Time Management!!

 Got Time?  Got Energy?

Some have asked me how I get everything done in a day, a week or a month and I figured I'd address it finally.  It's....wait for it......MAGIC...bwahahaha!  No not really although I do wish.  It simply comes down to two things:  1) I hate being idle  2) I MUST have my fingers in many pots at once.  I verge on a Type-A personality but I don't feel I'm overbearing or anal about it (most of the time hehehe).  My husband may banter with me on this subject...but that's why this is MY blog...he doesn't get to banter now does he? Ha!

**Future Posts**

How I Use My Planner and my Project Binder**
**Why I don't eat Lunch or Breakfast & the Vitamins I take That Keep Me Going**

And I move fast...I walk fast...I type fast...I talk fast...and I don't sleep much.  There ya go...all my secrets all revealed to you.  Now this genetic freak of nature gene is passed down to me by my grandma and mom...they put me to shame most days.  My grandma will be 92 and she can still run circles around me...that's no lie.  So you see what's coming in my elder years...my husband is real skeered now!  And well my mom...there's no stopping her, she's always moving.  Growing up I felt like a sloth but apparently when you hit late teens/early twenties in my family it hits ya!  My brother and sister are pretty much the same...they like to stay busy with work, projects and life too.  I just may be a tad "more extreme" in some ways..some call it the "Tasmanian Devil Effect"  ;)

Now my husband likes to say that my falls, trips, burns and other fun accidents that occur to myself are because I move too fast (I only semi-agree to this)...his favorite saying is "SLOW DOWN".  Course this is coming from a man who moves slightly faster than a turtle...project wise and getting things done I mean.  It could take him 6 months to finish a project.  It will be fabulous and perfect when its done but it will take him FOREVER (he cannot deny this).  So think of us married...for 18 years...a super fast moving girl and a super slow moving guy...you are having a visual right now aren't you? hahahaha  Yeah we get into all kinda tangles and banters and arguments because of those facts on a regular basis too.  I want to start a project NOW and finish it NOW...I don't like to have lingering projects..makes me sweaty and nervous.  Now my husband can plan a project for weeks, then gear up for it like we are going to tackle a climb to Mt. Everest and slowly get ready.  Then he will start and it will just stutter into days, weeks, months.  DRIVES ME NUTTERS I TELL YA!  So this is a normal convo in our house:  ME: "I have an idea"  JAMES: "Oh yeah, does it involve me"  ME: "Possibly yes"  JAMES: "Do you have a plan?"  ME: "Kinda but I want to start tomorrow & get it finished up in a couple of days"  JAMES: no comment & shaking of head and frowning.  Yup that's how it happens in this house...then I plunge ahead and leave him in the dust.... :)

But in actuality I REALLY do have a plan that I made up the night before when I couldn't fall asleep (I'm an incurable insomniac).  I just sometimes need him to help me with a few things.  I'm not really asking his permission you see...I'm simply alerting him to the "fact" that I am going to do something and MAY need his help.  That's just how I roll......

So back to time management...I work from home which is great but can lead to all kinds of interruptions and such during the day.  Then I work late in the evenings to catch up but I wouldn't have it any other way.  Working from home means you have to be disciplined to stay on schedule and not be easily distracted...I feel I've perfected it pretty well over the years for ME.  It comes down to simple...

TIME MANAGEMENT (planning and moving fast)

My normal weekday schedule below that does not include grocery runs, doctor appts, gym, kid's events and the like...which happen at least a couple times a week.  Like last night I had a choral event for my daughter so that throws everything askew but you gotta roll with it, no stress.

Morning:

-brush hair and teeth, clean face and get dressed...makeup may or may not come next ;)

-let dogs out and feed them (hubby feeds cats in morning before he leaves)
-Then I drink a warm glass of lemon water...detoxes your liver, good for ya!

-clean any miscellaneous mess up that the teens have left me in their scramble to get out the door in the morning.  (I do not get up with them anymore as it all makes me nervous with them waiting till the last minute to do things & rushing and they are old enough to not need or want Mom's help...although I do say goodbye LOL)

-empty sink of teen's dishes and turn on dishwasher

-throw in a load of laundry and clean litter boxes (6 cats = 6 boxes)

-make a plan for day going thru my to-do lists/project lists to tackle

-head upstairs to make beds and gather more laundry, check teens rooms for disarray

-Household chores (I clean one floor each twice a week, I have 3 floors in my house for about 1.5 hours) I vacuum main floor every day though...hey I have 6 animals KWIM

-sit down, pop a Cherry Coke and turn on my laptop and answer emails, post things, etc. for about 45 mins.

-grab a handful of something quick to eat, usually crackers or bagel (this is where I need to improve) and a cup of juice (I juice veggies & fruit at night for next day's juice..makes 2 glasses)

**YES extra spinach in my juice for next few days to get my iron up, if you read my FB posts you know why that is...but no worries I'll be A-OK, I always am :) "**

Afternoon:

I don't eat a formal breakfast or lunch...I'm never very hungry so I grab a quick snack to take upstairs as posted above

-I almost always have a dinner plan for 4-5 nights a week (more on that in another post)

so I would do any prep work for dinner if needed before I head upstairs to work

-head up to my studio and work on projects till about 5:30 (have 2nd juice around 3)

-in between those times let dogs out a few HUNDRED times, switch out laundry, check emails

-some days I fit in grocery store runs or my dr appts, lunch with friends or general errands (I try to consolidate those errands/grocery/appts to one day if I can)

Evening:

-my kids get home at 4:30 from High School so I work for about an hour after that and then come downstairs.  They always come up to my studio, have a sit and tell be about their day

-come downstairs and take photos of my work and load on laptop

-hit gym with the teens for 45 mins four times a week

-start on dinner with Alexa's help, Riley sets table/I feed dogs and cats

-we eat late due to James commute from work, usually 7-7:30 most nights..I believe in having family dinner together, its important...time for us to talk and share with each other

-clean up kitchen, finish any laundry folding

-sit down in my chair with laptop to work on all my computer work (blogs, emails, business stuff, etc)

-during that time we watch TV as a family (9 x out 10 its sports or Modern Family)

-I usually work on my laptop till 10:30-11 pm every night

-Teens hit bed at 10:30 and James and I head upstairs around 11:30

I don't go upstairs until everything is put back where it should be, family room is clean and all litter boxes get cleaned again.

-I put away laundry, clean my face, shower perhaps(I'm a night shower kinda gal) and then I read till about 1:30 am most of the time...its the only time I get each day that's just for "ME" and I love to read while everyone is sleeping, then I don't feel guilty.

There ya go...that's my schedule!  I'm pretty good about not getting sucked into things that waste my time during the day.  I have a daily-to-do-list and I like to finish it, not add more to the next day if I can help it.

Time Suckers I avoid:

-FACEBOOK (OMGEEE you can spend a lot of time there...just don't do it LOL!  I post a couple times a day on weekdays and maybe comment a few times but then I click it OFF) I don't read thru the news feed unless on my phone when I'm in line waiting somewhere or late evening.

-I don't play games...that doesn't mean I don't like games..I simply know they are addictive so I stay away. Simply put--during the week I don't have time for them period.

-Pinterest (another big time sucker) I don't log on during the week unless I'm looking for something specific I need for a project, photo or recipe.  If I have free time I will pin for a good hour...if you follow me on there you will see like 100 pins from me in one hour and then not again for a week LOL.

-Twitter...I post a couple times a day from my phone and check Twitter mostly at night when I'm in bed only.  Again another time sucker

-Phone calls...I don't talk on the phone...ever...well hardly ever.  I HATE IT, I only call my mother and to schedule appts and to talk to husband & kids if need be. (another odd genetic thing passed down to me by my grandma & mom)  I don't like to talk on the phone because I do NOT get anything done and that's BAD...I hate to just sit in a chair and talk on the phone.  I'm not good at working while talking...so I don't talk on phone basically.

I'm a pretty disciplined person which helps.  I know what works for me and what I need to do to get a job done.  And that helps me get a lot done each day.  That doesn't mean some days I run behind because...uh yeah I am HUMAN!  I just simply do my best each day when I'm well..that's all you can do.  So no magic tricks from me on what I do...just simply working and doing the most I can each day!

What tips do you have that work best for you at getting work done?

What are your WORST Time Suckers?

I'd love to hear...so leave me a comment if you'd like!

Welcome!!

WELCOME EVERYONE!! 

To my new blog, my new venture, my new bitz of everything...

a written version of My Life In Progress pretty much!  

So whatever I'm in the mood to share on this blog will pretty much have it...so it could be a post about decorating, organizing, cooking/recipes, books I'm reading, makeup I'm loving, etc. It could be a funny story...I have LOTS of those trust me.  I live in a house with 2 teens, a husband and 8 animals (6 cats and 2 dogs) so there is always a STORY!

Also I will be sharing my journey of getting fit again...getting my muscles back to where they need to be and just to be as healthy as I can be (within reason of course...I mean I'm NOT giving up my Cherry Coke..no way...that is wayyy too much to ask right).

I have always considered myself an on-going self-improvement project.  I'm always trying new things and trying to improve areas of my life and home.  I am not necessarily changing who I am...I'm still ME but I like to try new things that help me be better.  A better friend, better wife and mom, a better cook and so on.  So this blog is all about me trying to do that with my life and doing things that I love to help me on the journey.

If along the way I make you laugh, smile or inspire you to do or try something new...then what more can I ask for!  This is a happy fun place ONLY!

So I hope you'll come along with me on this new journey...we'll have lots of fun I promise!  I'll be doing lots of work and projects so you can sit back, relax, laugh and perhaps say "better her than me"!!!

And a BIG THANK YOU to my friend Veronica of VK Design Co. for my blog design and accessories!!  She always is a delight to work with and I know I probably drive her nuts with my indecision and changes sometimes.  But in the end she always creates my VISION and I just love her for that.  Hope you like it too!!

**BLOG STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION**

I'm working on adding things, links, pictures and such to this blog. So every time you visit there will be new things on the different pages and such.

And yes my crafty blog ScrapBitz will still be up & running as usual so you can always find my crafty projects over there!!  No worries as that's a big part of my life too! 

www.scrapbitz.blogspot.com

***********************************************

This will be something I feature regularly on my blog.  I love to organize, LOVE IT...when I have the time and motivation of course.  So I have been rampaging through my house going through closets, hutches and every other nook & cranny purging and coming up with plans on how to improve them.  For 3 years I have been a traveling and working fiend and just haven't had the time to keep up with a lot of things.  BUT GUESS WHAT!!? I'm a girl on a MISSION and this house will be ship shape in no time!!  

So every now and again I will share projects that I'm either currently tackling or have finished up.  Maybe it will inspire you...maybe it won't...its all good :)

Now forgive me please because I was trying to finish taking pics yesterday and it was dark and grey raining outside so the lighting was a bit off.  If the sun is back today I will try to re-take a few of these pics for you.

Linen Closet

This is scary to show you...its the BEFORE picture of my linen closet..YIKES...shhhhh don't tell.  My linen closet is upstairs and sits between the four bedrooms.  It stores the things it should and the size is ok, I have no issue with those two things.  But I have two teens and a husband that like to shove things in there and take things out and leave messes behind.  And then you have "ME" who gets frustrated and closes the door because I don't have time to deal with it.  Until I had time...dum dum dum dummmmmm...and I tackled it all.
 Time spent total: 1 hour  Cost: $20

What Wasn't Working for Me:

-Too many old sheets and beach towels that I needed to part with

(we are talking toddler sheets and toddler beach towels...ummm I have 2 teens now)

-Cleaning Supplies Scattered around

-Everything was shoved in because there wasn't enough room

-Hated looking through piles for certain sheets and pillowcases

-Toiletries and Cosmetics falling on shelves

-not really utilizing the space at the top

AFTER:

Now I don't profess to be Martha Stewart...nor do I want to be...cuz HEY I don't have a staff or that kind of time.  I am a staff of one most days and that's ok, I just break things down into doable chunks.  And as much as I love to look at those magazines and see the pretty shelves and such...I know that those pics were styled and perfected before anyone used them right?  I live in the REAL WORLD people...I don't believe in living perfect, I just want to live the best I can.  But I'm a realist and I know what I like and what I can do and MOST IMPORTANTLY what can be maintained by the "folks" in my household..you know what I'm talkin' about yes?

So the answer is NOOOOOO I do not iron my sheets because I hate to iron (my mom is frowning) and NOOOOO I don't fold my fitted sheets like Martha does...that's just how it is in the Dean household.  But I like things neat, I like things that are easy to find and most of all it is easy to maintain.  I also have a large stack of Master Bedroom pillowcases (this pic shows only half of mine) as I put a clean pillow case on our pillows every night.  I have 8 animals (2 dogs & 6 cats)...the dogs sleep in bed with us and sometimes on our heads...yes it is true...skeered yet??  And during the night we could have a cat or two wander up on the bed too.  Funny thing is...I'm allergic to cats...yup I truly am.  But I'm fine as long as their hair is not near my face...hence the clean pillowcases every night.  Plus I am a NUTTER about skin care (more on that in another post) and I cannot fathom sleeping on my oils and yuk from the night before...I mean I could drool LOL!  Sounds like a terrible chore but its really not...I have extras and I usually do a load of wash most days so I just toss them in and they are easy to fold and put away.

 Extra Medicines along with dental supplies & lip balms

(we go thru lip balm like mad folk in our house)

(I have teens but if you have little ones make sure this in a high place in your closets)

The top shelf holds extra toiletries like toilet paper, soap, tissue and feminine products.

Things I Did:

-Went through all the sheets and towels and donated all the toddler towels to our Animal Rescue

(Animal Rescues love donations of these items)

-refolded everything to the best of my ability ;)

-created space for each family member's sheets

-Master Bedroom Sheets are in Baskets because they are King Sized and are bulkier, our pillowcases are stacked in between our two white bins

-corralled all the cleaning supplies into one bin (the blue one that has a handle)

-Put all the extra medicines/lip balm/dental supplies in one bin

-Used the top shelf for all extra toiletries we use like toilet paper, soap, tissue & feminine products.
-On the bottom shelf I folded beach towels that we use the most along with tableware like tablecloths and napkins...these things we don't use often so they can go on bottom.

-The closet goes deep on either side, on the sides I have put extra cosmetics in bins(some we receive in monthly shipments), heating pads and table pads that aren't used much.

-On the bottom are extra beach towels, our extra bathroom cleaning supplies, our humidifier and our fire extinguisher (insert: we are safety minded homeowners)

-created fun tags for everything and bought white & clear bins at Target

 Master Bedroom Baskets & Pillowcases

I found some cute labels that are free Printables online HERE that I used for my labels.  (I do believe if you take the time to Google you will find some great freebies out there to use for many things) And I'm a papercrafter so one thing I don't lack in is crafty supplies and ideas.  So I printed them out, cut them out with my Spellbinders dies and Cuttlebug...I also created a frilly mat with black cardstock and another die.  Glued 12 of them together and added labels in "my own handwriting"...shocker..yes but I didn't need to create them on my computer although you could.  I just wrote what I needed with a black Sharpie and that was that...cuz HEY no one but my family accesses this closet so I want it neat and pretty but I wasn't willing to spend the extra time on the labels period...ha!  I had a spool of gingham ribbon and tied each tag to the appropriate shelf and bin.  Easy Peasy!

Perfect?  No but it makes me happy and its neat and organized...that's what matters to me!!  I may get another white bin for my cleaning supplies who knows but other than that I won't be changing anything!

  Have an awesome day!