Your "To Do" List

How much is your time worth to you? Do you really feel like that you can really manage the most important aspects of your life with clarity? How do you achieve your day to day goals? It's clear that there are different strategies and tools that we all use to get the most out of each day.

For me, sometimes getting up a little earlier in the morning to get a jump on my day gives me some sanity - I might get things in my office caught up on, or go to the market to get the staples that we need before my workday begins. Traffic is lighter, as are the crowds in the aisles. I'm a 'list' person. Athough I make mental notes each day, when I see things on paper I am more apt to get things done. I try to get the easy tasks crossed off of my list early in the day... especially those that tend to draw so much time away from my schedule later in the day like going to the post office and running other errands. To save not only time but also fuel costs, years ago I got into the habit of planning out my to do list according to where I will be geographically and sticking to a route. I pay bills online. I have a DayTimer personal organizer that's portable. In that, I can see my full schedule - both personal and business and I keep track of notes that I need to make daily. My time is valuable, and I also value the time of others; I'm a firm believer in confirming appointments. (I wish that more people did this, too!) My BlackBerry is a very useful tool in managing my time. The ability to be able to check/answer/send e-mails on the go is an invaluable. (How many times a week are we invariably stuck 'waiting'? I use that time to do e-mail or make calls.) I use it as an alarm clock, an e-appointment reminder, calculator.

As a homekeeping professional, I find it pretty easy to keep up on my own cleaning. But, it can be tough if you really do not like to clean, lack the time or simply are not physically able to. Many if not all of my clients find more time to do the things that they like or need to do like organizing their home, tending to their loved ones, or finally being able to participate in hobbies. Having their homes cleaned once a week or once every other week by me lightens the load and saves their sanity. I notice that the closets in my clients' homes get the attention that they need. Pictures get organized and framed. Pies get baked. There's a sense of order and calm in the house. Can you imagine how much more enjoyable the holiday season is for my clients?

What are your strategies for balancing your life?

Less housework = more personal and family time. Get some. Balance your life. Save your sanity. Sleep in on Saturday. If you are located in the vicinity of Chelsea, Dexter or Pinckney, I would be delighted to help you achieve a sense of balance.

Lorrie Shaw, Immaculate Cleaning Service 734-904-7279