7 tools & apps that make life way more organized and chill
My cat never does seem to start acting as my personal assistant, despite my pleas. Even with all my emails, projects, and stress piling up around me. Rude. I guess we’re stuck having to keep ourselves organized, Bear, jeez. If you’re in this pickle, know you’re not alone. But here’s where technology can actually help instead of hinder: seven life organization apps that we use to keep shit organized.
Time management as an art project
With some nudging from my therapist and support from my husband, I finally managed to get on top of things. My to-do list has gone from “deal with three years of back taxes” to more mundane stuff like “clean up the dried paint in the bathroom.” I used a handful of different strategies to gain control, which I’ll detail in a sec, but the biggest key to staying motivated has been to turn it into something like an art project.
My favorite tips for creating the online calendar system of your dreams
For years, I insisted on using a paper planner to keep track of my schedule. When my husband finally convinced me to try Google Calendar instead, I was an instant convert. Now I’m a flat-out evangelist. For my fellow schedule-lovers, here are some of my favorite tips for creating the online calendar system of your dreams…
Make your own “12 Beers of Christmas” gifts
It can be a challenge when it comes to Christmas shopping for your spouse, friend, parent, or co-worker… but the gift of booze is usually a win! The downside, however, is that a pre-packaged box or carton of booze can also come across as “easy” or “thoughtless.” Well, I recently stumbled across a box that gave me an idea — a 12 bottle storage box could be transformed into “The 12 Beers of Christmas!”
Turn your bathroom into a miniature art gallery
Like it or not, the lavatory is a place in which we all spend quite some time. Sometimes even long stretches. Sure, a magazine might help to pass the time, but what if you’ve read every article twice already? In our toilet room, there is still plenty to look at, because I’ve turned it into a miniature art gallery, using nothing but postcards and some picture frames.
Family meetings help my relationship, save me money, and rock my socks
I am a terrible housekeeper. I’m also terrible at saving money. And talking about my feelings. And cooking (because I don’t plan ahead). And making time for my husband. At least, I WAS terrible at all of these things until… family meetings! I found a print-out somewhere in the depths of the internet called “Peek at the Week.” I showed it to my husband and he was mostly indifferent about it until I told him all of my amazing plans.
A year of resolutions — one for each month
I love the excuse that a new calendar provides for encouraging me to try new things, push myself, and break out of bad habits. But even though I’ve heard that it takes just three weeks to develop a new habit, my new year’s resolutions always break down around week five or six. So this year, instead of attempting a 365-day resolution, I am considering trying something different: twelve one-month challenges.
Naked scientists and ways the world might end: 5 calendars for 2012
Now it is the best time of the year: the END of the year. It’s fascinating that we as a people periodically say “this period of time is over. BEGIN NEW PERIOD!” Isn’t it? As December 31st ends, we mentally partition off the year, old habits, and new goals. January 1st isn’t a different day than December 31 in any way, but if FEELS new.
AND YOU GUYS, I HAVE BEEN SAVING CALENDARS FOR YOU FOR SIX MONTHS!