On Simplicity

It’s time for me to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak.  I talk a great game about simplicity, but in truth, it’s easy to be simple at this point in my life. This week, the real test starts.

My husband is going in for surgery (nothing life-threatening, just corrective), and I’ll be picking up a lot of extra work as a result. My amazing spouse handles most of the household chores, like cooking, shopping, and all maintenance. I do the laundry, cleaning, and drink mixing.

So for the next few months, as B recuperates and is largely immobile, I’ll be:

• Taking care of B
• Taking care of all household chores
• Taking care of the yards
• Cooking (not my strong suit, so we’ll see how this goes)
• Driving
• Shopping
• Taking care of our beloved (and highly energetic) dog Roo
• Working my regular job
• Working on On Simplicity
• Taking on extra freelance writing work (to help defray the cost of surgery and make up a portion of B’s lost wages from being away from work)

I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of folks look at this list and say, “So what? I’ve been doing this for 20 years. Whaddya want, a cookie?”

That’s fair.

But it’s a big change for me, and I’m taking it as a challenge. It’s a call to make life as simple as possible, for my own sanity.  I look forward to learning new ways to streamline and be happy with less. 

If you’ve got any advice for me, I would very much welcome it in the comments. Have a great week, everybody, and thanks for reading!

**A quick note: I’ve got a project with a looming deadline and a family wedding this week, so while items will still be posting, I’ll be moderating a lot less frequently for the week. I look forward to reading what everyone has to stay when things calm down. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful week!

photo credit: Vox Efx

So there was this girl. She enjoyed writing, and was having moderate to middling success at it. Some days were long. Some were hard. Sometimes she felt simply tapped. But she kept writing with no changes for one reason, and one reason alone: she had the next step laid out for her.

So what’s the easy trick to staying motivated?

Schedule yourself in advance.

Here’s why: it’s too easy to let emotions dictate whether we continue to work on our dreams. When you have a bad day, it’s natural to want to take a break. But a break becomes a rest, a rest becomes a hiatus, and that becomes, well… the black hole of doom. Before you know it, you’re sucking your Doritos-dyed thumb, zombified out in front of Saved by the Bell reruns (or Walker, Texas Ranger—your call).

Create the Next Step When Times Are Good

But when you’ve got a schedule (a loose one, please), you’ve got the next step ready for you. You’re short-circuiting the existential crisis and just moving on. If that next step was good enough for you a week ago, it should be good enough now, even when bad fortune shines on you.

It’s the everdayness of our lives, the daily minutiae that often gets us through the really hard times—the loss of family, illnesses, joblessness. So let that same principle work for you on a micro level by creating some structured everydayness with your projects.

So you had a bad day. It happens. Check your calendar and look ahead to tomorrow. As Scarlett O’Hara, my favorite procrastinor, would say, “Tomorrow is another day.”

photo credit: cursedthing

Okay, I know your first question: why would you want to do less? I’ll give you a few reasons:

• Less stress
• More time for fun
• Doing things better

Convinced? Alright then, let’s identify one of the biggest culprits: your to-do list. If your to-do list has become a repository of things you wish you would do, then that’s putting extra pressure on you. You wouldn’t be alone if you found yourself rundown and tired from constantly doing things, but feeling like a bum because you never get to the bottom of your list.

If you’re ready to do less and enjoy more, it’s probably time to declutter your to-do list. The following ideas have worked for me:

1. Cross off any big items that you wish you were going to do, but aren’t actively planning on doing anytime soon. This includes things like, “paint the house” or “finish writing novel.” If you really want to get it done, keep the first step on the list (”pick up paint swatches” or “outline chapter three”).
2. Cross off any items you feel like you should do, but don’t actually care about. For instance, items like “Organize photos in albums” will only make you feel guilty and unproductive. Of course, this doesn’t mean you get to nix stuff you need to do, but just don’t want to–like “Schedule doctor’s appointment,” or, “Breast self-exam.”
3. Limit your list the number of things you can realistically do in a day or two. Just because you include 20 items, that doesn’t mean you have time in your day to complete them. In the end, you’ll just feel busy and overworked.

That’s it! I know it’s not a long list, but these three steps can take you a long way toward a simplified to-do list. If you’ve got any other tips, please share them in the comments! Let me know what works for you–or what hasn’t, and I’ll put together a follow-up for a few weeks from now.

Telecommuting sounds like a dream come true. Work from home, spend all day in your pajamas snarfing down Chee-tos, and never have to deal with the boss in person. And it can be all those things, but it can also be a bit of a nightmare if you do everything wrong. Imagine your work life bleeding uncomfortably into your personal life and having to force yourself to focus.

That’s what I found happening to me when I landed a telecommuting position out of college. Instead of having more free time, I found myself with none. Instead of being able to focus without a lot of inter-office distractions, I found myself having an even worse time staying on task. The lowest point was when I realized I spent all my free time thinking about work (and trying to avoid it), and all my work time trying to think of stuff to do in my free time. In short, it just wasn’t working, so I forced myself to make some major changes. So, learn from my mistakes and actually enjoy telecommuting. Here’s what not to do:

Work at random times each day.

Not only does this lead to a chaotic life, it also encourages procrastination. Plus, for insomniacs (like myself back then), procrastination and flexible hours lead to the deadly result of working at 4 A.M. Not very fun. For a better work-life balance, set a regular schedule and stick to it. You’ll be forced to stay on task to get done at the scheduled time each day. Soon, you’ll hate it when you get off schedule and get stuck working late. While it’s okay to take advantage of flexible hours every once in awhile (you can grab lunch with a busy friend or end your day early to get on the road for a long weekend), stick to a schedule on the majority of days.

Don’t create a work station.

Since you’re not in an office, you may as well make yourself comfortable and do your job on the couch. Heck, why not work from bed? Yes, you can do it, but should you? If you enjoy being unprofessional, non-ergonomic, and slightly schizophrenic, by all means do. If you’d prefer to feel on-the-ball, refreshed, and productive, create a place that’s devoted to work and work alone. Keep important files and papers close by, remove any obvious distractions (like TV and the latest Janet Evanovich novel), and invest in ergonomic furniture and computer accessories. Plus, when you’re done, you’ll be able to close the door and leave work at “the office.”

Avoid breaks at all costs.

It can be tempting to blow through the day without breaks and get done faster, but there’s a huge cost. You’ll be fatigued by the end of the day and your performance levels will drop–leading to mistakes and less-than-stellar performances. Plus, it’s the road straight to burnout. Breaks give your brain a rest and lower your stress level. Plus, breaks at home are a great way to get stuff taken care of without cutting into your free time. Call your best friend, jog to the mailbox, marinate the chicken for dinner, or just turn up the music and dance! Breaks can be the best part of your day, so be sure to take them. Set a timer, and be ready to get back to work–fully refreshed–once it’s done.

Pretend your co-workers don’t exist.

Your fellow employees–and especially other telecommuters in your company–are a great resource, so get to know them. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away, and it doesn’t give you any allies. Not only are coworkers a great source of companionship, they’re the ones you’ll rely on when things get rough or you’re on a tight deadline and need a hand. If you pretend they aren’t important, don’t be surprised when they return the favor.

Embrace distractions.

Hey, no one’s going to complain if you listen to Barry White on work time, so why not blast it? Dr. Phil in the background isn’t reallly distracting you, so why turn it off? You wouldn’t want your blood sugar to drop, so you should probably stop and get a snack every 20 minutes, right? No! There’s a reason these things aren’t acceptable in an office, and they shouldn’t be acceptable in your home office, either. Keep the distractions to a minimum (think quiet classical music and a cup of tea) and keep your productivity levels up.

The Bottom Line: You’re Still on the Job

In short, telecommuting is still a job, so treat it as such. You can still take advantage of the benefits of working from home (like hanging out in your favorite flannels and having a hot cooked lunch each day) without turning your home into a three ring circus. You’ll find that your free time is more enjoyable–and so is your work time!

photo credit: Darren Hester

Inspiration can’t be scheduled, as anyone who’s ever had come up with an on-the-spot presentation knows. In fact, the best inspiration seems to come at the worst times, whether it’s the awesome new blog topic that pops up in spin class or the new management technique that comes to you while you’re knee-deep in paying bills. One of the worst things you can do is stifle that creativity and attempt to schedule it into neat half-hour blocks. Just as bad is letting your creative juices flow and letting your other daily tasks fall by the wayside. (Eventually, they always catch up to you!) The real answer is to learn to work when you’re inspired without neglecting the rest of your life. Fortunately, there are a few simple organizational steps you can take to help you make the most of your creative energy when the urge strikes.

1. Get down as many concrete details as possible–in writing. Ideas are never so beautiful as when they’re fresh. Don’t let that great idea, slogan, or project get lost in the daily shuffle! When inspiration strikes, pull out pen and paper or open a fresh document on your computer and get your thoughts down right away. From the smallest details to any overarching strategies that come to mind, flesh out your idea as much as possible NOW. If you wait until later, many of the smaller details–as well as your immediate passion–might fade.

Hint: Carry around a notepad or a personal recording device to help you get your ideas recorded as soon as they’re hot, rather than when they’re lukewarm.

2. Split your to-do list in two. Make one column full of “Gotta Do Today” items and populate the other side with tasks that are important but not urgent. When inspiration strikes, you’ll know exactly what tasks can safely be delayed. When your creative burst is spent, use the rest of your time to make sure that the items on the “Today” side are completed. This method helps you work spontaneously and guilt-free, and you’ll never get behind on regularly scheduled tasks either.

Hint: Create a new list for each day or week. Taking five minutes to start your day or week with clear priorities will make you more focused and keep your list up-to-date.

3. Learn to brainstorm effectively. A lot of creative thoughts are wasted because the kernel of an incredible idea gets lost in the details. After all, what may seem clear in the moment might appear to be simple ranting a few weeks later. Avoid this pitfall by taking notes with categories, headlines, or bulleted lists. Instead of writing, “Article on dog food, talk to Sue, library, coat health, teeth problems, new research, depend on breed?” your list might read: “Idea: article on quality of dog food. Topics: Coat health, teeth problems. Potential sources: Sue, library. Questions: Do different dog breeds digest food or nutrients in different ways? Action point: Look for new research on the topic to provide a timely angle.” An effective brainstorm takes virtually no more time or energy, and makes it easier to dive into your project quickly when you’re ready to pursue it further.

4. Create tangible measures and deliverables for your ideas. There’s no point in generating brilliant ideas or innovations if they’re going to end up in a generic “Ideas” folder that never sees the light of day. Make yourself accountable to your inspirations by choosing a few key deliverables or follow-up points. These can range from finding a market for your idea to researching a question that came up during the thought process. Whether you add these deliverables to your online calendar or put them on index cards with a due date, give your ideas a fighting chance by breaking them into specific actions.

5. Give yourself fair market value for time spent on future-oriented projects. The benefit of working when inspiration strikes is that your best work often comes out of these sessions. Whether you’re an accountant or a marketer, working on a task that you’re excited about often gives you the highest rates of productivity and success. So if you’ve been inspired and spend a few hours creating the flyer for next season’s event, reward yourself with a break. The hours you just put in are a fair exchange for the hours you would have put into the project later, so don’t feel like you have to knock out every goal you came in with earlier. Let your time be flexible and you’ll find that you spend most hours working on projects you love.

photo credit: me and the sysop

You’ve probably heard of the “pay yourself first” idea before. It’s common advice in the personal finance world, since it’s a great way to save. When you pay yourself first, you ensure that you always get a cut of each paycheck, even before the phone company, insurance office, and local pizzeria do. It’s an excellent way to force yourself to save money (essentially, you bill yourself instead settling for the leftovers), and it’s an elegant philosophy.

Take “Pay Yourself First” a Step Further

If “pay yourself first” has helped millions of people to build monetary wealth (it’s a cornerstone of David Bach’s The Automatic Millionaire), can it also help them build a richer life? I think so.

Imagine having a guaranteed time each day just for yourself, to do whatever you’d like. You could indulge yourself, meditate, play a game, catch up with a friend, or simply stare at the walls and breathe deeply. Who has time for that, though? You’ve got to cook dinner, toss in a load of laundry, catch your favorite show, and spend time with the family.

Who Has Time for That? You Do

Unless you’re the President, you do have the time for these blissful moments. However, too many of us place a higher priority on taking care of tasks that have clear and tangible benefits. So taking time to catch your breath and steal a smile gets put on the back burner again. And again. And again. The unfortunate end result of this self-sacrifice is impatience and unhappiness.

If you want to make time for yourself, you’ve got to prioritize it. Just as you can pay yourself first from each paycheck, you can also pay yourself first in your daily schedule. As you pencil appointments in your calendar or create a daily to-do list, include a specific time for yourself. It can be as little as 15 minutes or as much as you need. The trick is to physically schedule yourself in first, before anything else. Everything else can (and will) be scheduled around your dedicated time. You’ll find that you still get everything done, and you’re also having a lot more fun while you’re at it.

Make It Stick with Visual Reminders

It’s well-known that writing something down makes it more memorable. If you don’t specifically write down your scheduled personal time, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll let something else take priority. So get t it in writing. You can:

• Keep a daily “To Do” list
• Mark it on your daily planner
• Schedule it on the monthly family calendar
• Set a reminder on your phone
• Create a task on Backpack

One of the best reasons to actually mark down this appointment is that not only will you respect the appointment, but your family, friends, and coworkers will as well. That’s the bottom line: to take control of your own time, you need to prioritize what’s truly important and stick to it. The dishes can wait. The lawn can get an inch taller. But you’ve got to start living your life today. Don’t just hope for a few stolen minutes during a lull. Take back your time by paying yourself first.