Giving Thanks and Catching Up

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I'm enjoying time with family and working on the last edits of Do No Harm. Thought I'd share a few updates:Thanksgiving in the palm of your hand

  1. This week I had a guest post on the American Christian Fiction Writers blog, sharing my thoughts on thankfulness.
  2. Last weekend I was honored to be a guest on the brand new Voice of Texas podcast, hosted by Matthew Hinman.
  3. I've recently published episode 20 of The Productive Woman podcast, sharing my top 10 favorite productivity apps for smart phones. The Productive Woman is now part of the Noodle.mx network of podcasts. I've been so thrilled by the response to the podcast and am planning something special for the 25th episode. See below for more details on how you can participate, and maybe win a $25 Amazon gift card. More info at the TPW website.
  4. Do No Harm is coming along. I've been working on the final edits, aiming to send it to the requesting agent before Christmas. It's a scary proposition, so I'd appreciate prayers.

If you're interested in contributing to the upcoming 25th episode of The Productive Woman podcast, and perhaps winning a $25 Amazon gift card, here are the details:

Help Me Celebrate a Milestone!

What are your best tips for getting things done, making the most of your time and energy, and making a life that matters? I want to feature them in episode 25 of The Productive Woman podcast. Email your tips to feedback@theproductivewoman.com, or click on the button at the right side of The Productive Woman website to leave a voice message. (If you have more than one tip to share, leave each one as a separate message, and start by telling me who you are–first name only is fine if you're more comfortable with that–and where you're from.) If you're sharing a great productivity tool, be sure to tell us how to find it. From those who contribute a tip, either via email or voice message, by December 31, 2014, I'll draw a name randomly for a $25 Amazon gift card! More information at The Productive Woman.

I hope to hear from you soon. In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving.

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Podcast: The Productive Woman
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom

Email me

The Productive Woman MOVES

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© Olivier26 | Dreamstime.com

How's your week going? Me, I'm going through a few growing pains. It's overwhelming and wonderful to see the good reception The Productive Woman podcast has had, but a little scary as I ponder where it all might be going. This week the podcast moved to its own website over at the Noodle.mx podcast network site. If you normally listen to it here online, you can still do that–just click on over the The Productive Woman at its site, and you can listen to it there and see the show notes. Of course, you can also subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher!

Blog SizeEpisode 16 of The Productive Woman podcast picks up where episode 14 left off, and outlines a step-by-step process for decluttering your home (or office), one room at a time. I hope you'll take the time to listen and let me know what you think.

In the meantime, I'm working hard at the final manuscript edits of Do No Harm, having promised one of my favorite (and most encouraging and supportive) authors that I would wrap up the two-year-long writing/editing process and send the manuscript to the requesting agent before Christmas of this year. I can't break my promise to Susie!

Now that the podcast has moved to its own site, I'll be focusing on other topics in the blog here. In the near future I'll be posting a short survey to invite your input on the blog, the website, and how I can best serve you. I look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, have a great week!

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Podcast: The Productive Woman
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me

The Productive Woman 015 – Dealing With Discouragement [podcast]

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We'll pick up in a future episode on our mini-series on decluttering, but this week I thought I'd share a little of my heart on something I've been dealing with lately–discouragement. It can interfere with our productivity and our quality of life in general, but there are some things we can do to disable its power over us.

Tool of the Week:

The Ben Franklin Day Planner Template for Moleskine; created by Bob Stanke based on the day planner method reportedly used by Benjamin Franklin. Check out the YouTube video explaining what it is and how you can use it. You can buy the template for $1.99 at Bob Stanke's website.

 

Topic of the Week: Dealing With Discouragement

 

Why do we get discouraged?

An article by Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California (see the reference below), suggests:

  • Fatigue
  • Frustration
  • Failure
  • Fear

And I toss in another one: hormones.

What effect can discouragement have on us?
  • It can derail us from accomplishing the things we care about
  • It can isolate us
What are some steps we can take to overcome discouragement?
  • Rest
  • Reorganize our lives to get a better handle on the overload that's getting us down
  • Ask for help
  • Take some time to journal how we're feeling, what's causing it, what we might do to change those causes
  • Stop comparing ourselves to others!
  • Focus our thinking on positive, encouraging things – check out the quotes at the WomenWorking.com Facebook page
  • Cultivate a grateful heart – celebrate the small accomplishments
  • Turn your focus to someone else – find someone to help or encourage

Some great resources to look at:

 

Your turn: Do you feel discouraged sometimes? How do you deal with discouragement? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook. And don't forget to check out the other podcasts that make you think, laugh, and succeed at Noodle.mx!

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me

The Productive Woman 014 – Conquering Clutter [podcast]

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How do you feel about the stuff you own? Is every possession in your life something meaningful to you, or is your space overwhelmed with too much stuff? If you're like most people, it's likely the latter. In this episode we begin looking at the clutter of possessions in our lives, what it does to us, and what we can do about it.

Tip of the Week:

Make sure to protect the precious photos you've taken with your smart phone by backing them up and/or downloading them to a safer location.

Topic of the Week: Why do we have so much stuff?!

 

Costs of Having So Much Stuff
  • Financial
  • Time
  • Energy
  • Health & safety
  • Focus and serenity

“When your house is full of things from your past, things that only remind you of who you were, you very literally have no room for who you are now and who you are becoming.”

Why Do We Have All This Stuff?
  • Want to be prepared. (End up over-prepared?)
  • Need for abundance/fear of scarcity
  • Sentimental attachment
  • Guilt
  • The “for now” disease
  • Need for distraction
What Can We Gain By Decluttering?
  • Save money
  • Save time
  • Recover energy
  • Better focus and more serene life
  • Sense of accomplishment
  • Satisfaction of helping others

Find more motivation at Simple Life Together with Dan & Vanessa Hayes (podcast, website, and many other resources)

Some Tips to Get You Started
  1. Create a vision for the space you want, and work toward that.
  2. Start small.
  3. Sort into three boxes/bags: things to keep, things to trash, things to donate.
  4. Set parameters before you start.
  5. Make a pact: for every new thing you bring into your space, discard or donate one (or two!).
  6. Make items earn their space in your life.
  7. Digitize photos and other mementos.

Tool of the Week:

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living – a great book by Tsh Oxenreider.

I reviewed it on my blog. You can get more info and insight on Tsh's website.

Some great resources to look at:

 

Your turn: What's your biggest clutter challenge, or your best tip for conquering clutter? What will you do this week to start conquering the clutter in your life? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook. And don't forget to check out the other podcasts that make you think, laugh, and succeed at Noodle.mx!

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me

The Productive Woman 013 – Getting Ready to Finish Well [podcast]

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As we enter the last quarter of the year, it seems like a good time to pause, consider what we've accomplished so far this year, re-evaluate what we want to do in the time that's left, and set ourselves up for success in the remaining months of this year. We can do that by spending a little time walking through these simple steps:

  1. Even if you've let yourself get off track in pursuing your goals, rest assured it's not too late to make this a great year. Lots of things can be accomplished in 3 months.
  2. What have you accomplished so far this year? Give yourself credit for the things you've done, and celebrate the successes–both large and small!
  3. Re-evaluate the goals you set earlier in the year. Are they still valid? Do they still call to your heart?
  4. What's left to be done in the fourth quarter?
  5. It there are things left unfinished (or even unpursued), what's stopping you? External hindrances? Internal resistance? Structural impediments? What can be done to overcome them? Check out some great insights in Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern.
  6. What will you commit yourself to pursuing as the year winds down?
  7. What do you need in order to wholeheartedly pursue those things for this 3-month period?
  8. How will you celebrate your success? Plan for it now–and remember that effort is a success!
  9. Get accountable.

Your turn: When will you take a few minutes to set yourself up to end the year on a high note? What one or two goals will you commit yourself to in this next three months? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Some great resources to look at:

Subscribe to The Productive Woman in iTunes or subscribe in Stitcher, and join the conversation at The Productive Woman on Facebook. And don't forget to check out the other podcasts that make you think, laugh, and succeed at Noodle.mx!

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Greenville, Texas
I Was Just Thinking . . .
Legal Blog: Real Estate Law Blog
Twitter: @LauraMcMom
Email me