July 27, 2007
In this issue:
1) Val’s Views: Staying Focused in the Midst of Chaos 2) Reader Contribution: Oops! I Forgot to Pee! 3) Parenting corner: 6 Tips For Helping Your Child Deal with Relocating 4) Stress buster of the month: Keeping Change in Perspective 5) Time Management: Getting it together: Lists put order in your world 6) Money Saving Tip: Small Frugal Changes Add Up
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VAL’S VIEWS
Staying Focused in the Midst of Chaos
When life throws you a curve ball, it’s easy to get off track. Heck, some days it’s easy to get off track even without any particular curve ball. For instance, if you sit down and try to write content for your website or newsletter, you may find that suddenly you are hungry and want a snack. You interrupt yourself to get a snack, clean the kitchen, sharpen all your pencils, check your email, answer the phone and next thing you know you haven’t accomplished anything at all.
The more pressing are your personal problems, the easier it is to lose focus. Here are eight tips to stay focused in the midst of chaos.
1. Know where you’re going. It’s impossible to stay focused on your goals unless you know what they are. Great teachers such as Napoleon Hill and Les Brown recommend that you put your goals on paper. It’s a good idea not only to read your goals morning and night, but to impress where you’re headed even deeper, try writing out your goals on a daily basis.
2. Choose one path and stick to it. Make a plan of specific steps you will need to take to attain your goals.
3. Take action daily, no matter how small. Make a schedule and stick to it.
4. Break things down into bite-sized chunks. Don’t try to accomplish too much too fast. If you want to write 5 articles in a week, don’t attempt all five at once. You may even need to break them down into paragraphs, not articles. How is a 500+ page book written? One word at a time.
5. Remove distractions. Ignore the phone and the TV. Don’t let family and friends interrupt your work time just because you’re home.
6. Prioritize. Decide you will finish a certain task before you look at your email.
7. Seek out the advice of those who are successful. The real secret of being successful requires finding mentors and asking for help. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Take advantage of people who are willing to share their lessons with you.
8. Pat yourself on the back for each milestone attained. That includes the completion of a single paragraph or outline.
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READER CONTRIBUTION
Speaking of chaos and how overwhelmed we can often get, I received a contribution from a reader that I’m sure other busy moms can relate to:
Oops, I Forgot to Pee!
Written by Barbara Tremblay Cipak
Let's see
Up at three
Feed the baby
Back under the sheets
For a couple hours of sleep
Kids up for breakee
Gulping my tea desperately
Rush them to school gleefully
Walk the baby expediently
This being my time for me
Back home to clean insistently
Do three loads of laundry
Flee for groceries
Video Game Rentals late constantly
Go to work in my office impatiently
Where things have piled up overwhelmingly
Hubby claims I'm grumpy
Instead of crying I laugh hysterically
Baby bellows loudly
Time to change his nappy
Phone rings twenty times daily
Say I never call a bit angrily
Can't explain my life so harry
Don't want it to come out sounding scary
So I apologize gracefully
Kids home noisily
I'm panicky
My office work is not done completely
Oh well, its time to get them to hockey
Feed them first to keep them healthy
Bath time comes busily
Bedtime is love and kisses and favourite stories
Baby sleeping beautifully
My feet are up now restfully
Oops, I forgot to pee!
I assess my day on the toidy
Would I change my life at forty?
Are you kidding
Not this life’s inspired journey!
Visit Barbara’s website at Original Poetry & Song Lyrics
Poems for all your emotions - Read original work.
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Are you looking for a place to get started? If you’re looking for a way to start making money on complete autopilot without your own list, website or product - then this 'secret weapon' from my friend Ewen Chia will shock and thrill you:
*******************************************PARENTING CORNER
6 Tips for Helping Your Children Deal with Relocating
Children find security in sameness: the same bed, the same routine, and the same friends. When the decision is made to relocate, it can be stressful on all family members but particularly on children.
1. As soon as you know you’re moving, let your children know. Don’t spring a move on them at the last minute.
2. Explain why you are moving, whether it’s for a better job or a bigger home. Answer any questions they may have as honestly as you can.
3. Keep as positive as you can. If you feel in any way negative about relocating, your children will pick up these vibes and feel apprehensive themselves.
4. Treat the move as an exciting adventure; involve them in planning and decorating decisions if possible.
5. Let them pack their own things, and involve them in deciding what needs to be given away.
6. Encourage your children to talk about their feelings. Help them keep in touch with old friends and allow them to grieve their losses.
Your new life has begun.
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Whatever your passion, you can do what you love without leaving your children. Learn more here.
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STRESS BUSTER OF THE MONTH
Keeping Change in Perspective
We as human beings don’t like change. We cling to what’s familiar and often don’t want to venture outside our comfort zone.
But changes are going to happen, some chosen, some not. All growth comes from change. Here are some wise sayings about change.
Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine. ~Robert C. Gallagher
If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change. ~John A. Simone, Sr.
If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France
Change always comes bearing gifts. ~Price Pritchett
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~Victor Frankl
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TIME MANAGEMENT:
Getting "It" Together: Lists Put Order in Your World
By Jennifer Tankersley
I am one of today’s over-extended mothers who no longer find comfort nor satisfaction in a spotless house. Both of my Grandmothers’ homes were always impeccable. I never thought much about it until I started running my own household and wondered where they found the time and devotion to clean windows, walls, and ceilings. Cobwebs? They don’t really bother me.
Modern moms struggle more today with juggling schedules and play dates, work and homework than with mops and dust rags. One thing I do have in common with previous generations is the necessity and the aptitude for making a well-thought out list.
What would we multi-tasking moms do without the ability to sort out some of the jumble in our minds? I savor the sweet release of putting it on paper, and I do mean paper. I need to not only see my list, but I must be able to hold it, check it off, and possibly fold it up. It oftentimes needs to be an ongoing list that I can store in my trusty binder and add to it whenever something new and important is introduced to my information-overloaded world.
The beauty of the list is manifold. It 1) tracks personal family or business goals, 2) provides an opportunity for achievement, 3) can be compact and portable, 4) operates as a tool for delegation (e.g. Honey Do lists, chore lists), 5) teaches self-discipline, and 6) produces enormous gratification with each task completed. So rediscover the power you wield when you print a list, take out your pen, and begin to LET GO of your “Information Turmoil”!
Jennifer Tankersley so believes in the power of lists that she has devoted her current existence to the creation of http://www.listplanit.com with over 200 lists, checklists, and planning pages.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Tankersley
http://EzineArticles.com/?Getting-It-Together:-Lists-Put-Order-in-Your-World&id=632622
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MONEY SAVING TIP OF THE MONTH
Small Frugal Changes Add Up
Saving a penny here and there may seem like nothing, but pennies do add up to dollars – one penny at a time. There are small changes you can make toward living a frugal life that aren’t painful. You may not notice it, but small changes add up.
For instance, remembering to shut the lights off when you leave each room is a small frugal change. Keeping the air conditioning or heat at a constant temperature saves money. Items in excellent condition can be found in thrift stores, yard sales and on eBay.
Watch sales fliers, and stock up on non-perishable items. Cut back on fast food or eating out. Take the time to shop around for a less expensive insurance policy. Avoid impulse buying.
In some ways, wastefulness can be a habit. Habits can be unlearned, one day at a time. You can learn to lead a frugal life one penny at a time.
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Best of luck on your journey. You can and will succeed.
Valerie Dansereau
http://www.work-at-home-parenting.com
Don’t just build a website! Build a website that works.
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