Posted By janice on March 3, 2010

As I left work yesterday, one of the women from another department told me how she hadn’t eaten lunch (was too busy to eat) or drank any water (was too busy to drink from the bottle on her desk). She wasn’t complaining, just making a statement of fact.

I know I furrowed my brow and said, “No. You need to take the time to drink water and eat.” I even tweeted it, and since my tweets go to Facebook, one of my high school friends wrote on my page that she had the same problem. She was so busy at work that she couldn’t eat or drink during the day. Bullcorn. I don’t care how busy you are, you should have time to keep yourself watered and fed.

Excuse me as I drink a sip of water……See, that didn’t take long. Humans require water, nourishment and shelter to stay alive. Water and food are a need, not a luxury.

Even surgeons take time to take sips of water or juice to keep themselves going and take breaks during long surgeries. Keeping yourself hydrated and fed is not brain surgery.

People who skip lunch are not fun to work with. Skipping meals and not being hydrated can lead to overeating since you may gorge at dinner. Lunch skippers may wind up eating whatever they can find in a vending machine and snacking away all day on unhealthy fare.

We need water to live. Water is one of those miracle drugs in a way since it affects every cell in our body. Water aids digestion, carries nutrients to cells, flushes out toxins, lowers your blood pressure, and cushions your joints. Without enough water, you may be as constipated as your e-mail’s inbox with dry skin, urinary tract infections, and reoccuring headaches. Yeah, that’s the “fun” person I want to work with — the non-hydrated one.

By feeding and watering yourself, you will work at your best. “Being busy” doesn’t mean that you’re working at your most productive. Take ten to 15 minutes, close the e-mail and eat your lunch. Your brain needs the rest. Keep your water glass or re-usable bottle handy and drink up during the day, and feel that water flowing through your body to keep all your parts moving.

So please, take down the “Do Not Feed” sign. Don’t be a martyr. Feed and water yourself during the work day and make yourself a better worker.

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Posted By janice on February 23, 2010

You learn a lot when you buy a house, particulaly an older one, and I’ve had one learning experience after another since buying my house in September 2009.  My friend Darcy, who is a homeowner in my neighborhood, asked me to share the things I’ve done to my house. My house was built in 1964, but it hasn’t been updated since …oh, let’s see…yeah, 1964. I have some work to do. 

I am fortunate that several of my friends have renovated older homes as well, and they swooped in to lend a hand to Miss Clueless here or give advice over e-mail. My friend Jennifer and I were able to get the hallway door off on moving day – the first actual “renovation” wok occurring at my house. The hallway door blocked the closet door, and it was completely unnecessary. Guess people in 1964 really liked their doors.

My friends Christina and Randy have been systemically changing out my painted over light switches and outlets. The paint was so thick on some outlets that you couldn’t get a plug in. Pulling off the outlets, we discovered several layers of paint. Apparently the thought of taking off the outlets to paint never occurred to the previous owner.

The hallway is long and skinny, and one tiny light fixture made it too dark. Instead of a hallway, it looked more like a tunnel. At a home improvement store, I found a track light. It’s one of those lights that be folded out. Friends Mike and Lisa came over and installed it for me. For Mike to install it, we had to run an extension cord from the bathroom, plug in a lamp and take the lampshade off in order for him to see everything.

Once the light was installed, the different was amazing. Light spilled out everywhere, and two friends asked me I had painted the hallway because it looked fresher and newer.  I feel like my hallway now is more like a gallery.

Another easy change to make is using paint. I am totally in love with my bedroom paint color (Sherwin Williams – Reflecting Pool). Originally, I thought about a pale blue but opted for warmer colors. I’m thrilled that I did. It’s amazing how a paint color changes the whole feel of a room. I swear I’m sleeping better.

Making a couple of changes can have a huge impact. The next project will be MUCH bigger: the short and squatty kitchen. We’re talking total gut job and redo. Just a little spring project! 

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Posted By janice on February 14, 2010

The other day I worked with a client who wanted to set new goals for work. We brainstormed several ways he could explore and discover what kind of projects would interest him.  Talk about goals always leads to talk about vision. Without that vision thing, goals have little depth.

My client told me that he learned about how vision works by watching a bicycle race. While watching bicyclists race through a curvy road, he noticed two cyclists far in the lead and asked another bystander if he thought the others would catch up. The bystanders nodded and said, “Yes, the others can still see them. If they can see them, they will catch them.” If the race leaders were not in sight of their fellow competitors, they wouldn’t have been able to catch up.

Sure enough, the other cyclists caught up with the leaders of the race. With a clear vision, the cyclists could see their goal.

We all need a clear vision to meet our goals. Decluttering your house or losing weight is a nice goal, but you need the vision. What does a decluttered house look like to you? What does losing weight look like to you? A vision doesn’t need to be complicated. Post a photo or list of what decluttering looks like to you. If you want to lose weight (like I’m doing myself), hang up a photo of yourself at a healthier weight or hang that killer outfit — the one you loved — on the closet door as a reminder.

I encourage my clients to set smaller goals that lead up to the bigger goal. For decluttering, the first goal may be to recycle all newspapers and magazines at least once a week. To move forward in weight loss, focus on losing weight in five or ten pound increments. It’s always best to set smaller, bite-sized “mini-goals” to reach the Super Duper Mega-Goal. Because if you can see it, then you can catch it.

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Posted By janice on February 8, 2010

My latest post as SavvyAuntie.com’s The Organized Auntie is ready for your reading pleasure. Learn how to save the precious masterpieces from your nieces and nephews.

Happy Mardi Gras and Super Bowl Weekend!

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