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February 8:
"Trust is the highest form of human motivation. It brings out the very best in people."—Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
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By Sarah Merz
Meet Sadie and Smokey, my surrogate children. Now, before you roll your eyes, please know that I do not dress them up in kitty outfits or put bows in their fur. But I am guilty of talking to them and caring for them with a maternal instinct. Did you know that, according to a 2007-2008 survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Americans own more than 88 million cats and 74 million dogs? That means there are a lot of you out there just like me.
Pet ownership comes with a set of care and maintenance responsibilities that are not unlike the responsibilities of caring for humans. These responsibilities can easily get pushed down the priority list or overlooked altogether without a plan. Here are a few suggestions for keeping your loved ones happy and healthy.
• Pick the same month each year for the annual vet visit—and stick with it.
I find it easier to keep on track with annual checkups if I schedule them for the same month every year. May is the month for my annual physical; June and December are teeth cleaning months. I make a note on the monthly tabs in my planner and try to schedule next year’s appointment as I leave this year’s appointment. Do the same for your pet. As a two pet owner, I schedule the appointments for both of my cats back-to-back, so I only experience the guilt and trauma of indignant meows once, even if it’s in surround sound.
• Prepare for the seasons.
A little preparation in the beginning of each season goes a long way toward the well-being of your pet. Make notes in your planner to remind you to take a few easy steps as the seasons approach.
o Summer – According to the Humane Society of the United States, heartworm disease can be transmitted by mosquitoes, and the summer heat also brings fleas and ticks. Please make sure you have consulted with your vet on medications and treatments.
o Winter – If you live in a cold weather climate and let your pet outdoors, please plan on having adequate shelter from the wind. Replace metal containers with plastic or ceramic as your pet’s tongue can stick to cold metal. Keep anti-freeze in a secure location where your pet cannot reach it; the sweet taste may appeal to them and could be toxic.
o Holidays – Fireworks and pets don’t mix. If your community shoots off fireworks on July 4 and New Year’s Eve, try to keep your pets inside. Also keep your pet inside and away from the candy bowl during Halloween. Sad to say, black cats are susceptible to pranks.
• Clean your pet’s home as regularly as you clean yours.
Like me, you probably have your own routine for house cleaning. Sunday is laundry day, Thursday is house cleaning. Don’t forget to include your pet’s belongings in your weekly routine. Vacuum out pet beds regularly, before they take on a life of their own. Wash removable bed covers, and wash out the water bowls with a little vinegar to remove calcium buildup. Not only will your house smell better, but you will also have an advantage against any little critter issues, e.g. fleas.
• Groom your pet about as often as you go to the salon.
I confess, I hate brushing my cats. Petting is an everyday activity but brushing is not something I think about. So I try to groom my cats during the same week as I get my own haircut. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, but at least I try. The Humane Society recommends grooming “often.” You be the judge.
• Make pet care a critical part of your vacation checklist.
Cat owners have it easier than dog owners in this aspect. Cat sitting has become an important contributor to my godson Jack’s fun money. I leave a separate labeled envelope for each day’s “earnings” and trust that he picks up only one envelope per day. He learns the value of keeping commitments, and the cats get some play time and fresh food each day.
Many of these tips are common sense. Please send in your suggestions. As a fellow pet owner (“mother”), I am all ears. Also, check out The Humane Society of the United States’ website here. It’s full of great information.
Thank you Sarah!
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February 8:
Before you go to bed, touch up the rooms you'll use in the morning. Gather what you’ll need the next morning and set it by the door. Run the dishwasher at night so you’ll have clean dishes when you wake up. Empty it early so you’ll have a place to put your dirty dishes throughout the day. Straighten up the coffee table, sofa and any other clutter catchers. Waking up to an orderly house will make your day run much more smoothly.
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February 5:
"We can’t rely on anyone but ourselves to define our existence, to shape the image of ourselves."-Spike Lee
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Our Design-a-Planner Contest ends this Sunday, February 7. Be sure to send in your designs by then for your chance to win $1,500.
Get all the details and files needed to design your one-of-a-kind planner right here.
We cannot wait to see what you come up with!
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We've survived another week! If you didn't get a chance to stop by GO this week, here's what was featured:
+ "What Defines Your Personal Happiness?" Read Jean Chatzky's take here.
+ Want a chance to win a $50 FranklinCovey Gift Card? See how easy it is here.
+ Were you one of our AutoExec Giveaway winners? Find out here.
+ Need Valentine's Day gift ideas? See them here.
+ Take a look around your workspace. Does it need a little organizational help? Then, read this.
+ And, if you need a daily does of inspiration, be sure to catch-up with our GO Quotes of the Day here.
Be sure to stop by GO next week where we'll have a handful of great articles from our GO Gurus and a NEW giveaway!
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February 5:
Each week night load up on that evening's dinner for your lunch the following day, or buy salad and sandwich supplies and keep them in your refrigerator at work. You’ll be surprised at the money you save in just a short time. When you consider that the average fast food meal costs around $5.00 or more you can easily see how packing your lunch could save you hundreds of dollars per year. That could go a long way toward your next vacation. And, it's healthier too.
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February 4:
"Proactive people are still affected by external stimuli, but their responses are value-based and not contingent on the external conditions."— Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
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By Dave Ulacia
To help you get organized in 2010, we posted a GO Poll to see where you’d like help with organization. Your response? The office.
A clean office tells people you’re in control. Better than that, it helps you feel in control of your surroundings and helps reduce stress at work.
Organize by Priority, Nearest to Farthest
Remember, the most important thing in your office is you. Everything else in your office should be organized in concentric circles around you in order of priority. The things you access most should be closest to you. Those things you access least can be farther away. You should be able to access everything you need with minimal effort.
Keep Your Supplies on Your Dominant Side
If you’re right handed you’ll tend to turn to your right to access items you need. Don’t fight it. Set up your office with your supplies on the right of your computer. Your file organizer, inbox, planner, and phone should be easy to access with your dominant hand.
Have Only What You Need Out
Your desktop file organizer should only have the folders you will need on a given day. All other folders should remain in the file drawer. Too many items will fill your workspace.
Use Only One Set of Note Pads
If you have three note pads with different information in each and sticky notes all over your monitor, you’re bound to lose something important. Keep all your notes and important information in one place. This is what your planner was designed for. Keep it near your computer where you can see it and access it easily.
Sort Your Projects by Color
Organize your project folders by color, so whether in your drawer or on your desk, you know exactly what they are. And you’ll find what you’re looking for in a glance.
Keep Everything in Its Place
You should expect your desk to become cluttered during the course of the day. But at the end of the day, make sure your inbox is empty and your desk is clean, so you can start fresh in the morning. This is much easier if you return items to their place after each use.
How do you get there from where you are?
Having only what you are currently working on out at any one time is a challenge. This implies you have a place—other than your desktop—for all those things you aren’t working on. Color-coding takes your organization to a new level and makes it easy to quickly match the items you are working on with the respective color folder in the drawer. At first, that may feel like an unattainable goal. We promise, it isn’t.
So how do you go from the person buried under piles and stacks to the person who is truly organized? First suggestion, don't try to do it all at once. Start with one section of your office such as your drawers. When that section is organized, move on to the next battlefront. Here are a few things to consider as you go:
Get the right desk. A desk that is too small makes it hard to work efficiently and keep the basic office tools at hand. A desk that is too large turns into a clutter magnet. Your desktop should provide enough room to work without bumping into things.
Desk Drawers can turn into clutter buckets really fast. Divide your drawers with boxes, containers, and other organizers to make them make sense.
In and Out boxes are a must. They will give you a visual reminder of what you need to accomplish each day. And since most of the things you staple end up in one of these boxes, you may as well keep your stapler near them, rather than in a drawer.
Keep at it
Evaluating, categorizing, and organizing items can be a tedious process, but keep at it. Even if you start feeling overwhelmed. Once you’ve got your system in place, it will be much less work to keep it that way.
We hope these tips have inspired you to get organized. Keep your eyes open for more office organizing suggestions from our gurus. Good luck and have fun.
Thanks Dave! Did you enjoy this article? Give it a cheer!
To commit to Get Organized in 2010, read this post. Or, to peruse all Get Organized in 2010 topics, go here.
February 4:
Studies have shown it takes 21 days to develop a habit so don’t be discouraged when you struggle to keep your goals. Stay consistent and in time you’ll get where you want to be. In order to turn your goals into solid habits, you may consider working on one at a time so you don’t overwhelm yourself with too much change at once.
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