The Productive Woman 014 – Conquering Clutter [podcast]

/4 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

_podcastTemplate

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!

2013-04-20 signature blank background copy

 

 

 

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]

/6 Comments/in , , , , , , , , /by

_podcastTemplate

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!

2013-04-20 signature blank background copy

 

 

 

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

The Productive Woman 012 – 10 Indispensable Productivity Tools [podcast]

/3 Comments/in , , , /by

_podcastTemplateEvery woman is unique, and her life and schedule and style are unique. So there's no such thing as one right way to manage your life or time, and there are no tools that work for everyone. Every woman develops the system that works for her, and we can learn from each other by sharing what works (and what doesn't.

In this episode I share 10 of the tools and resources I find most helpful. I hope you'll find something you can use. I talk about:

  1. My smart phone, and all the ways I use it. (Hint: I am loving my new iPhone 6 !)
  2. How a carefully kept calendar keeps me on track. (Check out Busy Cal for the Mac and Calendars 5 for iPhone or iPad.)
  3. Why I carry a reasonably sized purse, and what I keep in it.
  4. Post-It Notes.
  5. A comprehensive project and task manager — I use OmniFocus.
  6. Good old-fashioned legal pads.
  7. A timer. (I love the Timer on Fire app on my iPad.)
  8. The Kindle app.
  9. Getting Things Done, by David Allen.
  10. My ScanSnap S1500M scanner by Fujitsu.

Your turn: Will you try one of the tools I talked about? Or can you suggest something that works for you? I'm especially interested in hearing about Windows- based or Android alternatives to some of the apps I talked about. Please share your tips and 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!

2013-04-20 signature blank background copy

 

 

 

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

The Productive Woman 000 – Introduction [podcast]

/10 Comments/in , , , /by

_podcastTemplateIt's been six months in the making, but with much fear and trepidation, I share here my first, very short, very rough “pre-episode” of The Productive Woman, a podcast created to help busy women find tools and encouragement for managing their lives, their time, and their stuff.

Much more to come in the future, and future episodes will be of better quality, but I knew if I didn't just get this done and out there, rough as it is, it would never happen. At some point soon I'll figure out how to get this into iTunes, so if it ends up being something you find useful or interesting, you'll be able to subscribe there in the “podcatcher” of your choice.

If you have questions or topics related to productivity, time management, organization, or technology related to those things, do share them in the comments, or send me a voice message through the tab on the right side of my website. I do want to hear from you.

 

2013-04-20 signature blank background copy

 

 

 

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

7 Blogs You Should Be Reading (if You’re a Mom)

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , /by

In a previous post I shared a list of some of my favorite blogs. These are blogs that I think everybody should check out and most people will benefit from reading regularly. Their focus is relatively general, offering information relevant to most people's lives.

Blogs on JoopeA
Blogs on JoopeA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today I want to share another list of favorite blogs. These are more narrowly focused–they are particularly of value to moms (of varying stages of life). Most moms that I know will appreciate the blogs I recommended in that previous post (here), but the blogs below offer content especially targeted toward moms. If you're a mom (or expect to be at some point in the future), consider visiting–and subscribing to–one or more of the following:

  • The Gypsy Mama. Lisa-Jo says she thinks “motherhood should come with a super hero cape and a cheerleader.” In her blog, she transparently shares her thoughts about life as a mom and tries to be that cheerleader. She also offers a free e-book called The Cheerleader for Tired Moms, available at the blog.
  • Simple Mom. This one's written by Tsh Oxenreider, author of Organized Simplicity, a really helpful book that I reviewed here. (You can order it from Amazon by clicking on the image at the bottom of this post.) Tsh's objective, through her blog, her books, and her other Simple Living Media endeavors, is to help people live more simply. She offers lots of useful information and encouragement toward that end.
  • iHeart Organizing. Jen loves to think and write about home organization, and her blog gives you an inside look at the projects she undertakes at her own home, in addition to lots of tips you can put to use at yours. This one is fun because she includes lots of photos.
  • 4Word. Aimed particularly at working women (that is, those with employment outside the home–yes, I know that all moms work), this one offers encouragement and advice for women who work . . . love . . . pray.
  • Tricia Goyer's blog. Tricia is an author and speaker with a heart for moms. She blogs on a variety of topics, including writing as well as family-focused posts. She also broadcasts on an internet radio show. Information and links are available on her site.
  • Digitwirl. Hosted by Carley Knobloch, Digitwirl presents short weekly video broadcasts that introduce you to “killer tech tools that will keep you organized and simplify your life.” The Digitwirl team tests all sorts of devices and apps and websites and then shares their recommendations via these fun little video clips. Really useful info here.
  • BlogHerMoms. Articles by moms on lots of different topics of interest to moms. Quite a variety of perspectives; take it all with a grain of salt and your own good judgment.

The internet is awash with blogs aimed at women, some better and more useful than others. Of those blogs that specifically speak to moms, these are some that I enjoy, which isn't to say that I necessarily agree with everything they say. You can click on the blog titles above to visit them and see whether you like them.

Which blogs do you enjoy most? Leave a comment below with your recommendations so we can all check them out.

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

Enhanced by Zemanta