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Staying Calm When Overloaded

June 6, 2011 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

Organization creates calm.

Decisions terminate panic.

In today’s crazy-making, overly-busy, I’ve-got-too-much-to-do, running-around-with-our-hair-on-fire world, things can get a little out of control. Between trying to keep food on the table, take care of a family, handle other household responsibilities, stay in touch with friends, and, of course, find some time for yourself; it seems that we don’t get anything done and the more things pile up, the crazier we feel.

When that’s the case, there are two simple things you can do:

Pick a two-foot square section of your work area and straighten it up. That’s all. You don’t have to clean up everything, just a 2×2 square in front of you. Believe it or not, that will give you a sense of calm and a feeling of accomplishment.
Pick one thing that you will do RIGHT NOW and that you will take to completion. (Of course, it has to be a small thing.) Having a clear direction will help calm the “inner noise” that’ so loud when things seem out of control.

Remember, if you’re overwhelmed, it’s because you’re thinking too big and you’re not making effective priorities. These two tips will give you a budding sense of organization and a sense of calm.

Note: Every Monday, a new motivational memo is posted. Subscribers to ThisTimeIMeanIt.com’s coaching service get this – and many more benefits – sent to them directly. If you’d like to know more, follow this link.

Making Chores Managable

May 1, 2011 by Featured Author Leave a Comment

Every morning, I stagger out of my bedroom, take a look at my living room and my heart drops.

Aside from the normal house cleaning one has to do, I’m an animal lover and have seven indoor cats that have taken to using my house as their personal playground. I love them dearly, but I don’t like how filthy my home gets. A home that smells like animals disgusts me and it’s embarrassing to have company in my home when it reeks of pet odors. Because I was raised by a self-proclaimed neat freak, I feel compelled to ensure that the rooms are as tidy as possible… but since I also work a full time job, cleaning house is never at the top of my priority list when I get home at the end of the day. I’ve checked out maid reviews, considered hiring a housecleaner, even setting fire to the whole thing, but I have to admit; I really do like the challenge of maintaining my house myself – despite my hatred for some of the tasks required to do so.

The question is “How do I do it all and still have a life?”

Though I have many undesirable chores, one of my least favorites has to be cleaning the litter boxes. I have one litter box for every two cats that I have. And since I have seven furry felines, I have four boxes that are constantly in need of cleaning at any given time. The best way that I have found to deal with this job is to clean the boxes every single day. As humans, we are creatures of habit. So, I believe that even though it was difficult in the beginning to train myself to be diligent about the litter boxes on a daily basis, now I feel like I’m cheating on myself if I come home and don’t address the boxes.

Most people will just scoop the litter and be done with it, but I actually take the boxes and dump them out completely. After I’ve cleaned them with an environmentally friendly spray, I dry them and put them back onto the floor. I also use a little baking soda in the litter to cut back on any excess odors. I have found that this process becomes less of a chore if I do things to make it less boring. Sometimes I challenge myself to complete the tasks in record time. On other occasions I’ll purchase a new spray or find a new scent, which makes me excited to clean the litter boxes. Personalizing new litter boxes (before they get dirty!) also gives me more pride about the little box area and motivates me to keep the area in tip top condition.

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What’s Most Important to us?

January 7, 2011 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

One of the vendors of TTIMI is a company called Lifetick. They design the coaching software that I use with the people who sign up for this service. I was scoping out their blog today and they have a post from October, 2008 about “What Do You Value?” Since everyone who uses their service enters in what’s most important to them (referred to as “core values”), they’ve been keeping track of the Top 10.

I don’t think there are any major surprises, but it’s interesting to check out. The chart below shows the top choices. There are some pretty cool surprises if you read the article.

core values and priorities according to lifetick

Top Core Values According to Lifetick

Interested in seeing if you’d be a fit for ThisTimeIMeanIt? Follow this link.

Want to know how Lifetick fits into our service? Follow this link.

Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

September 7, 2005 by Scott "Q" Marcus

This column was not supposed to happen; instead, I was scheduled to be a keynote speaker at a conference in Louisiana this day.

Mother Nature had other ideas delivered as hurricane Katrina.

With indescribable sorrow and mouth agape at the sight of such awfulness, I cannot pull myself away from the plight of the Gulf Coast. Robotically, I shake my head and repeat numbly, “There but for the grace of God, go I.” It could just as easily have been an earthquake or Tsunami bringing national cameras to scrutinize my family in our most intimate, broken moments struggling to hold together, adrift, frightened, and cold in the worst of all worlds.

Due to the unsympathetic force of nature and the rearrangements being made, I have lost income.

Yet compared to my friend and associate, Myra, my costs pale. Where she lived has no roof and is full of water. In spite of that, she describes herself as “fortunate.” She spent today helping families with less. I am privileged to know her.

So very fortunate am I that I take blessings as common-day events.

When involved in the confines of day-to-day existence, I have been known to whine bitterly about sluggish traffic, jammed faxes, or misplaced keys. Broken shoelaces, missing shirt buttons, or ants on my sink irk me endlessly.

I presume my daily misadventures can indeed be labeled “problems,” and yes, they are frustrating. At the same time, reality is they are so insignificant. Too often, I become too self-centered to remember that. The dropped cellular call or the unexpected invoice becomes the world’s prime catastrophe. I puff up and spout off, grumbling to my friends, who nod in agreement. We are bonded by our miseries. When we rule the world, things will change.

In a world that can shatter instantly, where unfathomable countless thousands lack shelter, shed tears for loved ones, or cannot find food, I bemoan that I have to count fat grams or cut back on dessert. Can I even know how many pray to be in my shoes?

Peace of mind requires that I remind myself that my tribulations and troubles are usually miniscule. Put it in perspective.

Life is rich. Keep it that way; shut the refrigerator door.

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