Manage Your Time with the Word 'No'

Whether you have very little or a whole lot--time is precious. We don't want to waste it on doing things that don't make us happy or enhance our life.

On my Facebook Page this month, I've been talking about Time Management. For my last Facebook December/Time Management tip, I wrote about a little word that takes one second to say but can save you hours/days/weeks of time.

That word is 'No.'

In doing a bit of research, I came across a great article that summed up the importance of using the word, 'No.' It's called:

 The Gentle Art of Saying No by Leo Babauta

In the article, Mr. Babauta discusses his top ten tips for learning the 'Gentle Art of Saying No.' It was so comprehensive that I felt the need to share. Read it to learn how to value your time, know and acknowledge your priorities and practice saying the word 'No.'

So, if you find yourself constantly telling people 'Yes' when you really want to say, 'No,' read The 'Gentle Art of Saying No.' It will add precious hours back into your already busy life.

Eyeliner as Time Management Tool?

If you've been reading my posts for the past few months, you already know that every Friday I post an organizing tip to my Organized Artistry Facebook Page. Each month has it's own theme--December's theme is Time Management.

While creating content for this theme, I came up with a bunch of products that help manage or save a person's time. Typical products like calendars and kitchen timers came to mind but as the night wore on, I got punchy and came up with a few 'unorthodox' time management products. The one I'll be talking about today is one I use at least 5x a week. Gentlemen--you may want to get up for a few minutes and have your wife/mother/girlfriend/friend read on 'cause we'll be talkin' about makeup.

Makeup? Yes, the stuff ladies wear on their faces.

Makeup as a time management tool? Yes--I'll make you a believer by the end of this post...

I promised myself (and my husband) that when we had kids, I would make the time to, as my mother likes to say, 'put on a face' in the morning. We now have two small children so my makeup routine has to be quick and simple.

I have this eyeliner I love--the color, the texture, but it seemed as if I had to sharpen it every 2-3 days. That's fine if you have the time in the morning but lately, I just don't.

I stopped into my local Sephora to see if they had another eyeliner in that color that I wouldn't have to sharpen so often. They did!

Today's Cool Product/Time Management Tool is the...

Sephora Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner

The Sephora consultant showed me how I didn't need a sharpener at all with this eyeliner. All I had to do was give it a twist and more eyeliner would reappear. Now it takes me about 1-2 seconds to get my eyeliner ready for use as opposed to the few minutes it took with the other pencil. Perfect for the mom on the go!

They come in a multitude of colors--I use Brown #08 for everyday usage.

The only 'con' about this eyeliner is that you don't know you're at the end of the eyeliner until you try to turn the base and it stops turning. I live near a Sephora but I can't always get there so I use another time-management strategy--I buy multiple products--usually 2-3 at a time. This saves me from having to make a last minute trip to the mall which I rarely have time to do.

Bye-bye eyeliner sharpener! Hello, retractable (and time-saving) eyeliner!

LEGO Storage

If you have a kid who likes playing with LEGO but can't seem to keep it off the floor and other horizontal surfaces--help is here! 

Chloe at Get, Set Organize has written a most amazing blog post on storage options for LEGO. Carve a good 15 minutes out of your day to digest it all. There's A LOT of information jam-packed into that post.

26 Ideas for LEGO Storage Containers

Not only does she offer 26 storage ideas both store bought and DIY, she also gives tips on how to organize a LEGO collection.

Kids learn through play. So, why not teach them to be organized through play? They'll be home for Christmas/Holiday break soon. A LEGO organizing project is a great way to keep your floors free of LEGO and teach your kids sorting skills, responsibility, and an appreciation for living an organized life.

 

Marry a Professional Organizer? The Pros and Cons...

I like to infuse my blog with humor. So, when I looked around for some funny stuff about organizing, I came across two blog posts that really made me laugh.

I've read articles about people's experiences working as a Professional Organizer.

I've read articles about people working with Professional Organizers.

But this I had never read before...

Top 5 Reasons You Should Marry a Professional Organizer

and

Top 5 Cons of Marrying a Professional Organizer (includes a 'Marriage-Saving Disclaimer')

When I told my husband about these blog posts, he had a good chuckle, too. He hasn't read them yet, but I'm sure he'd be in agreement with what most of what the author says.

So if you live with a Professional Organizer or someone who acts like one, please know you are not alone!

What do you think--marrying a Professional Organizer--Pro or Con?