Getting Out of the House On Time
Organize your closet. Purge first, remembering that if you didn’t wear it last year, you probably won’t wear it this year. Separate the things you want to keep, and bag the things to give away or consign, and dump the rest. Then Arrange your closet by seasons and styles (casual/business), keeping like things together (all your pants/skirts, jackets, blouses/shirts should be grouped together), sorting the colors light to dark. If you never mix and match, hang complete outfits together. Keep two baskets in the floor of your closet—one for clothes that will go to the cleaners, and the other for clothes that need repairing. Don’t rehang soiled clothes.
Iron next weeks clothes over the weekend. Get this over with early Saturday morning or set up a routine to do it during the week. (Spray starch makes ironing easier.)
Hang clocks all over the house, especially near the bathroom and dressing areas. You’ll then be able to pace yourself better because you’ll have a clear sense of time.Set each clock at a different time and forget about it. The only clocks I have that are set correctly are the ones in my car and office (and my watch). Buy a battery back‑up for your alarm clock.
Buy a synthetic wig that fits you. They come in handy for those bad hair days or early morning meetings—every woman should have at least one. Another option is to have your hair cut into a no fuss style.
Gas up the car for the week. If you ride public transportation every day, buy a monthly pass. If you pay tolls, either keep change in your car, or better yet, purchase a cruise card if your area offers it so you won’t have to stop at all.
De‑junk the garage so you can put your car in it. Time spent deicing windows this winter can be spent doing something important, like talking to your spouse or children, or reading the paper.
Buy and pre-cook food for the coming week. To help the food keep, only reheat the portions you’re going to eat that day. After you get accustomed to cooking large amounts of food, try cooking and preparing food by the month. Buy a coffee pot with an automatic timer.
Clean out and organize your purse. Dump everything out and only put back the things you need. Establish a home for everything and carry the same pocketbook every day. You'll also want to use one that has a lot of compartments so you can establish a set place for everything, especially for your keys.
THINGS TO DO THE NIGHT BEFORE
Set the breakfast table after dinner. Set out the cereal box, and put the milk in a container smaller kids can handle. Fill your coffee pot, and set the timer for tomorrow morning.
Make the lunches (right after dinner is the best time). If I make a lunch, I put an empty grocery bag by the door that leads to my garage as my cue to remember it the next morning. It sounds silly, I know, but it works.
Check your calendar so you’ll be prepared with everything you’ll need the next day. Go ahead and pack the car with all the things you’ll need to take with you the next day (or put everything by the door you leave out of). Do this the moment you think about it, or you’ll forget it. (If I’m doing something special like giving a seminar, I always make a checklist ahead of time so I won’t forget anything.)
Lay out your entire outfit, including accessories (or at least have a good idea of what you’ll wear the next day). Lay clothes out for the children too. Keep your wardrobe and jewelry very simple, especially when you’re traveling.
THINGS TO DO THAT MORNING
Get up first. You'll have quiet time alone. Awaken people based on how long it takes them to get dressed. If you have to comb your daughter’s hair, it’s going to take you longer to get her ready than your son, so get her up first (or set her alarm to go off first).
Time everything you do so you can create a morning schedule that works for you. A kitchen timer works great for doing this. Every second has to count in the morning like no other time. Count backwards from the time you're at your desk at work to the moment you have to get up.
Turn off the TV. Don’t watch TV or listen to the radio unless you’ve built extra time into your schedule. (They distract you from your routine.)
Determine how long it takes you to get somewhere. Start from the time you leave to the time you’re inside where you need to be. Adjust your morning schedule accordingly. You can’t change how much time you get every day, but you can get more out of the time you have by changing your habits.
"You were FABULOUS. I so enjoyed your presentation, and I laughed and laughed as well as learned. Thank you for your insights, your information, your energy.... you have my appreciation, my awe, my thanks. I look forward to working with you again," Betty Spence, Ph.D. President, The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE)
Iron next weeks clothes over the weekend. Get this over with early Saturday morning or set up a routine to do it during the week. (Spray starch makes ironing easier.)
Hang clocks all over the house, especially near the bathroom and dressing areas. You’ll then be able to pace yourself better because you’ll have a clear sense of time.Set each clock at a different time and forget about it. The only clocks I have that are set correctly are the ones in my car and office (and my watch). Buy a battery back‑up for your alarm clock.
Buy a synthetic wig that fits you. They come in handy for those bad hair days or early morning meetings—every woman should have at least one. Another option is to have your hair cut into a no fuss style.
Gas up the car for the week. If you ride public transportation every day, buy a monthly pass. If you pay tolls, either keep change in your car, or better yet, purchase a cruise card if your area offers it so you won’t have to stop at all.
De‑junk the garage so you can put your car in it. Time spent deicing windows this winter can be spent doing something important, like talking to your spouse or children, or reading the paper.
Buy and pre-cook food for the coming week. To help the food keep, only reheat the portions you’re going to eat that day. After you get accustomed to cooking large amounts of food, try cooking and preparing food by the month. Buy a coffee pot with an automatic timer.
Clean out and organize your purse. Dump everything out and only put back the things you need. Establish a home for everything and carry the same pocketbook every day. You'll also want to use one that has a lot of compartments so you can establish a set place for everything, especially for your keys.
THINGS TO DO THE NIGHT BEFORE
Set the breakfast table after dinner. Set out the cereal box, and put the milk in a container smaller kids can handle. Fill your coffee pot, and set the timer for tomorrow morning.
Make the lunches (right after dinner is the best time). If I make a lunch, I put an empty grocery bag by the door that leads to my garage as my cue to remember it the next morning. It sounds silly, I know, but it works.
Check your calendar so you’ll be prepared with everything you’ll need the next day. Go ahead and pack the car with all the things you’ll need to take with you the next day (or put everything by the door you leave out of). Do this the moment you think about it, or you’ll forget it. (If I’m doing something special like giving a seminar, I always make a checklist ahead of time so I won’t forget anything.)
Lay out your entire outfit, including accessories (or at least have a good idea of what you’ll wear the next day). Lay clothes out for the children too. Keep your wardrobe and jewelry very simple, especially when you’re traveling.
THINGS TO DO THAT MORNING
Get up first. You'll have quiet time alone. Awaken people based on how long it takes them to get dressed. If you have to comb your daughter’s hair, it’s going to take you longer to get her ready than your son, so get her up first (or set her alarm to go off first).
Time everything you do so you can create a morning schedule that works for you. A kitchen timer works great for doing this. Every second has to count in the morning like no other time. Count backwards from the time you're at your desk at work to the moment you have to get up.
Turn off the TV. Don’t watch TV or listen to the radio unless you’ve built extra time into your schedule. (They distract you from your routine.)
Determine how long it takes you to get somewhere. Start from the time you leave to the time you’re inside where you need to be. Adjust your morning schedule accordingly. You can’t change how much time you get every day, but you can get more out of the time you have by changing your habits.
"You were FABULOUS. I so enjoyed your presentation, and I laughed and laughed as well as learned. Thank you for your insights, your information, your energy.... you have my appreciation, my awe, my thanks. I look forward to working with you again," Betty Spence, Ph.D. President, The National Association for Female Executives (NAFE)