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Lyn Bailey – Life by Design

Category: Productivity

  • The Value Of Organizing Tomorrow Today

    The Value Of Organizing Tomorrow Today

     

    The Value Of Organizing Tomorrow Today

    If you want to maximize your effectiveness and the amount you get done each day, organize tomorrow, today. The second that you open your eyes you can already be clear and certain about what you have to do that day.

    It’s much more effective than trying to plan your day on the fly!

    In the evening, you’re much more objective about the next day than you are when you’re in the midst of it. It’s easy to plan a trip to the gym the day before. It’s not as easy to do so on the same day when it’s raining, and you’re just not in the mood.

    The best time to plan tomorrow is today!

     

    Follow this process:

    A. What do you want to accomplish? Depending on your job, health, family, hobbies, and life in general, what you want to accomplish will vary. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish tomorrow. Include tasks that help you to reach your goals. Your list might have activities like this:

    • Make a nutritious lunch for kids.
    • Be at the office by 7:45.
    • Give a great presentation at work at 2:00pm.
    • Eat a healthy lunch.
    • Work out for 30 minutes.
    • Practice piano for 30 minutes.
    • Speak with an employee about frequent absences.
    • Call my financial planner to schedule a meeting about my portfolio.

     

    B. What are the best ways to accomplish those tasks? There are many ways to accomplish something. But there is only one best way. Think of your resource constraints (including time) and determine the optimal way for you to accomplish the tasks you’ve identified as most important.

    • What foods will you include in your child’s lunch?
    • What is the best route to get to work? What time do I have to get up in order to be at work by 7:45?
    • What do I need to do to be prepared for the presentation? Do I need to reserve a room? Who should be present?
    • What will I have for lunch? Will I bring it or go out to eat?
    • What type of workout will I do? Where?
    1. What are the obstacles you’re likely to face? Consider everything that might get in your way and develop a plan that will address those obstacles.  If something goes wrong, how are you going to handle itMake a plan that has the greatest possibility of avoiding the fewest obstacles as possible.
    2. When are you going to do your tasks? Decide when you’re going to do each of the items on your list. Bill Gates plans his day in 6-minute intervals. You might not have to be that precise. Find a method that works for you.
    3. Evaluate your day and try again. At the end of the day, take a look at your day and look for ways to do better. Use what you learned to improve your planning process.
      • What did you accomplish?
      • What did you fail to get done?
      • When are you going to do it?
      • What could you have done better?

    Make the most important decisions about your day the night before. The day is for executing, not deciding.

    Save your decision-making time for the evening when you can be more objective and thoughtful.

    Put your nose to the grindstone during the day and get things accomplished. Living life by the seat of your pants might be exciting, but it’s not the most productive way to live. Make a good plan and then follow it to the best of your ability. The quality of your life will soar.

     

     

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  • Benefits of a Balanced Schedule

    Click here to get your FREE Weekly Planner

    Benefits of Having a Balanced Schedule

     

    If you want to get more done in life without feeling too busy and burning out, it’s imperative that you create a balanced schedule. A balanced schedule has enormous benefits for your life when you make sure to account for what you need and want to do in every area of your life as you make the schedule. 

     

    When you have a balanced schedule, you:

     

    ·      Get more done because you’re efficient with your time

    ·      Feel less stressed because you’re not overwhelmed by a packed schedule

    ·      Have more free time to enjoy life apart from work and responsibilities

    ·      Are able to focus better on the task at hand when you have regular breaks

    ·      Avoid burnout from working too much or taking on too much at once

     

    A balanced schedule is the key to a happy, productive life. If you currently feel overwhelmed, stressed, and like you can’t keep up, it’s time to take a step back and assess your schedule. See what can be cut out , delegated or spread out more evenly. You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel when you have a handle on your time.

     

    Creating a balanced schedule means looking at all the areas of your life and ensuring there’s enough time for everything important to you. This includes work, family, friends, hobbies, and taking care of yourself. If one area takes up too much of your time, something else is likely suffering.

     

    For example, if you’re working long hours, you may not have enough time for your family or friends. Or, if you’re spending all your free time on hobbies, you may neglect your work or other obligations. Therefore, finding a good balance between all the areas of your life is essential.

     

    One way to do this is to create a weekly schedule where you block out time for each area of your life. This can help you see where you may need to make some adjustments. For instance, if you realize you’re working too much, you can cut back on your hours or take on less work. Or, if you’re not spending enough time with your family or friends, you can make an effort to schedule more social activities.

     

    Like your boss, friend, and neighbor, you only have 24 hours a day, so be realistic regarding how much time you can devote to each area of your life. Also, keep in mind that your schedule may need to change from week to week, depending on what’s going on in your life. So schedule the most critical aspects of your life, like work and family, and then fill in the rest of your time with other activities.

     

    A balanced schedule is essential for a happy, productive life. When you are mindful about what you really need to live a satisfying life, pay close attention to ensure there’s enough time for everything important to you. You can avoid stress, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by taking a look at your schedule and making the necessary adjustments to create a more balanced life.

     

     

    Click here to get your FREE Weekly Planner
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  • Embrace Gratitude

    Embrace Gratitude

    A Great Way to Embrace Gratitude Every Day

    Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions that you can experience. It connects you to what is truly important in your life. It reminds you that as long as you’re breathing, everything is going to be okay. And it helps frame your day, your expectations, and your actions. Embracing gratitude can be as simple as saying thank you. Here are the top ten ways you can invite more gratitude into your life.

    # Start a Gratitude Journal

    Gratitude journals became popular about ten years ago. Oprah talked about how powerful gratitude was for her and people took note. A gratitude journal is a daily practice where you write down a number of things that you’re grateful for every day.

    You can make it part of your daily routine by writing in your journal first thing in the morning as you look at your day or last thing at night. There are mobile apps for gratitude journaling or you can buy a journal. A simple college ruled notebook works too. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

    If you need help with recognising gratitude in your life, then call me on +61402855787 for a FREE discovery call, or download this great Gratitude Tool to give you a jumpstart.

     

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  • How Much Are Distractions Costing You

    How Much Are Distractions Costing You

    You probably think you’re pretty good at multitasking. After all, you can text and walk simultaneously, right? Wrong! My daughter was doing this walking to uni one day, and didn’t notice the pothole in the road. She ended up breaking her ankle as she fell into said pothole! So, unfortunately, when it comes to multitasking, it’s more likely to cost you time and money than to save it.

    A study conducted by the University of California, Irvine found that it takes the average person 23 minutes to recover from one interruption and get back to the task at hand. And if you’re interrupted multiple times, that number can go up exponentially.

    So, how much are distractions costing you at work?

    Let’s say you’re interrupted three times an hour. That’s an hour of productive time lost every eight hours, or the equivalent of losing a whole day of work every week. And that’s just for starters.

    You will make mistakes if you constantly try to juggle multiple tasks. For instance, a study by the University of Pennsylvania found that people who were interrupted made 50% more errors than those who were not.

    And those errors can cost you, both in terms of time spent fixing them and in terms of lost business. In fact, the AICPA conducted a study that discovered that one in four businesses lost revenue due to employee mistakes. You may even be passed over for promotion due to last-minute completion of work.

    Research has repeatedly and consistently found that multitasking is not feasible with human cognitive functioning (Jeong & Hwang, 2016; Madore & Wagner, 2019). To take this one step further, in one study, only 2.4 percent of participants were found to be able to multitask effectively (Watson & Strayer, 2010). And most fascinating, Sanbonmatsu et al. (2013) reported that people who think they are good at multitasking are actually not good at it!

    Sometimes It’s The Office; Sometimes, It’s You

    Sometimes the distractions are not due to how your workplace is set up but how you use your time. When you’re constantly checking your phone or taking calls, your boss may not view you as fully focused on your work. After all, spending too much time socializing with co-workers or browsing the internet takes away from productive work time.

    To avoid these distractions, you must be mindful of your time management and focus while at work. For example, when coworkers want to chit-chat when you’re trying to get work done, you can politely say that you’re busy and need to focus on your work.

    You can also try working in a different area where fewer people are around to distract you. Finally, if the chit-chatting is bothering you, you can talk to your boss or HR about setting some boundaries with your coworkers.

    There are less aggressive things you can do even in an open office that gets the message across, such as posting a sign near your cubical or work area, or if you have an office door, shut it and put up a sign that you’re focusing on work right now to make an appointment.

    Next time you’re tempted to answer that text, check your email or chat with coworkers in the middle of a work task, think about how much it’s costing you. But, on the other hand, the thought of the cost might be enough to make you focus better on working. Distractions may cost your company a lot of money, but they also cost you in the long run if you miss out on important promotions, raises, or the respect you deserve.

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  • How Minimalism Can Make You a Happier Person

    How Minimalism Can Make You a Happier Person

    There are many ways in which minimalism makes people happier. For one, it can declutter your life and help you focus on what’s important. A minimalist lifestyle can also simplify your life and help you save money.

    Additionally, minimalism can help you appreciate your things and find contentment in a less materialistic way of life. Many people think having more stuff will make them happier, but this is often not the case.

    In today’s highly advertised world, people are constantly bombarded with ads and material possessions. It is hard sometimes to differentiate between needs and wants because advertisements rain down on you no matter where you are.

    However, despite the ads, more and more people are finding that minimalism – living with less – can lead to a happier, more fulfilling life.

    A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people with fewer possessions are less likely to experience anxiety and depression.

    Minimalism can lead to greater happiness in several ways.

    • You’ll have less to worry about — When you have fewer possessions, there’s less to keep track of and less to worry about keeping safe.

    • You’ll have more time — With less stuff to take care of, you’ll have more time to focus on the things that are important to you. You can spend more time with family and friends, pursue your hobbies, or relax.

    • You’ll save money — When you live minimally, you naturally spend less, and you won’t have the urge to keep up with the latest trends or buy things you don’t really need.

    • You’ll be more organized — With fewer things to keep track of, you’ll be more likely to stay organized. You won’t have to search for things as often, and you’ll have more space to keep things tidy.

    • You’ll have less clutter — Clutter can be a source of stress for many people. When you live minimally, you’ll have less clutter in your home and your life.

    • You’ll be more mindful — Minimalism encourages you to be more conscious of your possessions and how you use them. As a result, you’ll start to appreciate the things you have more.

    • You’ll be less stressed — With less to worry about and more time to relax, you’ll likely feel less stressed overall. Minimalism can help you to lead a more peaceful life.

    When you declutter your life and live with less, you’ll be surprised at how much happier you are. When you have more time and energy for the things you love, you’ll be less burdened by material possessions.

    Plus, there is scientific evidence to support the idea that minimalism makes people happier, so why not embrace minimalism to become happier? You don’t have to do without to be more of a minimalist. Minimalism is not about doing without in any way. It’s about finding and using the right resources and tools and keeping them organized and ready in a clutter-free way.

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  • Organize Your Finances

    Organize Your Finances

    Organizing Your Finances for More Efficiency

    Organizing your personal finances can help increase your efficiency. Being organized lets you stay on track with your budget, make smart financial decisions, and reach your financial goals.

    Click here to get your FREE Tip Sheet – 9 Hacks to an Organised Life.

    Being organized for efficiency financially means:

     Having a budget to track your income and expenses

    • Automating your finances by setting up automatic bill payments and savings transfers
    • Keeping your financial records organized so it’s simple to track your progress
    • Working with a financial planner to get professional advice on managing your money

    The first step in personal finance is to find out where you stand financially, which will require some level of organization. You must know your income, expenses, debts, and assets. Start by getting organized so that on any given day at any given time, you can easily see where you stand financially without any stress.

    Keep track of your spending — Knowing where your money is going is the first step to being more organized. Keep a budget or use a tracking app to help you get an idea of where your money goes each month. Personally, I find using Spending Tracker a very handy way to do this on a daily basis.

    Make a budget — Once you know where your money is going, you can make a budget to ensure you’re spending within your means. Don’t forget to include savings so you will reach your future financial goals.

    Set up a system —Whether it’s a physical system like folders and a budget binder, or a digital system like Mint or Personal Capital, find a way to track your finances that works for you.

    Automate your finances — Automating your finances can help you stay on top of your bills and save money. Set up automatic bill payments and consider using a service like Digit or Acorns to save money automatically. I do this using my mobile bank app as I like to keep everything in the one place if I can.

    Keep your receipts — Receipts can help track spending and budgeting purposes. Keep them organized in a system that works for you – use either a physical folder or a digital app.

    Stay on top of your credit — Checking your credit report regularly is an excellent way to catch errors and keep track of your credit score. Clear Score sends me weekly updates and notifies me of any changes. It’s a free service.

    Review your bank statements — Reviewing your bank statements can help you catch errors and fraudulent charges and keep track of your spending. Doing this on a daily basis really paid off for me recently, as I picked up fraudulent activity on one of my accounts within hours, and my bank was able to stop it immediately.

    Invest in a good financial planner — A good financial planner can help you organize your finances, set goals, and make a plan to reach those goals. If you earn enough money to save money, this will be a worthwhile investment to get more organized.

    Get organized — Getting your finances organized can help you save money, reduce stress, and make better financial decisions. Use the tips above to help you get started.

    Personal finance includes planning for future financial security for you and your family. Organizing your finances efficiently requires creating a system for managing your money that is streamlined and easy to use. This might include setting up a budget, tracking your spending, and creating a system for paying your bills. An efficient system in place will help you save time and money.

    Click here to get your FREE Tip Sheet – 9 Hacks to an Organised Life.

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  • Handy Products for Organizing Your Home

    Handy Products for Organizing Your Home

    Storage solutions like baskets, bins, and shelves are very handy for keeping your home organized. Baskets are great for corralling smaller items like gloves, scarves, and hats, while bins and shelves can store more oversized items like blankets, towels, and out-of-season clothing. Let’s look at how you can use various products to organize your home.

    Baskets

    Using baskets is a great way to add additional storage space to your home.

    • For storing blankets, throws, and extra pillows
    • For corralling toys in the living room or playroom
    • For holding laundry that needs to be put away
    • As a catchall for items near the front door

    You can designate some baskets to organize various items or use a different basket for each room to gather all the clutter that has escaped its home and return it.

    Drawer organizers

    If you have drawers to put things, you know that they often become a mess when you look for something. With organizers, you can prevent everything from getting messed up to the point you lose things by adding spacers and organizers.

    • For underwear, socks, and other small items in the bedroom
    • For spices, oils, and other cooking supplies in the kitchen
    • For office supplies in a home office or craft room

    You can use drawer organizers to store items such as silverware, dishes, and glasses, so they stay organized and don’t get jumbled up. Use drawer organizers to store cleaning supplies, such as sponges, scrub brushes, and cleaning solutions — keeping supplies organized and within easy reach.

    Under-bed storage

    You can raise your bed to give yourself some practical storage underneath if you don’t have a bed with space under it. If you create that space, it can be used to store things you don’t use as often.

    • For winter clothes that aren’t being used
    • For extra bedding, towels, and linens
    • For out-of-season clothes

    If you aren’t using the items daily, under-bed storage is a great place to keep the things out of the way and ready for use when needed.

    Hooks

    When you lack space, consider taking things to the wall with hooks. Hooks let you hang up things in sight that need to be handy. Consider putting hooks in any area you need so your stuff is within easy reach.

    • For coats, hats, and scarves near the front door
    • For bags and purses in the bedroom or closet
    • For towels in the bathroom
    • For aprons and oven mitts in the kitchen

    If you live in a rental, you can use command hooks, and if you follow the directions, you can create space without messing up the walls.

    Nails/tacks

    If you live in your own place, you can put nails and tacks on the wall without worrying about your property owner. Nails and tacks are great for hanging things out of the way, not just your artwork.

    • For hanging pictures, artwork, and wall decor
    • For hanging coats, hats, and scarves near the front door
    • For hanging towels in the bathroom
    • For hanging mitts, aprons, and other tools in the kitchen

    Consider using double-duty artwork that acts as something beautiful to look at that’s also useful, like shelves, cabinets, and cute places to hang your hats and scarves.

    Pegboard

    Julia Child used pegboards in her kitchen to organize her pots, pans, and tools for cooking. You can use them for the organization in any zone of your house, which also looks incredible.

    • Organize tools in the garage or shed
    • Can also be used to organize office supplies
    • Great for craft supplies
    • Fabulous for kitchen pots, pans, and utensils

    You may be shocked at how awesome peg boards work. The great thing about them is that you can move things around on the pegboard; it doesn’t always have to be the same organization.

    Anyone of these organizational products will help you create a space that works for you. Consider writing down all the activities you do in every zone of your home so you can determine what you need to get organized.

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  • Why Being Productive Matters

    Why Being Productive Matters

    Why Being Productive Matters

    It is challenging to stay focused and be productive in this maximum information world where you are constantly inundated with distractions. Whether checking your phones, browsing social media, or watching television, there are always things vying for your attention. However, since you only have so much time (time is the most limited resource), it’s essential to use time wisely if your goal is productivity.

    Being productive does not require continuous motion or busy work. It simply means you use your time in a way that benefits you. It may seem strange, but doing what you love is productive regardless of what the world has taught you.

    It may mean working on a project, hobby, or task you’re passionate about. It may also mean taking care of necessary errands like grocery shopping or cleaning the house. It may also mean hacking away at your to-do list created based on your goals that match your principles, morals, and values. That’s the key—it’s up to you.

    There are many benefits to being productive.

    • You’re more likely to see progress in your life
    • You’ll achieve your goals
    • You’ll have high self-esteem
    • You’ll feel a sense of satisfaction
    • You’ll feel pride in your life
    • You’ll experience way less stress, overwhelm, and anxiety
    • You’ll feel a greater sense of purpose
    • You’ll feel as if life is worth living
    • You’ll have more free time

    When you take the time to focus on one task at a time, based on your well-researched plan, you’ll promptly get everything you need. Then, when you finish something, you can move on to the next thing feeling more successful.

    Plus, when you have things to do that you care about, you’ll realize what a difference you make in the world. When you feel important to the world, you’re more likely to live a satisfying life and live up to your true capabilities.

    There are many advantages to being productive. Productivity ensures you achieve your goals, feel good about yourself, reduce stress, and give you a sense of purpose. When you use your time wisely and focus on being productive, you’ll be able to create the life you want and live a more fulfilling existence.

    When you are genuinely productive in life, you manage your time well, which gives you more control over your life and how you want to spend your time. And that is invaluable. Plus, the better you are at being productive, the better your children will be at it too. Children learn best from the adults they are closer to and tend to model that behavior, for good or ill.

    Ask yourself, are you being productive with your time?

    What changes can you make to make better use of your time?

    How can you focus more on what’s important to you in order to achieve your goals and create a life you love?

    When you take the time to focus on being productive, you’ll be amazed at all you can achieve. Understanding why being productive matters is definitely worth your time. After all, your time is one of the truly limited resources, and how you use it will make a real difference in your level of productivity. Furthermore, when your productivity improves, you’ll see proof that it matters in the results you create.

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  • Is Your Child Unproductive

    Is Your Child Unproductive

    Is Your Child Unproductive?

    Watching your child struggle is the worst feeling. Of course, you want them to succeed in everything they do, but sometimes it seems like they can’t get ahead. If you realize your child is having trouble completing tasks, is easily distracted, or doesn’t seem to know how to prioritize, it may be time to talk to them about productivity.

    These signs offer signals that your child is unproductive, and if left unchecked, your child may start to feel overwhelmed and stressed. With guidance, your child will learn to be more productive and accomplish their goals.

    Pay attention if your child has these issues:

    • Trouble Completing Tasks in a Reasonable Time Fram
    • Easily Distracted and Have Issues Focusing
    • Lack of Goalsetting skills, and They Don’t Know How to Prioritize
    • Don’t Start What They Plan and Don’t Finish What They Start
    • Have Unrealistic Expectations and Suffer from Perfectionism
    • Allow Others to Pressure Them
    • Act Out Emotionally

    Helping your child with goalsetting will give them something to work towards and provide a sense of accomplishment when they reach their goals. You can also help them create a plan to achieve those goals. This may involve breaking down tasks into smaller steps or teaching them how to prioritize their time better.

    Encourage your child to take small, reasonable steps daily to achieve their goals. With a little effort and support from you when they need it, your child will learn to be more productive and may even surprise themselves with what they can accomplish.

    Help them learn how important it is to protect their time, so they avoid overscheduling – a leading cause of overwhelm in the unproductive child. An over-scheduled child is always busy, but everything is just too much, so nothing ever gets done. When nothing gets done, the pressure will overwhelm them because kids typically care a lot about what others think and allow that to pressure them more than they may realize. Children thrive with reasonable schedules more than they do with a lot of clutter and disorganization about how they’ll spend their time.

    When you help them get stuff done and mark it off their list, they will learn how it feels to be genuinely productive. In addition, as a parent, you can instill a sense of pride in their success by making it a point to celebrate accomplishments. Too often, children are not given enough credit for their achievements and think their parents are just being nice when they praise them. Instead, children need to understand that their parents are proud of their accomplishments and that they have worked hard to achieve them.

    When you help your child learn what true productivity feels like and that it does not require continuously being busy all the time, they will be more likely to enjoy getting stuff done in record time so they can enjoy their downtime more. After all, everyone deserves to have a good life that doesn’t just involve things that are work.

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  • Unproductive Habits to Break

    Unproductive Habits to Break

    Common Unproductive Habits to Break

    Teenagers can fall into many unproductive habits, which can prevent them from reaching their full potential. Some of the most common unproductive habits include:

    Phone Habits

    It’s easy to get lost in your phone and waste hours scrolling through social media or playing games. To break this habit, try setting a limit on how much time can be spent on the phone each day. Once the limit is hit, put the phone away and focus on something else. They can also leave the phone in another room when they need to focus on a particular task.

    Disorganization

    If your teen’s bedroom is a mess and their backpack is overflowing with papers, staying organized and on top of schoolwork will be nearly impossible. Encourage them to take some time to declutter their space and create a system that works for them to help them feel more in control and less stressed.

    Binge Watching Shows

    It’s easy to get sucked into a good TV show and watch episode after episode. You know this. But this it’s also a huge time waster. If your teen likes to binge watch, try setting a limit of one or two episodes per day or assign certain times that binging is allowed, like during inclement weather or when sick.

    Procrastination

    Procrastination is one of the most common unproductive habits and can be very damaging to a teenager’s success. When teenagers procrastinate, they put off essential tasks, often leading to poor grades, missed deadlines, and overwhelm. It will help to find the underlying reason for procrastination.

    Social Media Addiction

    Social media connects teenagers with friends and family, but it’s a significant waste of time for the most part. Teenagers easily get sucked into scrolling through their newsfeeds or posting updates when they should focus on schoolwork or other essential tasks. On the other hand, it can help to show how you limit yourself so your kids know a successful way to deal with this issue.

    Poor Sleep Habits

    Many teenagers don’t get enough sleep which can lead to them being tired and unproductive during the day. Teenagers need at least 8 to 12 hours of sleep each night to function at their best. The problem is that often teenagers are so overscheduled it makes it hard to accomplish this. Consider helping them avoid overscheduling.

    Poor Diet

    Eating unhealthy foods will make teenagers feel sluggish and uninterested in being productive. A healthy diet is vital for both physical and mental wellbeing. Again, this is another area where you are the model for the behavior you’d like your child to emulate.

    Lack of Exercise

    Exercise releases extra energy and improves focus. However, many teenagers lead sedentary lifestyles and don’t get enough exercise which can make them feel tired and uninterested in being active. Create family routines that encourage after-dinner walks and physical activity.

    Breaking unproductive habits can be difficult, but teenagers need to focus on their goals and lead more productive lives to live the abundant life they are meant to live.

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