How to better organize our lives

[Lori]

My husband handed me ths Padgett Thompson workbook this morning... A subtle hint I guess... :oops:

Here's the first page:

The very notion of time management is a misnomer... we cannot manage time. We can only manage ourselves in relation to time.
-The Time Trap, Alec Makenzie

You have all the time there is: 24 hours a day. It's the same amount of time the person next to you has, and the person next to that person, and so on.

So how is it that some people get so much more accomplished?

They know the secret of simplicity. To be like them, you must use:

Simple methods that are
consistently applied and
customized to your unique personality (style and needs

The Three Keys to Using Time Effectively

Simple
Consistent
Customized

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any thoughts?

Lori

[Holly]

Lists help me. They are simple and I feel I've accomplished something when I get to check an item off. If I don't finish something on todays list it gets transfered to tomorrows list. Every item on the list has to have a priority notation. #1's have to be done first, #2's second, and so forth. It works for me.

I need routine and habit to stay organized.

A funny thing I remember reading about a man who was considered to be very organized: He truly worked on not fretting or even thinking about the small things. He said when he went to lunch he always ordered the same thing....he claimed to be saving his thinking cells for more important decisions.

[Lori]

Lists were helping me for awhile too -- it's true! Just writing them helps set things in perspective.

One of the first questions this book asked was if we had an extra half hour every day, what would we do with it?

An extra hour?

And so on.

What would I do? Read my Photoshop and Mothering magazines, Walk with the kids and take a sauna!

So now I have to take the initiative to fit those into my life each day :roll: :roll:

"Saving thinking cells for more important things"... that is FUNNY!

Makes a lot of sense.

Have a terrific weekend!!!

Lori

[Shelly]

My problem is that I always lose my list or forget it... :lol:

[rhondab]

Lists always help me, but the thing that helps me manage time most is to CLOSE MY EMAIL PROGRAM! I want to see every email that comes in every time I hear that little beep and it was costing me precious minutes which became hours! :D

Now I only allow myself certain time slots each day to scan, read, and answer important emails. The fun or family emails wait until I have more free time.

I do always make it a point to answer all emails within 24 hours (even if it is a quick message saying I am swamped and will get back to them as soon as I possibly can). People are always understanding (or at least so it seems).

Hope this helps!
Rhonda

[Lori]

Rhonda --

That is SO TRUE! I've been thinking about what you said all day -- I need to get much more disciplined about how often I check my email.

I never realized that before...

Thanks!

Lori

[Shelly]

Ok, let me whine for a moment... I wish that I were swamped and had to wait more than 5 mins before replying to an email! I don't know if times are this slow everywhere... but it is seriously killing me. I am lucky, what I do is, for the most part, just extra income, but I am pulling my hair out from the boredom! (Even finally gave in and forked out 500.00 for elance for three months... ugggg)
Shelly

[Lori]

Hi Shelly,

Are you KIDDING me? $500 for three months? I haven't priced things there in awhile. Did you get a select membership?

I suppose they are still taking a percentage of the completed work as well? That's a very hefty fee.

Geez, now I'm thinking twice about a membership there. Let us know how it goes.

Lori

[rhondab]

I joined eLance when it was free about a year ago or so (I don't know if it is still that way or not), but I never, ever got the first response. At least not that I can remember.

Are you trying networking and getting your name "out there" on a local level? I know that I am extremely blessed and fortunate, but yes, I am so busy that I have to do what I suggested about email...

Hope things improve for you! :)

Rhonda

[Shelly]

As far as elance goes, yes I did get the select membership. I haven't had a bite yet, but way back when... like, probably 4 years ago I hit it big through elance, so I am hoping. I will let you know if I get any bites... starting to get paranoid now that it is my site or something!

As far as local networking, I have recently started doing that. I suppose I was spoiled because in six years I have never had to go out and really "sell" and pretty much stayed covered up with work. My mom is a graphic designer... more towards the print side and she is really slow now too. I have even thought of trying to find a "real job", possibly part time until things pick up. Thanks for listening you guys!
Shelly

[Lori]

Hi Rhonda -

I joined elance when it was free too - and they just took a percentage of the completed job. Those were the days...

The one good thing about the membership fees they charge now are that it really narrows the competition for work.

Shelly, I hardly doubt it is your site (but hey! where did the flowers go?) :)

What kind of traffic do you get to the site? Maybe you need to work on promoting it? Link exchanges and such? Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

That is how it tends to be though - Feast or Famine!

I'm SURE you will get plenty of work soon.

And your Mom is a graphic designer? Make sure to extend our warm invitation to her to join us :D

Lori

[rhondab]

I wholeheartedly agree that is always seems to be feast or famine in this business! I have never understood why it goes along smoothly for weeks then all of a sudden (like this past month) I have had a total of 5 or 6 brand new websites to start! I am rejoicing! Don't get me wrong, but it sure makes me want to clone myself!!! :D

Rhonda

[Lori]

Hi Rhonda --

5 or 6 brand new websites??? WAHOO! Congratulations! What kind of sites? Show us when they are done :D

Lori

:D

[rhondab]

Well, they are majorly under construction, but if you would like to take a peek here they are...

www.jpmorganrealestate.com
www.rainbowoil.com
www.tatescreek.org

I am continuing to work on:

www.joycemarcum.com
www.sue-smith.com
www.joolds.com
www.topspeaker.com
www.globalaccessnow.com

There are 3 more that I haven't even started on yet so there's nothing to see except a "coming soon" page - www.pinkpigeonoil.com www.healthiertoday.com and www.firelandsarms.com

www.hunterstrace.com is about finished except for search engine submissions

Plus I will be taking over and revamping www.carolsbridalandgifts.com and www.mcdowellhouse.com

I have to redo the shopping cart for www.sharpscandies.com too!

Whew! Makes me tired just looking at the list, but I am Blessed to have the work!

Rhonda

[rhondab]

:oops:

One of the url's I listed was incorrect ... it is www.topspeakers.com

Rhonda

[Lori]

Wow!!!

You have done some wonderful work here... The Tatescreek page is my fave :)

What is your secret to drumming up work Rhonda? Aside from the tips you listed in the article we have featured at FreelanceMom, that is...
http://www.freelancemom.com/promotion_RB.htm

Congratulations!

Lori

[rhondab]

I am in my 3rd year of business and am finding it to be very true that it takes about 3 years to get established and get your name "out there".

I have been in a networking group for about 2-1/2 years, and most of my work is the "proof in the puddin'" so to speak as people find me in the search engines. It proves that I do know what I am doing.

I do cold calls also. I just walk in someplace and hand them a card or brochure and tell them if they are ever interested, I am available. One lawyer ... www.legal-lifeline.com ... held my brochure for a year before giving me a call! I hold my head high and exude confidence (and then "relax" when I walk out of the office! :D )

That and word of mouth and referrals.... that's about all I have done.

Rhonda

[Shelly]

woohoo.. go me! Won my first elance job! Positive thinking must really work. :lol:
Shelly

[Lori]

:D That is terrific news!!!

What is the job? You must be celebrating tonight!

Congrats -

Lori

[Holly]

Congratulations!!!!!! Let's all remember to laud our successes.....it'll keep us all motivated!

Holly

[rhondab]

Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope it turns out to be a great job!

Rhonda :D

[Shelly]

Thank you all =)
The job is for a homeowner's association, brochure type web site. I am hoping that the feedback and one win showing will prompt more.

Thanks again
shelly

[Debbi]

Way to go Shelly,

I remember when I landed my first Elance gig, it felt SO good. Now I am going to take Rhonda's advice and get to networking. It's something I know I should be doing but I have been so busy trying to support myself and my family that I haven't been able to squeeze in anything else.

Terrible business, I know, but now, I need to branch out, exude confidence :D and sell myself.

Wish me luck!

D

[KellyMcCausey]

THe thread started out about time management... LOL! but it seems to have trailed.

I just bought my first real day planner and I am thrilled with it! I already feel more in control of my schedule just having it for one day!

I was inspired from interviewing Susie from thebusywoman.com on the show and went ahead and ordered her product.

Do any of you use a planner?

:) Kelly

[Lori]

THe thread started out about time management... LOL! but it seems to have trailed.

I just bought my first real day planner and I am thrilled with it! I already feel more in control of my schedule just having it for one day!

I was inspired from interviewing Susie from thebusywoman.com on the show and went ahead and ordered her product.

Do any of you use a planner?

:) Kelly

Yes! :oops:

Thanks for getting us back on topic...

I just checked out the site you mentioned: www.thebusywoman.com. Good stuff!

I'm still personally struggling with time management. The trouble is I am addicted to two things - My kids, and my work. The house really suffers :oops:

Would love people's tips!

Lori

[Davi]

I have found the best thing for me is to get rid of evereything that is not absolutely necessary, completely get off of the computer, and do "it" now. Seriously, the less "stuff" you have around (knick knacks, paper, etc.) the less cluttered you feel and the more you can get done! I am a procrastinator at heart, and when there is alot of things that need to be gone thru at once, the more overwhelmed I feel, and the less likely I am to do the things that I need to do.

[hjmauck]

I agree lists are critical for some of us, however, lists that have more than 6-8 items on them are not reasonable for me. As a consultant with Mary Kay, I learned a valuable lesson that MK believed in and used daily and that is the 6 most important things list.

If you write down the 6 most important things you need to accomplish in your business arena and the 6 most important things in your personal life at night before bed you can release the anxiety of worrying about the next day. Or at least I have been able to do that. I also have to ask the good lord to help me stay focused the next day to accomplish my list of 12.

Can tell you that for me it is a lifesaver in terms of effective use of my time. I do the most difficult or time consuming first and then breeze thru the rest. I check them off and feel success each time I do.

I have taken it to a weekly level with a weekly plan sheet that has all the appts for that week, special events, me time, family time, etc. It is a great visual tool for me to see the amount of time I have left and where the time slots are to plan my business and other engagements on a daily basis.

If you would like a copy of the weekly plan sheet, please send me your email to hjmauck@yahoo.com and I will soft copy it to you.

I love this site...

heather