This morning I gave everyone on twitter and Facebook a good laugh when I said…

"The to-do list is written. Thursday’s about to become my bitch."

Well, not EVERYONE just those that caught it. Regardless, I meant what I said and guess what.. Thursday WAS my bitch. I got so much done [...]]]>

This morning I gave everyone on twitter and Facebook a good laugh when I said…

"The to-do list is written. Thursday’s about to become my bitch."

Well, not EVERYONE just those that caught it. Regardless, I meant what I said and guess what.. Thursday WAS my bitch. I got so much done today (including this post!) it wasn’t even funny!

And that’s the power of "The To-Do."

The To-Do List gives me direction, a sense of accomplishment, power against procrastination and a shot of motivation. It’s like a preemptive cure all.

This morning when I made my list I actually wrote down "BodyPump Class" amongst "Laughing Cow Article," "Prep Recipe Photos," "Organize Laundry Room" and "Ryan’s Swim Class."

Yes, those are actual entries on my list. I live a pretty uneventful life. It’s true, but that’s not what I realized today (I already knew that.) I realized there are pretty much 3 To-Do’s that my To-Do should, well, DO.

Did you get that?

OK, I’ll stop being cute. What I’m trying to say is I think everyone’s To-Do list should have 3 different types of tasks. One of which I think is currently being underrepresented.

1. Work Related Tasks

Definitely NOT the underrepresented one. Is it just me or does work related items dominate the list? For me this is mostly blogging related and writing stuff. I have emails and calls to return, photos to prep, comments to manage, code to write, etc., etc., etc.

2. Home/Family Tasks

The second most popular type of tasks on my to-do. These are the cleaning, chauffeuring, cooking, shopping, chore related things that are normally for others or the good of the group/family.

3. YOU Tasks

These are the ones we forget. The ones we tend to consider not as important. Things like take a bubble bath, read a book, go for a walk, draw a picture, call a friend, etc., etc, etc,

My goal (and I hope you’ll do it with me) is to start every day with a list of things I want to accomplish. I’m either going to make it the night before or the morning of. On my list each one of those categories will be represented with at least 1 task. There is no reason why I can’t do at least one "YOU task" every day. There just isn’t.

Today I checked off "BodyPump Class" even though I had to rearrange my schedule to fit it in. I’m not sure I would have been as diligent if I didn’t write it on the to-do.

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Tonight I peaked in after finishing my latest GreenLiteBites post, The Triscuit Coated Cod Meal Idea, [...]]]> I LOVE Pinterest. Every night I peak in for a few minutes and marvel at all the amazing stuff: the photos, the food, the tips, the inspiration. I rarely pin anymore as I’m too busy checking out everyone else’s!

Tonight I peaked in after finishing my latest GreenLiteBites post, The Triscuit Coated Cod Meal Idea, and saw this…

…from http://getfitordie.tumblr.com. The corresponding post offer some pretty good tips on creating habits.

It was a timely find for me. This morning I posted this on Facebook…

I’m hooked on my morning workouts again. Takes me about 2 weeks of dreading them first though. :)

Every Tuesday and Thursday I wake up at 5:30 AM, run to the gym, take a class and then run home. To some it sounds crazy, to others, excessive, but to me it’s 2 guaranteed workouts with no interruptions from kids, work, or husband, doing something I love.

Is getting up hard? At first, but after a few consistent weeks of going, I now look forward to it and wake up before my alarm even has a chance to go off.

A few things I learned about forming good habits, specifically workout related ones..

1. Be Realistic. Start slow. You aren’t going to become a fitness fanatic overnight. Start by committing to 1-2 workouts a week or even just a walk after dinner depending on where you are starting.
2. Just do it. It’s easy to talk yourself out of going to the gym or heading out the door for a walk or run, but I assure you taking the first step is the hardest. Shut off your brain and put yourself on autopilot. If you need a push reach out on twitter or Facebook for a nudge.
3. Know Yourself. If you loathe running don’t set a running goal as your first habit. Remember to "Find Your Basket Ball" Creating a habit around an activity you like is way easier then trying to be something your not.

Commit to forming 1 new active habit this month with me. Can you add a walk now that the weather is changing? Can you get up early one day a week for a run? How about a lunch time gym class? Yoga on the weekend?

Let’s do it!

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Just this week MO asked,

…How do you do everything that you do in one day?

And Amy said,

How much do you [...]]]> One of the Most Common Questions I get — especially on Sensational Sunday Posts — is how am I able to get so much done in a day.

Just this week MO asked,

…How do you do everything that you do in one day?

And Amy said,

How much do you actually plan out your Sundays? You always seem to get so much done that I wonder if you make a list or just let things happen.

I guess it’s time to share my secrets.

I invented a device that slows down time.

Really!

I did!

And I use it every Sunday.

It’s called a…

CAMERA – Catch All Moments Everyday Regardless of Activity.

This CAMERA slows time by making you stop and acknowledge what you are doing when you are doing it. It also has this amazing power that lets you peer back in time and reminisce moments you experienced during the day. All this leads to a sense of accomplishment and gratitude giving you motivation to wake up the next day and start all over again.

I’m sorry. I’m not sure where all that came from. I was trying to be clever, but honestly, I’m only partially joking. If you’ve seen my Sunday posts you know I take a lot of photos of some pretty mundane things:

laundry,

eating,

cooking,

playing a board game.

I do this to not only communicate what we did that day, but to try to express that it is the little things that matter in life, at least in my opinion. I’m sure if you took a moment to take a quick photo of everything you did in a 24 hour period you’d be quite surprised at what you actually accomplished.

Sundays have become a special day in my house. I literally grab the camera and document everything we do specifically for my posts. We also consciously try to do more to prepare for the week and reenergize the family. So, in all fairness you are only seeing a tiny slice of my life on a day that I specifically set out to accomplish as much as possible.

All of that being said I thought I’d still take a moment to share my overall thoughts on getting more done. If you haven’t read, Ask Roni: How I Stay “Organized” HA! take a moment. It will give you a bit of insight into my overall philosophy that I think actually helps me accomplish more. Go ahead, click here the tips below will still be here when you get back.

OK, back? On to 5 Easy Ways I Get More Done in a Day…

Wake Up Earlier

OK, this is a no brainer but I’m going to assume there actually are other people in the world like my husband. He can easily sleep until noon on Sunday, then around 4PM he almost always says something like, "Wow it’s so late! Where did the time go?"

Really? I’m been up since 6 AM, ran, made breakfast for the kids, cleaned up the living room, paid some bills, put kid #2 to nap, played cards with kid #1, responded to emails, started the laundry and ate lunch all while you were sleeping. Of COURSE I get more done in a day than you. Geesh!

Do NOT Turn on the TV

I’m not anti-TV. Really, I’m not! Actually if you follow me on twitter you KNOW. All I do is talk about Revenge and Once Upon a Time, oh! and The River! I watch Food Network more than anyone else I know, and I can’t fall asleep unless the Science Channel is on in the background.

I like me some TV BUT I rarely turn it on in the morning and if I do, those are always the days I accomplish a heck of a lot less. There’s just something about the background TV noise that makes me less productive and slow.

This counts for kids shows too. Cartoons are just as big of a time suck as the morning news. Shut it all off or don’t turn it on in the first place. Start your day with the radio or nothing at all! Getting something accomplished first thing sets the tone of the day. Watching the news does nothing but put you in passive mode.

Involve Everyone in Everything

You can argue that kids slow you down but if you think of it as killing 3 birds with one stone, you get more accomplished with them then without them. Yes, I said 3.

I’ll use our laundry adventures as an example. Every weekend we do the laundry. I could let Little Guy watch TV while I sorted and started. Instead we do it together while trying to make it fun in the process.

Now instead of getting the laundry done, I’m getting the laundry done, spending time with my son and teaching him that chores are a part of life.

3 Birds – 1 Stone.

I could also do all the folding in the basement while the husband watched the kids up stairs. Instead I bring the laundry up and we fold it in the living room together while watching TV and spending time together as a family. Again, instead of getting the laundry folded, I’m getting the laundry folded, spending time with my husband/family and watching TV.

3 Birds – 1 Stone

I do this with everything from emptying the dishwasher to making dinner to cleaning the bathrooms. Sure, there are some times I just focus and get something done alone but more often than not, I involved the family somehow. Recently, it was assembling a stroller. Now that was funny. lol Click here to see the story.

Make Plans but Be Flexible

So Amy asked above if I make plans or just let things happen and it’s a little bit of both. I always go into a weekend with few goals and activities in mind but then I play it by ear. I find this approach works best for me because if I over-plan, then without fail something will happen throwing us (me) off schedule. Then everything is "ruined," I get depressed, sit on the couch and do nothing.

It’s happened.

Instead, I say to myself…

"Boy, it would be nice to go rock wall climbing on Sunday or if it’s nice out we’ll take the kids to the park. I’d love to get a run in too. Maybe we can grab dinner out or I can make sauce in the morning and we’ll have pasta."

So I give myself options and if something doesn’t workout I have something else to fall back on without feeling like I failed or the day was ruined. This helps me stay positive and motivated which helps me get more done by the end of the day.

Disconnect

You may not believe this but I’m a bad phone person. The husband often asks me why I even bother having one at all. It’s true. I disrespect my phone.

I do it on purpose.

I know myself and I know how easily I can get caught up in whats happening online, on my blogs or in my inbox so I purposely "forget" my phone or shut it off or let the battery run out. I’m sure there’s a HUGE percentage of you nodding your head in disbelief saying something like, "I can’t live without my phone." or "I could never do that." or "I need it for emergencies."

Blah blah blah

You don’t need it, you WANT it and there’s nothing wrong with that but don’t tell me you can’t get anything done during the day if you are constantly checking email or texting or doing whatever.

Step away from outside distractions a few times a week and focus on something. Really focus and you may be surprised how much you can actually get done.

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I so did NOT want to cook tonight. I had chicken defrosted for dinner but my energy was tapped after a day out with both boys.

I stared at the messy kitchen with no motivation.

None.

Not an ounce.

Nothing.

Nada.

Nil

Dude I was tiiiired. All I wanted [...]]]>

I so did NOT want to cook tonight. I had chicken defrosted for dinner but my energy was tapped after a day out with both boys.

I stared at the messy kitchen with no motivation.

None.

Not an ounce.

Nothing.

Nada.

Nil

Dude I was tiiiired. All I wanted to do was sit on the couch.

I came *this* close to ordering a pizza.

That’s when I decided to…

phone a friend.

Reaching out on twitter and Facebook I said,

Trying to muster up energy to make dinner. I’ve got nothing left in me today. Remind me how much better I feel when I cook versus ordering a pizza because I’m moments from picking up the phone.

A few people chimed in and that’s when AllTheWeigh said…

Make dinner and take a pic…we’ll drool, feel inspired to make our own chicken.

I was re-energized!

Before I knew it, this was simmering on my stove…

Click here to see how I made it.

SO much better than take-out pizza AND my family loved it too.

Don’t be afraid to use your Life Lines.

Whatever they may be.

That’s why they’re there.

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Order a: Side Salad with vinaigrette, small fry, a McChicken plain and a courtesy water.

Open the chicken sandwich, remove the bun and cut into chunks.

Top the side salad with the cut up chicken and drizzle about 1/4 of a packet of dressing.

~ 410 [...]]]>

Order a: Side Salad with vinaigrette, small fry, a McChicken plain and a courtesy water.

Open the chicken sandwich, remove the bun and cut into chunks.

Top the side salad with the cut up chicken and drizzle about 1/4 of a packet of dressing.

~ 410 calories, 20g of fat, 43g carbs, 5g of fiber, 13g of protein. That’s 9 Old WWP or 11 new WWPP.

Total cost: $3.18

And not a bad looking meal!

Swap the apple dippers for fries and shave 200 calories and 11 g of fat from the meal for the same price. Although, I don’t know about you, when I go to McDonald’s I’m getting fries. ;)

Disclaimer: I’m not claiming McDonald’s to be healthy. I’m just saying it is possible to eat light and cheap there (as with any fast food place). You just have to WANT to.

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I have heard from [...]]]> I announced a few weeks ago that I would not be counting points on Weight Watchers any longer. I came to my decision partially because of my discontent with with new PointsPlus plan and partially because after 6 years, I just don’t need points as much as I used to.

I have heard from many who are also unhappy with PointsPlus yet still want and need the structure of a plan. If you are one of those people, know that you aren’t alone. Here are a few resources to help you find your way.

SparkPeople Group – Classic WW/Tuning the New Plan to Our Needs!

From their description, "This board is for WW followers who have been struggling with recent plan changes, have decided to revert back to one of the old WW plans, or simply want to make the new plan their own!"

This group also meets on the Less to Lose Weight Watchers Message board and welcomes all struggling with the new plan regardless of how much you want to lose. They start a new post daily called Old Plans Preferred & Working with PP.

OneMorePound.com

Nice resource for both the original Points and the new PointsPlus. They have calculators, restaurant lists, recipes, tips and articles.

Dotties Weight Loss Zone

Dottie may be the original online Weight Watchers poster girl. I’ve been visiting her site for over 6 years. She has one of the largest collections of Weight Watcher Point information I’ve ever seen. She’s adding pointsPlus but is thankfully keeping the original point listing as well.

Old Weight Watchers Points and Plan Write Ups

On a blog post from PrettyCanHurt.com, the author writes up the gist of the old plan pretty well. Including how to calculation daily targets and activity points.

Starling Fitness has a fabulous post from 2005 called, What You Need To Know About Weight Watchers. It’s VERY comprehensive.

Wendie Plan Calculator

The Wendie Plan has been around forever. Many believe it helps beat weight loss plateaus. Their calculator support the old points as well as PointsPlus.

A special thanks to Nat for helping me compile the list!

I hope that helps those of you who are disgruntled. :)

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This is great if you actually interact but I know many, myself include, who [...]]]> I recently noticed a severe drop in my facebook fan page interaction so I decided to do a little digging. It seems there is a new setting which filters updates only showing wallk posts from people you’ve recently interacted with.

This is great if you actually interact but I know many, myself include, who "like" pages just so they can keep tabs on their favorite bloggers. I also have a lot of old friends I don’t interactive with regularly but love to see their wall posts.

To edit your feed to show everyone again you need to modify your News Feed Setting.

Click on the small arrow next to Most Recent and then select Edit Options.

This window will pop-up.

Select All of Your Friends and Pages

Spread the word about this by posting a message like this to your wall…

Facebook has changed its News Feed so that by default you can only see updates from people you’ve recently interacted with! To change this, click the drop down that says "Most recent", select "edit options" and click the box to receive updates from ALL friends. More detail directions here… http://bit.ly/fcdPso Most importantly – repost this! Only a few of your friends will actually see it

Hope that helps!

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At first I was flattered they thought my blog was worthy of contacting. But after a few years and [...]]]> If you’ve been blogging for any significant amount of time I’m sure you are familiar with PR pitches. I get 4-5 a day on average, everything from giveaway offers, events to publicized, products to review.

At first I was flattered they thought my blog was worthy of contacting. But after a few years and hundreds of mindless pitches that didn’t even bother to get my name right, I started getting bitter. It seemed I was just receiving email after email of people asking me to do something for them with little or nothing in return.

It gets old fast and your first instinct may be to simply ignore the pitch. Not a good idea.

Why?

Well, most pitches come from a PR company and not the brand itself. These PR companies may have hundreds of clients. That means if you create a relationship with them, other opportunities may come down the pipeline.

A simple reply can do wonders in opening the door to those other opportunities. I reply to almost every pitch, no matter how ridiculous, with a simple,

Thanks {{Insert PR Rep name}}, but I’m not interested at this time. 

I hope you understand, 

-Roni

Note: I don’t leave the {{Insert PR Rep name}} in there like they sometimes do!

Half the time I don’t get a reply–which is fine by me–but many times the rep will come back with a, "Thanks for letting me know, I’ll keep you in mind for future opportunities."

This is the key. If you are someone taking your blog seriously as a brand or business you must create relationships. You want them to know that you are open to offers just not this one. Ultimately you want them to establish yourself as a good communicator.

There are times when I get ridiculous pitches that probably don’t even warrant a response. They are generic and have nothing to do with my niche or interests. To them, I still respond but I let them know I am only open to opportunities in my specific topic area.

Thanks for reaching out but it’s not quite in my niche. I focus more on health/wellness topics and events. 

I hope you understand. 

-Roni

Again, the idea to let them know you are open to doing business, that you are good communicator and that frankly, you take your blog seriously. That is, if that’s what you want to do. There are no rules that say you have to pursue blogging as business. That’s a personal choice. But for those that do, I’m curious…

How do you respond to PR pitches?

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