Just Blogging

Debra Paschke asked:




For me, I used to see women always on the run. Desk pilled high. Lunch: a Power Bar & Diet Coke and they are late everywhere they go and proud of it because they are SOOO busy.

That is how I thought all successful people were, so that is the person I became. I quickly learned, however, that being out of control and out of balance with my time did not make me happy.

What can you do? Start with monthly calendar control. The first things I mark off are trainings, immediate family birthdays, holidays, any vacation time and my son’s ballgames. I then circle the days
I want to work my business, and what’s left are nights off.

Step 2: Weekly Planning Learn to block out your weekly schedule first thing at the start of each week before the blank spaces start filling up with errands and other time thieves.

I block out my weekly schedule every Sunday starting with a pre-made weekly sheet. It is pre-printed with all of my constants (exercise, building calls, car-pooling, meal planning, and grocery store.) Then I add to it based on my meeting schedule that week. Next, I add any appointments I or my kids may have - doctor, dentist, etc. I then allot phone time because this is an activity that BUILDS my business and needs to be TOP PRIORITY. Next, I add one personal goal that week (like cleaning a closet, or getting the oil changed in my car). What is left is where I can schedule personal errands and lunch dates. Those are scheduled last around my business, not the other way.

I then go over my calendar with my husband, so he has a clear understanding of how the week looks. He quickly learned that if he wants to ask me to run last-minute errands for him, I require notice to plan it in my week. Good communication with your family is key. You may have your time all mapped out, but if you are the only one that knows the schedule, you will get thrown a curve ball.

Finally, daily time mapping. Each night, using my weekly planning sheet as a guide, I plan out my next day using 15 minute increments. Just writing down what you need to do is a great start, but taking it a step further and estimating how long each activity will take, along with the order you need to accomplish your tasks in is critical.

Sometimes we don’t realize that we have way too much on one day and then get frustrated when we don’t accomplish it all, but in reality it was impossible to begin with.

You will also find that by mapping out your time you will be more productive and stay “on task”, plus its fun! I’ve tried doing this first thing in the morning, but you will find that you will accomplish more if you plan your day the night before.

You also start your day running, because you know exactly what you are going to do and in what order.

So that’s the basic concept, now here are just a few planning tips:

Tip #1: When making your daily to-do list, do what you dread most first. This relieves you of “worrying” about it all day, or the guilt if you didn’t do it because you procrastinated too long.

Tip #2: Utilize down time
Be prepared to maximize your time everywhere, especially during down time. I make calls before my son’s ballgames. I always have a motivational book or Reflections in the car in case I’m somewhere where I’m waiting.

Tip #3: Handle mail and E-mail once
Don’t get caught in the paper trap! Here’s what I’ve found keeps me organized and saves time. I open my mail over the trash, so I can throw away what I don’t need and make piles for the rest.

I have a shred pile, a bill pile, an ad/coupon pile and a business file. I take my business pile immediately to my office and file it in my business binder, the rest of the mail gets filed in folders in the kitchen.

Handle E-mail once a day
While it’s unrealistic to suggest that you only check your E-mail once a day, I do suggest blocking out the time to handle your E-mail once each day. Just like your mail, sit down to read your E-mail and decide which is needed - an E-mail response or a phone call. Many times a phone call will take less time than an E-mail reply, so be aware of how you are spending your valuable time.

If you choose E-mail, then reply right then, don’t put it off even if it requires finding information before doing so - this is why you allot the time. If you are unable to get the information needed right then, simply reply back when you will get them the answer, then print out the E-mail and put it in your binder, so you don’t forget to follow up.

Your habits will determine your future - if the habits you “currently” have would produce more, the more would have already showed up!

I encourage you to make a habit of planning your month, week and day.
To experience the best balance of your time, get started on this immediately. Just do it, and adjust along the way and you will find what works for you.

Organization was not my strength, so if I can do this, so can you.

O Quinn asked:




Again as I work to get myself to get back on track after losing control for a few weeks I am amazed at the power behind a simple daily schedule.

In reworking my Home Management binder I’ve had to come up with a new daily schedule. As my daughter grows things change. Much of my time with her is in creative ventures and teaching her how to do things. I can get very caught up in that.

But enough about that. What really happened is I got so engrossed with working with my soon to be preschooler that I kind of threw my schedule out the window. Some things were no longer done on certain days or done at all so as a result I dismissed my usual pattern of checking my daily schedule throughout the day or when I felt unproductive.

The result? Chaos.

Well okay not complete chaos but I could definitely tell a difference. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from but things were not as orderly as I liked them. Dinner was often late, the house wasn’t getting vacuum regularly, I felt like I had no time to do anything (but play with my daughter) and even my baby girl seemed a little out of sorts.

After a few weeks of this I thought maybe it was time for me to get serious about updating my Home Management binder. I reworked a new daily and weekly schedule to get me going and….

Voila!

The difference is like night and day. As I sit here mid-afternoon while my daughter takes her nap, and type yet another article (my third for the day) I have already washed 2 loads of laundry, straightened and vacuumed the house, straightened and inventoried the fridge and freezer in preparation for menu planning tomorrow. The kitchen is clean and tidy, in addition to the other rooms because I do walk through morning and night. I won’t get into all of the other things that are taken care of simply because my schedules reminded me that they needed to be done (so I did them) but I will tell you most of all I don’t feel frazzled.

I still have things to do. Work and home alike but I don’t feel out of control or overwrought because I know where they fall in my schedule.

Making a daily and weekly schedule is one of the most simple things you can do to start organizing yourself and your home. You see your list helps you to organize yourself because it’s a reminder in our all too busy lives of what needs to be done to keep things moving smoothly. And once you make your list USE it. Check it at least daily. It does no good unless you put it to use. If you can only muster one ounce of energy make it to check that list.

Rachel Evans asked:




Autism visual schedules are an important part of a structured environment for a child with autism spectrum disorder. This is because the visual schedule informs the child which activities will be occurring at a certain period of time, and in which order throughout the day that those activities will be occurring.

Visual schedules are beneficial for children on the autism spectrum as they:

- Help children who struggle with language comprehension to understand the expectations of them throughout the day.

- Focus on the challenge that many autistic children face with time organization and sequential memory.

- Help to minimize the anxiety levels of autistic children as structure is provided so that the children may organize and anticipate their daily and weekly activities, therefore reducing the possibility of behavioral symptoms. The use of pictorial schedules helps demonstrate the order of individual activities within a specific time frame. For example, it may demonstrate that lunchtime is coming, but work time comes first. Any changes to a schedule can also be illustrated through this tool.

- Help autistic children to transition independently among the various events and environments by instructing them where they will be headed next. Autism visual schedules can be applied to any event or place.

The format of the schedules is based on a strategy of “first-then”. An example of this approach is “First you wash your hands, then you eat your lunch”. This format demonstrates the expectation of what is to come first, and what is to follow. Each can be modified as required. Modifications are made in terms of the completion of each task, and the ability of the child to function with the provided details. It also includes the child’s ability to transition among tasks smoothly and with minimal interruption.

This is achieved through the format’s encouragement to move from one task to the next. That one thing comes first, and then another follows it.

These types of schedules also help children with their social interactions as they can work social moments into their daily routines. For example, “first you arrive, then you greet your teacher and classmates”.

Parents and teachers are finding that the autism visual schedules also contribute to the child’s motivation level even when faced with less desirable tasks, as it shows that there will be a progression to a task that is more preferred later on.

When visual schedules are used, they must be taught directly to the children, and then used on a consistent basis. They aren’t crutches from which the children will gradually work their way free. They are tools that should be considered to be assistive technology on an ongoing level, and the longer the child uses this tool, the better it will help him or her function. This is true even beyond childhood and into adult life.

When developing a schedule, a set layout should be established and consistently applied. They should move either from left to right, or top to bottom. There should also be a method that allows the child to manipulate the schedule to indicate the completion of an activity; for example, allowing the child to cross off the activity with a dry erase marker. The schedule should present at least two items at any given time so that the child can begin to comprehend that events do not happen in isolation. They occur in sequence one after the other.

Autism visual schedules can be designed to fit the unique needs and understanding level of the child, and therefore provide a tailored experience for each person. Through symbols, images, the right number of activities per presentation, and consistency of use, this method can provide substantial support and understanding to an autistic child.

Dave Vower asked:




Many people complain that they are not getting enough time to allow for weight training and so they are not able to make a perfect weight training schedule. One of the most profound things about weight training for muscle gain is that often the best gains are made with the shortest workouts. We are all looking for a weight training schedule which allows us to handle all of our day-to-day activities together with weight lifting exercises. With the busy works in Office and home, it is really very difficult to find time for body building.

You require a well designed plan to come out of such a situation. I knew many people prepared excellent weight training schedule and after few days desperately tell me that they were not able to follow the weight training schedule. This happens due to the lack of home work and perfect planning.

The two important factors to be decided are when to go to a gym and how much time you will spend in a day. If you are undergoing weight lifting training in your home, then also you can prepare a weight lifting schedule and follow it majestically. Also it is important to decide how many days you will do workouts in a week as well. The weight lifting training requirements and the duration need to be decided after discussing with an expert trainer. These depend on your objective of your weight lifting training like the size of the muscles to be developed, the areas in which muscles to be built and also your present physique.

Once if you decide these three items, then you can go for finer details about the weight training schedule. You can make a list of workouts you have to do and the time allotted to each one of them. This will help you to maintain a discipline in weight lifting training program, which strictly follows the weight training schedule.