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Feeling Overwhelmed? How to Make a To-Do List That Gets Done

January 25, 2012 by

Making a to-do list is a great way to see at a glance what you need to get accomplished in a day. To Do List

However, some to-to lists help productivity more than others, and a bad to-do list might do more harm than good.

If you can invest a little bit of time planning out your tasks for the day in a clear and achievable list you will be able to accomplish things much more smoothly.

Here are a few ways that you can make the best to-do list possible:

Break it down. Adding a huge task such as “clean the house” to your to-do list can overwhelm you. Divide this task into several small jobs so that you know where to start, such as “wash the dishes”, “sweep the floors”, and “vacuum the carpets.”
Group tasks together that are located in close proximity to each other. For example, if you are driving to the shop to pick up bread and milk and you also have a package to mail you can drop it off at the post office on the way there. It is inefficient just to go out and only accomplish one task at a time.
Prioritize the things that you need to do by urgency. This will help you know which items are more important and need to be finished first. You can create a system with colors or numbers to organize your tasks.
If you have bumped a task from yesterday that you couldn’t get finished, this job should get a higher priority today or you will continue to put it off.
Don’t make your to-do list so long that it is impossible to achieve in one day. This can be very demoralizing. Include small and easily checked-off tasks which will give you positive reinforcement and provide momentum.

Above all, don’t forget to include a reward at the end when you finish everything you set out to do. Whether it is going for a walk with the dog, relaxing for a while to watch your favorite show, or going out with friends, if you achieve all of the goals on your list feel free to celebrate your productive day!

Trying to Lose Weight? Eating to Get the Most Out of Your Workout

January 23, 2012 by

Did you know that the food you eat before and after working out can have an impact on how effective your exercise regime is? Strawberry Smoothie

Working out takes energy, and the food that you use to fuel that energy makes a big difference. When you fuel up on the right nutrients you can superpower your workout and make the most of your time in the gym.

What to Eat Before the Gym

Some people swear by working out on an empty stomach, but studies have shown that because you have no food in your system to use as fuel this can cause your body to burn your muscle reserves for energy.

You are going to the gym to build muscle, not deplete it so it is better to eat a small meal before working out to give yourself some energy.

This meal should include lean protein, lots of fiber, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, and a small amount of fat. These types of foods take longer to absorb and make you feel fuller for longer, and they provide lots of fuel to energize you for your workout.

A great pre-workout snack would be whole wheat bread with peanut butter and a banana, scrambled eggs and toast with fruit, or a protein shake or smoothie made with yogurt and fruit. If it is less than one hour before the workout, go for a small meal but if you have more than two hours before you get to the gym you can eat more.

What to Eat After the Gym

Once you are finished working out, you should be drinking lots of water to replenish the sweat that you have lost.

Within one hour of finishing your workout, you should have another small snack with high quality protein, because this will help build your muscles and aid your body in recovering.

Nourishing your body with healthy proteins and complex carbs before and after a workout will give it the fuel to build muscle and become stronger.

Say What? I Wanna Talk About Me!

January 21, 2012 by

Dog Ears Have you ever had the experience of realizing that the person you were speaking with was simply not listening?

They might have looked like they were paying attention, but your words were simply going in one ear and out the other. Chances are this left you feeling frustrated and unappreciated, especially if what you were saying was very important.

Listening is a very important communication skill that not everyone has mastered.

Have you ever thought about how well you listen to other people? Perhaps you might be tuning out others without realizing it, causing them to feel like you don’t care what they are saying.

Whether it is in the workplace, with your friends, or in a relationship, being a good listener is a skill that will always be beneficial. It will help you avoid conflict and misunderstanding, resolve issues, and succeed in all aspects of your life.

Here are some helpful tips for becoming a better listener:

Don’t interrupt. Let the person finish what they have to say before jumping in to finish their sentences or object. Be patient.
Remove distractions. If you find that you are looking at your text messages or surfing the net on your laptop while someone is talking to you, then you are not giving them your full attention. Eliminate these distractions to show them respect.
Give eye contact to the person you are speaking with, and watch their face for important non-verbal clues to what they are meaning.
To let the person know that you are paying attention, give an occasional nod or say something like, “I see” or “that makes sense.”
If you don’t understand something, ask questions to clarify so that you don’t get lost as they assume you know what they mean and start to talk about the topic more.

Practice your listening skills and you will find that being a good listener will improve your personal and professional life in many ways.

Home Decor Tips for Designing a Childs Bedroom

January 18, 2012 by

Designing a child’s bedroom can be one of the most exciting tasks of decorating your home. You can create a fun and flexible space that your children will love to spend time in and enjoy throughout their life.

Here are some tips for parents to help with the project of decorating a room for a young child:

Involve Your Child

If your child is old enough to converse with you, have a talk with them to get their opinion on what their dream bedroom would look like. Ask them what they like about their current bedroom, and what they would change. You can also ask them about their favorite colors, animals, and storybooks to get an idea for a theme for the room.

Make a Plan

If you plan your design concept in advance, you will make the project a lot easier by having a clearer concept of what you will want the room to look like. Draw up a floor plan and identify which furnishings and decor you are going to look for. You can print off photos from the Internet and clip out pictures from magazines for inspiration.

Adapt for the Future

Remember that although your little princess is only eight now, in a few years she will be turning into a teenager and she will not want to have Disney characters plastered all over her walls and furniture. Bunk beds might seem like a great choice for your young boys but when they hit a teenage growth spurt they could be six feet tall, making these beds very impractical. Make sure that you choose furniture that will grow with your child and that the bedroom design that you decide on can be easily adapted when your child’s interests change.

Create Practical Storage Space

You can help your child keep their room tidy and reduce the number of times you have to nag them to clean up by creating lots of practical and easy to use storage space. Bookcases, drawers, desks, and closet organizers will give all toys and clothes a place to go rather than being thrown on the floor.

These are just a few tips to help you with decorating a stylish and functional bedroom for your child.

In Remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 16, 2012 by

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American minister and leader in the civil rights movement taking place most publicly in the 1960’s. Mr. King was a great leader of people and became known as one of the greatest speakers in all of American history.

Dr. King was very bright as a child and skipped grades in elementary and high schools. He entered college at Morehouse College at the age of 15 without ever graduating high school.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s most famous speech, commonly referred to as the “I Have A Dream” speech, took place on August 28, 1963 from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Over 200,000 citizens gathered that day to hear many speakers.

Dr. King’s speech was considered the highlight of the event and was later called the “top American public address in the 20th century” by a group of respected scholars.

Dr. King went on to speak prolifically about civil rights throughout the southern states. He was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his continuous struggle for peace and equality through non-violent means.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4th, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Once again, it is quite striking to see the impact that a single person can have on the entire course of human history when they are committed to their cause. It is when men and women act boldly and with passion that they best serve humanity.

We all can look forward to the ways that our own lives can be changed, in both large ways and small, by our willingness to put fear aside and stretch ourselves to become better people and invest ourselves in the betterment of the people who surround us.

Today, in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King’s accomplishments I’d like to share this video of his speech:

Tips for Breaking the Junk Food Habit

January 14, 2012 by

Do you find yourself struggling to lose weight and constantly craving sweets, desserts and salty snacks?

Have you ever said to yourself, “After this last bucket of fried chicken I am going to eat healthy” only to order the same meal the very next week?

Studies are showing that junk food is so hard to give up because it actually becomes a psychological and physiological addiction in the body. The cravings for these foods which are high in sugar, salt and fat become deeply ingrained and it is hard to break the habit.

Here are some tips for reducing the amount of junk food you eat and living a healthy life:

Know What You Are Eating

Most people who eat lots of fast food and junk food don’t even realize how bad it is for their bodies. Do some research about the nutritional content of these foods, read about their affect on health, and watch videos such as “Super Size Me” and “Food Inc”. Watching these programs will also put you off eating these foods.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

If you are in the habit of eating junk food, even simply seeing one of your favorite unhealthy snacks will make you crave it. Stop stocking your cupboards with cookies, potato chips, chocolates, and other treats because they will be very tempting for you.

Plan Ahead

It’s easy to say that you will resist that bag of potato chips every time, but when you have finished work late and you arrive home absolutely starving you might just find you can’t help snacking before dinner. The trick is to plan your meals ahead so that you never find yourself getting very hungry without a healthy alternative to eat.

If you know that you sometimes arrive home late, try cooking up larger batches of healthy meals on the weekend which you can easily microwave for a fast but nutritious meal. You could also stock your fridge with healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables and yogurt that you could snack on while waiting for dinner to cook.

The good news is, once you overcome the initial difficult period of withdrawal from these greasy, salty, and sweet snacks you will find that you don’t really miss them. Your body will crave them less and you will be on the path to leading a healthy life!

Productivity Tips for Working from Home

January 13, 2012 by

If you have your own business and you work from home, it can be challenging to form the right habits that you need to be productive. Working From Home

Working from home provides its own unique challenges, and it is very easy to get distracted by many things around you in the house.

You might start tidying your desk and then decide you should also do the laundry and end up several hours later with a perfectly clean house but no work done.

You can also lose hours of your time surfing the net, responding to emails, and reading clever and funny blogs before you realize how late it has become. When you work from home, you are also susceptible to being distracted by the dog, kids, your partner, and much more.

So how can you improve your productivity and learn to focus on your work when you are working from home? Here are some helpful tips:

Create a good working environment which makes it easy to focus. It should be far away from the television and other distractions, and in a quiet area of the house. If you have a room to yourself where you can close the door and tell everyone else not to disturb you, this is even better.
Don’t get too comfortable. One mistake you might be making when working from home is working while curled up in a comfortable chair with your pajamas and fuzzy slippers on. While you can wear whatever you like when you work from home, it’s easy to get slow and sleepy in this environment and you will be more efficient when you get dressed, and sit up on a chair at a desk in a well lit environment.
Keep a piece of paper next to you, and if you think of something that you should be doing such as putting the dishwasher on you can write it down so that you can push it out of your mind while you focus. When you finish your work, check your list and complete the tasks on it.
Give yourself short and frequent breaks. When we work for too many hours on the same thing, our brains can become burnt out. Concentrate on a small task and set yourself a goal of when you will complete it.
Reward yourself. When you finish each small goal, allow yourself to get a snack, a cup of coffee, or do something else for five or ten minutes. Set a timer for your break to remind yourself to get back to work.

These are just a few ways that you can fine tune your working habits to become the most productive you can be!

How to Stay Happy When Stuck Indoors This Winter

January 11, 2012 by

For those of us living in colder climates, the winter season means shorter days, freezing weather, and being stuck inside the house for long cozy fireplace periods of time.

It is easy to get depressed with the lack of sunshine and time spent outdoors, especially if you are the type of person who loves the summer.

If you live in a chilly climate and can’t afford to spend six months in the Bahamas instead, here are a few tips that will help you enjoy the winter season:

Open the window for five minutes. Although it is freezing inside, if you keep the house sealed up the air inside will become stale and stuffy which will make you feel tired and low in energy. Let a bit of fresh air in to reinvigorate yourself and breathe easier.
Consider bringing some flowers, plants or herbs into your household. When it’s a barren winter wasteland outside we tend to miss all of the living things around us, so having plants inside the house can add fresh air and lovely scents to your life.
Having a pet such as a dog, cat, goldfish or bird to spend time with will also help to brighten up the short winter days when you are stuck inside.
Let the light in. Even in the depths of winter there are still around 8 hours of natural sunlight, so open up the curtains!
Wintertime is a great opportunity to catch up on your “me-time”, so treat yourself to that book that you have been meaning to read or take up a hobby like painting or knitting. In the summertime we sometimes neglect these activities because we spend so much time outside.
Get cozy. Pulling yourself out of bed on a dark winter morning is much easier when you don’t have to face the chilling prospect of bare feet on a cold floor. Treat yourself to some fuzzy slippers and warm pajamas to make you more comfortable in the snowy weather.
If you can’t afford a trip to Italy, Spain, Mexico or the Caribbean this winter, bring the hot climates to you by learning how to cook a new recipe from these cultures! You could even invite your friends over for spicy tacos and margaritas!
Get outside! If the sun comes out, take advantage of this opportunity and go for a walk. It might be cold, but the snowy scenery can be absolutely beautiful. You can also warm yourself up with a hot chocolate when you return!

Have a wonderful and happy winter!

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

January 9, 2012 by

Do you ever wonder what the best way is to follow up after a job interview? Is email to impersonal? Is snail-mail too slow? Will the interviewer even notice or care?

Well, one thing is for certain. If you don’t follow up at all, you’re quite sure that they won’t notice at all. In fact, so few people follow up in any way you might just set yourself apart and make the difference in being considered for the position.

By reinforcing your interest in the position with a friendly follow up you will push your name to the forefront of the hiring manager’s mind. This little touch might just be the extra that makes you stand out from the others.

If you have just been to an interview for your dream job and all has gone well, you might want to consider following up with the employer in one or more of these ways:

Sending an email thank you note

This is one of the easiest and quickest ways to follow up on an interview. Write a short and friendly email to the employer thanking them for taking the time to meet with you. You also have the opportunity to touch on anything you talked about in the interview and reiterate your desire for the position. Make it short and sweet however, as the employer will not want to read several pages about how much you dream of working for them.

Mail a Thank you Card

Taking the time to use snail mail rather than email will certainly make you stand out from the rest of the applicants! By actually mailing a card, you will be creating a memorable impression in the employer’s mind which will help them associate your name with someone who goes the extra mile.

Use Social Media

Use a social networking website such as Twitter or Linked In to send a quick thank you to the employer. Again, the message doesn’t need to be long but can be a simple “thanks for your time” or a “nice to meet you”.

The advantage of this is that it connects the employer to your online profile, and if you are using social media well this should lead them to a website or an online portfolio which further showcases your brilliance.

Taking the time to follow up after an interview is the special touch that will make your application stand out and it just might help you achieve that dream job!

How to Make Cleaning the House More Fun

January 6, 2012 by

The dust bunnies in the corners are starting to stare back at you, and you need to take a running jump onto your bed to make it over the mountain of dirty clothes.

You forget what color the floor in the kitchen was originally under all of the dirt, and you have gotten House Cleaning Made Fun into the habit of eating dinner straight out of the pan because all of the plates have caked on grime.

You know that you need to clean the house, but you never get to the task because cleaning is so boring!

Cleaning the house is certainly not as exciting as horseback riding down the beach, skydiving, or going to a music festival, but it doesn’t have to be the most un-enjoyable thing in the world either.

If you can make cleaning a bit more fun and entertaining, perhaps you won’t put it off for so long?

Also, if you are having fun when cleaning you will work quicker and be less distracted, so that your house will be sparkling clean sooner and you can get on with the more exciting things in life.

Here are some tips for spicing up your cleaning routine:

Set up an open garbage can or recycling bin across the room as a basketball hoop, and see how many scraps of junk mail, food wrappers, and other junk you can toss into can without missing. Try to break your own record!
Break the task into small jobs and reward yourself after you finish each one. For example, if you wash all of the dishes on the kitchen counter you can enjoy a chocolate, or if you organize your entire closet you can go out to a movie.
Try to beat the clock! Give yourself a deadline for finishing each task and try to get through it as efficiently as you can. The faster and more focused you are, the sooner you are finished and the more free time you have.
Try a new cleaning product. For example, did you know that there are cleaning slippers with scrubbers on the bottom for washing the floor with your feet? These sorts of unusual and quirky cleaning implements will turn your household chores into a fun game.
Crank up your favorite tunes and do a little dance as you clean. It will put you in a happy and productive mood.

Make cleaning more fun, and before you know it your home will look fantastic!

That wasn’t so bad, was it?

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