A List Built For Two

I’m mostly a solo list maker. I document daily to-dos, goals and task checklists. But from time to time I share a list with my husband or friends to be more efficient. My husband and I both add to our grocery list throughout the week. And my friends and I share lists about things we want to talk about or make sure we do. I haven’t used this technique at work yet but as my guest blogger Kirsten Bischoff, founding partner of HATCHEDit.com, tells us — sharing makes you more productive.

A List Built For Two

by Kirsten Bischoff

An individual’s approach to list making is almost as unique an identifier as their fingerprints. After all, every brain works in a unique way. Lists can be rigid and precise, or completely abstract; they can be well laid out plans or vague strings of abbreviations. So the challenges when two people get together to create a list (or lists) can seem insurmountable. Read more

Being Organized Helps Beat Stress

One of the things I love about being a health producer is that I get to cover “news you can use.” From the newest super food to a cutting-edge surgery — we often learn about it first.  Not only does this information help people but it makes me look really smart at cocktail parties.

That said — I had the opportunity to produce a segment with life coach and author Margaret Moore (a.k.a. Coach Meg) about her book “Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life,” where she gave all kinds of tips and tricks for being less overwhelmed, less stressed and more productive.  Love that!

Take a look at the video and accompanying article here for some ways to tame the frenzy in your own life.  Here are some of my favorite Coach Meg tips:

  • Think about what puts you in a calm state and do it!
  • Set small goals to focus your attention (say to yourself for 30 minutes I’m only working on x)
  • Turn off your cell phone and/or email to get more done
  • Even super organized people can overload — build in breaks and time to relax
  • In the end you are the only one to hold accountable for your productivity

Online Calendar Makes Life Easier

How do you keep track of everything going on in your life?  Do you make lists? Keep a pocket calendar? Or track everything on your phone?  Appointments, events, classes, your kid’s sports commitments and dance classes — can all fill up your lives but can be tough to organize in one place.  I found a great solution — Hatchedit.com.

The online calendar is really smart — you can share it with several people and checkout what’s going on at all times.  The site will help you keep track of upcoming events, invites, daily to-dos, favorite blogs, and groups you’re a part of.  So if you want to plan an event with your book club or your child’s soccer team…all the information can be stored and shared on HatchedIt.com.  When you sign up you get your own “dashboard” that you can easily make a part of your everyday routine.

If you’re drowning in paper calendars or want to ditch your dry-erase board – this is a great way to organize your life. HatchedIt is a free tool that will make your life simpler and more streamlined. You can even update the calendar when you’re out and about with their iPhone or Android apps. Let me know how you like using it.

DIY Dry-Erase Frame & 10 Ways to Use It

Creativity comes in many forms.  For me — writing is my creative outlet. But give me a glue stick and some glitter and I’ll definitely make a mess — not a masterpiece.  I like crafts — but mostly when other people do them!  My guest blogger Molly is a whiz with such things and she’s whipped up this post about how to make a dry-erase frame yourself for your lists!  Love that!  I think I’ll even attempt this one myself 🙂

DIY Dry-Erase Frame + 10 Ways to Use It

by Molly Borter

Like many of you, I’ve been making lists for as long as I can remember. From what I need to pack for a weekend getaway to my observations on a sunny day, I can’t seem to stop scribbling on notepads, post-its, napkins, envelopes—well, just about everything! And while I have invested in my own cutesy stationary in the past, I’ve always wanted something easier and budget-friendly. Read more

Simple and Fun Productivity App

I used to exclusively make my lists on paper but since I started using an iPhone — I’ve tried lots of apps.  Some of my favorites are Astrid, Wunderlist and Ziplist.  Most recently I downloaded Clear.  It’s the newest breed of productivity app with an amazing design.  It costs $1.99 in the Apple app store.

Read more