Timers

For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work. ~Doug Larson

So, yesterday I had a to-do list a mile long and decided to take a page out of Fly Lady's book: I used a timer.

15 minutes working on the website. 15 minutes to vacuum. 15 minutes on Twitter for LASR/WC. 15 minutes to fold laundry and put in another load. 15 minutes on the author chat for LASR/WC. 15 minutes to write ...

You get the idea.

I did discover that it takes longer than 15 minutes to clean pretty much anything. For my hardwood floors, I actually vacuum first and then Swiffer and it took me 30 minutes, even hurrying.

What I learned:

Having a timer helps keep me focused on the task at hand, whatever it is. It makes me more cognizant of time passing, and how easy it is to waste hours. It also gave me permission to "play" guilt free because I could set the timer for 5 minutes or 10 minutes -- a drop of time, really, and take a short mental health break.

I still didn't finish everything I wanted to finish, but I liked how it worked. I also work well under pressure and love a challenge, so having minutes ticking down really gave me incentive to GET IT DONE.

How do you try to organize your day?

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You Belong in NYC

You're a person on the go, and you need to be in a city that never sleeps. You enjoy being inspired by people who are as ambitious as you are. You're the type of person who works hard and plays hard. You need constant stimulation. Cultured and street smart, you can truly appreciate everything New York has to offer.

Are You LA or NYC?

While I'm not sure I'd like living in NYC, much of the reasoning behind their choice is spot on.

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Control

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage - pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically - to say 'no' to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger 'yes' burning inside. The enemy of the 'best' is often the 'good.' ~Stephen Covey

Life's been feeling a bit out of control lately -- like I'm dog paddling like crazy just to keep my head above water. I'm a big fan of routine and to-do lists and what-not, and lately none of that has happened.

I'm sure that's partly because DD is out of school, so we don't have THAT routine. I'm not entirely certain what's contributed to the rest, but I do know that I found a thick layer of dust on my bedroom dressers, and mildew on the rubber lining of my fridge -- two big indicators that I haven't been cleaning house as much as I should (just doing the "top" layer: dishes, laundry, sweeping, mopping and keeping the clutter down).

So... I'm doing FlyLady again. Going to get my calendar organized starting August 1st, have planned a few "fling boogies" and got a new battery for my timer.

That timer is also going to be used three other things: weeding, writing and blog hopping. Every day.

I was talking to my mom on the phone yesterday morning during my walk (we walked just over an hour, the dog and I) and she mentioned wanting to walk, but having too much to do. I said she could take fifteen minutes out for a quick walk ... and as I said that, I realized that the same holds true for me and all the things I don't manage to get done during the day (like weeding, writing and blog hopping). Better, the timer really helps keep me focused, so I actually accomplish more in a shorter time.

I'm feeling much more in control, and I like it.

What about you? Are you more routine or spontaneous? What do you do in order to get what you need to get done daily, done? Any hints?

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You See Success in Your Future

Five years from now, you'll be on your way to achieving your goals. You have a plan in place to get everything you've ever dreamed of. Ten years from now, you will have achieved many of your goals. You are driven, motivated, and hardworking. There's no reason you can't reach for the sky.

What Do You Envision For Your Future?

Hope that's right!

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