In my devotion time this morning, I asked God to help me. More than that, I told him to speak to me. I didn’t want a sign or mystical illusion. I needed something concrete.

Amazingly, he gave me exactly what I was looking for–immediately.

Both of my boys love Disney Pixar’s Cars. In normal fashion, they showed up to the breakfast table with toys in hand. JK, the 2-year-old, raced a Lightning McQueen along and shouted, “Lightning McQueen wins the Piston Cup.”

This bothered my oldest, Justin. He is extremely literal, a symptom of his sensory integration disorder. He says, “No, Lightning McQueen never wins. He tied in one race and lost the other.”

Justin does not like to lose but he loves McQueen. I asked, “If he is a loser why do you like him so much?”

In a matter of fact way he answered, “It just looks like he loses but he is the real winner. He learned how to treat others right, even if it meant losing the race,” he paused. “He lost on purpose when he helped The King.”

Out of the mouth of babes …

I’m glad I did. If you are a mom, dad, or caretaker of a child with sensory processing/integration disorder, autism, or developmental dyspraxia you should definitely add this site to your feed reader or at the very least bookmark it.

You may find the article here.

Before I begin, please know that I am an advocate of day planners and time management theories. My favorite planner is made by Franklin Covey. As a former project manager and executive assistant, I relied heavily on the ease of scheduling and the daily notes to keep track of my resources and myself.

That said, the way we approach how we plan–professionally and personally–should focus more on the task completer than the task. We have to make assessments of what we are capable of completing in a realistic amount of time and when we function best. I’ll discuss these two items in later posts.

I came up with the manage yourself theory while sitting around the house procrastinating. Boxes from a recent move cluttered the dinning room floor and table, loads of clothes filled my laundry room, and other items crowded my home. I could not move or act. My listed life was out of control.

Yes, I had a list and a planner. I planned everything but did nothing. Well, I did little. I’d start my day and housework at the designated time but nothing was every really complete. The problem: I over scheduled. This caused tasks to get moved to the next day or even deleted. I had to stop the madness.

After a self-evaluation filled with procrastination, blame, and discontentment, I realized my problem. I was not managing me. I’d wake up, get started, get side-tracked and get fed up. If the phone rang, I answered. If someone needed me to do something for them, I’d stop working for me and my home to take care of their needs. I made poor choices which led to an unkempt home, a scattered brain, and a strained relationship with my husband.

How do I mange now? Its been a process (and still is a work in process) but I manage me. Here’s how you can do it?

Before you accept a task, ask yourself can I realistically do this without it impeding my schedule. If the answer is no, say NO.

When you plan your tasks, plan in a way that will allow you to accomplish them. For example, instead of taking an entire day to clean your house break up each room into task you can do once or twice a week. In my home, toilets are cleaned on Tuesdays and Fridays; I vacuum on Saturdays, Mondays, and Thursdays; and I dust on Wednesdays. There are also items I complete on a bi-weekly or monthly schedule.

Plan for interruptions. Whether you work-at-home like me or on-site, every person is interrupted on a daily (or in my case an hourly) basis. Leave about 15 minutes an hour free when you plan. If you are not interrupted and continue working, the next hour you will be 15 minutes ahead of time.

Plan for travel time. Your car ride and travel are not the only factors needed to determine travel time. If you are a mom of kids in car seats, allot time to buckle the little ones in and to remove them. A pre-car bathroom/diaper break is good too. There is nothing like hearing I have to pee when you minutes to spare before an appointment.

Wake up, get dressed, get moving. The most important thing you can do is act.

How do you manage yourself?

***Photo from Apartment Therapy.com

What causes one to have a bad attitude? Can it be fixed? How can I guarantee that I will always project a good attitude?

What I found is that there are a myriad of things which causes us to have poor attitudes: the lack of money, too much stress, too little time for self—I could go on but you get the picture. Below are a few, well five, ways to improve your attitude:

Do Something for Yourself
It sounds selfish, huh? The truth of the matter is you cannot effectively care for others unless you take care of yourself first. Think about it. On an airplane, the flight attendants direct us to place our mask on first and then assist the person sitting next to us. If you are suffocating you will not be adequate in your assessment of your neighbor’s or family’s needs.

Meditate
Meditation is directly related to “Do Something for Yourself”. According to Project Meditation.org persons who meditate “production of the stress hormone Cortisol is greatly decreased, thus making it possible for those people to deal with stress better when it occurs.”

Learn How to Say No
This is difficult for many moms. But, being overextended can cause animosity towards friends and loved ones. If you decide to do something for someone, do it out of the kindness of your heart and not because you feel pressured.

Sweat the Small Stuff
“Wouldn’t that stress me out?” you ask. It could IF done the wrong way. The right way to sweat the small stuff is to determine why the little things bother you. In many cases, arguments over who left the cabinet door open or the top off the toothpaste stem from other areas of hurt, anger, or disappointment.

Be Grateful
Showing an attitude of gratitude at difficult times is challenging. However, I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” If you pray fervently for a thankful heart you can live a life filled with joy.

I am still unsure if I have a bad attitude but I am praying about it. In the meantime, I am going to continue to implement these 5 Ways to Improve MY Attitude.

How do you keep your attitude in check?

**Picture designed at abi-station.com

Zindy Zone.com

“A man of many faces,” as described by Ne-Yo is he. Yes, his hair, skin, and face changed throughout the years. But, there were things about him that stayed the same. His eyes and smile always reflected a warmth and child-like optimism, which beyond his talent allowed him to love and reach the world. People say a person’s eyes are a window to the soul. I am compelled to conclude that he had a warm soul.

I don’t know what he did in his private life. I am only concerned that he made peace with God. It is my prayer for him and every other celebrity on my prayer list. Do you pray?

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, gave to the world. He was a philanthropist. We enjoyed all the music and moves he had to offer. But, I ask what will you offer?

Will you use your talents to touch people? Leave a legacy for your community and family? Will you pray? Or, will you simply offer your opinion?

It’s cliché but life really is short.

*header image from Zindy Zone