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Can One Sentence Make You Happy?
I am one of those people who loves the idea of keeping a journal, but has never really committed to making it a habit.
Photo by Caleb George on Unsplash
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
Can a One-Sentence Journal Make You Happier?
As we enter the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and feel rather bah humbug. The last few years have been hard. It’s important to acknowledge that and find peace in where we are today.
I am one of those people who love the idea of keeping a journal, but have never really committed to making it a habit.
Then I learned about a tool called the One-Sentence Journal. What a perfect compromise to be able to record your memories without having to make a large time commitment.
Getting Started
How would one use a One-Sentence Journal?
The more I researched, the more ways I learned people were using a One-Sentence Journal.
Record a special memory from that day.
Use as a gratitude journal.
Record your dreams for the future.
Record your dreams from the night before.
Record your weight loss journey.
Record your journey starting a new business.
Record your travels.
Record your child's special moments or a funny thing they said, for them to have one day.
As someone who is very "all or nothing" I jumped in with both feet.
I purchased Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project One-Sentence Journal: A Five-Year Record".
I really liked the idea of writing down a memory from each day and seeing your memories from that day for five years in a row. It turns out that a "Five-Year Journal" is another name for the "One-Sentence Journal".
In practice, I love being able to look back at the memories from random days. One challenge I found, was that many of my best memories happened while I was away, and depending on how I was traveling, it wasn't always worth it for me to pack the journal and have to carry it.
I also wanted to keep a Gratitude Journal in a One-Sentence Journal format. I decided to repurpose My Favorite Paper Planner, which I no longer had a use for since I went digital, as my Gratitude Journal.
Just pulling out this planner at night makes me happy. For me, this has worked great.
A great way to turn this tool into an activity for the whole family is for everyone to write down, on a strip of paper, their memory of the day, and place that paper in a jar. Keep it on the mantel, or somewhere everyone in your home can see it. Then, on New Year’s Eve, or another special day once a year, read the pieces of paper out loud together. It will be interesting to see which memories were important to your kids - or even your partner!
I also wanted to try keeping a Dream Journal (refer back to my earlier statement that I’m an “all or nothing” person!). Each day for that year I would write down 10 dreams or goals I had. It didn't matter how crazy they sounded.
While I have not been as consistent with the Dreams Journal, I have gained a lot from the experience. There were a number of ideas I listed out as far-fetched "dreams" that have now happened. I am certain that if I hadn't written them down, they would still be ideas floating around in my head. This exercise only takes a few minutes each day, but it has pushed me to take note of my dreams, write them down, and actually think about what it would mean if I could make that dream happen.
So, what I am doing today:
As we all know, life has many different speeds. There are busy seasons and slow seasons.
Today, on most days, I use My Favorite Paper Planner. I write about gratitude, at least 3 days a week. On other days, I write about a special memory I want to preserve.
When life slows down a little, as I am sure it will in the dead of winter, I will likely pull out the Dream Journal and maybe answer a few more of the Journal Questions each night.
Do you think a One-Sentence Journal could add value to your life?
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
As I wrote about in The Science of Gratitude, a gratitude practice needs to be grounded in recalling a story about an experience you are grateful for, a time you received genuine gratitude from someone else, or a time you observed someone else receiving genuine thanks. As I was researching further how journaling and gratitude can support happiness, I took a year and answered a few additional questions each night to help ground myself in the practice.
Below are the questions I found helpful, in case you want to use any of them.
Journal Questions
Think about an experience where you received genuine thanks or you observed someone else receiving genuine thanks. Describe the experience, your state of mind prior, and your state of mind after.
What did I learn or how did I grow today?
Who did I help today?
Three outcomes that I am committed to are:
Three things that I did well today are:
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!
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.
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.
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How to Keep Your Car Organized
Is your car a source of clutter for you? It's important that the car environment we create and maintain supports the life and goals we are working towards.
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
How to keep your car organized and clear of clutter.
Let me guess. You took a road trip to visit family for Thanksgiving. You’re back home and when you open that mini-van door a plethora of toys, books, coloring utensils, and french fries come pouring out (along with your children, of course). Please, don’t be embarrassed - this happens A LOT.
For many of us, we spend quite a bit of time in our car, whether there’s a holiday road trip involved or not. Therefore, it's important that the car environment we create and maintain supports the life and goals we are working towards.
I have found that focusing on the value of maintaining the car environment you want is the best place to focus.
It only takes a few minutes a day to maintain a clean car, but it can take hours to create a clean car, if you let it go for a few weeks, especially if you have kids.
Getting Started
Research says it can take up to 30 days to start a new habit. That’s all cleaning your car daily is - a new habit. It's common to want to start something new, but then repeatedly forget to make it a part of your day.
I would recommend setting an alarm on your phone, that repeats daily, to remind you to "Clear Out Car". Think about when you get home most days and set your alarm for that time.
For example, even if you work from home, you leave to take a Pilates class during your lunch hour each day and return home around 1 p.m. Set your alarm for 1 p.m. Don't worry if there are multiple days a week where the timing is different and you still forget. As long as you are going through the motions a few days a week, your brain will slowly start to create the habit of checking the car for what you need to bring in before going directly into the house.
This habit is a great life skill to teach your kids as well. Plus, the more hands the better, right?
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Keep a trash bag in the car at all times. Depending on how much trash you accumulate, you can decide what size trash bag is best.
Keep a box of trash bags in the trunk, so it is simple to grab a new bag when your current trash bag is full and you need to throw it away.
The easiest way to build a new habit, is to stack it onto a habit that is already in place. Most gas stations have a trash can right next to the pump. One option would be to throw out your trash bag every time you get gas and then start a new trash bag.
If you drink a lot of beverages that come in cans or bottles while in the car, keep a clear recycling bag in the car as well. Keep a box of those in the trunk too, so it's simple to start a new one when the bag is full.
Just like in your house, everything in your car needs a home. It's ok to keep some items in the car, but make sure they have a designated spot. I would recommend any box or bin that is open on the top. If you find it simple to remember what you are "storing" in your car, you may want a bin like this. However, if you routinely forget what you have, I would recommend getting clear bins.
Some items that may make sense to "store" in the car are reusable shopping bags, umbrellas, an extra blanket, and sports equipment you use regularly. Plus, it’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit.
You may want to have a Utility Tote Bag that is specifically for carrying items between your car and your house. It's not uncommon for items to accumulate in your car throughout the day. At the end of the day, you should bring in all items that do not "live" in your car and disperse them to their proper homes. Having a Tote Bag, that lives in your car, can help you do this in one trip.
Like any new habit, clearing out your car at the end of each day may feel overwhelming at the start. However, the more you do it, the more you will appreciate that it only takes a few minutes and it means you will never have to "clean out" your car again.
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!
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.
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.
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The Science of Gratitude
If you are new to mediation, the first step may be understanding what meditation is and what it is not.
Photo by Mark Tegethoff on Unsplash
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
The Science of Gratitude
Why does practicing gratitude matter?
There is growing scientific evidence that the practice of gratitude is what builds a "happier life". While most achievements and accomplishments may bring short-term improvements to one's mood, these improvements don't last. We quickly return to our "status quo".
Gratitude is one way to build a measurably happier life.
Below are some of the benefits of building a gratitude practice:
Benefits of Gratitude
More satisfaction with life
Builds resilience
Lowers stress
Less likely to experience burnout
Strengthens relationships
Better sleep
Better physical health
What does an effective gratitude practice look like?
Unfortunately, making a list of things you are grateful for does not seem to be that effective.
Your gratitude practice needs to be grounded in recalling a story about an experience you are grateful for, a time you received genuine gratitude from someone else, or a time you observed someone else receiving genuine thanks.
“Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
- Robert Brault
Getting Started
Where do I start?
Your gratitude practice needs to be grounded in a narrative that is meaningful to you.
"My gratitude practice is founded on me receiving genuine thanks."
"My gratitude practice is founded on me observing someone else receiving genuine thanks."
Think about an experience where you received genuine thanks or you observed someone else receiving genuine thanks.
Write down a few bullet points reminding you of your narrative about why gratitude is meaningful to you and how this experience impacted you.
What state of mind were you in before you received the gratitude?
What state of mind were you in after you received the gratitude?
Read what you wrote and spend one to three minutes thinking about it.
It is recommended that you complete this gratitude exercise at least three times a week.
How to make gratitude a habit:
Pick what time of day and days of the week you think will work best for you.
While the science shows that you only need to practice gratitude three days a week, you may have a much easier time being consistent if you do this habit daily or on weekdays.
Is there another current habit that you already perform at the time you picked, that you can stack your gratitude practice on top of?
It could be with your morning coffee, after you brush your teeth in the evening, or right when you get into bed at night.
Think about how you are going to remember to practice gratitude as you start to implement this new habit.
Maybe you want to leave your gratitude journal next to the coffee pot or on your bed?
You may also want to set an alarm as a reminder.
The good news is, if your goal is to practice gratitude daily, and you are successful daily-ish (3 days a week) you should experience the benefits.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend the Podcast episode, “The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice” by the Huberman Lab Podcast (Episode 47).
Here is a link if you would prefer to watch it.
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!
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.
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Are Your Estate Documents Up To Date?
If you are new to mediation, the first step may be understanding what meditation is and what it is not.
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
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
Are Your Estate Documents Finalized & Up To Date?
When I was launched Happy Spaces in 2016, I imagined a career filled with organizing beautiful clothing closets, color-coded bookcases, and gourmet kitchens. What I quickly came to realize was that paper was where my clients struggled the most.
By setting up individualized paperwork systems that were easy to maintain, they were able to take care of their priorities and spend more time on what mattered most.
In setting up these systems, I was amazed at how many clients had not completed their Estate Documents. As someone who likes to plan ahead, having an Estate Plan has always been important to me. My feeling is that the more you plan for the unexpected, the less likely it is to happen, but if it does, at least you have a path to follow.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." Benjamin Franklin
I also know that while we all plan to live long healthy lives, tragedy happens; my mother died when I was four, which was completely unexpected.
Working as a Professional Organizer, I have had the privilege of supporting families through the difficult time following the loss of a loved one. I have learned that this process is never easy, but can be so much more challenging if their estate was not in order and their wishes were not clear.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and many of us planning to spend time with family, now might be a good time to (re)visit our estate plans.
NOTE: I am NOT a lawyer and this is not legal advice. From my experience, below are some thoughts that you may find helpful.
Getting Started
Isn’t an estate lawyer expensive?
While it is true that hiring an estate lawyer costs money, I would challenge you to think of it as a long-term investment. Think back to all the times you have invested in your health and your future - that Peloton you purchased in 2020 or the meal kits you have shipped to your house weekly. It's likely those investments are similar in cost to hiring an estate lawyer.
However, if you don't have the funds to hire an estate lawyer, there are other options. It's not all or nothing.
There are online tools that can help, such as Legal Zoom and Suze Orman's Will & Trust Kit.
Lastly, you might want to look into the benefits that your company offers. Many companies offer employee wellness programs and many of them include connecting you with an Estate Lawyer, often discounted or free as a benefit to employment, to complete your basic Estate Documents.
What estate documents do I need?
There are two types of documents and they both are equally important.
The first set of documents will support you and your family if something were to happen while you are alive and you needed help making medical and financial decisions.
Health Care Proxy / Health Care Power of Attorney - this document allows you to designate who you want to make health care decisions for you and to provide guidance for those decisions.
Living Will - this document outlines your wishes for end-of-life medical care.
Financial Power of Attorney - this document allows you to designate who you want to make financial decisions for you.
The second set of documents will support you and your family if you were to pass away.
Will - this document defines who you want to be in charge of your estate, as well as your wishes for how your assets will be dispersed.
Guardianship for Minors - it is critical that you designate who you wish to be the guardian for your children, should something happen.
Trust - there are many types of trusts. One you may want to consider is a Living Revocable Trust. By creating this trust, your family can avoid probate, both simplifying the process and avoiding extra legal fees.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
How will my family know what to do if something happens to me?
I recommend creating a "Family Manual" as a guide to your life and what's important to you. Go to happyspacesbysarah.com/services for my recommendations on what to include in your manual.
In my opinion, having an estate plan is the best present you can give those you love. Let them know what's important to you; don't make them have to guess.
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!
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.
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Projects vs. Next Actions
You are not alone if you find yourself consistently underestimating how long tasks will take.
Photo by Thay Pellerin on Unsplash
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
The Value of Differentiating Projects from Next Actions
David Allen is a productivity expert who created the time management method called "Getting Things Done”.
What I love most about "Getting Things Done" and how David details it out in his books, is that you can gain value from the individual steps, even if you feel like the process, as a whole, is too much.
One step that I would recommend implementing into your day-to-day planning is differentiating between Projects and Next Actions.
What is a Project?
According to David Allen, "Projects are defined as outcomes that will require more than one action step to complete and that you can mark off as finished in the next 12 months."
What is a Next Action?
"A Next Action is the next specific, concrete thing you can do now to move a project forward," writes David Allen.
Getting Started
How do I implement a Project vs. a Next Action?
Start by creating your Project List. This list is a living document, so don't stress about forgetting to include a project.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and write down every outcome you are working to achieve in the next year.
Pro tip: Reference your calendar, to-do list, email inbox, piles of paper on your desk, and/or piles of "to-do" items lying around your office and house.
After you have created your Project List, it's time to create your Next Action List.
For each project on your Project List, list out one next action on your Next Action List. Each action should be a single step task that will move the project forward. There may be multiple single step tasks that you could do next. I recommend just picking one next action and adding it to the list.
Sample Project List
Complete Estate Documents
Plan Birthday Party for Kate
2021 Taxes
Launch Side Hustle
Return Amazon Order
Sample Next Action List
Text Jen, Dan, and Laura for recommendations on an estate lawyer.
Ask Kate what kind of party she wants.
Print out the email from my accountant listing out all the documents that are needed, gather all the documents that I have and check them off the list, and highlight all the documents that I still need to get or am still waiting on.
Schedule time on my calendar to go to the bank and open a business checking and savings account.
Go on Amazon and submit return online. Check my calendar and schedule what day I want to go to the UPS store and drop off the item.
What are the benefits to creating two separate lists, a Project List and a Next Action List?
This exercise breaks tasks down into bite size pieces that can be achieved in smaller time increments.
If you have only 5 minutes, it's easy to find a 5 minute Next Action.
Projects that are boring, but important, are easier to get started on. Just take one small baby step at a time.
You don't have to decide what Next Action to take. You already made that decision. You can save your brain power for the actual work!
Additional Resources
Below are the David Allen books that I recommend:
I listen to these books about once a year. I always find a new idea that adds value to where I am today.
These books include a lot of information. I would recommend reading or listening to the whole book first and then deciding how you want to use the strategies to improve your life.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
On a weekly basis, review both your Project List and Next Acton List. There should always be one Next Action for each Project. If you checked off the Next Action you had listed, then add a new Next Action.
While some of your Next Actions may be time sensitive, many won't be. Let your energy level guide you. If you are feeling low energy, you may want to process the Amazon return. However, if you are feeling motivated, it might be the perfect time to schedule opening your business bank accounts and then gather those boring tax documents.
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!
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.
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.
Follow Me
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Color Code Your Calendar
The key to being successful with managing your time is being able to see your time.
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
Calendar hack: Color Code your Appointments by Category
I know what you’re thinking; we spend a lot of time talking about calendar hacks. But let’s be realistic, our calendars make or break our time management.
The key to being successful with managing your time is being able to see your time. Your calendar is like a puzzle. You should be able to see where each piece fits, so it's clear when and where you are going to take each action. If an action takes longer than anticipated, as they often do, you can easily see where space is open. This allows you to move tasks and actions as needed. Remember, there are only 24 hours in a day and the vast majority of us need 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Getting Started
I highly recommend an electronic calendar. One advantage is the ability to color code all of your appointments by category. This will allow your brain to see what type of action is listed, before you even read what the appointment says.
Additional benefits to using an electronic calendar.
You can create recurring appointments.
You can see how well your time is balanced.
It's easy to move appointments around as your time shifts.
You can keep all related info in the appointment, such as location of meeting, Zoom link and whose attending.
You can accept others’ calendar invites.
You can easily create appointments, by clicking a link, after registering for an event or making a reservation.
For this to be successful, you need to make a color key that designates the color for each category.
I would recommend having this key handy when updating your calendar for the first few weeks. One option would be to list the color and category on a post-in note and keep it on your computer. It will take a little time for your brain to learn the meaning behind each color.
How does color-coding work in real life?
The first step is to spend a few minutes looking at your calendar and determining what types of categories your appointments fall into. Note: for this blog post, appointments are simply the time slot on your calendar. Appointments include meetings, tasks, doctors appointments, birthday reminders, etc.
Below are some examples:
Client / Revenue Generating Appointments
Marketing / Networking Appointments
Administrative Tasks
Growth / Business Development Appointments
Personal / Family / Fun Appointments
Birthday Reminders
The next step is to designate a color for each category.
The final step is to create a physical key, that is within your line of vision while updating your calendar, for you to reference while you implement this strategy.
Our goal here is good enough, not perfect. As you and your life grow and change, you can always update your categories and the corresponding colors. This is an easy and relatively simple strategy to implement, that can have a profound impact on managing your time.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend the book, "Time Management from the Inside Out," by Julie Morgenstern
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
I recommend using both “All Day Appointments” and “Time-Based Appointments”.
How to use "All Day Appointments"
“All Day appointments” do not block off your calendar. They sit at the top of your day.
Below are examples of how to use "All Day Appointments".
Birthday Reminders
Tasks that have to happen on a certain day, but are not time specific and should take fifteen minutes or less.
For example: Make a doctor's appointment, schedule a call with your accountant, or buy a birthday present.
If you implement this strategy, it is important that you have time designated (open) on your calendar to do these daily tasks each day.
Actions that you need to take on a repeated basis, but are not time specific and will take longer than fifteen minutes.
For example, if you pay your bills once a month between the 15th and the 25th, you may want to have a reoccurring "All Day Appointment" each month on the 15th.
When you check your calendar on the week of the 15th, I would recommend creating a “Time-Based Appointment” to set a specific time within your week.
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!
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.
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.
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Have You Tried Time Blocking?
Time Blocking is a common tool for improving Time Management.
Photo by Courtney Corlew on Unsplash
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
Have You Tried Time Blocking?
Time Blocking is a common tool for improving Time Management.
There are two main advantages to using this tool:
You can clearly see when you are planning to work on your tasks and for how long.
By setting Time Blocks for the tasks that you are prioritizing, it is easier to see where to reschedule the Time Block, if your planned time did not happen or was not long enough.
What tasks should you Time Block?
I would recommend scheduling Time Blocks for all deep work that you plan to prioritize for the week.
I would also recommend scheduling Time Blocks for Project work. This may or may not be deep work. It's important to schedule time to work on long-term projects, so that they feel less overwhelming and are not left to the last minute.
You may also want to schedule Time Blocks for:
Prep - Prior to scheduled meetings, it can be helpful to review your notes and determine what you want to gain from the meeting.
Post Meeting Download - Following your meetings or client calls, it is beneficial to take 5 - 15 minutes to update your notes and add each follow-up task to your Action lists.
Small Task Time Block - Set time aside for small tasks that are greater than 2 minutes, but less than 20 minute.
Email - Setting aside 2 or 3 Time Blocks each day for email will help you focus throughout the rest of your day.
All tasks that NEED to be completed within the week.
Getting Started
The Pre-Work
For many people, it is helpful to start planning on paper.
The first step is to choose a paper planner that works for you.
Your Planner should include:
A weekly view that lists out the day in at least half-hour increments.
A space to list out your priorities for that week.
The planner is a tool to help you learn:
How to Time Block
How to see what time is actually available.
How to make adjustments when "Life Happens".
For most of us, there is not a clear line between our work day and our personal time.
Understanding this, I recommend writing in all your personal and work commitments at the start.
Time Blocking is a bit of a puzzle and it's helpful to see where your open time is and where you have commitments.
Below are examples of personal responsibilities/commitments that I would recommend writing in for the first few months:
Wake Up
Shower & Get Ready
Meditate
Work Out
Drop kids at daycare
Breakfast
Pack Lunch
Lunch
Pickup kids at daycare
Cook Dinner
Dinner
Clean Kitchen
Watch TV
Go on Social Media
Grocery Shop
Laundry
Pick up Prescriptions
Check Personal Email
You may think it's strange that I included time for TV and Social Media. What I have found is that we all tend to make time for certain activities that we feel help us unwind. Whether it's going to bed later or skipping another task that you had planned to do, these activities tend to always happen, so it's important to account for them.
Let's Get Started:
You are going to need to set aside 30-60 minutes on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday to plan out the following week.
The first step is to write-in the daily tasks that you routinely do. This is critical in order to see what time is available.
Next you want to look at your electronic calendar and write in all your meetings and commitments for the next week.
At this point, it should be clear how much time you have available for your "work".
Take a look at your Action lists and Project lists and write down everything that NEEDS to be done in the next week.
Take a look at your Action lists and Project lists and write down everything that you would LIKE to work on in the next week.
Now take a look at your Action lists and Project lists and write down 1-3 items that are IMPORTANT, but that do NOT NEED to be done.
Pick 1 item that you listed as IMPORTANT and write it in your planner for the time you are going to work on it. Pick a time that you think you will be at your peak performance. For most people, this is towards the beginning of their day.
Next, write in all the tasks that NEED to be done.
Depending on how much time you still have available, you can add Time Blocks for the remaining item - tasks that you would like to work on and additional IMPORTANT tasks.
However, make sure you have at least 2 hours of open time each day. Otherwise, you are just overbooking yourself and setting yourself up for failure.
We know meetings run late and tasks often take longer than expected. It's important to plan for this.
It is important to review your planner towards the end of each day.
Are there any tasks that you did not get to?
If so, what open time slot does it make the most sense to move it to?
Are there any tasks that you worked on, but didn't finish?
Does the task need to be finished this week or can you finish it next week?
For the personal responsibilities / commitments that you blocked off time for, are these times accurate?
Were there any new tasks that were added to your plate that you need to work on this week?
Do you have time to add the new task to your week?
Do you have to take another task off your schedule, in order to make time for the new task?
When to transition to an electronic calendar:
After two to three months, many clients feel comfortable moving to an electronic calendar.
However, some clients find that it's best for them to continue to Time Block their day on paper.
The time we spend planning is well worth the investment. It allows us to be certain that we are working on our priorities, we are spacing out our effort so that the quality of our work improves, and that we are not forgetting about important tasks.
The benefits to using an electronic calendar are:
It saves time.
By using repeat calendar appointments, you don't have to start from scratch each week.
It's much quicker to move appointments around on the calendar, as your schedule changes throughout the week.
It is always available and accessible.
How to Setup your Electronic Calendar:
Review your last few weeks from your planner.
Create reoccurring appointments for the tasks that you work on daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Color Code the Tasks by Category.
Schedule 30-60 minutes on Friday, Saturday or Sunday to plan out the following week.
At the end of your day, review your electronic calendar and see if any time blocks need to be moved or duplicated.
I would recommend duplicating an appointment, if you did work on it for the allotted time, but didn't finish the task.
Additional Resources
The planner I have used the most with clients, as a tool for learning how to see their time and use Time Blocking as a way to prioritize, is the Passion Planner.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Many clients have found it valuable to Time Block a 1-2 hour window each week for "Deep Work". This allows you to hold a time where you feel you will be most productive and then label it with the specific task when you are doing your weekly plan.
Many clients have also found it valuable to Time Block 1-hour once or twice a week for Action items that correspond to their Project lists. I call this my "Getting Things Done" hour. You may find it helpful for one hour to be work related and one hour to be personal. This assures that your projects are moving forward and not consistently being pushed to the back burner. Any task that you think will be 20 minutes or less, fits this category well. Since these smaller tasks don’t feel like they take that long, we tend to not schedule them, thinking we will "squeeze" them in. But how often do you have an extra 20 minutes (that you aren’t randomly scrolling social media)?
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!
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.
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.
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Where Does Your Time Go?
Time is our most valuable resource.
Photo by Isaiah Bekkers on Unsplash
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
Can You See Where Your Time is Going?
Time is our most valuable resource.
As a kid, I used to imagine that I could stop time, learn something new, and then restart the clock and magically impress everyone with my new trick. How very Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter Series of me!
How amazing would this be?
Until someone, much smarter than me, figures out how to make this dream a reality, we only have so much time.
Many of you will agree that there are seasons in life; we can have it all, but not all at once.
The challenge is not knowing how many seasons we have and deciding what can wait and what we should prioritize now.
Today we are going to focus on being able to see our time!
What is a Time Map?
For the purpose of today's exercise, a Time Map is a visual representation of all of your available time and all the specific tasks you worked on during each time slot.
The Benefits of Completing a Time Map
You can see how you're spending your time.
It will help you stay accountable.
It will guide you in deciding what changes you want to make.
It can act as a tool when meeting with your boss to discuss your performance and upcoming projects.
Getting Started
Step 1: Decide what template you want to use.
I would highly recommend doing this exercise by hand.
You are welcome to use this template or to create your own. If you would prefer to have this template in Excel, so that you can adjust the start and end times, please email me at Sarah@HappySpacesBySarah.com.
The template should include all hours you are awake and should list out those times for an entire week.
Please make sure to include your days off.
For example, if you wake up at 5:30AM on weekdays and go to bed at 10:00PM, but on weekends go to bed at 1:00AM and wakeup whenever the kids come in, then your template needs to start at 5:30AM and end at 1:00AM.
Step 2: Decide what week you want to do this exercise.
I would recommend choosing a week that is pretty typical. Don't choose a week where you know you are going to be feeling overwhelmed, but also don't choose a week where it's quieter than normal.
You can start on whatever day will be easiest for you. If you always feel overwhelmed on Mondays, maybe you want to start on a Tuesday, or even a Thursday.
Put it on your calendar!
Step 3: Print out your template and put it somewhere visible, where it is easy to update throughout the day.
Make sure you have a pen or pencil with your template.
Step 4: Fill out your template for one week.
You want to write-in each task you are doing during the corresponding time slot.
It's helpful to have smaller time slots, so you can be more specific. I would recommend starting with 30-minute time slots. For some, it can be helpful to use a template with 15-minute time slots.
Step 5: Analyzing your Time Map
Take a few minutes to review your Time Map and the tasks that you listed throughout the week.
Make a list of the categories each task falls under.
Below are some common categories:
Connecting with Family & Friends
Community / Spirituality / Giving Back
Health
Home
Administrative Tasks
Financial Tasks
Maintenance Tasks
Restorative Time
Work
Emails
Administrative Tasks
Marketing Tasks
Growth Tasks
Meetings
Project Work / Deep Work
Quality Time with Kids
Quality Time with Partner
Assign a color to each category.
You can either use highlighters to color code each task with it's corresponding category color or you can type your Time Map into Excel and highlight it electronically.
After color coding your Time Map, ask yourself the below questions:
Which category am I spending the most time on?
Which category am I spending the least time on?
Are there any categories that are important to me, but didn't even make the Time Map?
What is one category that I want to spend more time on?
What is one category that I want to spend less time on?
What’s next?
For the category you want to spend more time on:
Decide what corresponding project, task, or activity you want to do next week to meet your goal.
Plan it out.
If you want to spend more quality time with your partner, your plan may include:
Asking your partner what they want to do?
Asking your partner when they are available?
Hiring a babysitter
Making a reservation
Purchasing tickets
If you want to spend more time working on an important work project:
Block off your calendar for the least amount of time you need to meet your goal.
Treat this time like it's your most important meeting because that is exactly what you are determining it is!
Do NOT cancel or move this Time Block, other than for a TRUE emergency.
Put it on the calendar and invite all participants. Yes, including friends and family.
For the category that you want to spend less time on:
List out the specific tasks that need to get done.
Review the list of tasks that need to get done.
Are there any tasks that you can delegate?
Delegate Options
Can your partner or another associate do it?
Can your babysitter or your assistant do it?
Can you hire someone to do it?
Can you automate it, so that it takes a lot less time going forward?
If there is one task that can be delegated or automated, make implementing that your priority for next week.
List out the tasks that you sometimes do under this category, but do not NEED to do.
Make a DO NOT DO list for all the tasks that do not need to get done next week.
Choose an accountability partner and let them know what's on your DO NOT DO List.
Set a date and time that you are going to call them at the end of the week to check-in and let them know how you did. This can be a 5 minute phone call, but it's important that you personalize this so that you feel more accountable.
Remember, work can be a means of procrastination. It's not about getting more done, it's about getting the important stuff done.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend the book, "Time Management from the Inside Out" by Julie Morgenstern.
I originally recommended Julie’s book in the post Are You Making Time for What Matters Most? and cannot say enough great things about it.
This book breaks down Time Management into bite-size ideas and provides specific actions you can take to see improvements in your life.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Set your alarm! Set three to five alarms throughout the day to remind yourself to stop and fill in your Time Map.
Remember, it's not all or nothing. The goal is not to write down EVERY single task you do. That's not realistic. The goal is to write down enough tasks so that you have enough information to see where your time is going and how you can make adjustments to live your best life.
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!
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.
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.
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Can Multi-Tasking Add Value?
Do you ever find it strange how a single action can be simultaneously described as a super-power and a very inefficient use of your time?
Photo by Fivos Avgerinos on Unsplash
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
Can Multi-Tasking Add Value?
Do you ever find it strange how a single action can be simultaneously described as a super-power and a very inefficient use of your time?
I often feel like this about the term multi-tasking.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines multi-tasking as "the performance of multiple tasks at one time".
When looking closely at the definition, I think some of the confusion comes more into focus.
The brain cannot perform multiple tasks, that involve thought, at the same time.
If you look a little closer at the individuals who actually appear to be great at multitasking, what you will find is that they are skilled at switching between tasks. Some of this may be natural and some of it may be systems they setup so that they can switch between tasks effectively.
An example of this would be someone working at the Front Desk of a hotel. They may have a list of items that they need to take care of, while also caring for the hotel guests that need service. While it may appear that they are multi-tasking, by checking a guest in, taking care of an item on their list, and then helping another guest with a housekeeping request, what is actually happening is that they are slowly working through their list, pausing when a guest needs assistance, and then going back to their list when they have finished caring for the guest.
Getting Started
Depending on the career you chose, it may be important to be able to switch between tasks quickly. In fact, you may love the fast pace environment this type of work provides. However, I would note, that while this can be a valuable and necessary skill, there is always time lost in switching between tasks.
The good news is, I think there is value to be gained from multi-tasking. The pitfalls of multi-tasking revolve around actions that involve thought. However, there are many thoughtless actions we take everyday. Multi-tasking is one way to spice it up.
What boring and thoughtless activities are on your to do list?
A few ideas:
Dishes
Laundry
Cooking
Opening the Mail
Errands
Commuting
Phone Calls
Required Work Trainings
What passive activities bring you joy?
A few ideas:
Listening to music, an audiobook, or podcast
Watching your favorite TV shows
Taking a walk
Is there a passive activity you could combine with your boring tasks to make it more fun?
Below are a few ideas:
If you have required reading that you have been putting off, try listening to the book while taking a walk in nature. This is also great when listening to recorded webinars!
Do you hate doing the dishes? Listen to a fun audiobook at the same time.
Have you stopped using your Peloton? Watch your favorite TV series only while on your bike.
Not a fan of folding laundry? Make a playlist of songs you love and only listen to it when folding clothes.
There are so many combinations. Think about what can add joy to your life and help you accomplish the mundane tasks.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Keep in Mind:
For multi-tasking to work effectively, both activities need to not involve much thinking. For example, cooking may require no concentration for many of you, but this is not true for me. Listening to an audiobook, while making dinner, doesn't work for me. I am too focused on not messing up the meal, that I miss the story.
Just because an activity is boring, does not mean it's thoughtless. Email is a great example of this.
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!
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.
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.
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Do You Have a System to Manage Your Mail?
Incoming mail is one of the most common sources of overwhelm in the homes of clients I work with.
Photo by Mourad Saadi on Unsplash
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
Do You Have a System to Manage Your Mail?
Incoming mail is one of the most common sources of overwhelm in the homes of clients I work with.
Mail feels as if it never stops, easily piles up (it does!), and most people just don’t want to look at it or deal with it.
Getting Started
Below is the system I setup with clients:
Decide what day(s)you are going to check your mail.
If you live in a house, this may have to be daily.
However, if you live in an apartment building with a mailroom, I would recommend picking one or two days a week to get the mail.
Open all the mail before you "bring it into your home".
This step is critical. Do not get the mail if you do not have enough time to do this step. For many clients, this only takes 5 minutes; however, if you get a lot of mail, it may take 15 minutes.
If you live in an apartment building, with a mailroom, I recommend opening your mail in the mailroom. There should be a recycling bin in the mailroom.
If you live in a home, I recommend having a set place you go to immediately to open the mail.
Places to open the mail:
Mailroom
Front Entrance Table
Kitchen Island
Kitchen Table
Home Office
Dinning Room Table
The place you choose to open your mail, should be conveniently located near your paper recycling bin, your shredder and your "Inbox", where you keep mail that needs "To Be Reviewed".
When opening your mail, you should create three piles.
Recycle
Shred
To Be Reviewed
It is important to have a set of rules for what mail you are going to review and what you are comfortable immediately recycling or shredding. This step is the key to reducing the feeling of overwhelm, when picking up the mail.
For Example:
Shred without opening: All pieces of mail that are clearly junk mail.
Recycle: Specific catalogs, promotional mail from your alma mater, donation requests and all envelopes.
If you have any hesitation about deciding if something should be recycled or shredded, just shred it.
It's fine to shred items, without opening them, if you are 100% confident you don't need to look at them. If you have any hesitation, go ahead and open it first.
All items in your "To Be Reviewed Pile" should be opened and ready to be reviewed.
Recycle all items in your "Recycle" pile.
Shred all items in your "Shred" pile.
I do recommend you buy a shredder. They are not expensive and you can find small ones that don't take up much space.
Place all items from your "To Be Reviewed" pile in your "Inbox".
You may need to buy a box or basket, to create a home for your "Inbox". The box or basket should be at least 9 inches by 12 inches and should be open on the top. Many clients have preferred a box that was a bit larger, such as 10 inches by 14 inches.
Your "Inbox" should live in the space where you will process the tasks that the "To Be Reviewed" pile includes.
Schedule a time on your calendar to process your "Inbox" once a week.
I would start with 20 minutes a week, so that it feels less overwhelming.
After a few months, you may want to adjust this to a time that is more realistic, based on how many items are in your "Inbox".
It's important to review your "Inbox" on a weekly basis. However, It may work best for you to process different items at different times. For example, you may decide to only process your bills on the third week of the month.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend the blog by Dawn George Organizing, “How to Opt-Out of Mail, E-Mail & Phone Calls.”
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
It's common that many of the items that end up in your "Inbox" would not have been added to the your To-Do List, if they hadn't come in the mail. I give you permission to let these go.
For example: Catalogs, Donation Solicitations, Alumni Magazines
Letting these items go physically, doesn't mean they never happen. It does mean it's more intentional.
For example: Catalogs - Create a list of you favorite places to shop. When you need something, reference that list to see where to go online.
For example: Donation Solicitations - Create a list of charities you want to support. Decide how much you want to give each month and make donations a part of your process for managing your monthly bills. Many charities have a recurring giving option on their website and will charge a credit card each month in a specified amount.
For example: Alumni Magazine - I recommend having some rules around how long you are allowed to keep this, without reading it. If a new Alumni Magazine arrives before you have read the last Alumni Magazine, which is living in your "Inbox", you must recycle the old Alumni Magazine, before adding the new one to your "Inbox". If you find that 6 months have gone by and you haven't read the Alumni Magazine, you might want to set a rule to recycle it right away.
I recommend taking some time to reduce your incoming mail.
Are you still receiving statements for bills that are on AutoPay?
In most cases, it would be beneficial to switch these statements to email delivery.
If you need the statement for your taxes, you may want to continue getting it in the mail.
If you rarely look at your email, it may also be beneficial to continue getting the statement in the mail. Once you have reviewed it, you can shred it.
For Reducing Junk Mail -
I recommend PaperKarma. It is a paid service that will eliminate the majority of junk mail you receive. It may take between 90 days and 6 months to go into full effect, depending on how far in advance the materials were printed and addressed.
You can also call each individual company and request to be removed from their mailing list and to not have your info sold. This is very effective, but also very time consuming.
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!
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.
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The Secret to Staying Organized
How many times have you spent all day Sunday cleaning your room, to find the floor covered with stuff a week later?
Photo by mohammad alizade on Unsplash
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
The Secret to Staying Organized
As a Certified Professional Organizer, I am often asked what is the secret to staying organized.
The key word being "staying".
How many times have you spent all day Sunday cleaning your room, to find the floor covered with stuff a week later?
The secret is two part: letting go of all the extra stuff and making sure every items has a clearly designated home.
Getting Started
Part One: Why letting go matters?
The more things you own, the more things you need to "organize".
When working with clients, I am often asked, "How long do you spend putting things away?"
The reality is not very long.
In fact, I spend much less time "picking-up" than my clients do.
Pop culture loves to promote minimalism as owning as little as possible. But, they are missing the point. Minimalism is all about being intentional about what you choose to bring into your life.
Letting go of all the stuff that is not adding value to your life will save you time. Kids toys are an easy example to use. Your kids have a play kitchen with play food. They love to dump it all out, play with it (usually for just few minutes) and then forget about it.
It's up to you how much play food is available for them dump out and then subsequently needs to be picked up.
Do your kids play with the food longer if there are 75 food items verse 25 food items?
In my experience, they don't. But it will take longer to pick-up 75 food items!
Letting go, reduces the amount of stuff you need to "pick-up" and "put away". This makes staying organized a lot easier.
Ironically, letting go usually saves people money too!
How many times have you bought something, only to find out you had 3 more of them at home?
Part Two: Every item needs a home.
You need to know exactly where every item you own lives. It's important that the homes you create are easily accessible and clear.
As I mentioned earlier, my clients are often shocked when I let them know that I don't designate any time, on a weekly basis, to "pick-up" the house.
Instead, I take 5 - 10 minutes when I come home to put away everything I brought in. This includes everything from the jacket I am wearing, to my new Target purchases, to the items in my work bag.
I also spend 5-10 minutes every morning putting away the dishes in the kitchen.
I know what you’re thinking: "This idea sounds great, but it can't possibly only take 10 minutes when you get home to put everything away?"
The good news is, If you create clear accessible homes for all your stuff, it can! Simply designate exactly where the item will live. Depending on how often you use that item, will determine how accessible it needs to be.
If the home is in a drawer, I would highly recommend investing in drawer dividers so that it's clear where the keys go, verse the box cutter, verse the head phones.
I hate the term junk drawer. It's fine to have a utility drawer the holds items that you use regularly, but these items need designated homes so that they are easy to find, access, and put away.
If the home is on a shelf, I would recommend investing in boxes or open bins. Labeling can help remind you of what belongs in each box and what doesn't.
What if I don't know where I should designate an item to live?
The good news is, there is no right or wrong answer. It's what works for you. If you pick a home, and it's not working, change it!
It's also common for "homes" to change as you use items differently.
If you have young kids that have toys and need batteries all the time, you might want to store them in your utility drawer. However, once the kids get older, having a box of batteries on a shelf in the closet, may work better.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Clear is king!
I would recommend choosing clear bins and boxes whenever possible. The easier it is to see what you have, the easier it is to maintain your organizational systems.
Add Shelving!
When reviewing client's spaces, who have been struggling with staying organized, one of the most common challenges is that there is not enough accessible storage space. Adding shelving to a closet can make all the difference.
Label!
Taking a few minutes to label the bins and boxes, will go a long way toward maintaining the homes you created.
Invest in products that will create functional simple homes.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am not a product person. However, there is no denying the value that having the right product can add.
When designating homes, think about what you need to make the home function best.
If your goal is to hang up your clothes in your closet right away, but you have a million different types of hangers and it's really tight every time you hang a clothing item, purchasing thin non-slip hangers may make all the difference.
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!
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.
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Organizing Closets, Shelves, and Drawers!
How you feel about your surrounding space impacts how effective you will be performing in that space. This is true for both workspaces and family spaces.
Photo by Patrick Ryan on Unsplash
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
Organizing Tips for your Closets, Shelving & Drawers
How you feel about your surrounding space impacts how effective you will be performing in that space. This is true for both workspaces and family spaces. By focusing on your closets, shelving and drawers, you will be creating homes for all your things.
Take a moment to think about it!
Do you feel motivated to try out a new recipe in a kitchen where it's hard to access the items you need?
Do you feel relaxed when you sit down to watch your favorite TV Show after dinner when the room is full of unfinished projects?
Do your kids find it hard to wind down before bed, surrounded by a room full of distractions?
The key to designing spaces that feel calm and motivating is creating homes where things are easily accessible, aesthetically pleasing, and often able to be hidden from your line of sight.
Below are some simple suggestions that you may want to implement so that your spaces support you, your needs, and your personality.
Getting Started
When organizing and finding a home for everything, keep in mind that there are three main steps:
Sort & Declutter
Organize and Create New Homes
Purchase Products & Label
These steps are not only listed in the order they should take place, but are also listed in the order of importance. Letting go of the items that are no longer adding value to your life, is key to creating an organized and functional space. While being organized and having the right products does add value to your life, it can NOT make up for having more stuff than can comfortably fit.
I understand that purchasing organizing products can get expensive. I have helped many clients create organized functional spaces, without purchasing a single item. However, I do think there is an added value when incorporating the right products. While the Container Store is an amazing resource, you can find many products that both look and function similarly, from Amazon, Target, or Walmart.
Getting organized is a journey, not a destination. It's not all or nothing. Choose to do what you think will add the most value now and then add the rest to your list for future projects.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Closet & Shelving Tips
Choose matching thin hangers. I personally like thin felt hangers. They add hanging space to your closet, your clothes shouldn't slip off, and they are budget-friendly.
For your coat closet, I would recommend stronger hangers, such as wood or metal hangers.
When deciding what you want to hang and what you want to fold, keep in mind that hanging clothes is faster than folding clothes.
When clothes are hung, as opposed to folded, it's also easier to see all your options.
Don't underestimate the value of adding shelving to your closets. If possible, choose shelving where the shelf heights can be adjusted.
An inexpensive shelving solution is to add metro shelving to your closets. Metro Shelving is strong, you can set the shelf height to fit your needs, and it's easy to both install and remove. If you are renting, this is a great option! It's also perfect for garages and basements.
Remember, everything needs a home. Use bins and boxes to designate those homes.
Happy Spaces' Resources' page has links to my favorite clear boxes. I love that the tops are also clear.
Make sure to label all your bins and boxes.
Sometimes bins' can be hard to label. Here is one option for labeling bins.
Make sure your boxes and bins only contain one or two categories. Below are some common categories:
Tools
Hardware
Batteries
Electronics
Arts & Crafts
Backup Office Supplies
Backup Toiletries
Travel
Travel Toiletries
Shoe Storage can be a challenge. Below are a few ideas:
Pro Tip: Don't be afraid to store items other than shoes, in the above storage solutions. Using clear, over-the-door shoe bags, can be a great solution for kids' stuff.
Storing purses on shelves is a great solution. These dividers can help them stand up.
If you have deep shelving, use deep pantry bins, so that you don't lose access to the items in the back.
Make sure you don't have too much crammed into your space. It should be easy for you to both remove and put back all items.
You should be able to reach all items that you access regularly, without a step stool.
If you are storing items on a high shelf, that you do need to access from time to time, store a stepstool in the closet. If those items are not easily accessible, you won't use them.
Drawer Tips
Drawers don't work for everyone. There is nothing wrong with using bins or boxes, that are open on top, as opposed to drawers.
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!
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.
Follow Me
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Create a Laundry Schedule
Laundry is easy to push off, until you don't have the pants you need for your work meeting or your kid's soccer shirt is dirty and the game is in a few hours.
Photo by Florian van Schreven on Unsplash
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 Laundry Schedule
The kids are back to school, fall sports are in full swing, and your work day is filled with calls and emails that start with, “Now that summer’s over, we should start thinking about xyz and get moving on the abc project.” A frustration that I hear often is that there is just not enough time. As a result, the first thing many of us cancel is our "fun" time or "down" time. (But, Making Time for Fun is important in the long-run!)
However, we need time to recharge and if we don't take it, it will catch-up with us. How many times have you finished a big project, only to come down with a cold the next day? Our bodies have a way of telling us, enough is enough, even when we don't want to hear it.
One way to carve out "free" time is by scheduling all the mundane tasks - like laundry! - that have to get done.
Laundry is easy to push off, until you don't have the pants you need for your work meeting or your kid's soccer shirt is dirty and the game is in a few hours.
All of a sudden, laundry moves from "not urgent and not important" to "urgent and important".
There is a simple solution; make laundry part of your weekly schedule.
Getting Started
The key to starting this process is finding the schedule that works best for you and your family.
With that said, I do recommend doing laundry on a weekly basis. Now this does not mean you have to wash every category on a weekly basis. It just supports making laundry part of your weekly routine.
The other benefit to doing laundry on a weekly basis is that it does not become overwhelming. This makes the task of folding laundry and putting it away a lot more manageable.
Below are some simple laundry schedule ideas if you live alone:
Washer & dryer located in your home:
Mondays - Wash clothes.
Tuesdays - Wash sheets & towels.
Multiple washers & dryers located in your building:
Mondays - Wash clothes, sheets & towels.
Below are some simple laundry schedule ideas for a family :
Washer & dryer located in your home:
Mondays - Wash "Parent 1" clothes.
Tuesdays - Wash "Parent 2" clothes.
Wednesdays - Wash "Child 1" clothes & sheets.
Thursdays - Wash "Child 2" clothes & sheets.
Fridays - Wash all towels and Parent sheets.
Multiple washer's & dryer's located in your building:
Mondays - Wash all clothes by person. Note: Pro Tip below on why by person is the way to go!
Tuesdays - Wash all towels and sheets.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
As discussed in last week’s Can Money Buy Happiness post, laundry may be one of those mundane tasks that you want to delegate out.
Even with a schedule, if laundry is one of those household tasks that forever feels overwhelming and worth it to you to have someone else do - then do that! There’s no shame in getting the support that you and your family need.
Below are some general laundry tips that you may find helpful:
Pro Tip: Washing clothing by person, eliminates the step of sorting the laundry, when folding it and putting it away. This is especially true of those pesky baby socks that get stuck inside everything and go “missing”. Most clothing can be washed together, as long as it's washed in cold water.
Most items, even if they recommend dry-cleaning, can be washed in a "laundry bag" on delicate in cold water and hung on a hanger to dry.
Laundry is a life skill that kids need to learn. Starting in elementary school, kids are capable of folding their laundry and putting it away. Starting in middle school, kids are capable of being responsible for their own laundry. Teaching your kids these life skills is a gift.
If possible, I recommend scheduling laundry - literally, put this in your calendar! - as part of your "work" week and not on your day off. This will help support you living a balanced life.
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!
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.
Follow Me
Share this post
Can Money Buy Happiness
There are many ways we can support ourselves and the people we care about in order to lead happier lives.
Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash
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
Can Money Buy Happiness?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "Happiness" as a state of well-being and contentment.
Personally, I have found it helpful to differentiate how I define happiness from joy.
Joy is an emotion that comes and goes,
while happiness is a state of mind.
There are many ways we can support ourselves and the people we care about in order to lead happier lives.
With this definition in mind, I do think investing in ourselves and our loved ones can make a difference.
Getting Started
How do decide what investments of time, money, or things will have the greatest impact on your daily life.
Two questions to ask yourself are:
How can I create more time for myself and to connect with those I care about?
What tasks on my to-do list do I really dislike?
I would focus your brainstorming on two categories:
Tools that can save you time
Tasks that take up valuable time or that you dislike
A Few Tools to Consider:
A laser wireless printer that works well - I promise, they do exist!
While we don't print a lot these days, there are times we need to. Is it really worth going to Staples each time you have to print. or worse, spending 30 minutes figuring out why the printer is not working or that the ink is dried out.
A quality scanner.
There are phone apps that do a great job scanning. I personally love Scannable. However, depending on how often you scan items and how many systems you use, having a quality scanner may save you a lot of time. A quality scanner can easily scan multiple pages at a time, such as your tax forms, as well as scan directly into multiple systems, such as Dropbox and Evernote.
A shredder
I would recommend most households have a shredder. You can purchase a small one that is relatively inexpensive. It's common for clients to think that they don't need a shredder because there are so few items that they feel need to be shredded. I can't even count the number of times I have helped clients create a shredding box, with the plan of dropping off the papers that need shredding, once the box is full. In the end, it takes longer to drop off the box of shredding than it would to shred the papers at home, it ends up costing more than purchasing a small shredder, and the box of shredding takes up as much space as a small shredder would.
A few to-do items you may want to invest in by delegating:
Hire someone to clean your house.
This is a task that many feel overwhelmed by. It's important to remember that it's not all or nothing. Hiring someone to clean your house monthly may be enough to greatly impact your happiness. You can also identify which parts you dislike the most. If you hate changing the sheets, you can have someone wash and change the sheets, while you continue to do the rest of your laundry. I had one client who liked doing laundry, but hated folding it. For just a little more money each week, his cleaning person was happy to fold his clothes and put them away.
Hire a professional organizer
If you feel like you are always looking for things and the job of "picking-up" never ends, this might be a valuable investment. A professional organizer can help you let go of extra items, which will reduce how much you have to "pick-up", as well as create homes for each item, so that it's easy to know where to put each item away and then find it the next time you need it.
Purchase meal kits
You may love to cook, but hate meal planning. Meal kits are an amazing way to keep doing what you love, without the part you don't.
Grocery delivery service
I have worked with a number of clients that enjoy grocery shopping, but the only time they are able to do it, is time that would be better spent on themselves or with the family. If you are grocery shopping on a Monday evening, while your partner watches the kids, and this is the only time you have to yourself all week, how much happiness would be gained if you met up with a friend instead?
Hire someone to run errands
If you feel like you are constantly running errands, this may add a lot of time back in your life. You could hire a high-schooler or college students for a few hours once a week and have them run most of your errands.
Schedule 20 minutes to brainstorm on the questions above.
Write down all the tools you think may add value to your life and all the tasks that you think you might consider delegating. Then choose one tool or task you want to try first.
Block off time on your calendar to implement the tool you chose or to plan out how to delegate the task you chose.
I would recommend also blocking off time on your calendar, about one to three months in the future, to evaluate if the new tool is adding the value that you expected. If it is, amazing! If it's not, take a few minutes to think about why it's not.
Did you hire someone that is not right for the job?
Did you not take the time to learn how to use the new tool?
Or, is it just not saving you enough time to be worth the cost?
Adding new tools and delegating to-do items is only going to contribute to your happiness, if you are intentional about what you use the extra time for.
If you implement this strategy, but just spend the extra time siting alone watching Netflix, it's likely you will not be much happier.
Additional Resources
You may want to checkout the book, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. By reading about Gretchen's journey to find increased happiness, I am sure you will think of ideas that would add value to your life. Happiness does not just happen, you have to create it.
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!
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.
Follow Me
Share this post
Make Meditation a Habit
If you are new to meditation, the first step may be understanding what meditation is and what it is not.
Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash
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
Make Meditation a Habit
As summer winds down to a close, take a moment to explore why this time of year is loved by so many. Lighter schedules, more freedom and downtime, and relaxation with family and friends (or alone!) all come to mind.
This summer, we have explored how to Make Time for Fun, Make Reading a Habit, and Understanding What Adds Meaning to your Life. I would like to leave you with one more self-care habit before we transition to fall and how organization can support you in creating a life you don’t need a vacation from!
Without further adieu, why should you consider becoming a Meditator?
Getting Started
There are a number of benefits to exploring meditation.
Increasing self-awareness.
Building skills to manage stress.
Reduces anxiety.
Supports better sleep.
Improves your relationships.
Improved focus on the present.
Become less reactive.
Increase in imagination and creativity.
Helps control pain.
May lower blood pressure.
The key, as with starting all new things, is to form a habit first and then grow your practice.
I recommend starting with 1 minute a day.
Pick what time you are going to meditate.
You can pick whatever time you want, but many people have found it easier to do it first thing in the morning, before the day gets busy.
If you pick a time that is not first thing in the morning, you are going to want to tie it to something else that is pretty consistent. It could be after lunch, after you brush your teeth in the evening, or in your car after you drive home from work, but before you go into the house.
Decide exactly where you are going to do it.
You can meditate in bed, in your favorite chair, or buy a fancy meditation cushion and create a meditation corner.
Decide if you are going to use a guided mediation or just set a timer and sit.
Decide if you are going to do it every day or only on weekdays/workdays.
It may be beneficial to only do weekdays/workdays, if your weekend mornings are inconsistent. Whatever you choose, make sure you can 100% commit to it.
Set an alarm to remind you to mediate at the time you chose.
Pro Tip: Make sure to label the alarm and have it repeat for each day of week you are committing to.
How to decide when to increase the length of your mediation.
I think 30 days is a great place to start.
If after 30 days, you are still feeling some resistance to meditate, I would stick with 1 minute, until that resistance recedes.
What if after a few days, I want to do a longer mediation? I would caution against this. Remember, we are forming a habit and want to take motivation out of the equation. How many times have you committed to doing a 45-minute workout 4 days-a-week and by week two, never done it again?
How to sustainably increase the length of your mediation
I would recommend increasing the length of your mediation slowly.
Some common times you may want to consider:
1 minute
5 minutes
12 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
I don't think the goals needs to be 20 minutes or longer. There is research showing that shorter mediations provide a lot of the benefits.
I would also recommend increasing and decreasing the times, based on how crazy life gets.
The best thing you can do, is to go back to 1 minute, when life get's a bit away from you. That guarantees the habit remains in place,
An alternative to picking a length of time, is to commit to a mediation series on a mediation app. I know I have found this helpful! (See below for more information on mediation apps).
Lastly, you could join a mediation group or hire a meditation teacher. This would provide additional accountability and knowledge.
Additional Resources
If you are new to mediation, the first step may be understanding what meditation is and what it is not.
I highly recommend the book, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, by Dan Harris. If you enjoy this, you may also want to check-out, 10% Happier, by Dan Harris.
There are many places to find guided meditations, many of which are free.
Below are few meditation apps you may want to consider:
10% Happier - I personally use this!
Headspace
Calm
If you are looking for guidance from a mediation teacher, you may want to look into:
MNDFL
Insight Mediation Society
Transcendental Mediation
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!
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.
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The Secret to Estimating Time
You are not alone if you find yourself consistently underestimating how long tasks will take.
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
The Secret to Estimating Time
You are not alone if you find yourself consistently underestimating how long tasks will take.
In 1979, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tverseky proposed the phenomenon called the Planning Fallacy. The Planning Fallacy describes our tendency to underestimate the amount of time it will take to complete a task.
Getting Started
The first step in overcoming our tendency to underestimate how long a task will take is to understand that our natural inclination is to underestimate the length of time it will take us to complete the task. Read that again.
A quick rule of thumb I use with clients is to plan for double the amount of time you think it will take and leave yourself a cushion, in case it does go longer.
However, the best solution, especially for projects and routines that you partake in on a regular basis, is to time it out.
Do you know how long it takes you to:
Complete your full morning routine
Cook dinner
Put the kids to bed
Grocery shop
Pay your monthly bills
Clear out emails daily
Pack for a business trip
How to time out the length of your project or routine:
Write out a step-by-step list of actions you need to take to fully complete the project or routine.
Example - Grocery Shopping
Review what food you currently have in the house.
Decide what meals you want to cook over the next week.
Write out a grocery list.
Ask other household members if there are any grocery items they want to add to the list.
Commute to the grocery store.
Buy all the groceries on your list.
Commute home from the grocery store.
Put the groceries away.
It's important to be thorough in listing out all your actions. If you skip an item or two, that may lead to double work later on.
For example, if you skip the step of asking other household members what they would like to add to the list, and are therefore unaware that your middle-schooler agreed to bake cookies for her sleepover that weekend, you will have to make a second trip.
This will both add time to the task and lead you to continue to underestimate how long your weekly grocery shopping takes.
Using your step-by-step Action List as a checklist, time out how long your full project or routine takes.
Write down the length of time it took on the Action List.
I would recommend timing it out 2 or 3 times, to get an accurate idea of the length of time.
It important to time the project or routine on days that will give you an accurate estimate of time.
For example, if you are timing out your morning routine, don't skip Mondays because those are your toughest mornings. You want to know how long it will take, regardless of how you are feeling when you wake up.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Having an accurate idea of how long a project will take can greatly reduce anxiety and procrastination.
Feeling confident that you have enough time to finish the project promotes a sense of calm and concentration.
Understanding the true length of time, gives you the option to break the actions out into multiple work sessions. This leads to less overwhelm, which translates into reduced procrastination.
While I know timing out routines and projects can feel overwhelming, the sense of peace it provides to your daily life is measurable and impactful.
I would recommend picking one routine or project to start and see how it impacts your life.
There is no better motivator than positive outcomes and improved mental health.
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.
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Are You Making Time for What Matters Most?
The secret to time management is being able to see your time, see how much time you have available each day and see what you are spending your time on.
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
Are You Making Time for What Matters Most?
The secret to time management is being able to see your time, see how much time you have available each day, and see what you are spending your time on.
Getting Started
How much time do you have available to you each day?
There may be 24 hours in a day, but some activities - like sleep! - are not optional!
Take a few minutes to think about your daily activities. Write down the things you have to do and the things you want to accomplish. Start with sleep; this activity isn’t optional and without sleep, you will not function at your best.
Below are a few questions to help you get started:
How much sleep do you need?
How long do you need to be in bed in order to get that amount of sleep?
How much time do you need to wind down, in order to go to sleep?
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
How long does it take you to get the kids ready in the morning?
How long is your commute?
How long does each meal take (prep, eating, cleaning up)?
What other tasks do I need to do each day and how long do they take?
This exercise can be eye opening.
Do you have more or less time than you thought you had?
For most of us, we are terrible at estimating how long things take. After you have a list of tasks that you do every day, it may be helpful to time how long they really take, over a few days.
Next, I would take a few minutes and write down a list of categories that are important to you and prioritize this list.
Below are a few ideas:
Self
Family
Friendships
Romance
Work
Finances
Home
Health
Personal Growth
Spirituality
Community
Giving Back
This list is focused on categories that are important to your life as a whole. It may be helpful to also make a list of categories that are important in your work life. However, I would recommend doing this as two separate activities, at separate times. Otherwise, it can get overwhelming.
Now it's time to see where we are spending our time.
For one week, write down what you are doing each day, from the time you wake-up until you turn the lights off to fall asleep.
You can print out at copy of a Time Map HERE. Or you can use Excel to create a digital Time Map.
Pro Tip: If you are going digital, please make sure to leave the document open all day, so it's easy to update in real time.
You may also want to set alarms on you phone to remind you to update your Time Map hourly. It's easy to forget and the more you update it in real time, the more accurate it will be.
At the end of the week, designate a color for each category. If you did this exercise on paper, you may need to buy some highlighters. Another option is to type the Time Map you wrote out, into Excel.
Go through all your tasks and activities for each day and highlight them based on which category they fall under. For example, if you designated health to be green, you would highlight "taking a walk" in green.
After all your tasks and activities are highlighted, take a few moments to analyze where your time is going.
Are the priorities you say are your highest, getting the time they deserve?
Are you spending the majority of your time on other people's priorities and not your own?
What are the consequences for not prioritizing what really matters?
Reprioritize your day to reflect your priorities.
I recognize this sounds far simpler than it is, but armed with this information, reschedule your day to “find” time to prioritize what matters most to you. Maybe meal prepping on Sundays frees up time throughout the week to take a walk with your partner and kids. Or, scheduling as many doctor’s appointments as possible in one day - and treating yourself to lunch out and a pedicure afterward - allows you to feel more in control of your health and your body’s preventative maintenance.
Additional Resource
I highly recommend the book, Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern.
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.
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Make Reading a Habit
Reading is an excellent way to add fun and relaxation to your day or week.
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
Make Reading a Habit
If you read last week’s post, Making Time for Fun, you know there are benefits to adding downtime to your schedule. Reading is an excellent way to add fun and relaxation to your day or week.
Below are some of the benefits to becoming a person who values making time to read.
Benefits of Reading
Exercise for the brain
Improves concentration & focus
Supports better sleep
Improves your level of knowledge
Provides motivation
Reduces stress
Increases your imagination and creativity.
Getting Started
How to make reading a habit:
I recommend starting small.
The goals is to form the habit first and then grow your practice.
You may want to start with a length of time or a number of pages. For example, you could choose 5 minutes a day or 5 pages a day.
Pick what time you are going to read.
I would recommend stacking your reading habit with another habit that you already have in place.
Below are a few ideas:
Read while having your morning coffee.
Read while having lunch.
Read during your morning or evening commute.
Read after you brush your teeth in the evening.
You probably want to account for what type of reading you are planning on, when deciding what time is best.
If you are reading for fun, reading before bed might be great. However, if you are reading a book to support your personal growth, you may be too tired by that point in the day.
If you are listening to an audiobook, but want to be able to take notes on a few valuable take-away's, this would not be the best book to listen to while driving. However, it might be perfect for your morning walk.
If there is a "boring" but "important" book that you have been meaning to read, your best decision might be to simply listen to the book all the way through and then set aside 45 minutes to flip through a physical copy of the book and type up some notes.
Decide exactly where you are going to do it.
It's important to make these decisions ahead of time, so that they too become part of the habit.
If you are going to read, while having your morning coffee, is the kitchen table best or a comfy chair next to the window?
If you are planning on listening to a book during your morning walk, pick a route for your morning walk and stick to that.
Decide if you are ok with reading multiple books at once or if you would benefit from reading one book at a time.
Habits are effective because they take the decision making out of the equation.
You may find it harder to form the habit, if you are deciding on a daily basis which book to read.
If you enjoy having options, but are struggling with becoming a reader, you may want to try having one "fun' book and one "growth" book happening at the same time. You could designate different times of day, such as reading your "growth" book on your morning walk and your "fun" book before bed. Or you could designate different days of the week, such as reading your "growth" book Monday through Thursday and your “fun" book Friday through Sunday.
Set a reminder to support your new habit.
Depending on the habit you are pairing this with, there are a few options for how to remind yourself to read.
If you are pairing this with a habit that happens at the same time every day, you can simply set an alarm. Remember to label the alarm, so you know what to do when it goes off.
If you are pairing it with a habit that is not at the exact same time each day, you can put in place a physical reminder.
If you want to listen to an audiobook, while on a walk, put an index card, with a reminder listed on it, in your walking shoes.
If you want to read while having your morning coffee, place a sticky note, with the reminder listed, on top of your coffee canister.
Create some outside accountability.
Check-in with your network and see if anyone else is working to implement the habit of becoming a reader.
Choose an accountability partner and commit to texting each other daily with your successes or setbacks.
How to decide when to increase the length of time you are reading daily.
I think it's best to not increase time for the first month.
If after 30 days, you are still feeling some resistance to reading, I would consider if the time of day you chose is working for you.
Remember, when forming a habit, we want to take motivation out of the equation. After 30 days, it may be beneficial to simply continue to commit to "5 minutes a day" or "5 pages a day". There will be days you want to read longer and that is great. However, on those busy days, you know you succeeded with being a reader, as long as you achieved your minimal commitment.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
Which reading method is best for you?
You should take a few moments to consider which reading method works best for you, based on your goals. It's likely you may want to incorporate both into your daily life.
Audiobooks are an amazing option. They allow you to "read', while on the move. They can improve your daily commute, make you look forward to doing the dishes, and can be a great companion on your morning walk.
Reading a physical book or on an electronic device can provide some benefits that audiobooks cannot. However, they do require your undivided attention, which can be challenging to make time for.
Where do I source reading material?
Audible is a great option for listening to audiobooks. In my experience, they have the largest audiobook library.
I would also recommend checking out the options from your local library. Most libraries provide access for you to "check-out" books through an app, so that you can read or listen on your phone or e-reader.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend the book, "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. This is my favorite resource on implementing lasting habit change.
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.
Follow Me
Share this post
Why Making Time for Fun Matters
Balance is key and fun is core part of the equation.
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
Why Making Time for Fun Matters
I understand that this is a hard one. I struggle with this too.
We all live busy lives and there are so many important things on our to-do list that we should prioritize over having run, right?
Wrong! It turns out that a key element to living a full, happy, productive life is making time for fun.
The good news is that I do think quality matters more than quantity.
So why is fun so important?
I am a huge Brene Brown fan. Her work has had a profound impact on my life and the lives of many people that I highly respect.
Brene - can I call her Brene? - talks about the 10 Guideposts for Wholehearted Living.
Brene’s 10 Guideposts for Wholehearted Living are:
Cultivating Authenticity: Letting Go of What People Think
Cultivating Self-Compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism
Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting Go of Numbing and Powerlessness
Cultivating Gratitude and Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark
Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith: Letting Go of the Need for Certainty
Cultivating Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison
Cultivating Play and Rest: Letting Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self-Worth
Cultivating Calm and Stillness: Letting Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle
Cultivating Meaningful Work: Letting Go of Self-Doubt and "Supposed To"
Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance: Letting Go of Being Cool and "Always in Control"
Both the Cultivating Play and Rest and Cultivating Laughter, Song and Dance speak about the importance of "fun" in your life.
Balance is key and fun is a core part of the equation.
The Benefits of Making Time for Fun
Lessens Stress
Improves Sleep
Reduces Pain
Increases Energy
Provide Social Connection
Increase your ability to learn
Getting Started
The best advice I have heard is to think about what you enjoyed doing when you were ten years old and start there.
If you are naturally creative, you can probably list out a number of activities that you have fun doing. You probably already have the supplies needed to do many of them.
However, if you are someone who does not view yourself as creative or athletic, this can be challenging.
Below are some ideas:
Painting
Making pottery
Designing clothes
Doing improv
Trying a new group fitness class or running group
Acting
Singing
Joining a sports team or a book club
Working with animals, whether your own or at a local shelter
Fixing up a car
Building a new piece of furniture or restoring an older piece
Exploring new museums (or re-visiting an old favorite!)
Reviewing local restaurants
Camping
If you haven't done this activity in decades, I would suggest starting by taking a class. It will help minimize the anxiety that always accompanies starting something new.
Calendar your fun time.
I would recommend planning ahead. In part, as we all know, if it's not on the calendar, it often doesn't happen. But more importantly, by planning ahead, you will get both the benefit of the fun activity and the benefit of looking forward to the fun activity.
Start! And keep trying.
This is often the hardest step for most people. Just pick an activity and try. If you enjoy it, keep doing it. If you find that it’s not for you, pick something else and try again. Maybe you’re not a team sports person, but you really enjoy a book club. There’s nothing wrong with that. The point is to find something you enjoy.
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
I do lot's of fun things with my kids. Does that count?
It depends. If the activity that you do with your kids bring you joy, then absolutely. However, there are lots of 'fun' activities that we do with our kids that don't bring us joy.
For example, I don't particularly like playing games. So while I love having family game night because of the quality family time we spend together, that would not count as "fun" for me. On the other hand, I do love water parks; therefore, spending a day with the family at Water Safari definitely counts as fun for me.
How much and how often do I need to have fun to feel the benefits?
I don't think there is a magic number. This is something you are going to have to experiment with.
I would try to focus on:
Making fun a regular part of your week.
Have at least one fun activity scheduled per week.
Make sure you have some outside accountability, such as signing up for a class, joining a team or group, or doing the fun activity with a friend.
It's not all or nothing.
Varying the length of time you set aside for fun is a great idea.
Maybe you sign up for a painting class once a week that is an hour long, but you decide you are also going to paint for 10 minutes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, after you put the kids to bed.
Think big picture
If both you and your friend love trying new restaurants, this is a great way to incorporate both fun and connection in your life.
If you and your son both love museums, you can set aside time each week to visit a new museum or exhibit.
If you and your daughter both love basketball, you can set aside 20 minutes each morning or evening to play together.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend all of Brene Brown's books. My favorite piece of her work, which is available on Audible, is "The Power of Vulnerability". I have listened to this numerous times, and every time I do, I have a new take away that positively impacts my life.
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.
Follow Me
Share this post
Make Time for Movement in Your Day
Movement is as simple as standing up and moving around.
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
Make Time For Movement in Your Day
To be clear, I want to separate out movement from exercise. There are innumerable benefits to exercise and even more varieties to choose from. While I have my personal opinion on what works best for me, this is not my area of expertise. I support you in doing your own research and seeing what is best for your long-term overall health.
Don’t be busy, be productive.
So what does movement mean?
Movement is as simple as standing up and moving around. It can be taking a walk around the room you are working in for one minute or doing 10 jumping jacks. It can be doing 3 flights of stairs after each Zoom Meeting or taking a 15 - 20 minute walk outside after eating lunch.
Why add movement into your day?
Movement will help you focus. We often make the mistake of thinking that taking a break will cause us to go off task and get distracted. It's almost always the opposite. Having scheduled breaks will help you to remain focused longer and improve your overall productivity.
Common Thinking Error
I have worked with a number of clients who genuinely believed they were being more productive by not taking a break, and just working until the task was complete. It was true that they had found a way to finish a task that they often procrastinated, but it was at the expense of accomplishing anything else meaningful that day. By not taking any breaks, especially a break with some movement, they were completely spent once that task was complete.
Working together, we developed a plan that broke down their challenging tasks into single-action steps. As part of the plan, we included breaks with movement in between certain steps. This allowed them to complete the task and continue on with other tasks during the day.
Before getting started, we should define what counts as a “break”.
Breaks are critical to productivity. However, it's important to define what counts as a break. Or maybe more importantly, what does not count as a break. Checking your email, or returning a voicemail, does not count as a break. An effective break is setting aside a predetermined amount of time to give your brain a chance to rest and reset. While there are many options for you to choose from, as far as what type of breaks work for you, the simplest and most effective option that I have found is to move.
Getting Started
Below are some strategies to help implement this habit into your daily routine:
Step 1: Decide when you want to take your breaks.
Below are a few examples:
At the end of all your Zoom calls.
Breaks during Focused Work:
If you plan to work on a long-term project, you may want to work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break and do this for 2 hours OR you may want to work for 50 minutes and then take a 10-minute break and do this for 2 hours. Keep in mind both how long your attention span is and how challenging the project is that you are working on. It's always easier to get started, if you are planning on working for a shorter time span.
Mid-Day Break
Many clients have found it helpful to plan a 20 minute walk outside, following having lunch. This will greatly reduce the afternoon slump.
Step 2: Decide how long you want your break to be.
I have found that it's beneficial to start small. It may be too hard to plan for a 5-minute movement break after each Zoom, when you are first implementing this new habit.
Remember, one minute counts! The grocery chain, Wegmans, offers a one-minute stretch break at the top of each hour, for employees and shoppers!
As you implement this strategy, and begin to see the benefits, you will likely want to extend your breaks. One strategy is to change your scheduled meetings from one-hour meetings, to 50-minute meetings. This will allow you to take a 5-minute break and then have 5 minutes to prepare for the next meeting.
Step 3: Decide what you are going to do for your break.
Depending on how long you plan on taking a break for, will determine what your options are.
Below are a few options:
10 Jumping Jacks
10 Pushups
10 Pullups
Dancing to your favorite song
Riding an Indoor Bike
Walking the Stairs
Walking Outside
Taking a Bike Ride
Whenever possible, take your break in a separate room than you are working in. This will help the brain switch to break mode faster.
Step 4: Set an alarm to remind you to take your predetermined break. Label the alarm with both what you are going to do for your break and the amount of time you set aside.
The benefit to setting an alarm is that it provides the infrastructure for the new habit, without adding any burden to your brain.
Below are a few examples of how to label the alarm:
Do 10 Jumping Jacks
Do the stairs for 5 minutes
Take 20 Minute Walk Outside
Happy Spaces’ Tips & Tricks
I highly recommend setting a timer for the length of your break.
This will allow your brain to relax, knowing the alarm will go off when it's time to refocus on the next task.
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.