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Hump Day: Just Take a Breather

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Hump Day: Just Take a Breather

Photograph credit: Microsoft Images

Happy Hump Day! Having just completed the Blogelina Commentathon, whereby I read and commented on 58 posts written by bloggers of all genres, I’m in need of a lull.

This week has been busy with attending a school observation, taking a meal to a friend, dealing with a broken range, and completing the blogging event.

Coming up at the end of the week, we have a field trip, an oral presentation, a trip to Bruster’s for PJ Day, and a tearful goodbye to Miss 6’s teacher, who is about to have her first child.

With all these changes and emotional highs and lows, it is good to just take a breather.

Ah!

In using time wisely, I am planning to go to bed early tonight to get some extra rest before diving into the rest of the week.

If you are finding yourself extra busy, then try scheduling an early bedtime to re-energize yourself for the tasks ahead. You won’t regret the extra sleep. 🙂 Happy Hump Day!

Question: How busy is this week for you? 

Stopping to Smell the Roses

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Stopping to Smell the Roses

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Recovering from entertaining last night, I kept a light schedule for today. In stopping to smell the roses, I played legos with Miss 3 this morning, visited with a friend, and browsed appliances.

My daughters love the Hello Kitty legos play sets. Miss 3 never ceases to amaze me with her conversations with her figurines. I love the time hanging out with her.

We then had a play date with a friend that lasted mid-morning through late afternoon. From dress up to a balloon hot potato game, the girls played hard. I really enjoyed the time catching up and listening to my friend while our children played.

This evening our stove was pulled out to identify the broken part, so we decided to adjust our menu plan and head to Chick-fil-A. We planned to go next week to use our calendar cards, but tonight worked out great.

We then went to check prices on scratch and dent ranges for information as we consider our options for repairing or replacing our 9.5 year old unit.

Though I walked into our house seeing cake crumbs still on the table from last night’s activities, toys strewn about, furniture out of place, and the kitchen sink full of dishes, I felt no guilt in stopping to smell the roses. Investing in my family and friendships far outweighs a clean and tidy home.

I’m so thankful that today was slow. I need more days like this to refresh my spirit, encourage my soul, and rest my mind and body.

In this fast-paced age, it is easy to zip from one activity to the next to get it all or mostly done. As you continue using time wisely, you will find some days busier than others. However, set your schedule so that you are not too busy for stopping to smell the roses. Happy stopping!

Question: What “roses” have been in your life recently?

Take Time for You

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Take Time for You

Photograph Credit: Flickr (slgckgc)

For the past four months, I have been taking more time for myself. When I feel tired and worn out from a busy day, I rest in the evening and go to bed early. When my schedule gets overloaded and I need time to think, I stop.

By listening to my body, I have stayed very healthy. Besides a small cold and a day of achiness, I have not gotten sick. My family has suffered through the flu and week-long colds, but I was able to care for them without succumbing to their illnesses.

As I usually would just run myself into the ground trying to get it all done, I have found freedom in letting things go. Having read Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, I can turn a blind eye – without guilt – to the pile of dirty dishes in the sink, the mound of paperwork on my desk, and the 30+ e-mail messages staring at me from my inbox.

For my Type A personality, where I stop to organize something immediately before moving on, this has been a learning process. I don’t have all the answers, but I’m mellowing out. Not sure if it is because I turned 40 last year or my perspective on life has focused more on the big picture than the present moments, but I like the new me.

By concentrating on getting rest, good nutrition, and some fun, I have been more patient with my children, planned more outings, and have more free time to relax. This is possible because I have not taken on any projects. I have concentrated on my family and our home and declined other opportunities.

In seizing 2014, I am enjoying the more simple life without the distractions and expectations of others. I love it and will continue taking time for myself.

If you are feeling frazzled, exhausted, and impatient, please take time for you. When you are whole, then you can fully address your responsibilities. In using time wisely, take the time you need to heal, rest, and rejuvenate. I’ll be taking time for myself also. Happy resting this weekend!

Question: How are you changing these days?

*Expired* Fresh Home Digital Bundle through August 15, 2013

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Fresh Home bundle picPatiently awaiting the arrival of my Kindle, I am ready to get reading the many e-books I have downloaded to my computer.

The best thing about e-books is the space savings in our homes and the immediate access to the download.

When I was alerted to the following fantastic e-book bundle, I knew this deal was just too good to keep to myself.

If you are in the market for cleaning, organizing, and time management tips and tools, then you will want to snag this Fresh Home Digital Bundle of 16 books for $15.  

This bundle is only valid until Thursday, August 15, 2013. After that date, each e-book is sold separately. Happy cleaning, organizing, and using time wisely! ~ Tracy

Fresh Home Digital Bundle

A Bowl Full of Lemons and Clean Mama have come together to bring you an amazing set of e-books and tools. These fantastic resources will help you get your house clean and organized and your time in order. This exclusive bundle will only be available for the next four days, so grab yours now! While this bundle is valued at over $100, it is available to you, our readers, for only $15 (or less than $1.00 per e-book or tool)! “Fresh Home” is the perfect bundle to get you back on track as a new school year begins and new routines are being implemented in your home.

Fresh Home Ebook Bundle Ad

The “Fresh Home” Bundle is a collection of 16 e-books and tools devoted to getting your life in order. What’s included:

  • Click here to buy nowthree cleaning e-books
  • one cleaning printable kit
  • one emergency preparedness e-book and printable kit
  • one babysitting kit
  • three time management e-books
  • six organizing e-books
  • one complete household binder printable kit

Everything you need to get your house clean and organized is in this fresh new bundle! Keep reading to learn the details about each home management e-book and tool….

Fresh Home Digital ebook bundle

CLEANING

($4.99)
Clean Enough: Simple Solutions for the Overwhelmed Homemaker is packed full of practical tips and advice to encourage you in your high calling and help you become a less-stressed housewife.
($5.99)
Christine has put together an easy step-by-step plan for you to create your own cleaning schedule that fits your lifestyle, your preferences, and your family. It will help you Create Your Perfect Cleaning Schedule.
($10.00)
Cleaning Around the Seasons is a comprehensive guide for anyone that needs to do some deep cleaning and doesn’t know how to start or where to fit it in to a busy schedule. With an easy to read style and quick start approach, you can read it and get started all in the same day.

ORGANIZING

($4.99)
Inside this easy 50-page read you’ll find a new approach to starting down the road to a simplified and more organized life. Rather than instructions on how to fold your T-shirts or organize your pantry, you’ll take a look at your daily habits and weekly routines to start thinking differently about how to efficiently spend your time.
($5.00)
Can you imagine being able to find ANY piece of paper in your house anytime you needed it? 10 Steps to Organized Paper will motivate, encourage, and walk with you step by step while you turn your mountains of paper into organized systems.
($3.99)
Getting It Together is an e-book designed to help you set up your own Home Management System that works. It includes a step-by-step tutorial, and over 30 printables that you can use to start your system right away!
($5.00)
Getting organized is the key to keeping busy moms sane. As a professional organizer (and mother of two active boys), Sara Pedersen shares her favorite tips and easy processes to guide you to an organized, efficient, and happy life. You’ll learn how to organize your time, your clutter, your kids, and the abundance of paper and other things in your busy life.
($10.00)
Emergency Preparedness outlines step-by-step directions on how to put together an Emergency Survival Station in your home. The e-book also comes with a “printables kit” for the Emergency Binder with several pages to fill out your family information.
Need a bit more simple in your life but unsure where to start? Simple Living is written for you. Using minimalist principles Lorilee has created a 30-day course, taking less than 1 hour a day that she guarantees will give you a simpler life.
($4.99)
All of us want to be more organized…and here are secrets and strategies for doing just that! In this ingenious book, the authors of “Who Knew? 10,001 Easy Solutions to Everyday Problems” reveal how to clear clutter once and for all, with ingenious organizing ideas, secrets for repurposing items you already have at home, and much, much more. “Who Knew? Get Organized Now!” uncovers hundreds of tips and ideas to help you clear away clutter and become more organized than ever before!

TIME MANAGEMENT

Tell Your Time
($2.99)
Tell Your Time: How To Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Free outlines Amy’s straightforward, step-by-step approach to controlling your schedule and ensuring the important things don’t fall through the cracks.
($2.99)
Full of useful tips and funny confessions, “28 Days to Timeliness” is packed with practical information that will help teach you how to manage your time so you can be on time.
($19.95)
“How To Get Organized” is designed to help you organize your time better. It includes pre-made schedules and lists along with information to help you make your own customized schedules.

TOOLS

($7.00)
JOYS Babysitter Notebook is a simple pdf for busy moms who want to empower their babysitters to make the best choices, no matter the situation.
($10.00)
Citrus Paper Company’s complete home binder printable set includes ALL of their binder printables to keep your life and finances organized and beautiful!
($10.00)
Clean Mama Printables’ Cleaning Kit is a comprehensive tool sure to streamline your cleaning routine and maximize the time you spend cleaning. This simple, printable kit has six original documents and introduction sheet that can be used together or separately – any way that works for you!
buy now
Important Details:
  • Please remember to backup your files. We are unable to send you copies of the e-books that have been deleted or lost.
  • Please do not share your bundle with anyone else – it is intended solely for the person who purchased the bundle. Please be respectful of the authors’ copyrights.
  • After purchasing, you will automatically receive an email (to the email address you provide) containing the download link. Please check your spam folder if you cannot find the email.
  • Please download and backup your Fresh Home e-Book Bundle purchase. You have 5 download attempts to access your files. The download link expires on 10/31/13. After that date, we will not be able to provide new links to download.
  • Due to the digital nature of this sale, there will be no refunds available. If you do have questions regarding the downloads, or how to open and save them, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page before contacting us.
  • The Fresh Home e-Book Bundle is only available from 9 a.m. EST on August 11th to 11:59 p.m. EST on August 15th.
  • If you have any questions or issues with any of the e-books or tools included in this bundle, please contact that author directly.

This post includes affiliate links, and I make a portion of the sale of each Fresh Home e-Book Bundle. Thank you for your support of Using Time Wisely!

Book Review: Tell Your Time

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Tell Your Time

*Amazon Affiliate Link

When I searched Using Time Wisely to link back to my book review, I was aghast that I had not posted a review of this fantastic resource.

Amy Lynn Andrews, the author of Tell Your Time, has influenced me greatly on this blogging journey.

Her website Blogging with Amy provides detailed instructions with video tutorials to build a blog or website from the ground up. Not only does she tell you how to do it, she also explains the why you do it.

For example, ever wondered what the difference is between a blog and a website? (Thanks, Amy, for allowing me to share what I have learned through you.)

A website usually has a static homepage. This means that you can visit that page day after day and see the same information. Most companies have a website for their customers to get the information desired.

A blog is short for a web log and is a website that is updated regularly. Some blog owners post daily, weekly, or monthly, with many variations in between. Since the home page changes regularly, Using Time Wisely is classified as a blog.

Tell Your Time Book Review

Getting back on track, Amy has not only helped get Using Time Wisely off the ground, she has given great advice on time management in her book Tell Your Time. I read this short 32-page e-book in one evening. Although, I spent more time later going back to schedule my time using the printable worksheets provided in the download.

I found the roles, the grid, and the weekly schedule worksheets most helpful in discovering my priorities and adjusting my time as needed. A result of reading Tell Your Time, I have established a monthly blogging schedule whereby I choose my blog topics one month in advance.

One would think that with the years of menu planning I have done and how I share how much time my menu plans save me from thinking about dinner at 5:00 p.m., I would have converted my success in the kitchen to blogging. I did not see the big picture until “my reveal moment” while reading Tell Your Time.

Tell Your Time Cost

If you are struggling with time management, finding yourself behind on tasks, or desiring a great book to read, then you will want to snag Tell Your Time for FREE. Amy, through Amazon, is offering Tell Your Time for $0.00 on Cyber Monday and Tuesday, November 26 – 27, 2012.

On Monday as you look over the deals, you can pick up this resource for FREE. Retailing for $4.99 with occasional sales for $0.99 (which is what I originally paid), you can stretch your dollars and add a great resource to your library.

To save you some time, if you purchased the $5 bundle to support the Barlow family, then you already have Tell Your Time as it was included in the package deal.

Tell Your Time Download

Don’t have a Kindle device? Me either, but you don’t need one to get FREE Kindle e-books. Just download the Kindle for PC from Amazon to your computer. You can then download the e-book to your computer, iPad, or other device.

To change the location of the book, just go to Amazon, log in to your account, and move the book to a registered device.

In using time wisely, I highly recommend Amy Lynn Andrew’s e-book, Tell Your Time. If you don’t have a copy, then snag it for free on Cyber Monday 2012. If you have it already, then spread the word to your family and friends. Happy savings!

*This post contains my affiliate links (disclosure policy).

Question: How is your time management planning?