Do you ever feel like it’s all too much? Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

Create a User Manual for Your Life

Have you ever asked yourself, what would happen if I wasn't here to manage this?

Usually, this question comes from a place of frustration, when we feel we are not getting the support that we need.

For the most part, there are two main causes that lead us to feel unsupported.

The first is that we may be surrounding ourselves with people that don't value us and our relationship in the way that we need.

The second is that we may not be communicating that we need support and how those around us can help.

Creating a "User Manual" for yourself or your family will provide a guide to your life and your responsibilities and ultimately help you to feel less overwhelmed day-to-day.

Getting Started

Finding yourself overwhelmed is not anything new or groundbreaking. It happens to even the most organized and disciplined people. However, when we feel less overwhelmed, we are more likely to have the time and energy to give and receive emotional support.

Maybe your partner is not great at providing emotional support, but is happy to pick up one of your administrative tasks, such as renewing the car insurance. By detailing all your family’s important information, your partner is able to step in and you can spend time with a friend who is able to give you the emotional support you need.

Alternatively, what if you become ill and aren't able to manage all the administrative items that you typically are responsible for? Now there is a guide so that your family and friends have all the information they need to support you.

The Benefits of Creating a Family Manual:

Creates an organized and detailed list of all your family’s important information.
Supports you in deciding what tasks or actions can be delegated.
Allows others to step in and support you in times of need.

What to include in your Family Manual:

A notification list.
A personal information page for each family member.
Important health information, such as health insurance, primary doctors, allergies, and important medical history.
Information on any professionals you work with, such as an accountant or financial advisor.
Information on how your taxes are processed yearly.
A copy of one statement from all your checking, savings, retirement, investment, HSA & 529 accounts.
A copy of one statement from each credit card.
One copy of each reoccurring bill, such as utilities, Netflix and AAA.
A copy of one statement from each insurance policy.
Passwords to your phone, computer, and password manager.
Your estate documents.
Important documents, such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and social security cards.
A list of instructions for any safety deposit boxes.

In conjunction with keeping your Estate Documents up to date, I believe that maintaining a Family Manual is the best gift you can give your family. In difficult times, it's one less thing your family has to worry about.

Additional Resources

I highly recommend the book, "Get It Together" by Melanie Cullen. This is not a book you need to read cover to cover, but it's a great reference to have in order to organize your family's information.

Learn more

Feeling Overwhelmed?

We understand how challenging and scary it can be to start something new. If you feel excited about implementing this strategy, but worry that it’s just too much to start on your own, the It’s All in the Planning Started Pak was designed for you!

get started

A Note from Happy Spaces

The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:

Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.

We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.

Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®

Sincerely,

Sarah Weingarten

Meet Sarah

Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.

Create a Manual for Your Life