be a different person in a few years in so many ways.

 

This means you should constantly check your list of priorities and see if you've got them in the right order.

 

At the top of your list you want to jot down the things that are most important to you. When you first do this, don't worry about misspelling words or making complete sentences. You just want to get your thoughts down on paper. Prioritize the top 10 things in your life. These are your values. They are the things that are important to you.

 

When you're finished, rank them. Put your most important value or goal at the top. Look at the list. What do you think? What are you going to spend the most time on? 

 

Can you make a plan to spend more time and effort on priority number one than number five? That's what you should do, because your highest priority is the thing in life that is of the utmost importance to you.

 

Repeat the Process for the Next Few Days

 

Do the same thing again tomorrow. You want to do this because things may pop into your head that you didn't think about. You might think that won't happen with goals or values that are super important to you. Believe us when we say that it does. When you go through this exercise for three or four days in a row, you'll have a very clear picture of the things that are important in your life.

 

Then you can move forward with more focus and productivity. It's a shame this isn't taught to children. When it is taught, young people are so busy with so many things that they might forget the lesson. No matter where you are in life right now, take this to heart. Your actions create your reality and priorities can help you decide what receives the most action in your life.

 

6 Changes to Your Schedule to Help You Manage Your Time Like a Pro

 

You’ve learned some tricks on how to manage your time, whether you’ve learned from a boss, a friend, or on your own. Yet putting those tricks into action is a different story. You have to learn how to make a schedule for yourself, which sounds about as daunting as being your own boss. Take out your self-starter hat and get ready to learn how to manage your time all on your own with these six hacks! 

 

1. Leave Wiggle Room Between your Time Blocks

 

Friends, meet buffer-time. No one should have a fully stacked calendar with no time in between for a break. Block out buffer-time on your calendar in between meetings and tasks. Your future self will thank you when your days are more productive, and the hours are less exhausting. 

 

2. Organize Yourself

 

This is a big life change for some people because organization habits don’t always come easily. At first, it may feel like you are spending extra time trying to stay organized, but the payoff is worth it. Here’s a staggering statistic: On average, Americans waste about 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced objects. Don’t be part of that statistic! Find a place for your belongings and always put them back where they belong. This goes for computer files too! Create a simple filing system and save new documents to the correct location. 

 

3. Make Use of the 80-20 Rule

 

Have you ever heard of the Pareto Principle? Otherwise known as the 80-20 rule, this principle says that you can get 80% of the work done in 20% of the time. Similarly, 80% of the results come from 20% of the actions. It can be applied to many things in life, so it’s a great concept to apply to your usage of time. Get in the habit of noticing what tasks get the most results. Spend more time on those actions and cut out some of the responsibilities that take up time but don’t produce the outcomes you are looking for.

 

4. Stop Waiting

 

Every once and a while, you’ll inevitably have to wait for something: at the grocery store, in the doctor’s office, in traffic. Instead of actually waiting, or deferring to your phone for entertainment, do something productive with your time. Listen to a podcast you’ve been dying to try out, read a book on an interesting topic, or write in your journal. Turn waiting time into productive time.

 

5. Organize Your Tasks in Blocks

 

Batch all your similar tasks together. For example, don’t check your email every time someone pings you. If it’s urgent, go right ahead, but otherwise, set a time block every two hours or so to plow through all your emails at one time. This keeps you focused, which is a more efficient way to work. 

 

6. Try to Do Less

 

This may sound like a slacker approach, but it’s not. Believe it or not – we take on way more than we need to, meaning we take on more than is beneficial to our work. If you find yourself planning parties, chatting with your coworkers, and dabbling in another department’s workload, you may have spread yourself to thin. By doing that, you’re not helping yourself or your peers. In the end, you could wind up letting down people because you overpromise and under-deliver. 

 

Increase Your Personal Productivity (Infographic)

How Can I Stop Procrastinating?

Everyone procrastinates sometimes, but if you find that procrastination is a constant problem for you, it’s time to make a few changes in your life. Below are several tactics you can use to help yourself stop your procrastination habit. 

 

Divide Up The Task

 

Often, when you procrastinate, you may feel you are facing a massive task which you don’t believe you will be able to finish. Put a stop to this thinking by breaking up the task into more manageable pieces. For example, if you were supposed to clean your basement, resolve to clean one of the four corners each day instead of trying to tackle it all at once. This tactic can help make any task more manageable and feel less overwhelming. 

 

Make A Deadline

 

Now is not the time to tell yourself you will do something “later.” Instead, set a strict timeline for yourself, with sections of your goal having deadlines. This way, you known when you will be completing something. It may also help to have a small reward for yourself along the way. An example of this would be a student needing to write a four-page paper. And for each page the student completes, they would reward themselves with fifteen minutes of phone time. 

 

Stop Your Common Distractions

 

Usually, when someone procrastinates, it’s for the same reasons each time. Like when you were going to clean the kitchen, but then you just had to watch a new TV show instead. Put a stop to this by eliminating common distractions or procrastination tactics for yourself. If the TV is a distraction for you, maybe it’s time to work in another room. 

 

Spend Time With Motivated People

 

There is nothing quite like hanging out with someone motivated to boost your motivation. Find a friend or colleague whose motivation you admire, and resolve to spend more time with them. Or get a buddy in on your plans and decide to help keep each other motivated regularly. Either way, it’s much easier to stop procrastinating when you’ve got others around you accomplishing remarkable things!

 

Overall, discontinuing your procrastination habit can be extremely difficult, but it can be done just by changing some minor things in your life. Start by dividing up the task, making deadlines, and getting rid of your most common distractions. Then surround yourself with other positive people, and you will soon find you procrastinate tasks less than ever before!

 

3 Steps to Finish What You Start

Do you often struggle to finish the projects you start, even when you have every intention of finishing them? 

 

Believe it or not, this is a common problem that most people face. Luckily, you can follow a few steps to ensure that you can become the type of person who finishes a project once you start it.

 

1. Make A Plan

 

The first step to finishing a task is making sure you have a plan at the beginning. It needs to be a plan which you write down. A mental note isn't worth the piece of paper it is written on. You may want to jump in and start something in your excitement, but you might not realize all the work and challenges you will face. When you take the time to make a plan, this will better prepare you for the task at hand, and you'll be able to spot problems much more easily.

 

2. Take A Break

 

If you find yourself getting overly frustrated or beginning to loathe the project because you've been working on it for so long, it's okay to take a short break. This break will help reset your mind and focus. You might even be able to solve some of the problems you are facing while you take this little breather. Just make sure that when you set an endpoint to your break, this way you can hold yourself to it and not just abandon the project.

 

3. Make Small Goals and Rewards For Yourself

 

As you plan how you will conquer your task or project, break your goal into smaller mini-goals. Then, cross them off and reward yourself as you complete them. It will help keep you on task, and you'll be able to feel as if you are making progress, even if it's small. This progress will do wonders to keep your spirits high while working on the project. The little rewards you are giving yourself will probably help too.

 

So next time you get excited about a new project or goal in your life, slow down a bit and make a plan, complete with smaller goals and rewards for yourself. Then, as you pursue the project, don't be afraid to take small breaks if you need to recuperate. Chances are, thanks to these three steps, you will be much more likely to finish your new goal than leave it abandoned.

 

5 Strategies to Shine Bright on the Job

Shining bright at a job is often associated with being a “suck-up,” “brown nose,” or “teacher’s pet.” What shining bright at work is about, is being a nice person, working hard, and having the right attitude. Keeping reading for five useful tips that you can implement at work immediately to shine a little brighter and help others to as well.

 

1. Have a Positive Attitude

 

This doesn’t mean that you need be the annoyingly cheerful coworker at all hours of the day. Be kind. Don’t be a negative Nancy. Think before you speak. Being positive in less than stellar situations can take time, practice, and effort, but being the one with the right attitude can go a long way in making situations better and getting noticed for the right reasons.

 

2. Accept Feedback Gracefully

 

Sometimes even the most well-intentioned constructive criticism can sting. Even at those times, accept the feedback gracefully. Do not allow the negativity of others to cause you to act out. Instead, ask questions about the feedback so you can better understand how to do better next time, and this will also show that you are willing to learn and self-correct in the future. Look at every criticism as a chance to grow professionally.

 

3. Be a Professional

 

Being a professional can cover many areas. Consider your language (swearing), your attire, and your actions. Do your best to remain professional an all times. This doesn’t mean to altogether eschew your coworkers though. Be sure to be still friendly, joke around a little, and show that you are willing to contribute to the work culture as well.

 

4. Go the Extra Mile

 

Sometimes going a little bit above and beyond what was expected of you can garner big dividends. Always considering doing a little extra to show that you care about your work and the office. This will impress your supervisor and show your coworkers that you care about everyone in the office.

 

5. Volunteer for New Projects

 

Sometimes your plate is already too full, and you can’t consider taking on one more project. If your plate isn’t already too full, though, consider volunteering for a new project, be it a solo or team one. This will show that you are willing to try new things, take one for the team, and you never know, the new project might end up being a fantastic opportunity for you.

 

Shining bright in the office is not about outshining everyone else. It is about illuminating your own abilities and strengths while also casting everyone else in a positive light so that the team can grow together. Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

The First Hour of Your Day - How to Start Each Day for More Productivity and Focus

What’s the first thing you do when you get started each morning? For many of us, it’s a rush to the PC to check email, which leads to immediately getting bogged down in routine and “have to do” tasks. 

 

The problem with this is that the next thing you know, it’s lunch time and you don’t feel like you’ve gotten anything done. Each of us has our own morning routine and you should take some time to create your own so that it benefits you.

 

The first hour of your day is important as it sets the tone for everything that comes after. It’s a good time to deal with matters that most require our focused thinking and problem solving. Here are tips on how to make the best use of your first hour of the day.

 

Eat First

 

Coffee is great for waking you up and helping you focus, but your brain needs food. Even if it’s just a cup of yogurt or a banana, eat something before you even start thinking about work. You’ve gone 8+ hours without food. You’ll be unable to focus and think clearly on an empty stomach.

 

Don’t Start with the Inbox

 

Far too many people start with their email inbox. Do you know how many messages you respond to per day? It could be well over a hundred. Your email inbox is a clutter of different conversations going on at the same time. Starting by tackling all this chatter is likely to make you feel drained by the time your first hour of work is over.

 

Of course, emails need your response. But rather than going through and splitting your focus and attention on whatever comes next, a better strategy is to glance at emails and decide what needs to be done fast. Then, tackle each issue by issue, when you’re dealing with that particular issue.

 

Look at the Big Picture

 

The first hour of your day is a good time for looking at the big picture before you get started on the fine details. Look at your calendar and think about what’s happening in the coming weeks or months. Review what’s most important and touch on your values and goals. 

 

With the big picture in mind, it’s much easier to decide what needs to be done today and what should be done first. 

 

Make a To Do List 

 

If you really want to control your time for the day, create a to-do list with a time set for each item. Use a timer to stick to the times you set. Another way to manage your to-do list is to decide on a milestone for each task. You may have several projects going at the same time. 

 

Choose a reasonable and productive stopping point for each so that you make sure you get the other things done. 

 

Do Something Fun

 

You may want to start your day with something not at all work-related. For example, set aside 20 minutes to indulge in a hobby. This allows you to wake up and start the day in a good, relaxed mood. You may feel less harried than you would starting to work directly.

 

For the same reason, some people choose to start the day with some light exercise or a walk. 

 

What Works for Your First Hour?

 

Try out a few different ideas for the first hour of your day and take notice of how it affects you. You might want to keep a journal or jot down some notes. Notice how your energy levels feel throughout the day and whether you have any stress. Once you find a morning routine that works to get you started and productive, put it into practice.

 

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Top Tips for Staying Organized and Productive at Work

Whether you work for yourself or someone else you will need to be both organized and productive at work; every day. Not only will you feel better but you'll also impress your boss, colleagues and clients. So how can you make sure that you stay organized and productive?

 

Clear Clutter

 

Your work space should be clear and clutter-free. By removing distractions, you will make sure that you remain focused on your work. Have a trash can by your desk and use it. If it's trash, then it isn't needed so bin it immediately! Add a small container for recycling and put anything that can be recycled into it as soon as you've finished with it.

 

Process Your Emails

 

Emails are a huge time suck. Instead of just reading them or thinking you'll read or act on them later take a more structured approach.

 

Set a specific time for dealing with emails each day. Don't check them in between.

 

Use folders to organize emails: junk/spam, trash, by project or client, personal and to do. Any emails that require you to take action and that cannot be completed at that moment should be put into the to do folder. Make it a habit to work through your to do folder and empty it every day. Have a specific time slot allocated for that each day.

 

Delete junk, spam and emails that aren't important or needed for further action and empty those folders at the end of each day.

 

Schedule It

 

If you work for an organization, then you probably have set break times. However, if you work for yourself then it will be up to you to decide when to take a break. Make sure to schedule in regular breaks as these will keep you more focused and productive.

 

If you sit down for a large part of your day you need to take regular time out to get up and walk around. This will keep you fitter and reduce tiredness.

 

Stay Hydrated

 

Your body and brain need water to stay hydrated and to achieve optimal performance. Of course, you don't need to drink plain water all the time but you should limit caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee. 

 

Don't Skip Lunch

 

It can be all too easy to skip a meal when you are really busy. However, this won't actually boost your productivity as you'll find your blood sugar level will drop and you’ll lose energy and the ability to focus.

 

Make sure that you’ll always have lunch by taking it with you. If you can’t make it yourself then buy it on the way in to the office. Make sure to have a couple of healthy snacks ready to have during the day.

 

These simple tips will help you to stay organized and productive when you’re working.

 

To Do List Success Tips

The humble to do list is a powerful organization tool. It doesn't matter whether you create and keep a digital list using an app such as Todoist or use a pen and paper. What matters is that you create and use your lists every day to help you get and stay organized. The following tips will ensure that your to do lists are a successful tool in your organizational tool box.

 

Keep it Short

 

The ideal length of a to do list is 10 items or less. You've probably created lists in the past that have seemed endless. Instead of helping you feel organized and successful, you probably ended the day with most of the items still unchecked and feeling a failure.

 

By keeping your list purposely short you are more likely to cross off every item and end the day feeling successful.

 

Separate Lists for Home and Work

 

Don't add your work tasks to your personal to do list. Maintain separate lists.

 

Prioritize

 

Once you've listed everything you need to accomplish then number the items in order of priority. Do the most important items first and you'll feel the biggest sense of achievement.

 

If there are any items on your list that aren't important then mark them as such. That way you won't need to feel guilty if you don't cross them off.

 

Assign a Time Limit

 

Wherever possible set a time limit for every item on the list. Not just how long it will take but when it needs to be done. That way you can identify tasks that need to be completed before lunch or before picking up the kids from school.

 

Re-visit and Re-work

 

A to do list should be a working document. Once written it should be revisited throughout the day. You can check off those items you've completed and reprioritize or schedule those that remain.

 

You can also cross items off that are no longer important or unnecessary. It will also give you the opportunity to add any additional tasks that crop up during the day.

 

Keep it with You

 

How often have you made a to do list at the beginning of the day and then totally ignored it? Probably because you left the house without it at the beginning of the day!

 

To make sure that your list is where you need it you could use an app such as Todoist or Jamie's To Do. Better still you could keep your daily to do list in your daily or weekly spread in your bullet journal. That way it will be with you wherever you go and you'll get the satisfaction of marking off the items as you complete them. You'll also have a visual record of your achievement.

 

Your to do list can be a powerful tool for helping you to live an organised life. Using these tips will help you to ensure that it is used successfully.

 

Manage Your Time

Managing your time is not just good practice but it is also good for productivity, organization and achieving success with your goals. By managing your time properly and efficiently you can create an organized life. It doesn't need to be overwhelming if you follow the strategies below.

 

Get Up Early

 

The most successful people are early risers and have a morning routine in place.

 

Morning routines often include:

 

• Meditation

• Visualization

• Exercise

• Reading/Learning

• Healthy Eating

• Planning/Prioritizing

 

A regular morning routine will ensure that you start your days successfully.

 

To Do List

 

Creating a to do list should be a regular habit undertaken daily. The best lists are 10 items or less to ensure that you can complete it. Don't forget to prioritize the items on the list and review it throughout the day. Checking off items as they are completed will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

 

Sticky Notes

 

Sticky notes are ideal for displaying reminders of tasks, motivational quotes and visualizations. If you've got a pile of letters that need to be mailed and that's an item on your to do list, why not put a sticky note on top of the pile with a deadline for posting them? It'll serve as a reminder to get them posted and cleared out of your way.

 

Record It

 

Of course, you can record your notes digitally using note taking apps or in a text document, or using pen and paper but have you thought of recording them using a digital recorder? You can get free recording apps for smartphones. By making a voice recording you can replay the recording and listen to your ideas. This will give you the opportunity to listen from a different perspective.

 

Schedule

 

Create a schedule. Using an online planner such as Google Calendar will ensure that you are able to access your schedule on your smartphone, tablet or computer wherever you are. You can color code different categories of entry and share with friends, family and colleagues as necessary.

 

Use Pen and Paper

 

For your most important events, tasks and notes use the traditional recording method of pen and paper with a diary, planner or bullet journal. You can keep it with you at all times, it won't distract you with messages or run out of power. You'll also be able to flick through at a glance to see how much you've achieved, past or forthcoming events and outstanding tasks.

 

Prioritize

 

Be realistic. Not all tasks and events are created equal. Find a way to highlight events that are essential so that you can see them at a glance and be sure not to miss them. On your lists of things to do always prioritize them and complete the most important first. If there are items that aren't important or not time sensitive then considering moving them off your current list and on to another day. You can't do everything.

 

Delegate

 

If there are items on your list that aren't important then think about delegating them. You don't need to try and be a superhero and do everything yourself. Kids can tidy away their toys and when old enough learn how to load the dishwasher, set the table and do other simple chores. By enlisting the help of other household members, you can get more accomplished in less time.

 

Managing your time properly and efficiently is one of the keys to staying organized.

 

6 Essential Tools to Keep Your Life Organized

Creating an organized life, and maintaining it, isn't as hard as you might think. Of course, it will require planning and some time to set it up but once you've got the following six key tools in place you will feel more focused and in control of your life and time.

 

Paper Planner

 

Yes, even in the age of digital organization a paper planner does still have a place in your organizational tool chest. It doesn't have to be big and bulky or expensive. In fact, you might find that the latest trend for a bespoke bullet journal might suit you best. Your paper planner can include tasks and items that you want to keep a close eye on, as well as for making notes and lists.

 

On-line Calendar

 

In addition to the paper planner, an online calendar or app for your smartphone, is another essential. This handy tool will be with you everywhere that your phone goes and has the added benefit of being able to give you alerts for meetings and scheduled tasks.

 

Evernote

 

This handy tool is free but does have a paid option that provides more functionality. However, for most people the free version will be sufficient. You can clip whole webpages, URLs, create notebooks, share information, create draft documents and add pdf files. It is an online tool but has apps for smart devices that will allow you to sync your notebooks across all of your devices so you'll always be able to access your information.

 

Financial Planner

 

If you're using a bullet journal, then you may decide to create a financial planner within it. If not then you really need to create a dedicated financial planner in which to record your income, expenses and savings. You can keep a track of bills due with a monthly bill payment calendar to ensure that you never miss making a payment again. If you don't want to have a paper planner for your finances, then there are lots of financial planning and management apps available online. One such tool is Good Budget which is a free app for iPhone and Android.

 

To Do List

 

Your to do list is going to be an essential tool to keep your life on track, running smoothly and perfectly organized. Paper lists are great as you can carry them with you or display them where you can't miss them. There are also plenty of to do list apps that can help you create, monitor and organize your lists. Suggested apps are Todoist and Jamie's To Do which are both free.

 

My Fitness Pal

 

A health and fitness tracker can help you monitor your exercise as well as your diet. My Fitness Pal is a popular free online tool with Android and iPhone apps. It contains a huge food database for tracking what you eat and you can create a personalized diet profile.

 

These six tools can really help you stay on top of organization. There are obviously other tools that you may find useful and necessary in organizing your life.

 

5 Key Habits That Ensure You'll Always Start Your Day the Right Way

Starting your day, the right way will ensure that you'll feel calmer, happier and more productive from the get go. It'll also make sure that you don't waste any time searching for missing or lost items. Remember that habits don't happen overnight. They take at least 21 days to become ingrained into your normal routine so the sooner you start the quicker you'll become a well-organized morning person.

 

Tidy Up the Night Before

 

We've all been there when we've felt too tired to load the dishwasher, clear the counters or vacuum the family room. Spending a little time every evening tidying and cleaning away the dirt, clutter and debris from the day really will save you time and angst in the long run.

 

Make it a fun routine by involving all the family. Set a timer for 15 minutes and zip through those chores. Of course, if you're on your own it may take slightly longer.

 

Prepare Lunches in Advance

 

Food preparation takes time and isn't fun when you're in a rush to get to school or work. Spending time preparing lunches for all the family the night before ensures you all get a nutritious lunch time meal which will save you time and money.

 

Plan ahead so that you know exactly what everyone is having each day of the week. This will make sure you buy or make everything you need so there aren't any last-minute panics.

 

 Get Clothes Ready the Night Before

 

How much time have you wasted trying to choose what to wear in the morning? Too much probably and it gets worse if you have kids. Instead get everyone's clothes ready the night before. Make sure the entire outfit is on a hanger and that underwear, shoes and accessories are with it.

 

An even better habit is to organize the entire week's wardrobe on a Sunday with everything hung in day order in your wardrobe ready to be picked on the relevant day.

 

Write a to Do List

 

Write down all the chores and calls you need to do the following day. If they involve dropping off items at the dry cleaner, then bag them and put them by the front door. If you need to post letters or packages then bag them and put them by the door. Your list will make sure you know exactly what you need to do and by having any items ready you won't leave the house without them!

 

Bag It

 

Spend time putting everything you'll need for day in your handbag or work bag the night before. You won't need your iPad or laptop overnight so putting it in your bag or case before you go to bed will make sure you don't forget it. Any work documents or school books should be put into bags so that they aren't forgotten or mislaid!

 

If your children have gym class, football or another school or after-school activity then get the necessary kit ready in their bags before you head to bed. Put the bag by their school coat.

 

Starting your day feeling positive and organized really does have a major impact on the way the rest of your day pans out. A chaotic start is hard to recover from. By developing the routines above, you can be sure that you and your household will always start your day the right way.