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Organizing big events with less stress!

Have you been to an event where it seemed like the person who organized it forgot that they were having guests?  It is understandable that at big events such as weddings, baby showers or graduation parties that it is all about the people being honored.  However, if when you are planning a party or an event and think about it from the point of view of the people attending, it can make it more enjoyable for everyone involved.  

Here are some tips to consider when planning an event or party:

*How is the parking for your guests?

If you are holding an event at a venue, is parking included or are your guests going to have to pay.  Is there enough parking and how close is it?  Are people going to have to walk a mile in fancy shoes to get to where the event is being held?  I attended a wedding that was out in country and the bride and groom hired a shuttle service to get their guests from their hotels to the wedding location and then back again.  This was a thoughtful service that made the event that much more enjoyable. 

*What about the weather?

How likely is it that it is going to rain?  Do you have cover for people to stay dry?  Is it going to be sunny and hot and will there be shade?  Do you have elderly guests that will need to be out of the sun and may need air-conditioning? 

All of these things are very important to the enjoyment level of everyone attending the event.  It may mean renting an extra tent or some fans but it will be money well spent so that you are not worried about it during the party.  Also, think about having beverages available to help alleviate the either cold or hot that you cannot control.  Coffee and cold water that is readily available can go a long way in providing comfort to your guests.

*Think about starting on time.

Right after the weather and the parking, the time that the event starts and if it starts on time is a major factor in whether your guests enjoy themselves.  A few minutes is not a big deal but when you start 20 minutes, 30 minutes or 45 minutes late, it can put a damper on your party.  For some events, this is not a factor because people show up and the party starts whether you are ready or not.  However, some events don’t start until you say they do and this is where you should think about getting it started as close as possible to the time on the invitation.  Some people have hired babysitters or have something to do after the party.  Be respectful of your guests and their time by not starting late.

*Think about getting some help.

When we are the host of an event, we sometimes feel obligated to do everything ourselves.  However, delgation can be a helpful skill in having a successful and stress free event.  Not only can family members help but you can also enlist an event organizer, wedding coordinator or personal assistant.  A big event is full of people that you have not seen in a long time.  It is a chance to visit and catch up with them.  If you have too much on your plate with the organizing and running of the event, it can decrease your enjoyment a great deal which in turn decreases the enjoyment  of everyone at the party.  Someone who you hire can be completely focused on running the event so you can attend the event.  It can make the difference in whether you come away feeling good or exhausted never wanting to host anything ever again.

What other tips do you have when organizing a big event?  Have you had an experience either going to or hosting an event that you will soon not forget.  Let me know!

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Improve your drive to work and de-stress

What do you listen to during your daily commute?  Is it your local radio station with your favorite music or the local news?  Would you like to read more and just cannot find the time?  I have a solution to maximizing the time you spend in your car going back and forth to work.

My solution is listening to books on CD.  Now, if you are a person that is easily distracted or has trouble listening and concentrating on driving, I don’t recommend this.  However, if listening to a book while you are driving is easy for you, you might consider it.  I find that it helps me de-stress and moves me into relaxation mode.

While books and CD can be expensive if you buy them, your local library has hundreds of books on CD of all varieties.  No matter what type of books you enjoy reading, the library probably has several that will meet your needs.  Also, with most libraries, you can reserve what books you want online and then pick them up at your convenience when they are ready.

My current favorite books are Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, Infinite Possibilities by Mike Dooley and Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.  Have you started listening to books in your car?  Have you found that it helps you de-stress?  If so, let me know!

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Cell phone de-stress

Are you handcuffed to your cell phone all week and then all weekend long?  Do you take it with you to the bathroom to check your e-mail?  If you do, you may need to manage your cell phone instead of letting it manage you.  Remember the old days when phones were not mobile?  You could have some peace and quiet to drive your car or have a relaxing dinner.  Maybe you don’t remember those days because you were born in the age of technology where we are all connected, all the time.

The stress of always being connected to the world around you is well-known but do we do anything about it?  If you would like to try, I have some suggestions for you.

*Consider turning your work cell phone off when you are off of work.  I know that some people have to be on call but really examine if it is necessary for you to be connected and instantly responsive to every request, all day and all night.  Think about if your employer pays you to work all those hours.

*Try putting your personal cell phone in a basket with your keys by the front door or somewhere out of your direct view in the evening.  You can leave it on so if it rings you can get to it but it is out of sight so you don’t feel the urge to check it all the time.

*Try leaving your cell phone in your locker when you go to the gym.  Don’t you deserve to have an hour of uninterrupted time to take care of your health?  You can deal with whatever shows up on your phone when you are done.

*Think about getting a watch.  Watches have become a thing of the past because we all have our cell phones attached to us with the time.  Getting a watch allows you to know what time it is without looking at your phone because once you look at it, you will want to check your e-mail or something else on your phone.

*Think about turning your cell phone off completely on the weekends.  You may only be able to do it for a couple of hours at first but you may want to try to work up to an entire day without your phone.

Give just one of the tips a try and see if you feel less stressed.  If so, you can add on and try another one.  If you slowly change your habits, it will be easier than going cold turkey.  Think about what you could accomplish with the extra 20, 30 or more minutes a day where you use to be checking your phone.

What do you do to disconnect from your cell phone?  Let me know!

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Why you have to have the right tools

My vacuum and I have had a rocky relationship for over 10 years.  We have had fights, disagreements and flat out assaults.  My vacuum could do 2-5 years if ever brought to trial.  I am also not the only one who doesn’t like it, my dog hates my vacuum and he has always been a pretty good judge of character.  If he is home when I vacuum, he barks and bites at it thinking that he will win the battle.  Unfortunately, neither my dog nor I have ever won the battle or for that matter the war with the vacuum.

Every year after Christmas, it goes on strike after the multitude of  needles from the tree have clogged it up.  We go through the same routine where I have to turn it over exposing its dusty underbelly and take it apart.  The vacuum doesn’t seem to  appreciate the invasion of privacy and usually retaliates with pinching my finger in some manner.  The expandable hose that allows me to clean the corners and crannies is a major source of conflict.  The problem is that it doesn’t expand.  When I pull it out and reach to get the dirt in question, it pulls the vacuum onto my head leaving me with a nice bump and usually some sharp words.  It is heavy and a bit like lugging around a packed piece of luggage over your carpet. 

I once owned this vacuum in part with a roommate.  When we moved into our own places we had to divide the things we bought together, which wasn’t much.  When it came to the vacuum, there was not a lot of debate.  My roommate said, “You take the vacuum.”  To which I asked, “What do you want in exchange?”  They replied, “Nothing, you can have it.”  In my opinion, this was one of the smartest decisions my roommate ever made.

Every year at Christmas, especially during our post Christmas fight and cleaning, I promise myself to get a new vacuum but I have yet to do it.  I have checked out Consumer Reports on vacuums, looked at them at the store and tried out various vacuums at my friend’s house.  I have oogled and admired many a vacuum at Costco.  If someone is talking about a vacuum, my ears perk up and sometimes out of the blue I will ask my friends, what do you think of your vacuum, do you like it?  Once they hear my story, the understand my plight.

Maybe this will be the year of the new vacuum.  Just writing this makes me want to once again check Consumer Reports and see what’s new in the vacuum world.  The moral of this story is to have good tools at your disposal.  You have heard the saying, if all you have is a hammer, everything becomese a nail.  Well if you don’t have the right tools, chores become more of a chore.  You also waste money on something that is not ideal and someday you will spend more money to replace it or will suffer with it to get what you paid for out of it.  From my experience, whether it be a vacuum, a rake, a garbage can, a mop, a printer or a watering can finding something that is easy to use and durable will make you happier when having to do household chores.

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Being organized = less stress

Do you find yourself stressed and rushed as you leave for work? A little evening planning can alleviate the stress and get you to work early instead of late. The more that you do the night before to prepare for your day, the easier the morning can be for you. For example if you go to the gym after work, pack your gym bag the night before. That way, you won’t be running around trying to find your favorite gym shoes before you have had your morning cup of coffee. Another great tip is to make your lunch and your snacks for the day and have them ready to grab on your way out the door in the morning. You can save money by not eating out and it will probably be healthier too.

If deciding what to wear is always a challenge or takes up too much time, you can decide on your outfit and lay out your clothes the night before. This is also a great tip for children that struggle with getting out of the door on time. Another tip for kids is making sure that their backpacks with their home work, permission slips and gym clothes are packed and ready to go. Leaving those things to gather in the morning can lead to forgotten items or documents. Being organized helps make responsibility easy for children and hopefully their day will go better too.

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The Battle against being over-scheduled

Being a personal assistant, I love helping busy people organize their lives and make things easier by taking tasks off of their plate. That being said, I believe that it is always good to re-evaluate what you have in your daily, weekly and monthly schedule. We can become slaves to our schedule and it is good to ask yourself occasionally, “Is this really how I wanted to be spending my time?” If you are involved in a community organization and find that it has started taking up much more time than you originally committed to, it could be time to re-assess and set some new boundaries. It is important to keep your activities in check so that you are not exhausted which could lead to you neglecting your mental and/or physical health. If you are giving more of yourself than you are comfortable with, it could also result in feelings of being taken advantage of and being under appreciated. It is good to re-set your boundaries with whatever activity it is that has started to take over your day. If you do that, you will find you enjoy the activity more and you will have more time for yourself which gives you a more balanced and healthy you!!

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Limiting your to-do list to get it done

I recently took a look at my to-do list and found that it was always too long. My solution was to break my list down into smaller portions and do a little bit each day. I limit my to-do list for each day to five things. This was a workable solution to the never ending list and found that I had a sense of accomplishment each day when the list was done. The beauty of a personal assistant is being able to finish your to-do list by having your personal assistant do the things that you would otherwise spend a lot of your free time getting done. There are some things that you will have to ultimately do yourself like renew your driver’s license. However, wouldn’t it be nice to have your personal assistant tell you what day of the week and when the Department of Motor Vehicles lines are the shortest so you can get it done fast. In addition, a personal assistant can help you prioritize and manage your to-do list so you don’t have to.

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The Art of Delegation

As a personal assistant, I see times where people have a hard time letting go. Whether that be letting go of things that are creating clutter in their life or that household task that could really be done by someone else. We are all too busy. Too busy at work, too busy at home and too busy in our minds. Learning how and when to delegate is a skill and being able to really let the task be done by the person you are delegating to can be an emotional journey. The main hurdle in delegating something to someone else is figuring out what tasks can be delegated. With good instructions and a person who is willing to listen and pay attention to the details, you can gain hours in your day to do the important things in your day that no one else can do but you. This could include things like going to the gym, reading a story to your children and sitting down after dinner to spend time quality time with your spouse.

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Welcome to The Zen Maker

I am excited to be starting a new chapter in my life with The Zen Maker. I am a personal assistant because I like to help people make their lives better, every day. This blog will be a place to come to find ideas on simplifying your life, organizational tools, and other helpful tips that will make your life better. You might be saying to yourself, I am not a movie star or the CEO of a large company, what am I going to do with a personal assistant? How much free time would you have if all you had me do for you was grocery shopping twice a month, picking up your dry cleaning and buying a birthday present and having it come to you gift wrapped? That might clear out two Saturdays worth of errands for you and allow you to enjoy your free time doing something else such as going to the zoo with your family, going away for the weekend or taking a day to spend with your loved ones. It is easy to get started and The Zen Maker packages and prices will be up on the website very soon. Stay tuned!!!