Summer time saver tips!

Summer is officially here which means a bit of chaos in my house and life. It seems like there are a million things going on between work, managing the kids social lives and sports, trying to find an ounce of “me” time and managing the home. It can feel overwhelming and stressful if you don’t take back some control of your time. I have learned over the years that there are simple tips and strategies to finding more time in my day and using my time more wisely. I think for a lot of women, the stressful time zappers are managing the mornings, cleaning the house, doing laundry, reading email and scheduling everyone’s lives. It doesn’t surprise me that I have been dyeing my hair for over ten years, the gray just seems to pop up more and more often:) Life just seems to go at turbo speed when you have kids, but my wish for everyone reading this is to enjoy the ride and capture the crazy moments when they happen instead of feeling like everything is just rushing past you. I want to offer some strategies to enjoy more time everyday and push the time zappers away.

Manage your mornings better

How crazy are your mornings? Mine just got crazier now that swim team practices started. I definitely feel like there are days that start off running and don’t stop. I’ve learned to do as much as I can the evening before, because mornings are always crazier than evenings. Now that my kids are a bit older, they can set their own alarm clock and get reading for swim practice or school. Lay out clothes the night before. Pack lunches and set the coffee maker the night before. Look at your calendar and prepare what you need for the next day. I lay out the towels and goggles for the kids the night before. Just prepping a little the night before will save you quite a bit of time in the morning.

Cleaning the house

Something my family has done for years is designate Sunday morning as cleaning day. Instead of stressing about it all week, cleaning a little here and there, and then feeling like you are constantly cleaning and organizing, is to designate a set time every week to do the major cleaning. Then you can just pick up here and there throughout the week. Everyone can pitch in and participate in their specific chores and it will get done fairly quickly. My kids strip their beds right away, do their cleaning, help make their beds with the clean sheets and they are done for the week. Another tip is to keep wipes and Windex in every bathroom and every evening do a quick wipe down of the counters.

Social media and email time drains

Do you have any idea how much time you waste surfing social media sites and checking and re-checking your email everyday? If you literally detailed every minute of the day you would be surprised how much time you waste. I know this personally, especially when my cell phone was out of commission and I had no choice when it came to checking my mail and sending Facebook or twitter messages. I felt like I had just earned a lot of free time for those couple of days. Be very conscious of how much time you spend on the computer. Set limits and make a commitment to check your email certain times during the day and that is it. Just being aware of how you spend your time will wake you up to how much more time you really can find.

How do you manage your time in the summer?

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Happy New Years…Get jazzed about 2012!!

Happy New Years everyone! Hopefully you had a wonderful celebration with friends and family and are ready to ring in the new year. It is always exciting to start the year with a fresh clean slate. You have the power to create a year filled with abundance, good health and new goals. Many people write down their resolutions year after year, however only eight percent succeed and one fourth of all Americans never achieve their resolutions every year. If you are writing down the same goals every single year, and you have yet to check it off your list, you may want to revamp your vision for 2012. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. You need to spice up your goals, get excited again and bring passion to whatever you want to achieve in your life. Some of my 2012 resolutions are to go out on a private date with each of my kids every month, to take a weekly yoga class and to write my next book. You can all hold me accountable! Here are some tips to help you achieve your goals once and for all.

 1. Make room for your goals

    If you already have a crazy busy life and then you add goals and expectations on top of this, you are simply setting yourself up to fail. You need to clear some room for your resolutions. Let go of commitments that no longer serve you. Push aside activities that don’t excite you anymore. You need to clean your plate a bit first before you add to it.

 2. Be realistic and make a plan

    So many people fail with their resolutions because they are unachievable goals and they have no clear plan on how they are going to attain their goals. If you want to lose fifty pounds by Valentines Day, I am sorry to say it is not going to happen. If you are hoping to magically come up with an extra ten thousand dollars to pay off debt by February, it more than likely won’t manifest. Write down achievable goals and then write down at least five very clear actions you are going to take to move toward your goals.

 3. Talk about it

    Share your resolutions with the world. Just the simple act of telling others about your goals makes it more likely that you will achieve them. By sharing our goals with others, there is a part of us that doesn’t want to let those individuals down. We also have others who will hold us accountable. Tell your family and friends. Share it on your Facebook page. Mention it to all of your followers on Twitter.

Good luck!

Are you seeking some professional advice to help you organize, get healthier, pursue a new career or simply release some stress or anxiety for the New Year? Contact me for a coaching session at 50% off!! This investment in yourself is priceless~ 

Have a great week!

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Prepare for the chaos~

I realize it is only September, but I also know how busy this time of year is and how quickly the holidays roll around. I LOVE Fall and the build up to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Years. But it can also be overwhelming. I have learned a lot over the years, especially the importance of being mindful and enjoying this time of year. There is no celebration or meaning if you are frazzled and stressed the whole time. It takes a concerted effort to focus on the here and now, to plan ahead of time and to really enjoy the excitement of it all. How many of you are already stressing out about the holidays approaching? Ever since my kids were little, I was always the mom to plan holiday parties for the kids and their friends, to plan an outing to the corn maze or to have an impromptu party of some sort. I realized back then that these would be memories they would cherish and we all loved having something fun to look forward to. Yes, things were crazy busy and overwhelming, but I made the commitment and simply planned ahead of time. I know you may think it is WAY too early to start planning for the holidays, but I guarantee if you start now, it will alleviate a lot of stress and create a lot more joy. Take some time to think about what you would like the holidays to look and feel like and then you can create a plan to start taking the steps to creating it. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. What is your intention?

What are your hopes for the holidays? To host some gatherings? To just enjoy the moment more? To make it special for someone in your family? You need to clarify what your intentions are FIRST so that you are clear on where your energy needs to go. Write your intention down on paper.

2. Prepare, prepare, prepare

Something that will save you TONS of time and energy, is to prepare little by little in advance. Make a list of all the people you want to get gifts for and start buying a little now. This will also save you money that you don’t have to spend all at once. Start organizing your home now if you expect house guests. Start planning the parties you are hosting and decide how you can delegate. I just found my new favorite on line shop for gifts for kids! Check it out here. Here is a great link for a huge sale and cash back offer at Nordstrom’s for any future gifts or shopping you need to do.

3.Just walk away

You will undoubtedly encounter stressed out people during the holidays. You can either react to their stress by being unpleasant yourself, or you can simply walk away. Be very mindful of everyone’s energy as you prepare for and enjoy the holidays. Pencil in time for exercise or yoga or meditation classes as a way to boost your ability to deal with negativity. Enjoy this time of year and don’t allow others to zap your energy.

**UPCOMING CLASS**

If you would like to lose weight and maintain your health before and during the holidays, this is a class for you!

Have a great week!

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