Tag Archive for: how to be more organized

What Preschoolers Can Teach You About Productivity

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English: Children in classroom during lunch break.

English: Children in classroom during lunch break. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I remember when my nephew was in preschool and learned “The Cleanup Song” – he hated it because it meant playtime was over. But, learning to clean up a mess is a valuable lesson, not only for preschoolers but even for all of us grown ups!

A UCLA study found that when women were near clutter their stress hormones skyrocketed! This proves that clutter makes you more anxious and less focused. The act of organizing can actually help us feel more in control, decreasing stress even in the most out-of-control situations.

That’s why I make it a point to tidy up my desk at the end of every workday and my apartment every night. It’s really worked for me because the next time I enter those spaces they feel inviting instead of stress-inducing.

Here are a few tips to make “cleanup time” more fun than it was for my nephew! Read more

5 Reasons to Give Evernote a Second Chance

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Evernote

Evernote (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I should get a commission from Evernote because I literally tell everyone I meet about it. It’s one of the top-rated productivity apps in the iTunes App Store and I couldn’t live without it. But people tell me all the time that they’ve downloaded it but could just “never get into it,” or make it work for them.

I get that – Evernote does require a little bit of a commitment at first to be really useful. Usually, I pass along some great advice from LifeHacker.com about how to use Evernote effectively, but sometimes people just want the basics.

Here is my own list of Tips and Tricks to help make Evernote work for you:

1.  Use it Often: The more you use it the more useful it becomes. Believe me. Notes in Evernote last forever, unlike that post-it stuck to your cell phone. When you can go back through weeks of to-do lists and can breathe easy that you didn’t miss a single thing, you’ll know what I mean. Read more

Fab Find: Cross Off To-Dos with HandyBook

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Handybook LogoIf you’ve ever hosted Thanksgiving, you know how much has to get done before the turkey gets served. This year, many will be celebrating the first night of Hanukkah on Thanksgiving as well, and that means double the prep! This is the time of year for long to-do lists, so it’s important to remember to get help to avoid getting burnt out and stay cheerful! Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Get outsourcing! Read more

App Makes Life Easier and Delivers On Demand

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wunWhile I love my to-do list, sometimes it gets really overwhelming to try to accomplish so much in one day. I’ve posted about limiting your to-do list before, but sometimes it just is not possible to cut your list down. That’s why I love apps where you can outsource your errands!

Unlike TaskRabbit which allows you to hire someone to assemble furniture or deliver groceries, the Wun-Wun app exclusively offers deliveries. With this app you can have anything you want delivered to you anywhere in Manhattan!

Sign up with a credit card and phone number and with a few taps one of their 200 helpers is on his way. Most deliveries are free (the app itself costs $0.99) but restaurant and coffee deliveries cost $20.

Just for fun, here is a list of ways you can use the Wun-Wun app:

1. Have someone else do your grocery shopping while you binge-watch “Breaking Bad”
2. Have wine delivered to your apartment while cooking for a dinner party
3. Have deodorant delivered while at the gym
4. Have your picnic brought to you in Central Park
5. Have medicine delivered to your door when you’re home with a cold

The best part is you never have to pay cash (or leave your couch) and the tip is included. The possibilities are endless really. Once you start outsourcing your life — you’ll find that you have much more time to do the things you really love!

wun2
Wun-Wun via The App Store $0.99

Four Ways to Refresh Your Closet For Fall

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Clothes rack

Clothes rack (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To me, fall means leaves changing color, pumpkin-flavored everything (including M&Ms, they’re new!) and that exciting moment when it’s finally cool enough to wear my favorite blazer. If you’re like me and you have limited closet space (thanks NYC,) reincorporating those fall sweaters into my wardrobe means cleaning out my summer clothes to make extra room.

After you’ve regained some precious closet real estate, take advantage of the time it takes to put away all your fall clothes and try a modern technique to be more efficient with your time and closet space. Check out this list of tips and tricks that you can try when reorganizing your closet for fall. Who said productivity couldn’t have style?

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