Hit or Miss

Although it is still cold out in many parts of the country, it is not too early to start planning a gardening project. If you are going to be digging this spring and summer to plant or add features to your yard, call Miss Utility before you dig.

In order to avoid hitting underground utilities, call 811, which is a free call from anywhere in the US. With one phone call, you will make contact with all the companies that have pipes and wires underground, including phone, gas, sewage, water, electric and cable. If you dig without calling and hit something, you can be fined and charged for repairs.

Whether you are planning on a digging a pond or just transplanting some bushes, be prepared and call Miss Utility beforehand.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Hit or Miss

Although it is still cold out in many parts of the country, it is not too early to start planning a gardening project. If you are going to be digging this spring and summer to plant or add features to your yard, call Miss Utility before you dig.

In order to avoid hitting underground utilities, call 811, which is a free call from anywhere in the US. With one phone call, you will make contact with all the companies that have pipes and wires underground, including phone, gas, sewage, water, electric and cable. If you dig without calling and hit something, you can be fined and charged for repairs.

Whether you are planning on a digging a pond or just transplanting some bushes, be prepared and call Miss Utility beforehand.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Staying Positive

Some days it’s hard to have a positive attitude. Maybe you’re not feeling well or you’re trying to fit too much work into one day, or things just don’t seem to be going your way. Everyone is entitled to an off day, but if you allow yourself to get dragged down by negativity, you are more likely to fall back on bad habits. Here are some ideas to help you snap out of it:
1. Reframe: When you look at a situation in a different way, often you can turn around your thinking.
2. Record: Write down things you are thankful for or things that make you happy.
3. Rant: Allow yourself a short time to feel bad, then move on. You can enlist a friend’s help to keep to the specified time or use a timer.

Encouraging yourself to see the positive side of things is not an assignment to become Pollyanna, who finds something to be glad about in every situation, but to make an investment in your mental and physical health.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Staying Positive

Some days it’s hard to have a positive attitude. Maybe you’re not feeling well or you’re trying to fit too much work into one day, or things just don’t seem to be going your way. Everyone is entitled to an off day, but if you allow yourself to get dragged down by negativity, you are more likely to fall back on bad habits. Here are some ideas to help you snap out of it:
1. Reframe: When you look at a situation in a different way, often you can turn around your thinking.
2. Record: Write down things you are thankful for or things that make you happy.
3. Rant: Allow yourself a short time to feel bad, then move on. You can enlist a friend’s help to keep to the specified time or use a timer.

Encouraging yourself to see the positive side of things is not an assignment to become Pollyanna, who finds something to be glad about in every situation, but to make an investment in your mental and physical health.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Hoarding

Recently both Dr. Phil and Oprah Winfrey have devoted entire programs to the subject of hoarding. While the TV shows were dramatic, it is important for people to realize that there are different levels of hoarding, as defined by The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (http://www.nsgcd.org/resources/clutterhoardingscale/nsgcd_clutterhoardingscale.pdf).

If you believe that someone you know is a hoarder, it is important for you to understand that people who have serious issues with hoarding may not accept assistance and can be difficult to work with. The worst thing you can do is to clear out the space without getting the hoarder to agree with the decision. People who keep what may seem to be trash have a strong attachment to their things and need help to part with those things.

Not everyone is able to work with hoarders. When I work with a serious hoarder, the chance that the changes in the environment will stick are greater if the hoarder works with a therapist at the same time. People who are hoarders are not going to change unless they really want to and unless they are given the appropriate tools to change.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Hoarding

Recently both Dr. Phil and Oprah Winfrey have devoted entire programs to the subject of hoarding. While the TV shows were dramatic, it is important for people to realize that there are different levels of hoarding, as defined by The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (http://www.nsgcd.org/resources/clutterhoardingscale/nsgcd_clutterhoardingscale.pdf).

If you believe that someone you know is a hoarder, it is important for you to understand that people who have serious issues with hoarding may not accept assistance and can be difficult to work with. The worst thing you can do is to clear out the space without getting the hoarder to agree with the decision. People who keep what may seem to be trash have a strong attachment to their things and need help to part with those things.

Not everyone is able to work with hoarders. When I work with a serious hoarder, the chance that the changes in the environment will stick are greater if the hoarder works with a therapist at the same time. People who are hoarders are not going to change unless they really want to and unless they are given the appropriate tools to change.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

The Myth of Time Management

Although I, too, fell for all the time management hype in the 1980s, I finally realized that I cannot manage time. Everyone gets the same 24 hours a day to use; all I can do is manage myself in the time I have.

I also got caught in the multitasking trap. I thought that the more things I did, in the least amount of time possible, the more productive I would be. Now I counsel people to do fewer things and finish them before starting new things.

If you are trying to tackle a large project, break it into steps and schedule time, on your calendar, to do each step. If you don’t schedule in your priorities, you will have one of those “I was busy all day but I didn’t get anything done” days. Instead of letting distractions get you off track, schedule them for another time, keeping in mind what you really have to do right now.

I recently read two articles where the writers said that they were extremely productive just before going on a trip. Think about a time when you had a tight deadline; you didn’t let interruptions steal half of your day. Find that single-mindedness the next time you need to get through a task.

Remember: The trick is not to fit as much as you can into one day, but to fit all of your work into your life.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

The Myth of Time Management

Although I, too, fell for all the time management hype in the 1980s, I finally realized that I cannot manage time. Everyone gets the same 24 hours a day to use; all I can do is manage myself in the time I have.

I also got caught in the multitasking trap. I thought that the more things I did, in the least amount of time possible, the more productive I would be. Now I counsel people to do fewer things and finish them before starting new things.

If you are trying to tackle a large project, break it into steps and schedule time, on your calendar, to do each step. If you don’t schedule in your priorities, you will have one of those “I was busy all day but I didn’t get anything done” days. Instead of letting distractions get you off track, schedule them for another time, keeping in mind what you really have to do right now.

I recently read two articles where the writers said that they were extremely productive just before going on a trip. Think about a time when you had a tight deadline; you didn’t let interruptions steal half of your day. Find that single-mindedness the next time you need to get through a task.

Remember: The trick is not to fit as much as you can into one day, but to fit all of your work into your life.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!