I used to be the biggest procrastinator. I had great intentions, but not much follow-through. I never wanted to do it. My to do list created a struggle. But, working from home I need to get myself to do my work.

Here are some ideas on what worked to get me unstuck so I could get stuff done.

Get Clear on What You Want to Do

Most of us feel we have too much to do to spend time planning. Not to mention, people (ok, me) can get carried away with the planning and not do much. Fancy planners or bullet journals. Intricate to-do systems. Detailed project plans that fall apart as soon as the project changes.

But, if you don’t do any planning, it’s hard to know what to do and what has higher priority.

Spend a five minutes thinking and jotting what you need to do down in a notebook. Then pick the next three items to work on.

If you are still scattered, organize your desk or workspace for some space around you and in your head.

Feel How It Will Feel When Done

We tend to think about all the work and reasons why we don’t want to do something when the energy is at the end. How will you feel when you have accomplished it? Got it off your plate? Made progress?

If you are coming up with some major resistance, don’t run away to Instagram – figure out the feelings. Are you afraid of something? Are you putting a lot of self-pressure on yourself? Are you not feeling confident?

When you figure out the resistance you can work with it. Reminding yourself they are thoughts, not truth. Making the task easier. Creating a reward. Upping the self-talk. Watching a quick motivation video.

Start the Day with Projects

It’s easy to get right into email or social media in the morning. But, for me, I have the most energy in the morning. I want to make progress on the harder, more meaningful projects within the first work hour.

Willpower wanes throughout the day making it harder to push yourself to get things done. Maybe schedule meetings, routine tasks and communications during the afternoon.

Don’t forget to break those projects down into 15-30 minute segments so you don’t have a mammoth task on your to do list. What are the next two actions of your projects? Can you plan one early tomorrow?

Random

Some days your to do list is full of bits and pieces. Smaller tasks. But, they are so numerous. How do you choose?

Get random. Either making a numbered list and using https://www.random.org/ to choose your next thing. Or write them on pieces of paper and pick a task out of a jar.

If you can get moving on something – anything – you will feel less overwhelmed.

On the weekend sometimes I will do 3 tasks per line – 1 work, 1 home and 1 personal so I know I am somewhat balanced.

Breaks and Focus

For me it’s helpful if I know I don’t have to do something forever. I like the tomato-timer where I can work 25 minutes then have a 5-minute break. I don’t let myself play on Facebook, check email or get lost online until break time. Most of us have limits to our focus.

Focus on the task and notice when your mind wanders so you can bring it back. We get work done faster if we focus on now and not what you may need to do in the future or a past drama. You may want to set a timer for shorter than 25 minutes if you are having trouble staying on task. When it dings you can check to see if you were on task.

Sometimes I’ll get in the flow and go over my 25 minutes. But, the timer was good to get me started. Other days 25 min seems like a long time. If I know I have a break coming up I am less likely to get distracted.

During breaks I also like to dance a bit, take some deep breaths or do some stretching to get the blood moving again – hopefully to the brain.

Get Accountability

When I was a stay-at-home mom I did almost daily challenges with online friends to keep up with the house. Now I have a weekly accountability session with Marcia for both business and house goals.

I do accountability with some of my clients, either as an email accountability partner or in our coaching sessions. I also host every-once-in-awhile Get it Done Days reminiscent of my old challenge days. (The next one is July 8th.) No one likes to admit they get more done with a group or accountability. But human nature being what it is, most of us get much more done.

Notice When You Did It

Too often we move from one task to another on the little hamster wheel. No wonder we seem to think we are always behind. Pause, notice what was completed, and give yourself a little pat on the back (or get it from someone else if you are doing a challenge). Then you can move on. Sometimes taking 3-6 breaths between tasks can help you pause.

What is your trick for getting stuff done when you don’t want to? Any of the above ideas you are willing to try?

Many people I talk with think they don’t have time for fun. They have all the other duties, tasks, kid activities that they can’t play.

Often the real reason is people don’t think it’s a priority so they don’t plan any. They forget the energy and joy you gain from fun. The connection when it includes other people. And the release of have tos for a moment.

Think about the last time you had fun. Would you like to add more into your life?

Planning fun is helpful especially when you are rusty in that department. For instance, my hairstylist is near Lake Michigan. If I plan to leave 30 minutes earlier I can get a little walk in at the beach. And it’s a lot less time than taking another day to drive the 20 minutes there.

• What fun item can you add to an errand?
• Make it easier to find fun, local activities by getting their emails or follow them on Facebook (your city, the next city over, the county parks, local newspaper, radio station, etc.)
• Weekly plan one thing you can look forward to each day – it can be as small as blowing a few bubbles or doing a cartwheel
• Write out a fun list and post to your bulletin board for when you need an idea
• Ask your kids for ideas
• Some ideas for fun
• Notice when you are trying to get out of fun with “I’m too tired, too busy, etc.” Ask yourself what that is all about.
• Expect some guilt and learn to be ok with that.
• Sneak in fun – a 30 second funny video, cutting pancakes into shapes, dance crazy to one song, bounce on a mini-trampoline, keep a deck of uno cards in your purse for waiting time.

How do you plan for fun?

When we shop, our purchases affect the planet, something we rarely think about. We would all love to see changes in the manufacture of goods, but we can make a difference as consumers as well. Thankfully there are more eco-friendly shopping options available today than ever before. Follow these helpful tips to help bring about a change in mindset and energize your own ethical practices.

Reference the ‘Buyerarchy of Needs’

If you’ve ever taken a psychology class, you may have heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. If you’re not familiar, it takes a look at the structure of needs that influence our choices and behaviors. A few years ago, Sarah Lazarovic, a Canadian illustrator, created a newly imagined hierarchy of buying behavior. The ‘Buyerarchy of Needs’ looks at buying as the last level after all other areas have been tried. It’s a great way to look at the choices we make when it comes to buying and focus on going up the pyramid in how items are obtained that we need or want.

Here are a few of the main ideas gathered from the ‘Buyerarchy of Needs’

• Shop your own wardrobe. You might be pleasantly surprised to re-discover some much loved pieces hiding in the back of your closet.
• Stop treating your clothing as disposable. Learn to take care of what you have so you can love your pieces for years to come.
• Only buy something new when you have to replace something that can no longer be worn or to fill a gap in your wardrobe. (Check out my article on Do You Need to Buy New and how to shop secondhand)
• Invest in quality pieces and items that you’ll wear frequently or for a long time.
  

Shop and sell to secondhand stores

As consumers, we often don’t think about the impact that the clothes we wear has on our planet. Did you know that it takes 1,800 gallons of water to make one pair of blue jeans? Rather than throwing out clothing after a few uses, donate or sell them to a secondhand store. This will ensure that your clothes go to a new home for many years to come. While it may not seem like you’re making a big impact, take a minute to think about where your clothes actually go when you throw them out; landfills. When things get thrown out by hundreds of people, at around the same time, it creates an exponential amount of waste. However, when people use clothes to their full extent, it can take up to a decade before they touch a landfill.

On top of donating or selling your used clothing to secondhand stores, consider shopping secondhand as well. This is one of the best ways to deal with textile waste as it creates a recycling community. Not to mention, you can save a ton of money on brand name items and even score one-of-a-kind pieces! Many thrift stores are now offering their clothing selections online, making it easier to shop your favorite styles. Online thrift stores, like thredUP, offer clothing from your favorite brands at a fraction of the price you’d spend at department stores. They even have a wide selection of hard-to-find items, including their collection of affordable Lularoe items.

Look for ethical fashion certifications

When shopping for clothes, check the labels for ethical fashion certifications. These certifications ensure that the clothing has been made under fair and safe working conditions. While there are hundreds of ethical fashion certifications, here are a few of the basics to be on the lookout for during your next shopping trip. You can read more about other ethical fashion certifications here.

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) – This certification is known worldwide as a textile processing standard. In order to gain this certification, a brand is assessed for the fair harvesting of their raw materials as well as their social responsibility, environmental impact, and water and energy use. Additionally, GOTS identifies that a product is at least 75% organic.
• Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) – This is a non-profit organization that accredits facilities when they practice safe, responsible, humane, lawful and ethical manufacturing processes. On top of their accreditation, they also focus on training and education.
• Fairtrade – This certification is the promise of fair trading terms, sustainable production practices, and the promotion of economic security. Additionally, Fairtrade advocates for fair pay and working conditions and the just management of people in farming and factory environments. Not only will you see this mark on many food items, it’s also used to certify and regulate the cotton industry.

Celebrate small changes

You may experience a sort of consumer paralysis as you begin to learn more about the changes that you should make in your lifestyle and shopping choices. You may even start to think that there’s too much that needs to be done and that you’ll never be able to manage it all. This is why it’s important to reinforce and encourage the small ethical changes that you do make. Be delighted in wearing your secondhand clothing, you thrifty eco-conscious person, you. Smile as you buy local. Celebrate when you drop off your gently used clothing to a local thrift store. Pat your self on the back every time you participate in eco-friendly shopping. Big or small, the changes you make can have a significant impact on our planet.

What are you doing to be more eco-conscious in your buying?

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Buyerarchy of Needs graphic found here

One way to simplify your life and feel better is to limit your consumption of news. News used to give information that we should know about. But, now that it can track clicks and get considerable information about consumers, the business model has changed.

The more amped up it can get you, the better for the company because you are more likely to tune in or click. News and opinion start to merge together. Speculation, mind-reading and “if it were true, then…” masquerade as facts. Selective editing and taking things out of context so it relays the story as they want it to be seen rather than how it was. Even the pictures and language they choose convey a point of view. They want to shock, outrage and scandalize you. It’s a “bombshell”,”catastrophic”, or “shocking.”  The more emotion they can get out of you, the better as you are more invested in the story.

The news acts like it is the conveyor of truth about what is happening in the world. But, they make decisions about what to share from all the things that happen every day. They usually share what’s negative because that is what sells. Matt Wuerker created a cartoon where hundreds of people are holding peace signs, united we stand, hate has no home here and then the news cameras on the four hateful racists.

I can always tell the news junkies because they are the ones running around saying the sky is falling, the sky is falling. Over 90% of the news is negative because that’s what grabs attention. If you think 90% of life is negative, that’s a lot of cynicism.

The news is making us less trusting of one another, more divided, and less optimistic. Psychology Today writes that in studies those who watched negative news were sadder and more anxious. Plus they started catastrophizing their own personal worries. So you may be worrying a bit about finances, then watch the news and now you think your whole life savings will be gone.

The stories that the news got wrong recently – majorly wrong – are too many to count. The retractions are always smaller than the story so people keep believing stories that have been debunked.

Before you get upset about a piece of news, think about how likely it is that it is actually true the exact way it is portrayed. Most of life is nuanced, but news tends to be black and white. Check out opposing news sources on it. Watch the whole video or read the whole transcript. Definitely wait a couple of days so see what else comes out.

We say we want to know the news so we can be “informed.” But, most of us don’t do anything about the news we see, except feel fearful. We consume news addictively when we could be doing something that actually influences the community.

If you are looking for more peace in your life, watch/read/listen to news no more than one time a day. Turn off the notifications and breaking news alerts. Go on news fasts every once in awhile, especially when you have been feeling anxious or down.

Instead get into nature. Call a friend. Do an act of kindness. Host a dinner. Journal out your worries. Volunteer. Write.

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Wanting more space? Declutter Your Social Media.

This Earth Day, go beyond recycling to show your love and appreciation for this planet! For those who are unfamiliar with the annual holiday, Earth Day is held every year to raise awareness of environmental issues and show collective support for actively working towards a healthier world for all.

Going green can seem overwhelming, especially with the misconception that you can’t really make an impact by living more sustainably looming over you. There are plenty of ways- both big and small- to start being more eco-friendly. What better time than on Earth Day, this April 22! Still feeling a little lost? Lean on these tips for celebrating Earth Day right from the comfort of your home.

Plant a Garden

Adding a garden to your yard not only provides a unique opportunity to bond with your family, but also serves as a great opportunity to help the environment. Firstly, the addition of a home garden can improve your home’s general soil quality as well as increase the quality of oxygen due to the addition of life- suddenly those heads of broccoli and beet greens you avoided as a kid don’t seem so bad.

Although it will take some time to get your garden producing goods to harvest, opting for easy growing options like leafy greens, summer squash, cucumbers or tomatoes will have you chowing down on fresh produce in no time! Once your garden is bountiful, relying on it as a source of food will minimize food miles- the miles spent sourcing food from farm to store (and then to your plate!), which adds a lot to your carbon footprint.

Be more conservative with water usage

Being more conscious of your utilities can save money while saving the environment. This Earth Day, consider making some long-term changes in the home. With spring right around the corner, you may be itching to make some home upgrades. If major renovations aren’t in your budget- such as calling in a local plumbing professional to replace PVC piping with eco-friendly and recyclable materials like iron- start small with smart-gadgets to help conserve water. Flush monitoring gadgets for your toilet can create a dual flushing system, allowing you to use small flushes (and less water) unless disposing of solid waste. Installing a water tracker while you shower will keep you mindful of how much water you’re wasting rather than using to maintain hygiene! Utilizing eco-friendly gadgets like touchless faucets can cut up to 50 percent of water usage.

Eliminate Plastic

If you’re one to rely on plastic food storage containers, baggies, or water bottles, now is the perfect time to consider switching over to more sustainable materials. If you love to meal prep lunches for your busy week, consider buying glass containers with spill-proof lids in addition to one or two larger glass containers. Prep your food ahead of time, and portion them in each container. Put the leftovers into the larger dishes and re-portion new meals as you clean each container.

To eliminate plastic water bottles, switch over to an eco-friendly bottle in a sustainable material like BPA free steel or glass. If you’re not looking to spend a ton on a trendy water bottle, consider reusing a glass bottle from a small milk jug or Snapple bottle, or opt for a mason jar. If you buy plastic bottles for the filtered water, consider purchasing a filter for your water spout or a filter pitcher for your fridge.

Support local

Similar to the argument for growing your own garden, supporting local farmers or eating at restaurants that source their ingredients locally is a great way to minimize carbon footprint. Educating yourself on how the food you eat gets to your plate will help you be more conscious of the next time you grocery shop or go out. Food miles contribute to air pollution and increases the CO2 emitted, contributing to global warming.

Go for a hike

Probably the easiest on this list- get out and start enjoying all that the Earth gives you! Whether it be going for a walk around your neighborhood, tackling a true nature hike, or simply going to the local park for a picnic (with locally sourced ingredients and fresh veggies from your garden, of course!), you’ll give you and your family the opportunity to appreciate everything around you this Earth Day.

I’ve always had an active imagination. Many hours in my youth were spent daydreaming, making up stories, going off into fantasy-land. I would create plays, videos and radio commercials. Stones at a campsite would turn into a hero’s tale. I had my own ant circus at one campsite.

It recently occurred to me that while I still had an active imagination, it is usually making me more worried and anxious. I create “what if” scenarios or imagine the worst. My brain shows me what could go wrong and bad conversations that haven’t happened. I don’t have dreams at night, I only have nightmares.

I decided it was time to reign in the imagination. I am putting my imagination to work for me instead of against me.

I started by bringing the fun back into my imagination. Books by Jill Badonsky provide inspiration to think creatively. I create enjoyable stories and poems for amusement. Every Thursday is creative night to play.

I allow myself to daydream pleasant times. When I start to create a bad “what if?” scenario I play with visualizing a wonderful outcome.

I give myself time to create helpful plans, brainstorm, and have ideas.

Most importantly, I remind myself that all those fears and anxieties are only part of my imagination. I can imagine something different. Often now, I do.

I don’t always and I still get caught up in bad scenarios. But, the more I practice using my imagination for good, the more it comes naturally again. I have less anxiety, fear and worry.

What are you creating with your imagination?

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Before

When my Mom passed away, I inherited her card collection. She was considered a card lady – never missed a birthday, congratulations, condolence or get well soon.

I have been sending more cards since her death as a reminder of her caring.

But, the rolling cart that stored cards was quite cluttered and messy. So, when “rolling cart” came up in the Declutter Calendar I decided it was a great time to handle it.

I got rid of a box of unmatched envelopes, a couple old notebooks, and some miscellaneous clutter that didn’t belong there to begin with.

After

P.S. Lent is March 6th if you are interested in my Simplifying for Lent $1.99 guide.

One of my frustrations each morning was cleaning my yogurt container after making my morning smoothie. I make my own yogurt, so I have glass jars I can’t throw out.

The container always has yogurt/milk in the rings where the top screws on.

Then the other night I thought, “What if I slowed down a fraction more when I am ladeling the yogurt mix into the yogurt maker? Fewer drips. Less mess to clean up every morning.

The added time was probably less than 20 seconds total. The little bit of slowing down saved time and frustration in the morning.

Can you think of a place where slowing down a bit might give you more time and less frustration?

I have been reading Walter Isaacson’s Leonardo Da Vinci. I am fascinated by Leonardo’s ideas and his notebooks where he posed questions, made observations, sketched inventions and drew. He didn’t have a high level of education and never grasped algebra. Yet, all this ruminating made him one of the geniuses of his generation.

No TV, internet or even radio existed in the 1400s. I was wondering about the multitude of inventions and big thoughts we aren’t having as a society because we are so focused on media.

We think other people’s thoughts. We like other people’s memes and sit to watch other people’s stories. We don’t have time for deep thinking because we are flooded with thoughts outside of ourselves. Scrolling has replaced deep thought.

This year I have added “thinking time” to my to do list. At least once a week I hang out with my brain without outside distractions – brainstorming ideas, coming up with solutions to problems, daydreaming and playing in my imagination.

I like to play with concepts in my head. Or delve further into something I have learned, allowing curiosity to lead. Many times writing ideas pop up or a different way to do things. Sometimes I write them down. More often I feed the idea until it’s ready. Eric Maisel calls this “holding” an idea.

Often I hear people discuss problems they are having, but they don’t go further to thinking about what might help. Letting your mind free to come up with bountiful solutions allows you to experiment. Leonardo loved to experiment. He would come up with ideas, play with them, observe effects and try something else if it didn’t work. Or to try something else for the experience of it.

Thinking is important to project planning as well. The first step for me in any project is thinking time instead of rushing in. I like to brainstorm, look at obstacles that might come up and how to deal with them. Or think of out of the box ideas to put in place.

To add in thinking time, I have cut down on TV and social media time. When my brain is overfull of other people’s ideas, it’s hard to create my own. Sometimes I turn off the car radio to think.

I noticed last year that media had creeped in more often. An audiobook to wash dishes by. A podcast to walk to. Instagram while I waited. Time that used to be spent daydreaming and thinking. Sometimes when motivation is low, these are great. But, if you can’t do anything without quiet space it may be time to evaluate.

Do you want to be the consumer? Or do you want to be the innovator, the artist, the philosopher? Where can you add thinking time to your life?

It is cold here in Michigan at the moment. Soon it will be, “stay outside 15 minutes and get frost-bite” cold. It’s time to hunker down. We’ve already had snow days and there are more to come.

What can you do with the kids when they can’t get outside and everyone is antsy?

Some frugal, family-time options:

• Set up a card table and put up a jigsaw people for everyone to doPop some real popcorn on the stove and catch some family-friendly movies.
• Build a pillow and blanket fort
• Light candles, gather blankets and make hot cocoa for a family reading afternoon
• Have a dance party with fancy outfits and glitter lotion
• Write real cards or letters to friends and relatives. Better yet, make your own!
• Board game/card game night
• Pull up Karaoke on Youtube and have a sing-a-long. Or if family members play instruments do a little talent show.
• Set up a table to do crafts – paints, play-doh, or some snow day only crafts
• Do some fun, science experiments
• Create a scavenger hunt where kids need to find items from a list you make up
• Bake cookies from Grandma’s recipe

Stay cozy this winter!