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15 Activities (most you can find on Amazon) to Keep Your Toddler Busy While Eating Out

by Filed Under: Parenting, Resources, toddler Leave a Comment

My husband and I eat out every Friday night. It’s always been a little ritual of ours. So when we had a baby it was only natural to keep doing the same thing. My little guy is pretty used to eating out. When eating out with friends they normally comment on how well behaved my son is. I don’t think this happens by accident. I think three things contribute to this…

  1. We eat out often so he knows how to behave and what is expected of him.
  2. We come prepared to dinner with activities.
  3. We schedule dinner at times that work for his schedule (yes, that means we are eating with the seniors, but we don’t mind. There typically aren’t any lines at this time!).

toddler activities and toys for eating out restaurantAll that being said, that doesn’t mean he is always a perfect angel! I typically have a few tricks up my sleeve (or in my diaper bag) for use when he gets restless. I’m not big on devices so I try to avoid that at all costs. I’m not suggesting going out to buy all these toys. You might actually have some of them around the house already. I’m just giving you some ideas of what works for us!

I think another key to these items is that your child shouldn’t get to play with these items all the time. They are items that are special for when you are eating out. When your child gets tired of a toy/activity have a few handy so that he can have a different one. Sometimes it’s even fun to let your child have a combo of toys and watch them combine the two object into one activity.

Here are a few of my favorite things to keep a toddler busy while eating out at a restaurant.

  1. Water Wow Books by Melissa and Doug – These things are amazing. There is a “pen” that has a built in storage in the book so you don’t loose it. You put water in the pen and color the pages. But then when the pages dry everything is erased and ready for the next time you want to use it. You don’t have to worry about wasting paper as the supply is endless.
  2. Silicone Baking Cups and Dot Cutouts – This one might sound a little odd. However, this activity keeps my son entertained longer then anything else. My son loves to sort and stack things. So he used the silicone baking cups (think reusable cupcake tins) that I had laying around the house and will sort little pieces of paper in them. He also likes to stack the cups. The cups are a little sticky so they don’t fall off the table easily.
  3. Tegu Blocks – The Tegu blocks travel pack is AMAZING. These blocks aren’t cheap but let me tell you we have gotten our money’s worth times 10 with them. They consistently keep my son entertained.
  4. Small Cars – So my son actually has small trains that hook together. They are tiny and I can fit a handful in a ziplock bag. Here are the trains my son has But honestly any small vehicle would work like this.
  5. My First Double Doodle Board –  It’s reusable and two sided. My son tends to like it even more then paper and crayons.
  6. Trinket Toys from Goodwill – My Goodwill has a trinket section. You can fill a 1/2 gallon sized bag with McDonald toys for $2. After taking the toys home to be washed my son loves to explore the new toys. And if they get lost we don’t mind. We have found some real gems in this lot!
  7. Small Books – My son used to love crinkle books when he was 1 and younger. But now he is really into the small books by Mo Williams.
  8. Stickers and sticker books – Stickers can normally keep my son entertained for a good 10 minutes. If they are car or dog stickers you might have 15! This is probably my son’s favorite sticker book.
  9. Linking Toy Rings – Seriously kids think of a million ways to use the same toy. My son will wear these as bracelet, put them on his feet, link them together to make a long string, and hook them to whatever he can find.
  10. Play Dough – O how kids can play with Play Dough all day long! They make mini Play Doughs that are great for the diaper bag! Now that my son is a little older I also keep play dough scissors and a few cookie cutters in my bag too. This little set is perfect for kids who are starting to explore cutting and slicing.
  11. Wikki Stix – These are great for sensory (they are a little sticky) and hand eye coordination. At this age everything is educational! But really, your kids will love these.
  12. Travel Craft Set – My son is now two and a half and this is by far his most used restaurant toy. We were lucky enough to find a travel craft set on clearance at the Disney store a while back and he LOVES it. I couldn’t find the exact set he has online, but I think something like this would be perfect. It’s a tad big to fit in your diaper baby but just plop it in the car and bring it with you when you go in somewhere. It will surely keep your little one entertained!!
  13. Memory Game – So this one is for kids over two. But my son has recently started playing games. Memory happens to be one of his favorite games. At this point he is content just playing it by himself but at restaurants we will often make it a family activity which is fun for everyone.
  14. Fidget Spinner – I would have thought that these toys were for older kids. However, while on a play date a mom friend of mine pulled one out of her diaper bag and it kept both our kids occupied for a good long while. The plastic ones are safer for smaller kids.
  15. The Secret Weapon: Candy – When my kid is on the verge of meltdown I offer mini M&Ms or Pez dispensers or some times even a bag of Fruit Loops. This is great for when we have had a long dinner and we are past bed time.

I hope you have enjoyed this list and have found it helpful! Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for when you take your toddler out? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

My Thoughts on the Keto Diet – Before, During and After

by Filed Under: Health, Personal, Recipes, Resources 1 Comment

thoughts on the Keto dietAlright, so here is the deal. I jumped on the Keto train and I lost a significant and noticeable amount of weight. People noticed and have been asking me about it. So I thought I would put my thoughts on paper (in the form of this blog post) so that I can share all my thoughts about the Keto Diet/lifestyle. Please note, I’m nowhere close to being an expert on diet, nutrition, or anything along those lines. This blog post is solely meant to summarize my experience doing Keto.

What is Keto?
Before I get into the weeds, let me tell you what Keto is. The Keto diet is high fat, low carb, no sugar diet, and moderate protein.

Eating this way puts your body into a state of ketosis. During ketosis your body produces ketones and then that becomes the source of energy for your body (instead of carbs and sugar). This is when weight loss happens.

The idea is that your body runs better when you are running on fats instead of sugar/carbs. This is a completely over simplified explanation. However if you want to read more about Keto and the science behind it, here is a good resource.  Also, there is a new-ish movie on Netflix that I highly recommend that helps explain Keto and it’s benefits. It’s called The Magic Pill. Check that out if you are interested.

Before Keto – Why I chose the Keto Diet

There are LOTS of benefits that the Keto Diet claims to provide. For example it is used for weight loss, decreasing inflammation (this can help eczema, arthritis, improve pain, etc), improving sleep, improving heart health (crazy – right?!), reducing risk of seizures, and some even say it even helps fight some types of cancer! This list can go on for days.

But here is why I chose Keto:

  • Stalled weight loss – I gained way too much weight during pregnancy (note to my future self… just because you are eating for two doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want!) and I was having trouble taking it off. I had tried to count calories the previous year and only lost about 5 lbs in a year. I was also breast feeding this year and so if I dropped my calories too much my supply would drop as well. I also started Orange Theory (a 60 min high intensity workout class) 2x a week. This did make me feel 100X better, but I didn’t see any weight loss. Anyway, my point is I needed to try something different to jump start my weight loss goals. I also think it’s important to note that I waited until we were done breast feeding before starting Keto.
  • Benefits when trying to conceive – I was trying to conceive (TTC). My husband and I have been TTC for about a year and a half now. For whatever reason it’s not happening for us. However, the Keto diet is supposed to be good for those who are TTC. Keto is supposed to help with egg quality and the Keto diet reduces inflammation with is also good when TTC.

During Keto – What I ate

Every day started with eggs. Lunch was typically salad with some type of protein on it (my favorite was adding a little bacon, avocado and chicken). Dinner was typically protein and approved veggies (steak and broccoli). Snacks included nuts (in moderation), salami and cream cheese, dark chocolate.

During this time I ate A LOT of eggs. I mean a lot! I also ate a lot of avocados and cheese.

The awesome thing about Keto is that you don’t have to go hungry. If you are hungry you eat. You just have to make sure you eat approved foods.

For me the hard part was not giving up carbs- the hard part was giving up sugar. I love to bake and I love sweets! The key for me was to have other foods around the house that I enjoy and could substitute for those sweets. For me this was the dark chocolate and the salami and cream cheese (yum!).

Something else about Keto is that you can have some artificial sweeteners. I however chose not to introduce these into my diet. So it was hard to get that sweet fix I very much craved!!

Throughout the day I would eat less then 20 carbs (one apple has 20 net carbs. So you have to pay really close attention to what you are eating). Something else that some people don’t realize when doing Keto is that fiber doesn’t count towards your carb intake. So the chocolate I liked wasn’t exactly Keto approved chocolate. It had 14 carbs in one serving (4 piece) but 5 grams of fiber. Since the fiber carbs don’t really count there were 9 carbs in 4 pieces. I would only eat once piece. So it really was like 2 carbs per piece. There are better chocolate options out there, but this one I enjoyed and it kept me sane. And it was way better then eating a cupcake. This is also where the Keto pee strips (see more info below) came in handy. I could see that this chocolate wasn’t keeping me out of Ketosis so I didn’t feel so guilty about eating.

I’m not going to lie eating off this list of foods wasn’t easy. At first it was a fun challenge and once I started seeing weight loss it was rewarding. However, after a few months I started to get angry and resent the fact that I couldn’t eat anything. Some people say that Keto is a lifestyle and they do this long term. I know that this is not something I could personally do. I love food too much!

Must have items for starting Keto:

You don’t need a ton to get started but here are a few things I recommend.

  • A fridge full of Keto approved foods. I HIGHLY recommend meal planning. This is the only way I could have done it. If you want some ideas, here is my Keto Pinterest board.
  • Keto pee sticks – When I first started I didn’t use them. However, I was much more effective when I was using them. It helped me understand what foods were taking me out of ketosis and which weren’t.

How did I feel on Keto?

At first I felt like CRAP. There is something called Keto flu and it’s a real thing. It’s basically when your detoxing your body of carbs and sugar and that’s all you crave. Once I go over that hump I was fine. That was about week 2 or 3. It was always hardest when I was around other who were eating carbs and sugar – Easter was not cool!

What did the rest of my family do while I was on this diet?

Overall my husband is very supportive of any health goals. He did not do the diet with me, but he and my son ate the foods I made. I do all the shopping and cooking around the house so it wasn’t a big deal. That being said I didn’t limit my son and husband’s carbs. So if they wanted chips with their guacamole, then they had them. I had salads for lunch every day and so my son would have something with carbs – sandwich, breaded chicken fingers or whatever.

My husband thought he was on a diet too, but the truth is Keto is an all or nothing diet. You are either in ketosis or you aren’t. He was not eliminating his carbs so he was not in Ketosis or losing weight.

That being said, I was able to make some fun meals while on the diet. My favorite was the carb free lasagna. When I gave it to my husband he asked me why we were eating carbs. He didn’t believe me there were no carbs in this dish. Here is the recipe if you are interested.

What did weight loss look like for me?

I’m a visual numbers/data person. So let me just show you. I know it’s not conventional to share your weight publicly, but I’m proud of what I did and who cares?! Judge me if you want.

As you can see after I stopped breast feeding my weight loss just stopped. Even adding in an exercise routine (Orange Theory 2x a week) didn’t really help (well it helped me feel better but didn’t help me loose any weight). Then I started Keto in late December and lost 15 lbs by the time I quit early April. I now weigh less then I did in college and I feel so much stronger thanks to the workout routine.

weight loss on Keto

Life After Keto – Why did I quit

I hit my weight loss goals – yay!! I was trying to get down to 140 which was my pre-baby weight. Instead I got down to 135 which was what I weighed in college. I’m happy here. 🙂

I could stop there, but the truth is, it was hard! Food is an emotional thing and I needed more food back in my life. I was dealing with other stressful things in my life (note the infertility) and I just wanted to take all things causing me stress out of my life and this was something causing me stress.

One of my reasons for starting Keto was to help with infertility. So this didn’t really help with that. But from what I read it takes at least 3 months for diet to effect egg quality. So maybe I didn’t do it long enough – who knows.

Weight Gain and What I’ve Learned

I had a number of people tell me I was going to gain all the weight back after stopping Keto. I’ve been done now for 2.5 months (I know that isn’t long!) and haven’t seen any gain. I had an immediate gain when I started adding carbs and gluten back in my life. I think this was water weight/bloat. My body was getting used to those things again. But now I’m back to my lowest weight when I was on Keto.

I’m still trying to take things I’ve learned during Keto and apply them to daily life. I still have eggs for breakfast every morning (instead of Cheerios). I now eat a lot more meat/protein and I’m not afraid of fat. Being a product of the 90s I feel like I was afraid of fat. The truth is fat isn’t bad for you unless you are eating fat and lots of carbs and sugar. I’m also still limiting carbs/sugar but I’m not in the state of Ketosis. I’m still still doing my Orange Theory 2x a week (I love this me time!).

Would I do it again

Yep – If I need another weightloss bump in my life I would totally do it again. Right now there is no need, but part of the reason I’m writing this post is so that I remember it all down the road.

What did I miss?

Did I miss something you have a question about? Leave your question below. As you can see by the length of this post I could talk about this all day long. So please send me all your questions!

If you had a different experience or an experience you want to share while on Keto please also tell me below in the comments. Or just tell me below that someone actually read the post. 😉

15 Practical Kitchen Gadgets That Will Make Cooking A Little More Fun

by Filed Under: Kitchen, Party, Recipes, Resources Leave a Comment

I love to cook and bake. But I also like making my life easier any way I can. Here are a few kitchen gadgets that I enjoy using and that help me out in the kitchen on a daily basis.15 practical kitchen gadgets that will make cooking a little more fun

  1. Pizza Cutter Wheel  – This is by far the best pizza cutter I’ve ever used and it costs less then $12. You can’t beat that. It’s round so it takes up less space in your cabinet and it comes apart easily for cleaning. This is a must have for every kitchen!
  2. Chopper – This is the kitchen gadget that you don’t know you need until you have one. I used to have a slap chopper. I thought that was all I needed. Then a friend gifted me one of these electric choppers. I use this thing multiple times a week. It’s so much easier to chop an onion, veggies, or whatever with this thing. I also use it to make my son’s pureed baby food. It’s easier to use this little chopper then getting out the blender or food processor.
  3. Spritzer – Having cooking spray around the house is always nice and convenient. But do you really know what’s in that cooking spray? I love this thing because I know what’s in it (because I put it in there). I fill mine with olive oil. Over time this thing pays for itself 10 times over too because a little olive oil is cheaper then buying bottle of the cooking spray.
  4. Spice Rack – This spice rack will keep your counters and cabinets tidy while keeping all your ingredients easily accessible. This spice rack also looks like it was made for my cabinets as the wood matches.
  5. Air Popcorn Popper – This thing makes the best popcorn. There is never a burnt piece in the batch and it’s so much healthier then the microwave popcorn.
  6. Refillable Foaming Hand Soap  – I love foaming hand soap. But the cost can add up. So if you want cut costs and still use the fancy soap just refill your old containers or if you want to make it look a little classier you can purchase some glass foaming hand soap dispensers.
  7. Collapsible Colander – This colander is the best! I love that it can sit on top of my sink and then it collapses when I put it in the dishwasher and for storing it. It’s so much easier to clean then the standard stiff plastic or metal strainer. This product is also great for cleaning produce.
  8. Metal Straws – Once you try a metal straw you will never go back to the plastic ones. They are cold and keep your drink cold and they taste better then the plastic. They are also more environmentally friendly and you never run out.
  9. Ice Tea Maker – If I had to pick only one kitchen appliance to keep it would be this! I drink a pitcher of iced tea every day! I’ve tried a number of different ice tea makers and this one is by far my favorite.
  10. Electric Herb Garden  – Well, I’m not really sure if you can consider this a kitchen appliance or not. However, we keep ours in our kitchen and we love it! You can grow anything you want in this thing at any time of the year. It’s great for herbs. When you’re cooking all you need to do is cut from your fresh herb garden.
  11. Rabbit Wine Opener – If you are a wine drinker this is a must have! It makes drinking wine- and opening it- so simple.
  12. Kitchen Aid Mixer – This is a must have for anyone who likes to bake. It makes mixing anything easier and fun! I enjoy baking with my son who likes to watch everything go into the mixer and then watch is all mix together. So fun!
  13. Pineapple Corer – Buying sliced pineapple is so much more expensive then buying it whole. But it’s such a pain to cut. But with this gadget that costs less then $10 you can cut your own easily! Fresh pineapple, yes please!!
  14. Waffle Maker – Who doesn’t love a fresh warm waffle on Saturday morning?! I make waffles over the weekend for my little guy to last throughout the week and he loves it. This specific waffle maker is great it eliminates most of the waffle making mess!
  15. Silicone Baking Mat – I LOVE to bake. But I hate to clean. These ingenious mats help with both. You don’t have to worry about running out of parchment paper and you always have cookies that don’t stick the the pan. These mats also work well for easy cleanup when cooking too. They aren’t just for baking.

Are there any kitchen gadgets that you love to use? Leave a comment below and let me know!

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Four Reasons Why I Hate PNC Bank – An Open Letter To PNC Bank

by Filed Under: Personal, Resources 7 Comments

Dear PNC,

I’m a new(ish) customer. However, throughout the whole process of becoming a customer I’ve been faced with frustration on top of frustration. I’ve vented my frustration to the reps on the phone (whom I have to talk to WAY too often), my local bank manager (who was actually very nice, but had no power to actually fix anything), and your online support (oh wait, you don’t actually have online support, I forgot).

Here are a four reasons why I am frustrated with PNC Bank.

Why I hate PNC Bank1. I can’t do anything (with my own money) unless I call you first. I feel like I’m in middle school again and I have to ask my mom for permission to do anything. However, unlike my mom who was always available, you are only available between 9am and 5pm and I work during those hours. So if I want to reset my password, deposit my first check using your app, make a large purchase, or do anything basically I need to be completely inconvenienced and belittled by having to call you for your permission. Really?! What have I done to make you not trust me?

I do understand that 10 years ago the only way to get something done was by picking up the phone. However, this is no longer the case. And in case you haven’t heard, Millennials HATE picking up their phone.

2. You don’t understand technology or how to provide a good user experience. The idea of technology is that it’s supposed to make our lives easier… not harder. Here are six times that your technology has failed since I’ve been a customer:

  • Password Mailer – I’m not normally the type of person who loses their password. However you have such odd requirements for a password that I did forget what my password was. Unlike most banks or online systems, I had to first call to talk to you (see complaint number one) and then you had to snail mail me a new password. Who uses snail mail to send a password?! Where is the simple reset password button?! How am I suppose to access my money for a week while I’m waiting for your stupid mailer?!
  • PNC Screen ShotFaxing – I wanted to add an additional person to my account and get a credit increase on my card. To do this I had to email you (I’m at least grateful this didn’t require another phone call, but there really should have just been a link on your website) for a form. The form required me to print it out and fax it back to you. Really? Who still actually owns a fax machine? Shouldn’t there be an online form to complete this process?
  • No Online Support – On your website there is functionality that will allow me to send you an online support ticket. The one time I tried this the solution that your online support person provided was to call you. Why do you have online support if you don’t actually provide any support?! If I wanted to talk to you on the phone I would have called you to begin with.
  • Lots of Logins – I understand security is important especially when it relates to your bank. However, you guys take things to an extreme. I’m a member of other banks, and they don’t require me to jump through multiple login screens before I can access my own money. I also don’t need a separate login to access my rewards points. Please tell me why these systems don’t seamlessly integrate?
  • Lack of Website Functionality – Nothing on your website is easy to figure out and you are lacking documentation. From one marketer to another, I would highly encourage you (PNC) to do some website usability tests. I’m pretty tech savvy and I have no idea how to do anything on your site.
  • Mobile Functionally Fail – There is one feature I wanted to use on your mobile app. That is check deposits. So I called you up (like always) and you tell me that there is a $1.50 fee per check if I want to deposit a check using your app… say what?! I complain and refuse to pay that. The person on the phone doesn’t care. So I complain again to the business banking person at my local branch. She explains to me that I can do checks under $1,500 for free and she enables the feature. Why wasn’t the feature just enabled to begin with?! Why is everything such a process?!

3. Lack of Communication and Setting Expectations. Before I became a customer I saw your PNC ad online for up to $300 cash back when you open a PNC business account. Your ad was lovely and well done. I filled out the landing page and I was contacted by a PNC rep. The rep was completely useless and he just told me that I needed to go into branch to finish the application process. Since I filled the info out online I assumed I could just complete the whole process online. However, that was the furthest thing from reality.

So I went into my local branch. What the initial phone rep didn’t tell me was there were a number of documents I needed to bring with me. So I had to go back to the branch a 2nd time. Well it also turns out that I needed to meet with the business banker in order to set up my account and she wasn’t there. So, I had to come back a 3rd time and set up an account. This whole fiasco could have been completely avoided if any one of the people that I talked to would have taken a moment to explain to me how the process worked. Or better yet, I would have loved to have seen step by step instruction online. But no, your website has no such information.

And to top off the whole situation I didn’t end up getting any of the cash back bonus that you offered in the initial ad. I didn’t read the fine print and I didn’t qualify. Although I’m still not sure why- I didn’t qualify. I didn’t want to have to call you up again to find out why.

4. The Right Hand Doesn’t Talk to the Left. I got a call from your fraud services not to long ago. They informed me that my recent purchase of 1k from a fabric store looked fraudulent. It was not fraudulent purchase. I really did want that fabric. The lady on the phone told me that my PNC credit card had a limit towards fabric stores and that if I wanted to make that purchase I would need to get my fabric store limit adjusted. However, she couldn’t make that adjustment. I would have to call another phone number during standard business hours to have make that happen… ugh. That next Monday I called the other number. The new rep tells me I don’t have any such fabric store limit and I should be fine to re-make the purchase. I’ve since made the exact same fabric store purchase three more times. Each time the purchase gets declined by you. Each time I have to talk to someone on the phone to get the transaction to go though. I’ve tried talking to fraud prevention services and my bank manger to get this flag removed however they both have told me there is noting they can do. I’ll just have to talk to them every time I make this monthly purchase. Let me tell you, that isn’t a solution and it’s a waste of both of our time.

PNC, I hope you understand that I’m leaving this letter here for you to help you. I feel that my complaints weren’t being listened to elsewhere. You need to know that your customers aren’t happy.

Sincerely,
A Very Frustrated Business Banking Customer

 

So as you can see, I’m not a fan of PNC Bank. I have found frustration in every part of the banking process. Do you also hate working with PNC? If so, tell me below in the comment section what frustrates you the most? Do you love working with PNC? Let me know what the company excels at. Maybe this will help me be a little more open-minded about the bank.

 

7 Tips To Help You Get EVERYTHING Done

by Filed Under: Personal, Resources 3 Comments

I’m an Tips to help you get everything doneoverachiever. I always have been. I don’t tell you this to brag, but instead to help you understand where I’m coming from. I often get asked questions like “is there anything you can’t do?” or “how do you have time to get do everything?” The truth is, I can’t and I don’t do everything. I’m just really good at managing my time. I’m not perfect, but here are a few techniques that I use to help get things done.

1. Be aware of time wasters – Do you spend an hour here and and hour there just looking at social networks? Do you spend a good chunk of time every day over socializing with co-workers? These aren’t things that you need to completely cut out of your day, but you do need to be aware of how much time you are spending on them.

How I personally implement this: I can surf the internet for hours on end if I don’t watch myself. I just lose myself in page after page of nothingness online. So when I’m trying to complete a task online I try to close all other distractions – Facebook, twitter, and likely even my email inbox.

2. Give yourself goals and stick to them – Create long term and short term goals for all aspects of your life. If there is something on your to-do list that doesn’t help contribute to one of these goals then evaluate if you should really be doing it. Once you have a goal STICK TO IT.

How I personally implement this: I personally have long term goals (this year) and short term goals (today and this week). My goals stay pretty consistent but the priorities change. But one thing is for sure, my goals are manageable, obtainable, and very comprehensive.

3. Don’t over commit – It’s hard to say no. But you have to realize that your time is valuable. If someone asks you to do something that you don’t have time for then tell them no. Creating boundaries is key to keeping your sanity.

How I personally implement this: I guard my time with my life. If I’m asked to do something I ask myself a few questions – Does this request help me provide emotionally or financially for my family? Does this request help fulfill a personal or professional goal? Do I actually have time to do the request without pushing something more important off my plate? If the answer is no to two or more of these questions then I likely won’t commit to doing the task.

4. Multi task when it makes sense – When the oven is preheating then you should try unloading the dishwasher. While your computer is starting up in the morning this is a great time to tidy up your desk. If you have idle time you can always likely fill it with some mindless task. That being said, it’s important not to multi task while your working on a project that does take brainpower. If you are trying to write an important document then turn your email off so you aren’t being interrupted. Finding this balance isn’t easy, but when you do find it you will be a production machine!

How I personally implement this: I’m the queen of multi tasking. If I’m warming something up in the microwave I’m also cleaning the kitchen. While I’m letting the dog out in the morning I’m also brushing my teeth. Getting the little stuff done is a lot quicker this way!

5. Delegate whenever possible – If there is someone else willing and able to do a task, let them. This might cost money or it might require you to give up some control. Either way, sometimes you just need to let go.

How I personally implement this: I’m a firm believer in this. I run a successful Etsy shop. But did you know I’ve got an amazing husband and mother-in-law who make all the products for me?! Yes, I pay them to help, but it’s worth it for everyone involved. I couldn’t keep the shop up and running if I didn’t have this help.

6. Stick to a schedule – Try going into work every day at the same time, leaving at the same time, putting your keys in the same place every time you get home, and workout at the same time every day. Allow your schedule to guide you and you will get more done. You will get things done faster every day and you will be more aware of the things that disrupt your schedule and time.

How I implement this: My life is so much of a routine that the dog knows exactly when we are going to wake up, go to bed, and just about everything in between. I thrive on routine. I know it’s not for everyone, but it’s what I need to keep my sanity.

7. Know when things are good enough – Everything can always be better and nothing is ever gong to be perfect. You have to know when a project is just good enough. Sometimes your burst of quick effort is enough to complete a project to fulfill the needs.

How I implement this: I’m a photographer and when I first started I would spend on average 20 minutes editing one picture. I would make the pictures flawless. But I couldn’t keep up as it would take me FOREVER to edit every session. I slowly started doing less and less (and made my editing process more efficient) to each image. My clients didn’t care that I didn’t edit out every little thing and I think my pictures are better for this. I’m also able to do more sessions and make an income using photography. If I still took the time to make every picture flawless then I would have burnt out on photography long ago.

I hope these tips help you with your to-do list! I hope that you can see that you have time for whatever you make time for.

Do you have a tip that helps you get things done that I didn’t mention? If so, leave your tip below in the comment section.

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