Prioritized Living

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Should You Really Eat That Frog?

Should You Really Eat That Frog

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Read my policy here.

Mark Twain once famously remarked the following:

If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

From this pithy comment was born a productivity mantra — “Eat that frog!” — popularized by Brian Tracy. Tracy penned a short but powerful and widely read book, Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time.

The idea is this: A frog is a completely unappealing item on your to-do list — that project you can’t bring yourself to start, that chore you hate, that phone call you don’t want to make, etc. And Tracy’s advise is to grit your teeth and just do that action item as the very first task you handle that day. Then, the rest of your day can only be better.

What if you’ve got two frogs? Tackle the biggest, ugliest one first. Then turn your attention to the second one.

But should you really eat that frog? Is Tracy’s advise honestly the best way to get things done and maximize your productivity?  [Read more…]

Why You Need a Food Processor: 10 Ways You’ll Save Time & Money

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Read my policy here.

Sometimes it feels as though you have to pick your poison when it comes to meal prep: save time with prepared ingredients or save money by handling the food prep yourself.

But you can save time and money on food prep with a surprisingly versatile kitchen tool — your food processor.

If yours is getting dusty on the back of a shelf — or if you haven’t made the investment to buy one — here are 10 compelling reasons to fire up a food processor to get great food ready quickly and inexpensively.  [Read more…]

Stop Being So Accessible & Reclaim Your Time (Without the Guilt)

Stop Being So Accessible and Reclaim Your Time Without the Guilt

Your phone rings, and you pick it up right away. You get an E-mail or text alert and stop what you’re doing to respond. Somebody asks you for a favor, and your answer is always “yes.”

If any of these behaviors sound familiar, you’re probably way, way too accessible.

Being available for a friend or being willing to pitch in is a truly admirable quality. But constantly living your life that way comes with a cost.

You can never be everything to everyone, so people are invariably left disappointed. And things you would have liked to have accomplished — or even those things you promised other people you would do — well, they never get done.

So its time to stop being so accessible! It’s time to find that perfect balance of being a warm, generous person while taking care of yourself and prioritizing your time.

Here’s how you do it . . . [Read more…]

Why You Really Need to Take a Break (and How to Do It Right)

Why You Really Need to Take a Break and How to Do It Right

For many of us, a break can often feel like a frivolous luxury.

You feel like stuff is piling up while you’re vacationing. Like you’re letting down your boss, your family, or yourself if you have some “me time” for a few hours. Like you’re slacking off if you stop working for a full lunch break or even just a 10-minute breather mid-morning.

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably heard this phenomenon labeled as “mom guilt.” But that nagging sense that you simply can’t take a break is a feeling shared by many women (and men).

But, boy, do you need a break!

So today, I’m looking at why taking breaks is an absolute must, how you can beat the guilt, and what steps you can take to maximize the benefit of your breaks.  [Read more…]

Want To Be Surprisingly Productive? Don’t Finish That Project. Here’s Why.

Want to Be Surprisingly Productive? Don't Finish That Project. Here's Why.

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Read my policy here.

All right, so I’m totally guilty of this one.

Years ago, I read a great crime novel. Suspense, drama, intrigue — you name it. So I figured that the author’s other books must be pretty awesome too.

As a result, over the years, I’ve visited my local library and borrowed one after another of her books. And some of them weren’t bad. The rest? Awful.

I was happy enough reading the good ones. But guess what I did with the snooze-worthy ones?

Yeah, I read those too. Cover to cover.

Those novels weren’t the least bit compelling in the first few chapters. They weren’t remotely thrilling at the halfway point. They were — at best — meh all the way through.

But I finished those suckers anyway.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Total waste of time. To make matters worse, I wasted more time in complaining to my poor husband about how crummy my latest read was.

Of course, you can clearly see how utterly silly it was to keep throwing away precious hours like this!

But think for a second. I bet that you’ve got at least one time-wasting story just like mine.

And that’s where “the art of non-finishing” comes in . . .  [Read more…]

How to Trick Yourself Into Being Unbelievably Productive

How to Trick Yourself Into Being Unbelievably Productive

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Read my policy here.

If you haven’t read one of David Allen’s books, it’s time to hit up your local library.

For decades, he’s been one of the foremost experts on business and personal productivity. And his GTD system — short for “Getting Things Done” — has a near-cult-like following of productivity lovers. And the book that started it all, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, has one of the best tips for tricking yourself into being productive.

Here it is . . .  [Read more…]

How Micro-Actions Can Help You Conquer Your Goals

How Micro-Actions Can Help You Conquer Your Goals

If you’re like most people, you’re probably a bit disappointed and frustrated right about now.

It’s a few months into the new year, and you’re already losing traction on at least one of your new year’s resolutions. You’re not where you hoped you’d be, or you’ve thrown in the towel already.

The problem for many of us is that we set ambitious goals that are nearly impossible to achieve. Think about it:

  • Are you a fast food junkie who’s now trying to eat 100% healthy foods?
  • Are you a compulsive spender who’s now trying to stick to a barebones budget?
  • Are you a clutter magnet who’s now trying to maintain a Martha Stewart home?

And once you mess up just one time, it’s tempting to get sucked into self-doubt that leads to even more mistakes.

But you can break this ugly new year’s resolutions pattern.

You can make big changes in your life. In fact, you can do it without any of the stress and self-flagellation. The trick is to realize that it’s rare that people successfully make those big changes overnight.

That’s where the magic of micro-actions comes in.  [Read more…]

How to Take Stock of Your Year

How to Take Stock of Your Year

New Year’s Day is right around the corner! And if you’re hoping to make the most of it, there’s no better time than now to start planning for a fresh and exciting year.

But to make the most of the year ahead, it’s essential that you stop and see where you are. That you take a good, long look at this year that’s wrapping up. That you see where you’ve found your happiness and where you want to make some changes in 2018.

If you’re ready to start off 2018 on your very best foot, let’s start by taking stock of your year in 2017.  [Read more…]

9 Ways to Save Money & Stress Less This Holiday Season

9 Ways to Save Money and Stress Less This Holiday Season

The holiday season is here! But while the kids are dreaming of dancing sugarplums, you may find yourself searching for gifts and making the world’s longest holiday to-do list.

Had enough of your annual, end-of-year expenses and hair-pulling? If you want to maximize your holiday cheer this year, try these nine tips for spending and stressing less, so you can enjoy the season instead.  [Read more…]

A 5-Day Challenge for Your Most Successful Year Yet

A 5-Day Challenge for Your Most Successful Year Yet

Just like that, 2017 is almost over.

And with a new year comes the desire to make new year’s resolutions. Your big hopes for the future become your big goals for the upcoming year. You want to improve your relationships, take your career to the next level, get healthy, or finally tackle that home project you’ve been putting off forever.

But actually accomplishing those goals? That’s another story!

A few months — or even a few weeks! — into the shiny new year, you may find yourself throwing in the towel on those dreams.

So what’s the solution?

Setting yourself up for success with a step-by-step action plan from the get-go.  [Read more…]