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Wow! What a role model for being this calm, collected and grateful in such devastation and loss.
Prayers for more blessings and finds for all natural disaster victims worldwide.
When your TO DO list just doesn’t change, and keeps getting longer, it creates stress, right?
“Procrastination is the foundation of all disasters.”
~ Pandora Poikilos
TO DO LIST
Feeling overwhelmed can make us stall out and stop moving ahead on projects. Does that happen to you? If so, these strategies will get your focused and moving into the doing, getting your checklists checked off for good, sooner than later.
1. TIME
If we focus only on the BIG JOB we can feel exhausted before even starting. It’s just too much! So, see the job instead as a series of small, incremental pieces or “projects”. Then figure out how much TIME it will take to get started and to complete each smaller task or project. TIME BLOCK each one separately making them doable.
2. SCHEDULE
Schedule these TIME BLOCKS into your daily calendar/schedule, making each as important as a doctor’s appointment – no cancelling or missing it. They are that important too! Getting your TO DOs TO DONE can actually help keep you out of the doctor’s office by keeping your stress level down.
How? Because, when you move ahead on projects that make you feel good, your body and brain respond with floods of endorphins and other good chemical reactions that lower your stress, support good health and boost your self-esteem too. When you don’t do the TO DOs – and usually feel guilty, mad at and bad about yourself – your body reacts in a negative flood of stress chemicals that are bad for you, your health and your self-esteem.
“The essence of self-discipline is to do the important thing rather than the urgent thing.”
~ Barry Werner
3. PLAN
Make a long term PLAN to TIME BLOCK and SCHEDULE in your TO DOs and PROJECTS every day for the big picture and to get your checklist checked off for good!
Because, as it’s been said for decades, “We don’t plan to fail, we fail to plan.”
Without a PLAN or vision for the outcomes and results we truly want, we bog down and get stuck, which can swirl into stress, anxiety and depression; a very bad spiral in which to live and waste our precious lives. Wouldn’t you agree?
But, a long term PLAN without short term doable tasks and projects that can be completed and realized quickly just will not hold our attention for long.
PLAN IN FUN, TOO!
Don’t wait until you get all of your TO DOs TO DONE in order to have fun! PLAN your fun into the schedule and enjoy both!
HOW I CAN HELP YOU
Whether I, “Dr. DeClutter”, make a “house call” and help you dig in, or we have a Priority Coaching call to figure out how to get you started and move forward on your plan, I’m here for you.
How many emails do you have in your email inbox?
How many can you really read in this lifetime?!
Maybe it’s time to take a deep breath and press the DELETE ALL button, declutter your inbox, and start over.
Cluttered, overloaded inboxes waste time and sacrifice productivity. Use these 7 simple ways to declutter your inbox and get time and space back quickly.
1. Set up Priority Inbox.
If you use Gmail, you may be missing out on an amazing feature called Priority Inbox. Priority Inbox puts new emails in two different places within your inbox – one for ones it considers important, and another for ones it considers unimportant, based on the sender and subject line. So, eventhough you might have 90+ new emails when you fire up your computer in the morning, you can immediately see the 12 that need your attention, rather than getting lost in a sea of “daily deal” offers and cat slideshows until lunch.
Check your email provider options and see if it has something like this.
2. Create filters.
Many email providers allow you to set up filters for certain types of emails. You can use these filters to do lots of things – apply a certain label to an email, delete it, send it immediately to a certain folder and more. For the emails that you get a lot of that aren’t urgent, set up filters for them to skip your inbox and go straight into a certain folder to look at later. Then, once a day, go into that folder and see what’s new. I use this for topics I research often and get great ideas to help my blog readers.
3. Create and name folders.
This is like using the auto-filter system, but you create the folder and then click and drag, or click and move the email to your specified folder.
4. Use Boomerang For Gmail.
Boomerang is a free plug-in for Firefox and Chrome with Gmail that allows you to do things like schedule an email to send in the future, bring an email back to your inbox at a certain time (like your flight itinerary the day before your trip) or return an email back to your inbox if you have not received a reply to it after X days. Rather than leaving an email in your inbox just to remind yourself to follow up on it or have it to easily access for later, use Boomerang to clear it out for now and have it come back when you actually need it.
5. Unsubscribe from 90 percent of the lists you’re on.
While you probably just delete most of these unwanted emails every day — like snail-junk-mail that you keep recycling but don’t actually get off their mailing list — they clog your inbox, keep coming back, waste your time checking them off and then pushing delete, and make it hard for you to see the emails that actually matter.
Ways to unsubscribe:
a) If your email system will sort under the FROM column (Gmail will not unfortunately), click on FROM and they will line up A-Z. Find the ones you want to unsubscribe from and click open only one of them. Find the unsubscribe, usually at the bottom, click and complete. Then, go back into your email and delete all from that same sender. Done!
b) Or, for a span of about a week or so, every time you get an email you do not want to receive take the time to open it, scroll down, and unsubscribe from the list. It will require a little more time upfront but it will pay off in the long run when the number of emails you receive on a daily basis goes way, way down.
c) Use the Swizzle. You can also use a service like the Swizzle to help you unsubscribe from a ton of lists all at once or to opt to receive daily digests from certain lists instead of individual emails.
6. Use your calendar rather than your inbox.
People often leave emails in their inbox to remind them to do something – to make a call, start a project, or to follow up with someone. Instead of taking up valuable inbox space with emails you have already read, schedule these to-dos in your calendar to remind yourself. If you’ve been meaning to call to make an appointment somewhere but the place doesn’t open until Tuesday, create an event in your calendar for Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. as a reminder, rather than leaving the related email in your inbox (which you might not even see on Tuesday anyway because you have another dozen to 100 that came in since then and it’s just too overwhelming).
7. Delete them all and start over!
The co-founder of Twitter says that he has “email bankruptcy every 30 days.” He deletes them all and starts over. He said that he gets thousands of emails a month and doesn’t have an assistant or anyone to help, and wants to keep it that way and personal. So, he dumps them all and says, “If someone really wants to contact me, they’ll email me again, or, try Twitter!”
Like decluttering anything, when you finally do it, it really does feel great.
2 BONUS E-DECLUTTER IDEAS:
Like material clutter, every time you opt into a new one new ezine, you have to unsubscribe from one.
Or, just like “you can’t buy anymore because there’s no room, no place to put more,” think of your inbox the same way. You can’t “bring any more home” unless you declutter first!
Personal Note:
Of course, I hope you enjoy my newsletter enough to not delete it or unsubscribe! But, it’s okay if you do too, I understand. 
Find more information on decluttering home and office/paper and more in my information packed ebook
Burn Your House Down! And 99 other ways to create an organized life.
Does your table gather piles, stacks and overflowing lumps of stuff? This can be the cause of increased stress and loss of time and productivity in any home.
Whether your tables are in the basement, the kitchen, dining room or loft, it is not a storage device! Kitchen counters and islands are certainly in the group too.
The dining room table should not be a dumping ground for piles of paperwork, craft materials, bicycle parts, unfinished projects, fishing gear and school projects that don’t have deadlines.
A cluttered table can’t do what it’s meant to do, like have a nice meal several times a day, read the paper, do lessons, etc. when it’s a mess.
WHAT TO DO?
STOP walking by the table and ignoring it! STOP for 10 – 90 minutes at a time and DECIDE what each pile is about.
SORT each chunk you pick up into a box to reroute to and RETURN to where it really belongs. See more on sorting in my post here.
With everything you touch and pick up to decide what to do with, always think, “Where does this LIVE?” And, “Where is its HOME?” Take it there and teach everyone in the house what the plan is for them to help keep “it” living, or returning to live, in its home when done with “it.”
Example:
Learn to value emptiness rather than seeing it as a vacancy and open space to just dump on and walk away.
Resource:
I have lots of great ideas for decluttering your home and office in my ebook, Burn Your House Down!
Do you ever feel like you and your life are… a mess? Well, I love turning any negative perception around. I want to tell you right now that… you’re right! You ARE a mess!
But, let’s turn the negative concept of feeling like a mess into a positive one. I love acronyms too!… “M.E.S.S.”
You are a
M Manifested
E Energies’
S Sacred
S Signature
That’s right! You are a one and only, unique “manifestation” of the “All of Eternity’s” force of “energy” as a one-of-a-kind “sacred” (whole and holy) “signature.” There is only one of you in all of eternity!
THAT IS A MIRACLE!!!
YOU ARE A MIRACLE!
Go look in the mirror right now and every time you look into a miracle and see and acknowledge your manifested, physical self as a M.E.S.S.! A MIRACLE M.E.S.S.!!!
Any thought or belief about yourself less than a M.E.S.S. is incorrect. It was written incorrectly on your clean slate when you came into the world.
Becoming conscious, “remembering you” means to CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE to CHANGE these beliefs and ideas about yourself. Change the feelings of low, negative vibrations to higher, joyful, happy, loving and peaceful feelings and so, vibrations… which will MIRACULOUSLY bring back more of the same! YEA!!!
Louise Hay always has great ways to remind us that we are miracles!
101 Power Thoughts is one of them.
Are you a Red Hatter?!
If you want to know what’s going on in the Red Hatter’s world, you must subscribe to Miss Kitty’s Journal to keep in the know! It’s a lovely, glossy magazine that shares so many ways Red Hat Lovers can travel, get together, learn, laugh and love life even more.
MY ARTICLE
My article in this edition’s “The Success of Everyday Living” section is, ” How To Declutter, Downsize And Let Go Of Your Stuff.” This is important information at any age, but especially after 50.
Enjoy this Spring/Summer Edition ladies!
It’s that time! Spring break!
Where are you going? What are you doing? What’s the plan?
Whether you’re going somewhere or sleeping, have a plan so that you enjoy every minute.
There are many ways to plan and experience your spring break this year. The overall best way is to have fun, be safe and create stories and memories that you won’t regret or are embarrassed about later! They’ll be all over TV and the Internet soon enough.
Here are some tips and links that will help you help yourself to a great fun time!
1: Plan ahead.
Don’t “assume” you’ll get a ticket, a room, or whatever you dream of having when you “get there” and if you get there.
2: Tell a friend, family members where you are going.
Being a free spirit is lovely, and can get you into trouble too. Make sure someone has your travel plan. Take travel warnings seriously. “Stay on the trail”, and take a friend with you.
3: Take care of your body.
- Drink lots of water if you’re going to be in the sun or racing down ski slopes all day.
- Wear sunscreen and sunglasses.
- Limit alcohol. Your future employers may skip right by you if they see social media pictures of you drunk and crazy. It’s not worth it. I don’t need to go into all of the other reasons not to drink, get drunk and set yourself up for problems, right?
4. Sex? Protect yourself.
You know the lecture, right? Condoms, etc. etc. etc. Your life and future and dreams are the core of who you are. One moment of “passion” can kill it all. Be smart. There’s always more passion!
5. Credit cards, money, license, passport, tickets, maps - protect yourself.
Make a copy of these items so if lost you have proof and the numbers. Copy both sides when numbers may be different on each side. Plan ahead to keep them somewhere safe.
6. Don’t overspend.
Plan your budget and stick to it. If you need an extra reminder and stop-gap help click here to get my free Money Pocket Sanity Tool.
7. Call/text home.
Don’t get into the “I’m freeee! I can do anything I want!” Call or text home, to friends, etc. Not so much that it stifles your fun, but enough to let others who love and care for you know that you’re okay and they don’t have to worry one more night about you.
8. Be 100% responsible.
Don’t set yourself up to have problems and then blame others for it. Be 100% responsible for yourself and your experience. Make the choices you need to make to stay with or leave your “friends” or groups of people if they are headed down a dark road and everything in you says to get out now. Get out now!
9. HAVE FUN!
Enjoy every minute! Try new foods and experiences. Don’t be shy, say hi and meet new people.
Are you getting enough sleep?
Today is Napping Day, an unofficial holiday created in 1999 by now-retired Boston University professor William Anthony and his wife, Camille, to help people adjust to Daylight Savings Time.
How much do you need?
You need plenty of undisturbed sleep to rebuild your body/biology, refresh your mind, quiet your chaotic thoughts and emotional roller coaster from the day, and re-energize.
Newborns: 12 -18 hours
Infants (3 – 11 months): 14-15 hours
Toddlers ( 1-3 years): 12-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5 years): 11-13 hours
School age (5-10 years): 10-11 hours
Tweens and teens (10-17 years): 8.5 – 9.25 hours
Adults: 7-9 hours
NAPPING DAY - Nice article here to remind yourself to get your zzz’s!
WHITE NOISE - Use white noise to help you sleep soundly. I have for over 30 years.
Here’s a great example: Pure White Noise
Are you ready right now for a disaster? The kind of disaster that turns out your lights, off your water and inability to get more food or supplies?
These kinds of disasters happen every day around the world and very few people are prepared.
Brad Barker from The HALO Corporation (founded by former Special Operations, National Security, and Intelligence personnel. HALO exists to provide safety and security for those in need and to improve: force protection, all aspects of security, humanitarian aid, and disaster response) says there are three things that break down, but are the most needed, in times of disaster:
These three necessities for dealing with any crisis, from devastating tornadoes and earthquakes to a tsunami or snow storm with a longer than usual power outage are best run smoothly with each of us being prepared in our own homes first in order to stay warm, dry and fed first.
HOW MANY DAYS OF SURVIVAL SUPPLIES SHOULD I HAVE?
Some people are stocked up on canned, bottled and dried foods, water and such for 3-6 months, most could only last a few days if the electricity goes out, which means no refrigerator or freezer food will last and the water can or will run out.
Humans can go for days without food, not well, but we can. But only 24-48 hours without clean drinking water before fear steps in creating emotional upheaval and irrational violence (irrational in our daily lives, but rational in crisis scenario) trying to get others’ supplies, then losing cognition and consciousness. Over a few more days and weeks it spirals into dementia and death.
RESOURCES FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND SURVIVAL IN ANY DISASTER
Here are resources for you to obtain for free and some for fee to help you get ready today for even a few days “in the dark” and possibly no running water.
THE BASICS:
Dare To Prepare by Holly Drennan Deyo.
Red Cross Preparedness Check List: Red Cross EmergencyPreparednessChecklist.PDF
The following are heavy hitter resources.
The Harbinger is a unique Magazine on The Halo Corp site by Brad Barker, Host of Kidnap & Rescue: Discovery Channel.
TheSurvivalPodcast.com by Jack Spirko. Political voice for change and more.
The Disaster Diaries, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse by Sam Sheridan. My third book, “The Disaster Diaries,” is the story of my personal quest to learn the skills to prepare for the Apocalypse. Not a ‘how-to’ but more of a big-picture memoir about the truth behind survival; a myth-busters for Armageddon fantasies. Includes good lists.
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