img: scopecapemay

The other evening I happened to hear on NPR an interview with Piers Steel, author of The Procrastination Equation.  In studies he’s found that procrastinators are in general, less wealthy, less healthy and less happy.  At first I thought:  surely a blanket statement like that can’t be true.  But then I thought about it.  When I get things done, when I am efficient, when I don’t put off exercise for another day, when I pay bills on time etc.  I am in fact happier, healthier and wealthier.  So maybe there’s something to it.

Sometimes my procrastination doesn’t look like procrastination.  I will for example put off something I should be doing by focusing on something that seems productive.  When I have to get writing done or do laundry (a chore I hate with the heat of a thousand suns) or I’ve got to do bills, I suddenly think it’s a fantastic idea to rearrange the pantry.  Again. I’ve been procrastinating on signing my kids up for summer camp because well it’s February and who on earth does anything that early?  Lots of people judging by the “early bird special” discounts I could have taken advantage of had I not put it off.

So why do we procrastinate?  There are lots of reasons.  Sometimes we are afraid of the outcome.  If we never start we can’t fail.  Which is obviously flawed thinking, but by putting it off we can avoid even the chance of failure.  Maybe we are prone to distraction.  I play words with friends, the online scrabble game and when my phone chimes that someone has played their move, I drop what I’m doing and play my move.  Not good.

This is one of the better articles I’ve found about procrastination and how to avoid it.  The author breaks down 7 reasons we procrastinate along with ways around these.  I encourage you to check it out if you are struggling.  Though everyone’s issue is different, if you have a tendency to be distracted by your smart phone or the web, these are three things that have helped me enormously lately.

1)  Block internet access.

The downloadable program Freedom is amazingly simple and amazingly effective if you are prone to falling into the online surfing abyss.  It actually blocks internet access for a self specified time.  I do all my writing on the computer but it’s fairly common for me to take breaks and check facebook or email and then next thing I know I’m down some rabbit hole and suddenly I’m shopping for a bed skirt.

2) Turn off your smart phone.

Or put it in a drawer for a set period of time.  You’ve made it for years without a smart phone, you can make it for 45 minutes.  I promise.

3) Set a timer.  

I’d recommend not setting a timer on your phone for the above reason.  I use a kitchen timer on our stove and set it for small periods of time, usually not longer than 45 minutes.  Sometimes as little as 20 minutes.  I decide that in that time, I will work on a task.  When the timer goes off I can decide if I want to add a little more, but I don’t have to.  This is actually how I’m writing this post right now.  Any second now the timer is going to go off.

Are you a procrastinator?  A recovering procrastinator?  What have you done that has helped?  What do you struggle with most.  I’d love to hear about it – unless you’re so inspired that you’re off to complete something on your to do list.  Or if you feel like procrastinating even more (and learning your procrastination style – so you can overcome it) you can take this quiz.

We do feature quite a few DIY projects, especially ones that organize.  I saw this recently at Cost Plus World Market, and though it’s for photos, I use mine for jewelry and it works great.  This keeps your accessories front and center so you don’t forget to wear all those things you’ve bought and never wear.  The stickers behind the birdcage are from Dwell a long time ago.  Well before the hilarious Portlandia spoof, Put a Bird on It.  Which evidently, I can’t stop doing.

Here’s the Cost Plus World Market photo display bird cage:

This can be used for photos and comes with clothes pins.

And what I did with mine…

You can fit lots of necklaces and earrings (and bracelets) on one of these and it requires no DIY effort.

If you are looking for more unique ways to display jewelry and accessories – we’ve got you covered.  Check out this guide here.

Img: pleaseenjoy.com

This week we’re going to talk a little about New Years resolutions.  We’ll get back to body types and dressing for them in the New Year.  We got a little derailed by the holidays.  So let’s tackle New Years resolutions.  I love New Year’s Eve.  It’s full of celebration and promise and seems to give us a a fresh start.  On the flip side, the new year is a time to make sweeping, unrealistic promises to ourselves (and others) about things we want to change.  Resolutions are good things.  They are hopeful and positive and full of promise.  But sometime in late January those resolutions start to fade.  All that enthusiasm and hope fades and there you are exactly where you were before.

One of the most common resolutions people make is about weight and health.  This year I’m going to get into shape!  This year I’m going to lose 20 lbs!  This year I’m going to get into a bikini!  In theory, resolutions about health are good ones.  Losing weight is generally good for your health.  Getting into shape and getting exercise is too.  One of the big pitfalls with making a resolution like this one (noble and well meaning as it is) is that it is too general.

So what can you do to make sure you stick to your health or weight related resolution? Be specific.  ”Get in shape” is too general.  By breaking down a resolution into specific parts you will have greater success and feel less overwhelmed.  A resolution might be something like walk 20 minutes, three times a week.  Or cut out desserts except for special occasions.  If you want to have a weight goal, consider a small goal.

Let’s say you believe you have 20 lbs to lose.  Make your resolution to lose 10 and keep it off.  Once those 1o are gone, you may find that another 10 seems less daunting.  It’s also important to keep in mind that studies have shown that real change “takes at least six months of individualized diet, exercise, and weight-training.”  That’s one reason people give up early in the year.  Expecting instant results and not getting them, people become discouraged and consider the resolution a failure.

So if you are considering a health or weight related resolution this year, do two things:  Be specific and be patient.  Here are other ways to encourage yourself and set yourself up for success.

1. Tell your friends.  Accountability is key.  Share your resolutions on Facebook if that’s your thing.  Encouragement from friends will give you a boost.
2. Track your progress.  You can use a simple notebook or there are all kinds of phone apps to track weight and fitness goals.
3. Consider a deadline.  Maybe you want to take a trip to Hawaii but want to lose 10 lbs first.  Or maybe you want to run a 5K in your hometown that is coming up in three months.  If you are working towards a date, you may find that the structure gives you more motivation.

Do you have a success story from a previous year?  What did you resolve last year and did you stick to it?  How did you do it – we’d love to hear about it.

Time to curl up by the fire...with some booze!

I love hot cocktails because it feels like the cold weather gives me an excuse, no, an imperitive…to drink them.  I may not be stranded in the snow waiting for a St. Bernard to rescue me from certain hypothermia, but it’s still nippy out there and after a day spent Christmas shopping I do kind of wish our dog would greet me at the door with a hot toddy.  Since that’s unlikely to happen given our dog’s limited repertoire of tricks, I’ll just have to make my own.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

1.) Hot Buttered Rum: (recipe via Food Network)

Img: via Suzanne Brown Blogspot

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• Pinch salt
• Bottle dark rum
• Boiling water

Directions

2.) Hot Toddy:  (recipe from Jamie Oliver)

Img: via Warm Kitten Blogspot

Ingredients

• 1.3 litres (2 pints) milk
• 4 tablespoons malt powder
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3, 4 or 6 shots whisky
• 2 vanilla pods, scored and the seeds scraped out

Directions

3.) Irish Coffee:  (recipe from Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin Ireland)

Img: via Wikipedia

Ingredients

• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 jigger Irishwhiskey (1 1/2 ounces or 3 tablespoons)
• Heavy cream, slightly whipped

Directions

4.) Peppermint Patty Hot Toddy: (recipe from The Nest)

Img: The Nest

Ingredients

• 1 oz. peppermint schnapps
• ½ oz. créme de cacao
• 1 tsp. créme de menthe
• 5 to 8 oz. hot chocolate
• About 1 oz. whipped cream
• Shaved chocolate

Directions 

Pour liqueurs into a glass mug, fill with hot chocolate and top with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

5.) Godiva Peppermint Kiss:  (recipe from Godiva)

Img: via Godiva

This is the easiest one.  And I’m totally sneaking it in because it’s not a hot cocktail.  But it’s easy and if you drink enough of them you won’t feel the cold anyway.  Godiva liquor is the best, but another chocolate liquor will do as well.

Ingredients:

Stir over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.