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Have you ever spent hours scraping old stickers from your car windows? Here’s a little tip to save you some time.
The next time you need to apply a sticker to the car window (e.g. for secure parking lots), stick the sticker to Avery Clear Decals then stick the decal to the car window. It’s easy to move and remove!
Recently in the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a study was released indicating that children who watched just nine minutes of a fast-paced television cartoon performed significantly worse on executive function tasks than children who watched a slower-paced an educational cartoon.
This study was also confirmed by Queen’s University psychology professor Mark Sabbagh who indicated that “watching SpongeBob can have a surprisingly large effect on some cognitive skills that are just developing in four-year-olds.”
Executive functions are defined as the collection of brain processes that are responsible for planning, initiating appropriate actions and inhibiting inappropriate actions.
What does this mean for parents of young children? These studies indicate that fast-paced TV shows such as Sponge Bob, hinder children’s ability to think clearly in a logical order and it inhibits their concentration.
If you need a child to focus and concentrate on a specific task such as organizing their room, getting ready to go out the door to school in the morning or doing homework, watching fast-paced cartoons first may inhibit their ability to carry out such tasks.
Make your life less stressful and turn off the TV in the morning while preparing to leave or at least select a more relaxing TV show (Mr. Rogers, I miss you!).
Big money goes into designing a supermarket and shopping psychology to encourage consumers to buy more.
Automated doors give a welcoming feeling, the fruits and vegetables are right inside the door to catch your eye and draw you in. The smell from the bakery in the back of the store makes you hungry and encourages you to buy more. The items you need on a regular basis are at the back of the store which forces you to walk past all the other items that are on sale encouraging you to spend more money.
If that weren’t enough, the most expensive foods are placed at adult eye level while foods aimed at children are placed lower down on the shelves. Since the majority of shoppers have a tendency to look to the right when walking around the store, items that the store wants you to purchase (i.e. the expensive ones) are located on the right-hand sides of the aisles.
To make matters worse, supermarkets regularly re-arrange their stock stating that they are “Reorganizing to serve you better”. This is NOT really what they mean. They are really organizing to serve themselves better. In the hopes they will change consumers spending habits, the store rearranges its items which forces shoppers to visit areas of the store and see items they normally wouldn’t purchase. Research indicates that the more time customers spend in the store the more money they will spend. And, in the case of my local supermarket that has just been re-organized, there are price increases on items I regularly purchase (I bet they thought I wouldn’t notice!)
Another trick grocery stores use is to put items on sale with irrational pricing, for example 5/$3.99. Not only is it difficult to do the math to find out how much each item is individually, if you buy only ONE of the items you’ll pay regular price. This encourages over purchasing and over stocked cupboards at home! Remember, a deal isn’t a deal if the food spoils before you can consume it!
Unfortunately, consumers can’t re-organize the grocery store to save themselves time and money but research shows that shopping with a grocery list and sticking to it DOES save time and money.
Some studies indicate that by setting a time limit for grocery shopping, you will be more likely to spend that time getting things on your list than purchasing unnecessary items. However, when your time is too limited you may make impulse decisions and not get the best deal. Ensure you allow yourself enough time to get your groceries and if possible, plan to shop when the store is not busy such as after dinner or during a weekday morning.
Preparation before you head out to the grocery store is key!
A pen and paper posted to the fridge door where family members can write down any items to be purchased works well in many households. Some people print out a list of all the items they regularly purchase and check them off when they need to buy more. Some people prefer to use a high tech gadget to make a grocery list.
If you’re a coupon user, make your grocery list on an envelope and keep your coupons inside. You’ll have everything you need in one place when you reach the cash register. Speaking of the cash register, take a small calculator with you when grocery shopping for figuring out those irrational prices and you’ll know if you’re getting the best deal.
P.S. If I could re-organize the grocery store, I’d build a drive-through window where I could by milk by the gallon!
If you’ve got organizing tips to help save time and money grocery shopping, share them here!
Last year I purchased a “to-do” list manager called Things. I tried to use it but it didn’t help me stay on track with all of the tasks I had to manage. That changed after I read the book On Top of Everything.
The Projecteze™ system introduced in On Top of Everything uses MS Word for managing tasks. MS Word is good because the majority of people already know how to use MSWord. The document created can easily be printed to paper or accessed by a mobile device such as a Blackberry. While I am comfortable using MSWord, I cannot edit Word documents easily on my iPod Touch. I love my Touch and use it to stay organized.
In order to solve this problem, I took all the information applied the Projecteze™ system using Things.
Things enables me to use “tags” to structure my tasks. I have three tags which are major divisions of tasks.
I also have three tags which indicate the priority of each task: High, Medium and Low.
On the top menu bar, I can click on one of the tag names and see all the tasks that are listed in that category. I can also click on 2 or more names to see the list of task that are for example J-organize and High priority.
Within these major divisions, I’ve classed the work into projects which are listed in the “Active Projects” section. This allows me to see all the work that needs to be done in a specific area. I am able to easily delegate work and to know what is upcoming in that portfolio. The project to which the task belongs also appears beside the task name.
One of my favourite parts about using Things is the ability to set repeating tasks. I write monthly articles for a couple of magazines, each with a different due date and different requirements. Rather than enter the item each month with all the details, I can set the “to do” as a scheduled event and have it pop-up in my list when it is due.
You can see here how I’ve set up my list to send out the associations newsletter POC Talk. You can also see how I’ve dragged and dropped a file into the “Notes” section. I can keep all my information in one place – just like Projecteze™ suggests.
If you’re a Mac user and looking for a system to manage your tasks, I suggest you read On Top of Everything and invest in Things. Your productivity will skyrocket. I know mine did!
As a full-time military wife and mother and professional organizer my life can get very hectic. I’ve got to keep on top of everything so that things get done and my life stays balanced.
After accepting the position of Vice-President of Professional Organizers in Canada last November, I realized that the current method I was using to keep track of my tasks and projects had reached its limit. I started falling behind. I was working inefficiently, spending time on items that were not necessarily the highest priority and details were falling through the cracks.
I mentioned my situation to colleague and POC President Kristie Demke. She suggested that I read the book On Top of Everything and implement the Projecteze system as it worked very well for her.
I purchased the book online at the On Top of Everything website and read it as soon as it arrived. It is well written and has many examples of how to use the Projecteze system and tables.
The Projecteze system uses MSWord to create tables to track projects and tasks. You do not need to learn to use a new software program or system which makes it easy to implement immediately as most people are familiar with the MSWord.
Because it is so straight-forward and simple to understand, I was able to put the theory practice right away.
It works WONDERS!
Immediately I was able to see what I had already accomplished, what needed to be done and where to concentrate my efforts! I could keep track of all my tasks and projects. I was being proactive – working on the most important things first instead of reacting to whatever dropped on my desk.
I was also able to keep tabs on when I was expecting information from other people — something that I always had trouble with before. Now I’m following up instead of either bugging people or forgetting to contact them at all! 
If you’re looking for a powerful, easy-to-use system to help you keep on top of everything, then I highly recommend On Top of Everything.
A few summers ago my son broke his arm on the way home from school and my husband broke his shoulder due to a bike accident and ended up having two surgeries to repair it. After spending much of the summer in the waiting rooms of hospitals and clinics, I’ve come up with some organizational tips that will help you keep you prepared for these unplanned events.
Keep your pantry stocked with ingredients for healthy meals you can make in less than 30 minutes. These things can include:
Keep a stash of healthy snacks you can toss in a bag and take with you such as:
You may want to keep a Swiss Army knife in your purse just in case one you need to cut things into pieces for those kids with braces.
Keep a few ice packs in the freezer for putting on injuries and stuffing in a bag to cool your snacks during the long wait at the Emergency Room and Walk-in Clinics.
Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer and a pack of tissues with you because you’re sitting at the hospital with sick people.
Have an “entertainment pack” ready to go. Items that can be included are:
Do your laundry regularly so that you have clean clothes handy. If you’ve been called to the emergency room to pick up an injured child or spouse, take a clean set of clothes for them – even shoes. If your husband dislocated his shoulder while parachuting into a swamp (yes it DID happen) he’ll need clean, dry clothes to come home. Button up shirts and baggy pants are always the best as they cover casts and slings easily.
If one parent always has the health cards, the other parent should carry a photocopy of the card with them. Children should also know where to find copies of this information. We have ours posted on the fridge beside our emergency numbers so the baby sitter knows where to find this information.
Make sure you know who to contact at your spouse’s office should he/she be injured. Make sure your spouse’s office knows how to contact you as well.
Keep your cell phone charged in case you are out and need to call 911. Program an emergency contact number into your cell phone so someone can dial that number if you can’t do it yourself. Label it “I.C.E” (in case of emergency) or “A-Emergency” so it is on the top of your contact list.
If you go for a run or bike ride, take your health card and ID with you. We have printed up business cards with our home info on them (names, address, phone number and email addresses). They go in every backpack and wallet, including the kids bags and backpacks.
Have a friend or neighbour you can call on in a crisis to come and mind the kids in the middle of the night. Offer to return the favour.
Keep your first aid kit up to date. Make sure your antibiotic creams have not expired. Make sure your supply of band-aids is replenished regularly. Keep an assortment of band-aids on hand such as those for knuckles, finger tips and large scrapes. You can always use feminine protection products or diapers to stop the bleeding of larger wounds.
Are your first aid techniques are up-to-date? While you may not need to know how to put on a tourniquet, you should be able to give correct treatment for cuts, scrapes, burns, strains, sprains, fractures and animal bites. St. John’s Ambulance and the Red Cross offer first aid courses.
Make sure your car has enough gas to handle an emergency such as driving to the hospital in the middle of the night. Keep at least $20 cash in a secret place in your wallet in case you have to pay for a taxi or for parking in a cash-only parking lot.
If you have tips that help you to be ready in an emergency, send them along so I can share them with other readers!
A Fingertip File is a place to store papers and other miscellaneous information so that it is right at the end of your fingertips when you need it. There are several products available on the market but I prefer my own custom-made version.
Here is what I use to build a Fingertip File:
In the clear sheet protectors I insert phone lists such as emergency contacts, family members, friends, co-workers, piano teacher, hockey coach etc. Other items that could be stored in the clear sheet protectors are the monthly school calendar and the cafeteria menu.
In the business card holder page, I insert the business cards of all the places I do business. This saves time when looking up the address, phone number and business hours (I write the store hours on the back of the card).
In the two-pocket dividers, I put the schedule for the public pool and ice rink, take-out menus from local restaurants, community and tourist information, street maps and even a floor plan of the local shopping mall.
If you move to a new city, transfer the contact information from your fingertip file to your filing cabinet. This will make it easy to look up your previous doctor’s or dentist’s) phone number and get your medical records transferred.
Businesses run efficiently because they have a standard set of forms for repetitive tasks. A home can run more efficiently if there is a set of forms. Instead of rewriting the grocery list every week, write a list of items that are purchased frequently. Print several copies to keep in your Fingertip File and hang one on the fridge. Check off items as soon as they are needed. Prepare a form for the babysitter that includes emergency contact numbers and the bedtime routine. Store copies in the “Fingertip File” and just pull one out when the babysitter arrives.
Another handy item to keep in your Fingertip File is a list of items borrowed and loaned. You will always know to whom you need to return the snow shovel and where to collect your favourite scarf.
Summer is coming which means “moving season”. As you receive new addresses for your friends and family members, take a few minutes and update your address book. You can do this while you are waiting for an appointment or while watching your kids’ soccer practice. Fill in all of the data you are missing from each person. It does not matter if your address book is paper based or electronic (PDA) you should still set aside a few minutes 2-3 times per year to bring it up to date.
DISCLAIMER: Please note that I am not paid by Avery® to tell you I like their products. I recommend their products because of their high quality and the fact that they are easy to find in just about any office supply store or department store.
Do you have a job around the house or at your office that you try to do but you forget a little something each time? Do you end up wasting time redoing the job?
Pilots verify, before take-off, all the prescribed maneuvers are completed in order with a pre-flight checklist (Can you imagine if they didn’t do it?). In the New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 360:491-499 January 29, 2009 Number 5) an article explains that when doctors go through specific checklists before, during and after surgery, the mortality rate and complications after surgery are significantly diminished.
Even if you’re not a pilot or doctor, you can profit from making a checklist. With your checklist you will never forget an important step and you will be able to do complete the job correctly the first time.