Maximize Your Time with Minimalism
July 30, 2017
Having moved from the laid back/plenty of space suburban life to the tight knit rush hour madness of Broad Street, I've learned to live minimally. Not just in the sense of clearing out my closet or maximizing space but also in terms of my time management. Working 80 hours a week is tough and in order to stay balanced, I have to live simply.
My biggest weakness is that I can't say no. When a friend wants to go out for dinner, I say yes. When a colleague asks for a favor, I say yes. I want to help as many people as I can. I want to be that social butterfly but also listen to every podcast recommended to me and read all the books and articles that come my way. Oftentimes, I overbook myself and am spread so thin, I feel diaphanous (figuratively speaking).
So, to manage my time, the first thing I do is to create an annual calendar, sort of like a spreadsheet. It maps out the entire year for me in 3 simple pages. I learned to do this in college so I could keep track of my exams and deadlines and now my call schedules, conferences, and vacations. As a visual learner, this has become my lifesaver and helps me plan out every day.
Lucky for you, I attached a FREE template here: CALENDAR 2017-2018
Personalize it as much as you want, whether it's with icons, stickers, color-coding, or post-its. I fill it with birthdays and anniversaries as well as vacations and upcoming weddings (feel free to use the icons included at the top). It helps me keep track of not just my life but also my friends and family's lives! I print it out, tape it together, and hang it on the tack board above my desk. Then I'm all set to fill it in with work and other commitments as they arise. I know what to expect for the upcoming week, month, and year (the only thing missing is the weather).
Personalize it as much as you want, whether it's with icons, stickers, color-coding, or post-its. I fill it with birthdays and anniversaries as well as vacations and upcoming weddings (feel free to use the icons included at the top). It helps me keep track of not just my life but also my friends and family's lives! I print it out, tape it together, and hang it on the tack board above my desk. Then I'm all set to fill it in with work and other commitments as they arise. I know what to expect for the upcoming week, month, and year (the only thing missing is the weather).
In addition to this calendar, I also keep a daily planner where I can write everything down. Creating lists with items that I can physically cross off helps me feel in control even when the day might be slipping away. The planner I have also starts off with jotting down three goals I have for the week. This week's goals: read for fun, treadmill time, and finish my Epic EMR training. So far, I've completed two of the three thanks to my live simply mantra.
More tips to come next week!
Prioritize and Organize
July 9, 2017
It's been a busy few weeks as I officially moved to the birthplace of America - a perfect transition for celebrating July 4th with the liberty bell in my backyard! Since inner city living means a little less space and a little more savvy, I discovered some creative #lifehacks to help with storage. Of course the first part of any step to organization is to clean out what you don't use or want and prioritize what you need. If you haven't used it in the past 6 months, you likely don't need it. Think about your go-to tools for getting ready in the morning and make sure those items are within easy reach.
My bathroom has two cabinets under the sink but no drawers or areas to store cosmetics and toiletries. I didn't want to take up much counter-space so I found this great acrylic makeup organizer on Amazon. It makes getting ready in the morning so much easier, especially when you don't have to dig around for something.
For my toiletries, since I was so used to having shelves behind the mirror at my old place, I wanted something similar. I found a file organizer and used command strips to attach it to the inside of the cabinet under the sink. It took a few extra adhesives but it's holding up well and has saved space as well as frustration when it comes to finding things. In fact, I loved the file organizer so much, I used it for organizing my spices too!
On the other cabinet I added a little hook to hang my hair dryer so it's always in easy reach.
Lastly, there is also a hall closet with limited floor storage space. I ended up hanging an organizer on the back of the door and it was the perfect SHOElution. Pun intended ;)
These are some of my favorite hacks and have saved me both time and energy when it comes to getting ready in the morning. Let me know if you have any other creative ideas!
Take advantage of the extra time you save now that you're an organization guru by exploring your area. If you ever find yourself in Philly, I highly recommend a visit to the Magic Gardens - it's a beautiful art mosaic that spans an entire block of the city.
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