If you have responsibilities and you have more than a couple things going on each day, you must have a calendar!
Having a calendar is not enough. You also need to use it! Input your appointments and reference your calendar each and every day. The two critical times for reviewing your calendar are right before you go to bed and once again first thing in the morning.
What type of calendar is best? That answer depends on you, how your brain works and what systems works best for you. For some a small pocket book calendar is the answer. For others, an electronic calendar such as Outlook or Google calendar works best. You can not overlook the extra large family calendar either. The type of calendar is not important as long as it works for you.
Make sure you access it regularly throughout the day so you do not miss an appointment. If you need an extra reminder, an electronic system might be the best choice for you as these systems can be programmed to send you reminders. For instance, if you use your calendar on your cell phone, you can also set the timer to go off to remind you of an appointment. Likewise, with Google Calendar, you can have a text message or email message sent as a reminder.
If your calendar systems is not working or you need a system, please set up a system that works. Overlooking a commitment is not good for you or the folks who depend on you.
Becky Esker is a certified professional organizer, national speaker, owner of Get Organized! L.L.C., and the forthcoming author of 2 Minutes Organization: The simple way to get organized! Becky and her team provide hands-on services to those in the greater eastern Iowa area and also provide a wide array of products and service to businesses and individuals nationwide through their website. For more information access www.TheOrganizingChoice.com.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
Getting Organized: A New Christmas Tradition?
One of the many seminars I lead is called Balancing the Holiday Hustle and Bustle. The primary focus of the workshop is uncovering the true meaning of the holidays. The true meaning of the holidays in my life is not the crazy hustle and bustle, but rather enjoying time with my family.
So, this year when my son wanted to do something different with our Christmas tree, we did just that!!
Yes, take a look at the picture. Do you notice anything strange about it?
I know you might be thinking "Becky you uploaded the picture wrong way!"
Well, look again! The picture is the right way.
When my son and husband were getting the tree out and ready to assemble, my son came and asked me if we could put up our tree UPSIDE DOWN. My first instinct was 'no.' In fact, I first told him 'no.' But then remembering the true meaning of Christmas...who cares what our tree looks like as long as we enjoy it!
So, just because something has always been done one way doesn't mean we have to continue especially if there is an easier or more enjoyable way of doing it.
Prime example here! The kids had a really good time assembling the tree upside down and we all enjoyed putting on the ornaments. My 15 year old daughter was excited to put on the tree skirt. As with most teenagers, it is difficult to get them to participate in family stuff but this was an activity she not only participated in, but enjoyed. It was good to see her laugh and have a great time!
So to you and yours, do something different this season!
Enjoy the season!
-Becky Esker
Becky Esker is a Certified Professional Organizer, national speaker, owner of Get Organized! LLC and the forthcoming author of "2 Minutes to Organization: The Simplest Way to Get Organized." For free organizing tips, go to www.TotallyFreeOrganizingTips.com.
So, this year when my son wanted to do something different with our Christmas tree, we did just that!!
Yes, take a look at the picture. Do you notice anything strange about it?
I know you might be thinking "Becky you uploaded the picture wrong way!"
Well, look again! The picture is the right way.
When my son and husband were getting the tree out and ready to assemble, my son came and asked me if we could put up our tree UPSIDE DOWN. My first instinct was 'no.' In fact, I first told him 'no.' But then remembering the true meaning of Christmas...who cares what our tree looks like as long as we enjoy it!
So, just because something has always been done one way doesn't mean we have to continue especially if there is an easier or more enjoyable way of doing it.
Prime example here! The kids had a really good time assembling the tree upside down and we all enjoyed putting on the ornaments. My 15 year old daughter was excited to put on the tree skirt. As with most teenagers, it is difficult to get them to participate in family stuff but this was an activity she not only participated in, but enjoyed. It was good to see her laugh and have a great time!
So to you and yours, do something different this season!
Enjoy the season!
-Becky Esker
Becky Esker is a Certified Professional Organizer, national speaker, owner of Get Organized! LLC and the forthcoming author of "2 Minutes to Organization: The Simplest Way to Get Organized." For free organizing tips, go to www.TotallyFreeOrganizingTips.com.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Get Organized: No More Late Bills!
Setting up systems that automatically work is the best way to go! With the internet today, technology allows you to set up auto-payment for most all of your bills.
There are generally two options for auto-pay. One is automatic payment from your bank account. The second option is to charge your bill to a credit card. Personally, I prefer the auto-withdrawal from my bank account because this transaction finalizes my payment. Whereas, if it is charged to my credit card, then I run the risk of interest and fees if I don't pay my bill off in full that month by the due date.
The more things you have on auto-payment or auto-pilot, the less you have to remember to do.
As for auto-pilot, I recommend you check out our new Home Operations Made Easy Organizer. It pretty much "tells" you what to do. You either fill in the blanks of forms or check off the checklists as you do them. It is a no-brainer! You will feel good when your home runs on its own and your kids will love you for it.
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=9skxs4cab.0.0.7ckdvzbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.getorganizedcr.com%2Fhome-operations-made-easy%2Feasy-organizer-manual-to-get-organized.html&id=preview
Now go set up some auto-payment accounts!
Becky Esker president and owner of Get Organized! LLC specializes in ADHD. Do you want to get organized? Get your F.R.e.e. "28 Tips to Organize Your Home & Business" brochure. Request your brochure from 319-395-7477 or access http://www.gogetorganizednow.com/.
There are generally two options for auto-pay. One is automatic payment from your bank account. The second option is to charge your bill to a credit card. Personally, I prefer the auto-withdrawal from my bank account because this transaction finalizes my payment. Whereas, if it is charged to my credit card, then I run the risk of interest and fees if I don't pay my bill off in full that month by the due date.
The more things you have on auto-payment or auto-pilot, the less you have to remember to do.
As for auto-pilot, I recommend you check out our new Home Operations Made Easy Organizer. It pretty much "tells" you what to do. You either fill in the blanks of forms or check off the checklists as you do them. It is a no-brainer! You will feel good when your home runs on its own and your kids will love you for it.
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=9skxs4cab.0.0.7ckdvzbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.getorganizedcr.com%2Fhome-operations-made-easy%2Feasy-organizer-manual-to-get-organized.html&id=preview
Now go set up some auto-payment accounts!
Becky Esker president and owner of Get Organized! LLC specializes in ADHD. Do you want to get organized? Get your F.R.e.e. "28 Tips to Organize Your Home & Business" brochure. Request your brochure from 319-395-7477 or access http://www.gogetorganizednow.com/.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Get Organized: Create systems and lists
Yes, I got organized today! I just spent 3 hours this morning expanding our companies reach on the internet. I updated, created, published and blogged in numerous places. All are places we should be visible on a regular basis but have been doing only sporadically.
The reason it has been sporadic is because I don't have a system in place. So, I created one today. I now have a list of all the websites where I need to be submitting articles, blogs and press releases. I also created a table that has the date and description of what was submitted.
And the final step in my system is to schedule time on my calendar (on a repeating basis) for me to submit information to the various websites.
The moral of the story... creating systems and setting up lists make implementation of getting organized much easier!
-Becky Esker is the president of Get Organized! LLC, a professional organizing service, serving the greater Cedar Rapids area. Do you want to get organized? Get your FREE “28 Tips for Organizing Your Home & Business” brochure. Request your brochure from 319-395-7477 or access www.GoGetOrganizedNow.com.
The reason it has been sporadic is because I don't have a system in place. So, I created one today. I now have a list of all the websites where I need to be submitting articles, blogs and press releases. I also created a table that has the date and description of what was submitted.
And the final step in my system is to schedule time on my calendar (on a repeating basis) for me to submit information to the various websites.
The moral of the story... creating systems and setting up lists make implementation of getting organized much easier!
-Becky Esker is the president of Get Organized! LLC, a professional organizing service, serving the greater Cedar Rapids area. Do you want to get organized? Get your FREE “28 Tips for Organizing Your Home & Business” brochure. Request your brochure from 319-395-7477 or access www.GoGetOrganizedNow.com.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Delegation & Planning
Labor Day weekend this year was full of lots of labor! Call me crazy, but we hosted my daughter's entire High School Cross Country team at our home for Pasta Dinner on Friday night... all 60+ of them!
To top it off, later that evening my sisters and their families arrived for a holiday weekend stay. We had 14 people eating, sleeping and playing in our house for 3 days!
Thanks to delegation and planning, all the festivities went off seamlessly.
Three weeks prior to the dinner, Renee Simon (another Cross Country mom) and I planned out the pasta meal and drafted a letter requesting food donations from the other cross country families. The coach distributed the letter and we had folks sign up to bring all the food we requested. I only had to make one phone call to twist someones arm to bring a dish of pasta. As the date approached, I sent out an email reminder or made telephone calls where we didn't have email addresses.
The food arrived as planned and the kids had a great time!
As for the rest of the weekend, my mom (who arrived on Wednesday) accompanied me to the grocery store on Thursday and we stockpiled food to feed the family that weekend. The weather was great, the kids played hard, the guys hit a round of golf and the girls got some shopping in.
The delegation and planning paid off, it was a great weekend. I even enjoyed a nap on Monday afternoon (the real labor day) after everyone left town!
To top it off, later that evening my sisters and their families arrived for a holiday weekend stay. We had 14 people eating, sleeping and playing in our house for 3 days!
Thanks to delegation and planning, all the festivities went off seamlessly.
Three weeks prior to the dinner, Renee Simon (another Cross Country mom) and I planned out the pasta meal and drafted a letter requesting food donations from the other cross country families. The coach distributed the letter and we had folks sign up to bring all the food we requested. I only had to make one phone call to twist someones arm to bring a dish of pasta. As the date approached, I sent out an email reminder or made telephone calls where we didn't have email addresses.
The food arrived as planned and the kids had a great time!
As for the rest of the weekend, my mom (who arrived on Wednesday) accompanied me to the grocery store on Thursday and we stockpiled food to feed the family that weekend. The weather was great, the kids played hard, the guys hit a round of golf and the girls got some shopping in.
The delegation and planning paid off, it was a great weekend. I even enjoyed a nap on Monday afternoon (the real labor day) after everyone left town!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Catching Up After Time Away
Being away from the office can be good...but the world continues to rotate and create more work and stuff while you are gone!
I have been out of the office and away from work for one week in June, one week in July and one week in August. I had limited computer and internet access each time. Two of the weeks out of the office was for holiday and one was for business. But regardless of the reason, the work piles up when I am gone!
I am trying to unbury myself. I have 700 extra emails in my inbox and 2 huge piles of paper on my desk to process plus I have my regular daily appointments. So, how am I going to get it all done?
I am going to put into action what I preach! I am doing some delegating (my daughter needs money and I need some administrative work done), I am going to update my Master List and schedule time for my to-do's on my calendar and I am going to take a few hours this weekend to sit in front of the TV and clean out the junk in my email inbox.
Hopefully, I will have my head above water by the beginning of September, just in time for me to take a few days off for the Labor Day holiday!!
I have been out of the office and away from work for one week in June, one week in July and one week in August. I had limited computer and internet access each time. Two of the weeks out of the office was for holiday and one was for business. But regardless of the reason, the work piles up when I am gone!
I am trying to unbury myself. I have 700 extra emails in my inbox and 2 huge piles of paper on my desk to process plus I have my regular daily appointments. So, how am I going to get it all done?
I am going to put into action what I preach! I am doing some delegating (my daughter needs money and I need some administrative work done), I am going to update my Master List and schedule time for my to-do's on my calendar and I am going to take a few hours this weekend to sit in front of the TV and clean out the junk in my email inbox.
Hopefully, I will have my head above water by the beginning of September, just in time for me to take a few days off for the Labor Day holiday!!
How to Organize Receipts
Check out a video tip of how to organize your receipts!
http://www.getorganizedcr.com/eblast/Receiptsvideoeblast.html
http://www.getorganizedcr.com/eblast/Receiptsvideoeblast.html
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