Saturdays always seem like a great day to get everything done, until of course I run out of time. Maybe if I was more organized or purposeful or made a list of "some" of the things that need to be done and commit to doing them before Sunday, maybe that would work.
Saturdays also seem like a perfect day to try to do better to improve on myself as it were. Now I just let you in on the fact that despite by best attempts, I pretty much never get everything that "should" get done on Saturday actually done - on Saturday (sometimes not even on Sunday). Knowing this, I am spending a few minutes searching the Internet for some ideas to help me (and you if you'd like) improve my life and my self -- well right away!
Here's a few of the things that I have found:
Things to Improve Your Life Right Now!
1. Have a set place where you ALWAYS put your keys (and your cell phone).
I hang my keys on a hook and use my cell phone as my alarm clock - it helps!
2. Leave work at work
I need to work on this one - no work email at home. I like to be helpful and efficient
at work but need to remember to safeguard my home time too.
3. Clean off your desk or work space.
Although it is often hard to find the time for those of us who weren't born with the
naturally fastidious and organized genes, finding a way to keep things clean and tidy
at your home and/or work space does make you feel better and work better too.
Every once in awhile, just take a few minutes and give it a try. There are some great ideas on the best ways to set up and organize your desk at Life Hacker.
4. Create a morning routine.
This is less important right now with Summer break upon us, but for my family it is
going to be imperative come fall if we want to be successful. We have a school year
routine in the mornings, just not a good one. I am committing to working on this bit-
by-bit to make improvements and a plan to implement when the time comes. Making
my meals the night before and showering then too would be major improvements.
5. Laugh more and often (and right now for no reason).
I just did it and you can too! I was afraid to laugh out loud as a teenager for fear my
laugh would be the funny thing. But these days, one of the benefits of gaining wisdom
with age... I laugh a lot more and a lot louder. Who cares what others think. I know
laughing (as long as it isn't at some one's expense) is a great thing to do! Great article
on the importance of humor here by Dr. Terry Gordon.
6. Keep on dreaming.
I have been in the same job for over 11 years now and I enjoy it but I also enjoy and
feel revitalized by my dream of having my own business creating and selling my photo
art. I think it is the thing that is truly making me happy and feeling alive these days.
You can still live the life you are living but have some dreams to reach for too!
7. Stay connected.
Whether you are partial to phone calls or emails, hand written letters, note cards
or social networking -- find and remember the people you care about. It is easy to
brighten your day and someone elses by picking up the phone or sending a card to let
them know you are thinking about them in the mail.
8. Hug someone - often.
I hug my kids regularly throughout the day and plan to continue doing so until they just
won't allow it. I admit my hubby and I used to hug at the end of the work day with a
special lift me off the ground kinda hug. Just now thinking we should get back to it.
9. Single-task once in awhile.
Take the time to slow down and really concentrate on whatever task is at hand every
so often. Really focus on washing those dishes, or mowing that grass. Get into the
rhythm of what you are doing and stay purposefully focused. You don't have to multi-
task all the time.
10. Try to embrace yourself as you are as well as how you wish to be.
Do whatever helps you to love yourself. It is important for you and for those around
you too. And you don't have to accept that you will always be just as you are. You
can also embrace that you are a work of art that is evolving and ever changing.
Mama Zuzi
