How To Make Your Work Day More Productive

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A lot of people are working harder and longer hours in order to get ahead, but productivity is often suboptimal. Some of the most common causes of this can be a lack of sleep, too much stress and anxiety, not taking breaks, or even just a lack of focus.

When you're trying to make your work day more productive, the first thing you should do is to set up your work environment. You should make sure that you have enough room for your desk and all your necessary tools. You should also make sure that you have plenty of natural light so that it doesn't feel like it's always nighttime when you're working. Finally, if possible, you should find a place where there's no noise or distractions so that you can focus on what you're doing without being

How Our Modern Society is Impacting our Day-to-Day Activities

Modern society is drastically changing the way we do things. These changes are affecting our day-to-day activities and productivity. The productivity of humans is changing as well. We are becoming more efficient in our day-to-day activities. We have become more productive with the help of technology and automation which has led to a decrease in the number of jobs available for humans to do in their free time.

How We Can Maximize Our Productivity by Using Tech Tools Effectively

There are many ways to increase productivity and reduce the amount of time you spend on a task. Some of them include using tech tools for productivity, such as a timer, a to-do list, or an app. But you may also want to turn to software to help you resolve problems, like when you follow these tips with your computer. There are many tools that can help us be more productive. It’s important to figure out what ones will work for you.

Tips for an Effective Work Day

To help you to be more productive, you could turn to the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro technique is a time management method that involves working in short bursts of 25 minutes with a short break in between. It is one of the most effective ways to get more done in less time.

It was developed by Francesco Cirillo, an Italian psychologist, and it was designed to help students focus on their work and avoid distractions. The technique consists of three steps:

1) Choose a task you would like to work on for the day

2) Set your timer for 25 minutes

3) Take a break for 5-10 minutes

How To Use Technology to Create More Time In Your Life?

It is not easy for people to manage their time. But with the help of technology, it is possible. People can use time management software to manage their time and make sure that they are making the most out of it. Time management software is a tool that helps you manage your day-to-day activities. It helps you prioritise tasks and focus on what’s important for you. Time management software can be used by people who want to improve their productivity, as well as by those who want to get more done in less time.

How To Do More With Your Time

 The new year is well on its way and we have the hardest month behind us. Some people find that they are much more productive once they get January out of the way. So, one of the things that people often add their list of things to tackle, is being more organized and making the most of their time. It can be more challenging than you think to fit all you want into a day and feel productive. 

Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

Even though we all have the same 24 hours, some people seem to be more effective at handling their time and getting things done. Even the busiest and unorganized person may use these strategies to make better use of their time. 

Create Lists

It's easy to feel overwhelmed when you don't know what you have to do during the day. Budgeting money begins with spending; budgeting time begins with tasks. Note it. Once done, mark it off. The hardest aspect of developing a list is determining what to do first. Prioritize your list's items based on importance and urgency. Then there's that major chore you've been dreading. Achieving it will boost your confidence. But there's no one right way. (Some people like to start the day with minor tasks to establish a habit.)

Keep doing what works for you.

Sleep Enough

It may seem contradictory to sleep less and so gain more time. But it is. Studies suggest that those who get enough sleep are much more productive and focused. Instead of blaming your lack of caffeine, you should look into your sleep deprivation.

Nourishment

We all know the many advantages of a healthy diet. Our bodies run on food. If you're tired, think about what you're running on. Are you eating right? Are those items cooked properly?

Some individuals skip breakfast to get to work, while others cut lunch short to get more done. This is wrong. If you eat a good meal every day and limit your snacks to healthy selections, you will have the energy to go through even the most demanding day.

Walk

Your body may be telling you it is tired of being still. Our bodies were not made to sit all day. We need to move, even if only briefly. A walk provides both activity and quiet time for your brain. Your mind is a wonderful thing. Then return to your desk, fresh and ready to tackle anything

Be Aware Of Your Distractions 

Say no to your time's enemies. We all have meetings or administrative duties we'd rather avoid. No, not those monsters. Trying to control all of that can quickly turn bitter. No, I mean micro-distractions like continuously checking your phone or reacting to non-essential emails. In these cases, you may want to disable your phone's notifications. Maybe it isn't technology. Maybe the noise distracts you. In that instance, headphones and music may help.

No Multitasking

Many people claim multitasking prowess. Nope. Sorry. Humans are, in fact, quite bad at it, according to research. Multitasking reduces productivity and may even cause brain damage.  To boost productivity, focus on one activity at a time.

Develop Present-Day Rituals

Everyone knows that. Which is both a good and bad thing. Bad habits can infiltrate just as easily as good. Thanks to the correct stimuli, we can essentially rewrite ourselves. Perhaps you have an aromatherapy candle or spray that you can use around your desk before you start work, or you put on your women's watch (or men's watch)  every morning. So these before you  “zone in” for long work. Do this many times and your brain will learn to focus.

Find Your Passion

It's good to avoid distractions. But it's best to say yes to your passions. Work, work, work will wear you out. You need to make time for what recharges you.

To truly profit from these activities, you must consciously indulge and enjoy them. Mindlessly binge-watching Netflix won't cut it until you make an effort to get some popcorn, dim the lights, and find your favourite location. These minor alterations might establish the mood for fully immersing in one show. So I prefer reading to watching TV since it gives me more energy. Instead of zoning out, I relax. (Two things, in fact.)

Look Ahead

Every day ends with your plans for tomorrow. Few activities are more irritating than returning to a shambles and having no idea what to do. Instead, use Post-Its or notepads. Leave the remainder for yourself when you return.

These tips should help you to make the most of your time and feel productive. Do you know any other tips that should be included? Please share them in the comments below. 

DIY Blanket Box

I had this really great box. I had been holding on to it for several months because I have a cardboard hoarding problem. Ha! It is true, I will say "Ohhh! I am going to make a cardboard bed with that box..." and my husband will nod his head and say "Great idea!" or maybe "Interesting." He is patient and will give me a few days. If the box remains untouched, he sweetly breaks it down and recycles it to keep my hoarding to a minimum.

This box however I had managed to keep stashed out of the way in a closet used for coats. We haven't needed jackets in months now, so no one has been in that closet. Until one day. I saw him open the door. His eyes locked on the box.

He asked "What are you doing with this box?"
I knew my time was limited. It was a great box... I couldn't lose it! My mind went to work and I came up with a great way to use it and make it look pretty too!

From a swifter box to a blanket box in under 5 minutes. This project cost me about 50 cents to complete which makes this not only an upcycle, but also a frugal organization project in one.

I purchased my contact paper for $1 at Dollar General. I have enough to do another box about the same size.

First I unrolled enough paper to cover the top.

I peeled a small section of the paper off of the contact paper to carefully begin applying it to the lid of the box.

Then I did the same for the sides and the bottom.

I took a hard plastic case and smoothed out the bubbles and wrinkles in the contact paper the best I could.

My edges were a touch uneven, but that is okay. I highly doubt anyone is going to inspect my blanket box for perfection.

This box is great for storing baby blankets and it fits perfectly under Harp's crib.

This project only took a few minutes (5) and it created a really useful organizational tool for my daughters room!

Free 2014 Printable Calendar

Remember a few days ago when I mentioned the calendar battle with my son? I caved and gave it to him, he promptly destroyed it. I considered buying another one, but why waste money when I know it will become fair game to my curious preschooler eventually.

Well, instead of buying a new one, I started using this 2014 calender in combination with my birthday checklist printable and my post it notes on a mirror method.

The best part is, I can print this a million times and let my son color on it, point out the numbers and letters and do whatever a 3 year old boy does with paper.

Print this 2014 Calendar

Thanks for dropping by! I hope this printable calendar helps you keep track of your life.

DIY Organizer (under $11 and 11 minutes)

Storage space in my home is an issue. We have 2 real closets. One is packed tightly with clothes, dvds and a filing cabinet. The other contains clothes the kids aren't ready to wear size wise, an embarrassing stack of magazines I haven't got around to reading,piles and piles of kids books that won't fit in the bookshelves  and extra diapers. In 2 of our bedrooms we have a shelf with a clothes rack attached to it. (It is not the same as having a closet!)

Now imagine your home with very limited closet space. Where would you store... anything/everything?

I created something that works well with small toys, odds and ends or anything that you might store in a small cubby. I purchased round plastic baskets from Dollar Tree. I went with what they had at the time, but have since seen larger round baskets and mid size square baskets that would work better for this project.

To create one organizer with 10 cubbies you will need:
10 plastic baskets
zip-tie closures
a hole punch


Start with 2 baskets. Line the handles up and secure the baskets together with a zip tie.

Continue adding baskets until you have 4 in a row on the bottom.

Now comes the tricky part. You will need to place your next 3 baskets on top of the 4 that are attached to each other. Get an idea of where you will connect the bottom row of 4 and this new row of 3. You can mark with a permanent marker if this helps. You will take your hole punch and place a hole on the top of the baskets on the bottom row and the bottom of the baskets on the new row. Then attach them with a zip tie.

Repeat with the next row of 2 baskets.

Repeat with the next row of 1 basket.

And this is what you have:

Please excuse my mess. 

To finish this project simply snip the tails of the zip ties.

This organizer was so easy to make. It was completed in under 11 minutes and I spent under $11 to make it.
Use this up against a wall for support.

I made 2 of these. One I use to store baby clothes. This made it so easy for my husband to help with the baby. I have a bin of onesies, pajamas, long sleeve tops, pants, dresses, socks & shoes, headbands and etc, baby blankets and jackets. Now he can see at a glance what the options are without messing up drawers.

The other I use as my own storage solution. Here is an embarrassing confession. I used to have a plastic box intended for under the bed storage of blankets that I just stashed random stuff in. One day I realized I had filled the box up... with basically junk. Samples I got in the mail, nail files, stationary... yeah just junk. Now I have a bin for headbands, a bin for lotion, a bin for stationary and so on.

I had intended to use these to get my son organized. But, I ended up going another route, which you can check out in a future post.

A Clean Home: Problem Area Assessment

We have a small 3 bedroom home. We have a small bedroom which was intended to be Roo's room, but he didn't sleep well in that room... fast forward 3 years. He is still sleeping with his Mommy while Harper's crib is in that room. As much as I hate it, it is also the play room. It is a good thing Harper sleeps like a log and Roo prefers to play in the living room. Mostly toys are stored in Harper's room. We have a bedroom that is larger than the baby's room, but it has an extra bed, our desk, printer, turtle habitat, carpet cleaner, vacuum, dvd collection, spare sheets and blankets... yeah everything stored in there. This is supposed to be a guest bedroom. No guests could sleep in there due to my mess. The last bedroom is the actual bedroom. It is also crammed full of everything. 2 bookcases, a baby swing, a queen size bed. All of the clean laundry I haven't put away yet... and the list goes on.

When I made an assessment of what the most annoying problem areas in our home were I came up with big and small issues to correct.

I tackled the drawer mess if you recall. That was easy enough. The mess that is my children's clothing and toys is another issue altogether.

These photos are mortifying. I am still in shock that the mess had got so far out of hand in a matter of days.

This mess is kids clothes. Sadly, this is not all of the mess. You can't see the clothes that won't even fit on the rack and are hung on the braces for the shelf. You can't see the baby clothes in baskets  or the pile of shoes they have and rarely seem to wear.

I have had 2 declutter sprees in the last month. Yesterday we took a box large (enough to hold an elliptical), a trash bag and a brown shopping bag full of clothes, towels, blankets and etc to Goodwill. We dropped off Beloved Kota the Dinosaur to the elementary school, where he will be in a play. My son loved this toy, but it took up a ton of precious space.

Break a leg Kota in your acting debut this spring..

With Kota and a huge pile of old stuff out of the way, I felt like I could finally get a good feel for what the true problem areas were.... The whole house is a problem area. No way around it.

Toys have taken over the living room again.

And the dining area too.

It only gets worse. I can't bring myself to keep posting these pics...

Another problem area in my house is my laundry room. Not only is the room just ugly, it is always full of stuff. Recycling to drop off, at least 20 pairs of shoes reside in this room, my husband has his plants in the laundry room. There are extra household supplies like toilet paper, laundry detergent, soap and shampoo. The gear for the dogs is in this area... it gets messy really quickly. The worst part is, the laundry room is actually an enclosed porch, therefor you must enter the laundry room which is in a constant state of disarray to enter my home.

My kitchen always needs attention. The breakfast nook is the catch all for everything in the free world. The area under the breakfast counter has been catching a great deal of junk too. There are always dishes ready to spill out of cabinets, the pantry is always messy.

Oh my, this clean home challenge is getting bigger and bigger. What a mess my home is! I hope you will come back tomorrow to find out where I begin and what the result is.

A Clean Home Challenge 1 : 50 items

The holidays have come and gone, and while Christmas is a ton of fun for almost everyone, the aftermath of the holidays can be discouraging and overwhelming. After Santa paid a visit to my children and the gifts had been exchanged with friends and family I stood in horror looking at the disaster Christmas left in its wake. New toys and clothes were piled upon old toys and clothes...boxes and bags littered just about every surface. Scraps of paper were scattered here and there. Then we get into the bedrooms, where it was every bit as bad, except figure in that laundry, and random things like a new booster seat, were stashed in those rooms at the last minute before the family arrived to celebrate.

Just a few weeks ago I went on a cleaning spree. If you follow my Dear Weary Mom series you might remember the box of burdens post. I filled a huge box up and took it to Goodwill and Community Action. Despite that massive decluttering, my house needed another overhaul to accommodate Christmas.

When I really thought about it, my house needs another round of decluttering, a deep clean and a massive organizational effort. My family of 4 with 2 dogs resides in a very small house, only about 890 square feet. We have outgrown this house to say the least, but we are trying to stay here for at least 6 months. To last another 6 months in such a small space with a growing family is going to be difficult if I don't find ways to make the space we do have work for us.

With this in mind I have been collecting ideas, sketching plans and making lists of projects that I want to tackle to whip my home into shape.

Each post in the series A Clean Home will feature an inexpensive way you can clean or organize something in your home. The first Challenge I gave to myself was to  select 50 Items from my home to donate to Goodwill. I gave myself 2 days to gather my 50 items.

Among the 50 items I had 6 towels, 2 top sheets, 3 blankets, 5 pairs of socks, 8 toys from my sons room, 2 sleepers of Harper's. 5 kitchen knives, a cheese grater, a reusable bag, a measuring cup, dog grooming products, an outgrown coat and pair of bibs, baby shoes, 3 handbags, 2 clutches, 2 hats, a book, a few magazines, 2 bottles of shampoo I didn't like, a scarf , Christmas lights and a few t shirts. I exceeded my goal of 50 items and filled 2 medium size boxes. I still plan to sort through stuffed animals and pull 5 out for a donation to Goodwill, and I suspect there are a few more towels that won't make the cut for keeping, both bath and hand towels.

Now that I have reduced the amount of clutter in my house it is time to start organizing. I hope you will keep coming back to read more about my challenges in this series. Next time, we will talk about a very messy drawer in my house and how I plan to get it under control.