“I just don’t have the time, energy, or inclination to do it.” Ever said that before? Everyone has. It’s very common to feel stretched so thin that the thought of one more thing on your plate can threaten to shatter your life into a million bits and, well, who would clean THAT mess up?

But it’s important to recognize that this statement is actually an excuse to procrastinate. To combat it, you must declutter your “mental space.”

To begin, force yourself to sit quietly for 60 seconds. Think about everything you have to do and let the wave wash over you. Then take a deep breath, and focus on one thing at a time.

1. Categorize your high priority items. This will most likely be the first 3 things that popped into your head and where you should place your focus. Everything else can wait.
2. Identify what’s causing you to procrastinate. Emotions? Time? Trying to make it perfect? By labeling what we feel, we can begin to understand and counteract it.
3. Be clear on what you really want to happen. If you don’t have a clear vision of what your outcome will be, it’ll be difficult to get started. Visualize completing the task and feel the relief that comes with it, and realize that you can always change course once you begin.
4. Schedule time to do it. If it’s “Urgent,” schedule a specific date and time on your calendar. If it’s “Can Do Later,” start a To Do list and write it down, then assign a loose deadline for getting it done, like one week from today. Putting it on paper will act as a backup so you don’t have to remember it and will clear that mental space for more important things.
5. Start small. Break large or overwhelming tasks into smaller segments to make them manageable to fit your timeframe or emotional state.
6. Do it anyway. Even if your plan isn’t perfect or you’re feeling emotional, just get started. It’ll get easier once you dig in because the “mental dead weight” will be lifted and any negativity will dissipate.
7. Celebrate. Making “fun” part of the process will make you more eager to tackle the next task.

Sometimes just having a clear mind, a quick plan, and taking small steps can cause great relief and encourage us to continue making progress.

Procrastination is a nasty beast that can suck all our time away, and fill us with guilt and shame, and even prevent us from doing things we enjoy because we feel that unless we “finish our chores first” we can’t go play.

So here’s the good news: Procrastination is something totally under our control, and can do a lot about to see immediate results. Here are four things you can do right now to get you on the road to conquering procrastination:

1. Use the “2 minute rule.” If it takes less than 2 minutes to complete….do it now!
2. Use a timer. Here are 3 great ways to use it:
• Time yourself as you do a task and to see how long it actually takes (usually a lot less than you think, so it won’t be so overwhelming next time!)
• Set it for 15-20 minutes and stop when it dings. This will keep your “chores” to a manageable limit and prevent burnout.
• Race yourself. If a task seems daunting, set a timer for 15 minutes and “speed organize.” Basically race yourself to get through it quickly.
3. Enlist help:
• Get a “body double.” Call one of your friends and ask if they’ll sit with you while you sort mail, go through a box, etc. It makes the time go faster and you’ll feel like there’s someone holding you accountable. And if they bring over a craft or organzing project also, you’ll both get stuff done!
• Ask. This one can be difficult to get used to, but ask friends or family to help out with chores, or pitch in on a big project. My mom always said, “Many hands make light work.”
• Delegate. Sometimes it’s necessary to hand out chores to your family members, or ask a friend to pick something up for you if they’re already headed that way, or hire someone who specializes in it. Just because something needs to get done doesn’t mean YOU have to be the one to do it. Especially if it’s something you really don’t enjoy.

4. Reward yourself. After every task, do something small to celebrate (take a quick walk, call a friend, have some tea, watch your favorite TV show, hang a picture in your newly organized room, etc.) It’ll keep you movtivated for the next time!

Try these out and I’d love to hear which ones worked best for you!

Some of my recommendations for using tech for time management include virtual assistants, syncable family calendars, virtual voice recorders, etc. Well, with the infusion of the iPhone into more people’s lives, staying organized has never been easier while on the go.

Ratedcolleges.com just posted an article I wanted to share called 100 Awesome Time-Saving iPhone Apps for Students and Web Workers which many of you with iPhones may find helpful. Enjoy!

So many of my clients have issues with too much paper in their homes and offices and would like to go paperless and be “green”, but they aren’t sure where to start and don’t want to spend a lot.

So here are some cheap and easy tips, with special thanks to Chris Nichols, owner of the Nichols Law Firm, who provided much content for this article. Chris consults with Attorneys interested in going paperless, so please contact him for an appointment if you’re interested or check out his blog.

1. Scan it.
   

   For do-it-yourselfers, Chris recommends the Xerox Documate and PaperPort software that comes with it. They allow for bulk scanning of multiple documents by inserting a blank sheet of paper in between them. Chris recommends that before puchasing equipment, decide how much scanning you'll be doing, then consider the document feeder capacity, speed, and the ease of use of the software that comes with it. He also recommends scanning at 200 dpi for faster scanning. His other tip is to purchase a 2nd monitor; one for the active work you're doing, and a second for document scanning.

   Don't have time to scan it yourself? Shoeboxed.com will do it for you -- everything from documents, to receipts, to business cards and will even pre-categorize receipts for you so you can immediately run reports to see where your money is going. Get 2 months free if you sign up for 1 year of service!

2. Rely on software.
   • OpenOffice.org has everything Microsoft Office has and then some, and it’s FREE! Instead of writing everything on paper that will get lost, use your computer and software to get more done.
   • Zoho.com is another free place to get email, spreadsheets, databases, etc. for free.
   • Cnet.com also has a lot of free software you can download that makes life easier.
3. Voice to Text & Virtual Assistants. By recording your notes to your computer instead of writing it on paper, you’ll never lose papers and you’ll never drown in piles. Inexpensively turn your computer into a dictaphone and save as a computer file with:
   • Express Dictate
   • IBM’s ViaVoice
   • Dragon’s Naturally Speaking

   Or use a Virtual Assistant software which will covert your voicemails into emails:

   • jott.com costs only $3.95/mo and you can call your voicemail number, leave a message, and Jott will convert it to a text message or email. They also have iPhone & Outlook apps to get your messages on the go.
4. Use Smart Phones. Having a phone with the ability to access your calendar, surf the web, send and receive email, and have GPS directions is a great way to eliminate a plethera of other papers/notebooks, etc.

Remember the Seinfeld episode where George’s wallet was so fat he sat at an angle? Well, there’s even a tip for wallet and keychain clutter…

If you’re like most people, you’ve got a whole stack of club cards in there….a bulk warehouse card, a card for every grocery store, a Blockbuster card, etc. Or you may have a keychain that weighs a ton and is so crowded with mini-cards that you can’t get to your keys easily. Wouldn’t it be nice to carry only 1 card instead? Now you can.

Try these 2 sites:
www.justoneclubcard.com
www.keyringthing.com

Just enter the barcode numbers of all your favorite club cards, then print out one single card on your home computer or have them ship you one for every family member. Put that in your wallet and ditch the rest!

Or for those of you who prefer a more “high-tech” approach and have an iPhone or smart phone, try the CardStar app. Just enter the membership numbers and it’ll generate the barcodes on your phone for the cashier to scan. Amazing!

One of the most frequent questions I get is “How do I get more ‘me’ time?” This question usually comes from my clients who are busy parents, and let’s face it, what parents aren’t “busy” parents?

So here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Learn to say “No”. This article from MSN has some good advice for exactly how to word things so no one’s offended.
2. Create lists. Remember to make lists of tasks as well as lists of fun things you’d like to do so the fun stuff doesn’t get pushed aside or forgotten.
3. Prioritize. Rank your lists so you get a better handle on what’s really important to you.
4. Stay focused. If someone asks you to do something that’s not a top priority on your list, say “No.”
5. “Good enough” IS an option. Understand that perfection is both a myth and a time killer.
6. Focus on what you can control and let the rest go. If you’re feeling out of control, remember that even though some of the negative things in your life are out of your control, you CAN control a million other choices in your day.
7. Go online. There are some great websites to help inspire, instruct & help with procrastination:
   • www.somedaysyndrome.com
   • www.happinessproject.typepad.com
8. Enlist help. I find that many people are over-stressed because they simply haven’t asked anyone for help. Ask friends, family, and hired professionals to help you.
   • “Body doubling” – ask someone like a spouse or friends to do things with you. Sometimes it helps to have someone else nearby for encouragement.
   • Delegate or Hire help: nanny, house cleaner, organizer, babysitters, church drop offs for mommy errands, personal assistant for errands
   • Make chores list with spouse or hired help to split tasks
9. Schedule it. Yes, actually put it on the calendar.
10. Block time. Schedule chunks of time for tasks in your calendar. Sometimes seeing overcomitted appointments visually allows you to move things around before they become a time crunch. Be sure to block off time for:
    • Work
    • Family night
    • Date night
    • Play dates
    • Exercise
    • Alone time
    • Personal Care
11. Set timers for work, chores & play to stay on track

With all the new websites and gadgets out there to help keep people organized, here are a few of my favorites to help you manage your time and combine your calendars:

1. Use a calendar/contact management system like Outlook that has a:
   • Calendar
   • To Do list
   • Contact list
     You can print these and carry them with you if you’re a “paper person” or sync with your PDA or phone if you’re a technorati.
2. Try an Admin Assistant and Family Calendaring site like:
   • www.jott.com : Assistant plan – $3.95/mo to convert voicemail to text; has iPhone & Outlook apps
   • www.rememberthemilk.com – free but more complex to use
   • www.cozi.com – my personal favorite. It has a grocery list feature, printable coupons, syncs with Outlook & iPhone, has reminders; cost is free. Use the color coding it provides to clearly label appointments for work, family, doctor’s visits, vacations & reminders.
   • www.famundo.com
3. Meal planning, Grocery shopping lists, Coupons
   • Lowes Foods to go: www.lowestogo.com – purchase groceries online and someone at the store shops for you and you pick up in designated zone. Can repeat common shopping items.
   • Meal planning sites with grocery lists:
     • The USDA has a wonderful resource with shopping & food safety tips, planned meals, and shopping lists.
     • www.bigoven.com – $29.95/mo for recipe software or searchable database, calculate nutritional values, has calendar for meal planning
     • www.mealsmatter.org – cost is free
     • www.sparkpeople.com – great for dieting & fitness meal planning!
   • Coupon sites
     • www.coupons.com
     • www.couponsuzy.com
     • www.couponcabin.com
     • www.couponmom.com
     • www.retailmenot.com
     • www.smartsource.com
     • www.dealcatcher.com
     • www.redplum.com
     • www.fabuloussavings.com
4. Mail management
   Stop junk mail with one of these free or almost free websites:
   • www.proquo.com
   • www.dmachoice.org/consumerassistance.php
   • www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t
5. Password management
   • Use an electronic password organizer that you can print and carry in your binder, or sync to your PDA or phone. The Little Virgo Electronic Password Organizer is $14.95 and my website gives tips on creating secure passwords: http://www.littlevirgo.com/clutter-control/password-organizers/
   • Internet Password Organizer is a paper notebook and costs $19.95 http://www.internetpasswordorganizer.com/Where%20To%20Buy.html
6. Sending Cards & Packages:
   • www.sendoutcards.com – for the price of a stamp, you can import your contact list from Outlook, schedule cards, pick card templates and write messages (even in your own handwriting!) and they will be mailed for you. Saves money by not having to purchase stationary or cards anymore!
   • If you send a lot of packages, save yourself a trip to the post office by scheduling a free pickup online:
     • www.ups.com
     • www.usps.com – can schedule up to 3 months out
7. Track family medical records
   • www.healthvault.com – cost is free and you can track the whole family in one account
   • www.google.com/health – track one user per email address

I don’t know anyone who enjoys unloading the dishwasher. I certainly don’t! But I don’t dread it like I used to either since I’ve come up with the following system:

1. Start by zoning your kitchen. Keeping like items together (glasses all in one cabinet, plates all in another cabinet, etc.) is the first step to make food prep and clean up less cumbersome.
2. Zone your dishwasher. Think of this step like pre-sorting laundry. Instead of just throwing dishes into the dishwasher willy-nilly, designate “zones” in your dishwasher for like items and put items in their zone when loading. For example, my top rack is used for glasses only. It has 5 rows, and I put items in their appropriate row when I load. So left to right, my rows contain:
   • row #1: wine glasses
   • row #2: plastic or kids cups
   • row #3: is wider so that’s where I put coffee mugs
   • row #4: tall drinking glasses
   • row #5: small juice glasses

   I do the same for my bottom rack:

   • Back row: Since it’s wider, this is where I put pots & bakeware
   • Left side: tupperware & bowls
   • Middle: small plates
   • Right side: large plates

   The reason for creating zones is that while you’re unloading, it’s easier to grab all small glasses at the same time and put them all in the same cabinet at one time. Then move on to the next row and put them where they belong all at one time. It saves time, and if you’re accident-prone like me, it saves you from bumping your head on too many open cabinet doors.

3. Create your dishwasher zones closest to where the items live in your kitchen. In my example above, my wine glasses are in row #1 because it’s closest to the cabinet to the left of my sink where they live in my kitchen. Small juice glasses are on the far right because they live in a cabinet to the right of my sink.
4. Turn dishes so they face the sprayer. Sounds simple enough, I know, but my dishes used to come out dirty even when I pre-rinsed because I had them turned so the bottoms faced the sprayer so the food surfaces stayed dirty. Now I turn them backwards so they face the main jets and what a difference it’s made! Not only are they cleaner, I don’t have to waste time inspecting them before I put them away anymore!
5. My real secret weapon: Zone silverware! Just like you’re going to designate areas for glasses and plates, you’ll save so much time if you zone your silverware caddy. Mine has 6 compartments and if you’re looking at them from an aerial view, I set them up like this:
   

   butter knives	sharp knives
   forks	utensils
   small spoons	large spoons

   
   I can’t stress enough how much of a time saver this is! Once you get used to your zones, it takes no additional time to load the dishwasher, and when you’re unloading the silverware, you can grab all forks and put them in your silverware drawer all at one time. No more standing in front of your silverware drawer for 10 minutes while you grab a handful of utensils out of the caddy and sort them one at a time into your silverware drawer.

6. Communicate the zones to the rest of the family! This whole system will break down if you’re the only one in your family using zones to load the dishwasher. If they’re reluctant, ask for their help in an experiment: ask to time them when they do a regular unload and time them again when they do a “zoned” unload. Compare the results, and ask them if they thought it was easier to unload. When they say yes, let them know that’s why it’s important that you have their help to continue loading into zones. And if they don’t, then personally, I’d pass on the chore of unloading the dishes to one of them forever.

Use the following laundry tips and organizing items to avoid clothes mountains, and to reduce time sorting, folding, ironing, & putting clothes away.

MY FAVORITE LAUNDRY PRODUCTS:

1. Three-compartment hamper with removable sacks (for adults) helps you presort by darks/lights/other.
2. Mesh bags (for kids). Throw the whole thing in the washer and dryer and you’ll never have to sort before putting clothes away!
3. Mesh lingerie bags
4. Fold-down hanger holder (instead of a rod) for drying clothes small spaces
5. Ironing board hanging bar to keep ironed clothes neat and make ironing mobile since there’s no need to be near a hanging rod
6. Sock clips to keep matched pairs together in drawers and in the wash
7. Slim rolling cart to fit between, beside, or in front of the washer to hold detergents, dryer sheets, etc.
8. Adjustable shelves to fit any space
9. Shelf dividers to keep folded clothes neat in your closet
10. Downy wrinkle-reducer spray to avoid ironing completely.

LAUNDRY TIPS:

PRE-SORT:

• When your family undresses, pre-sort the clothes into the sorter by darks/whites/other (reds or lingerie)
• Use lingerie bags to keep undergarments together. It will save time putting them away because they’re pre-sorted. It will also prevent damage.
• Use sock clips to keep matched pairs together. When you wear the socks, put the clip near your laundry sack and when you remove them to launder, re-clip them. They’ll stay matched in the wash and won’t require sorting or folding before being put away.
• Color-code sock clips by family member so if you’re washing a mixed load, you’ll immediately know whose socks belong to whom.

WHEN TO WASH CLOTHES:

• KIDS: wash and dry clothes in mesh sacks and wash sack is ½ full
• ADULTS: when a sorted sack is full. Unhook it to carry to the laundry room, and hang on the hanging bar. Put dried/folded clothes into the sack and carry back to your room to put away.
• Do laundry first thing in the morning or before bed. If done in the morning, you’ll have all day to remember to dry & fold them, and if washed and switched into the dryer before bed, they’ll dry overnight be ready to fold & put away in the morning.
• If you get behind, use a laundry service to get you caught up.

DRYING:

• After drying hanging clothes, immediately remove them from the dryer and hang until you iron. It will reduce wrinkles and therefore time spent ironing.

FOLDING:

• KIDS: Carry the mesh sack to their room and immediately fold and put away.
• ADULTS: Fold a load immediately out of the dryer to reduce wrinkles and prevent clothes mountains.
• When folding clothes, separate them into several piles that match your drawer or closet system. For example, put t-shirts together, jeans together, work-out clothes together. That way they’re presorted and ready to put away.

IRONING:

• Hang clothes until they’re ready to iron to reduce wrinkles.
• Use a wrinkle-reducer spray to avoid ironing altogether. (TRAVEL TIP: Get it in a travel size! And see my article “Look FABULOUS while you Travel!” for more great travel tips!)
• Use an ironing bar that attaches to your ironing board to keep freshly ironed clothes wrinkle-free.
• Sort ironed clothes on the bar by owner, style (short or long sleeved), and color so they’re easier to put away.

I used to pack 4 suitcases everytime I went somewhere, even just for the weekend. I had two bags for clothes (I dress for my mood and not knowing what mood I’d be in, I packed almost all my clothes), one bag just for shoes (I love shoes!), and one large bag for toiletries. Oh yeah, and I always took my own pillow. And my purse. It was a nightmare going anywhere, and forget looking suave going through airport security!

So here are some tips I’ve learned over the years to make travelling a little easier:

1. Rethink whether you need an item altogether
2. Downsize
3. Use all-in-one products
4. Never unpack
5. Know the rules for airport security

RETHINK:
First, create a list of everything you’d like to take. Lay it all out on the bed. Then take away what the hotel will supply. Of what’s left, reduce it by HALF! Here’s how:

DOWNSIZE:
Can’t live without your own brand of shampoo? Get a small plastic travel bottle found in most megamarts travel aisles and fill it. The rule for airport compliance is less than 3 ounces.

USE ALL IN ONE PRODUCTS: Makeups like the Bare Minerals Starter Kit line take up very little space and replaced $250 worth of my own separate cosmetics. They have SPF and act as a sunscreen, foundation, concealer, powder, eyeshadow base, and blush.
Their Buxom lipgloss has SPF and a lip plumper already built in too! I love the color "Dolly" for a natural look that's kicked up a notch (the picture here looks brownish, but it's actually a shade darker than a blushing natural summer lip).

NEVER UNPACK:

Whether it's a pre-packed weekend bag, or your toiletries, keep them packed! My makeup organizer holds all my essentials and hangs on a hook behind my bathroom door at all times. It keeps my countertops clear and easy to clean, and I just roll it up and snap it closed when I'm ready to travel. Find one with a hook, a built in mirror, and both clear and zipper compartments. I like ones like the one to the right from the Container Store. Also keep a small, clear baggie pre-packed with a sewing kit, feminie hygiene products, and travel meds like tylenol, airborne, and mylanta or pepto chewables. You can put it together once and have it on standby for when you travel.

Get a purse organizer. I love the Purse Brite. Not only will it make switching handbags easier, but it holds a lot everyday so there's less packing to do when you travel. I keep mine stocked with a comb, lip gloss/balm, tylenol, a nail file, loose change, pens, etc.

Another tip: keep your daytime makeup & lipstick in your daytime bag, and your evening makeup in your evening bag and never take them out so they’re there for the next time.

AIRPORT SECURITY:
For getting through airport security, use the 3-1-1 rule if travelling with liquids in a carry-on bag:

Consolidate small bottles into one bag and X-ray separately to speed up the screening process.

As for clothing, try to eliminate belts and wear shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Try to always wear socks on travel days (or pack a pair in your purse or carry on so you don’t have to walk on the dirty floor). One interesting tidbit: Airport security will confiscate gel shoe inserts like Dr. Sholl’s so don’t wear them through a checkpoint and pack them in your checked baggage instead. Otherwise you’ll end up embarrassed AND uncomfortable!

And if you don’t want to be rushed while going through security, most airports now have a Family Lane. It’s available for use even if you’re not travelling with children.