Productivity @ Home

Halfway to Whole? What I’ve Learned in the First 15 Days of My Whole30

2013-01-17T20:12:07-08:00

For those who have been wondering what I've been up to for the past month, I thought I'd share an update on something that has been keeping me very busy for the past several days. When I snuggle into bed tonight, I will have — God willing — successfully completed Day 17 of myWhole30 challenge. If you have no idea what “Whole30″ means, take a look at this site, which spells out all of the details.

Since I haven’t personally prepared every morsel of food that has entered my body in the past two weeks, I cannot for a fact guarantee that I have been completely “compliant” with all aspects of the program. But I can vouch for the fact that I’ve made every food decision since January 1 consciously and with forethought and have not knowingly eaten anything off program. Is that important? For me, yes — I’m sadly not one of those who can “take a day off“, have a beer or an ice cream cone, and then start again tomorrow. Sadly, I am an “all or nothing” kind of person. I can’t even begin to name the list of things I’ve started and later given up because I wasn’t perfect in my execution of the plan.

Midway through, I thought I’d share a few observations for anyone who is interested. These are a few things I’ve learned about myself in this process:

1. I’m a lazy eater. I’ve gotten into the poor health situation that I’ve been in not because I’m addicted to twinkies, but because I’m too lazy to cook. Somehow, I missed the domestic gene that came with cooking skills and I’ve been lousy at even trying. Succeeding in making life changes means making an effort. Making an effort happens in my life when something is a priority. Every once in a while, my priorities need a “reset“. For me, occasions such as Advent, Lent or New Year’s mark a good time to examine where I’m off track in my life and to plan a corrective path.

2. I all too often let my busyness stand in the path of my good health. I know this is a problem in my life — in fact I wrote about it in the “Body” section of The Handbook for Catholic Moms. Making any life change is a challenge. Eating according to the Whole30 plan requires a commitment — you can’t just skip grocery shopping and hope that organic vegetables will magically appear in your kitchen. Things you don’t eat go bad and get wasted. Not having food on hand means you run the risk of making a bad choice simply out of desperation. If living healthfully in accordance for God’s plan in my life is a priority, then adding the attendant tasks that make this possible to my “to do” list must be a requirement.

3. I overlook hidden dangers. Take a look back at #1 above and you’ll like see the root of this problem. But who knew that so many things contained unknown ingredients and chemicals? Don’t get me wrong — I’m not telling you that I will never eat another processed food in my life. But trying to educate myself and my family about the foods with which we are nourishing ourselves has been an education for all of us. I’m blessed to live in an area that is packed full of great resources for healthy eating – I need to make it a greater priority to support our local farmers while feeding our family.

OK, my list could go on and on, but I’ll spare you any more today. Suffice it to say that — God willing — I think I’ll likely survive Day 15 intact. And guess what? I will likely enjoy the process! This is blessedly becoming less of a “grit your teeth and bear it” experience, and more of a joyful look at the potential my body holds for the next fifty years of my life.

Lisa Likes: The Bellagio

2012-11-30T08:30:00-08:00

In the continuing -- and perhaps a bit self indulgent -- Friday series here at the blog entitled "Lisa Likes", this week I want to share with you about our tremendous experience last weekend at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas.

First and foremost, let me dispell the idea that vacationing in Las Vegas means that I'm some type of "high roller". We chose to spend our family Thanksgiving in Vegas for a few reasons:

The location is easily drivable from our home in Central California and easy for our son who's in college in Boston to visit via a direct flight.
The weather this time of year is amazing - we had four days of bright sunshine and temps in the low seventies.
The plentiful hotels and restaurants mean good deals for accomodations and meals.
We don't gamble so it's easy for us to have an affordable vacation for a relatively reasonable amount of money.

During our recent trip, we visited the Bellagio for our second time. Our first visit came shortly after its opening in the late 1990's. While the Bellagio now has new neighbors to the South and a new "look" at the Planet Hollywood (formerly the Aladdin) across the street, it has withstood the test of time. I recall during our previous stay that it was less open to the public than it now seems to be -- I seem to remember strollers not being welcomed back then, but now you see many families visiting the lovely interior components of the hotel. The environment is still decidedly upscale and luxurious, but never to a fault. And the good news is that with advance planning, you can enjoy that environment affordably without breaking the bank.

Here are a few of my favorite features at the Bellagio:

The location -- centrally situated in the midst of the Strip, the hotel has plenty of great nearby passtimes (if you feel like exploring!) Within a few minutes walk on either side you'll find plenty of affordable shopping, great restaurants, a movie theater complex, and even churches.
The grounds -- incredibly beautiful! From the iconic fountains arrayed across its front side to its lovely pool area and gardens, the vibe is beauty. One of my favorite areas of the Bellagio is the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, especially during the quieter morning hours.
The fitness center -- it's free for hotel quests and packed full of the latest fitness equipment and helpful trainers. I loved using the Nike+ workout system with my iPhone for the first time.
The staff -- from the personable young man who helped us check in at the front desk to the housekeeping staff who were friendly and worked around our schedule and left our room inpeccable, everyone was warm and welcoming. We visited during an incredibly busy weekend, and yet we were met with a consistently high level of customer service during every interaction we had with staff.

Add in free parking, great music, relatively little "sleeze factor" and a filtering system that keeps the air free of the smell of smoke, and you'll see why I'd return to the Bellagio in a minute for our next Las Vegas vacation.

Visit the Bellagio website

Your turn: What's your favorite place to stay in Las Vegas? Where does your family go for a quick getaway?

That Time of the Year: Planning Ahead & Getting Organized

2012-11-29T15:07:09-08:00

Today, I'm going to admit to a "mess" that I need to tackle in my office. Because I'm more a blogger than a businesswoman, my business related finances are a mess this year.

As I've undertaken more and more business travel, I have fallen into the trap of "waiting until I have time" to organize my receipts from my various trips. Guess what? Now it's the end of November, with year end tax time upon me, and I've got a ton of work to do in the next few weeks to reclaim a sense of order from the jumble of paperwork.

So along with "get this organized", I also have the action item of "planning ahead for next year" to find a system that will be workable, reliable and easy to manage. I'm currently investigating some software solutions that won't be too expensive, too complicated, and too time consuming. I hope to have something in place before the middle of December and would love your suggestions for expense tracking systems for small sized businesses.

Your turn: What are your most effective solutions for business and finance organization? What have you tried that didn't pan out as advertised?

Who Are Your Colleagues: Where Do You Go for Help?

2012-11-28T13:35:22-08:00

In yesterday's post, I mentioned the fact that as an "@ home" entrepreneur, many of my colleagues are "virtual". This means that I have close working relationships with co-workers and managers who are spread across a variety of time zones and geographical settings. Therefore, you might find it surprising that I'd list my "co-workers" as one of the greatest benefits of my current work @ home situation.

Part of the reason for this good fortune is the exceptional generosity of the folks with whom I work. Far from being subjected to an environment of competition, we actually tend to frequently collaborate, to share ideas and success strategies and to turn to one another for support and a knowledge base when we're stumped. Here are a few of my "go to" strategies when I need help:

If I need "geek" help, I turn almost reflexively to my circles at Google+. I have trusted friends and co-workers there who are responsive, creative and incredibly knowledgeable.
If I'm writing and require a quick quote for an article, I know that in most circumstances I can get help within five minutes from my networks at Twitter and Facebook.
For more long range collaborative efforts, I have been using both Skype and Google+ hangouts to hold planning meetings, conference calls and even just "hangouts". These opportunities to connect "face to face" with virtual co-workers often yield phenomenal results.

Remember that in order for these online collaborative relationships to be effective, you must try to be on the giving end of help more frequently that you're asking for it. This means adapting a "listening strategy" and acting quickly and generously when you see the opportunity to help a virtual co-worker.

Your turn: Who are your colleagues and where do you go to learn or get help?

Family on Board: Why It Matters When You Work @ Home

2012-11-27T09:53:23-08:00

If you're someone who works @ home (and actually, don't we all "work" in our homes?) part of the recipe for success is understanding the unique nature and demands of your workplace. For those of us who choose to pursue careers from the comfort of our homes, we contend with some special considerations:

Our work schedule often doesn't conform to a Monday through Friday routine. I'm actually just as busy on Saturday morning as I'm am on Tuesday afternoon due to the nature of my work.
Our "colleagues" may be virtual. I actually work with over a hundred people that I've never met "in real life". Many of my supervisors are editors with whom I deal almost exclusively by email or an occasional Skype call, or the writers who contribute to my main website -- a volunteer force of talented folks who share their talents in exchange for promotion of their own projects.
We share our workspace with folks who don't always "get" what we're about: cranky toddlers, spouses who wonder why we can't get any housework done when we're at home all day, dogs who need to be walked, or kids who come down with illnesses on the only day we have a major meeting planned.
Our budgets are microscopic. We must often do without, think outside the box, and rise above.

If you've chosen to work from the comfort of your home, I challenge you to ponder the reasons for your choice. I encourage you to do a bit of pondering about your own work environment: the blessings, but also the challenges. If you find yourself repeatedly running into productivity roadblocks, now may be the time to assess those causes for your detours and to work with your team -- your family -- to share about how you might address them. You might be surprised what happens when you communicate with those you love most about your goals and your occasional frustrations.

Your turn: What factors have helped you get your family on board as a component of your productivity @ home success?

The Importance of Time Off for Work at Home Productivity

2012-11-26T10:30:00-08:00

As I type this blog post, I'm sitting in one of my favorite "mobile offices", the back seat of our family car. We are driving home from our Thanksgiving vacation -- four wonderful days in Las Vegas. No, it wasn't a traditional "at home" meal with extended family this year. Honestly, for a few months I have had the sense that what our family needed was really a getaway with no agenda, just time to hang out and enjoy one another's company. My husband and I have both been keeping hectic work schedules the past few months. Our oldest son is about to launch into a frantic pre-finals schedule at Harvard and our "baby" is in the midst of college apps. So needless to say, we were all tired.

Why not stay home and just take it easy? Honestly, the answer is that we are not very good at that. Because Greg and both have home offices and work schedules that don't pay attention to the regular Monday through Friday calendar, we're not good at "down time" at home. We may say we're going to take time off, but it's likely that one of us will just take a moment to "check email" and then before you know it you're sucked in to the usual flow of things.

So this decision to really take a break and get away was a wise one. Don't get me wrong -- getting ready to be offline for four days was not a picnic. If involved prescheduling content for each of the five websites I'm currently balancing and planning to walk away from the constant rigor of being accessible by email and social media on almost a 24/7 basis. But in the end, I was able to make it work. I'm convinced that this break will provide the greatly needed productivity boost I need moving into the busy month of December.

I thought I'd share just a few tips for planning time off if you're a "work @ home" fanatic like me:

Start planning early. Look at the work that needs to get done during your absence (if you can't put things on pause) and allow yourself at least as many days as you'll be gone to get that work done. So if you're planning to be gone for three days, allow yourself at least three prep days prior to your time off -- but honestly preferable double the days, since you'll be doing double work during your prep days.
Alert your key contacts early. Let them know you're planning time away and give them information on how to contact you in the event of an emergency.
Turn on your autoresponder. Better to let your constituents know that you're away for a few days than to leave them thinking you're simply non-responsive.
Step away from social media. In a world where "sharing" has become pervasive, it honestly feels pretty terrific to simply enjoy a vacation without worrying about how it will play on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Unplug. Seriously. If you can't do it alone, give your spouse your cell phone and laptop and invite them to hide your tools from you for a day or two. If necessary, allow yourself a short time to check in each morning or evening.
Plan a buffer day or two on the backside. Don't overly schedule your return day to the office. Leave it unstructured so that you'll have plenty of time to get caught up on email, to tidy up loose ends that happened during your time off, and to simply get back in the groove.

Your turn: Have you planned for time off lately? What tips would you offer for taking a break without crushing your overall productivity?

SoBe Lifewater Zero -- Lisa Likes

2012-11-23T07:00:00-08:00

This drab pre-wintery time of the year tends to be the season when I have a tough time choking down enough water to remain well-hydrated. My bad coffee habit gets fed and I've got the caffiene jitters by noon.

This year, I'm kicking a bit of that habit -- or perhaps just replacing it with a new version: SoBe Lifewater Zero. Almost calorie free, in a variety of flavors, and with a bottle that's large enough to last me a good, long time, this beverage has become my "go to" afternoon pick me up. I love the flavors and find myself less "snacky" when I consume a Lifewater Zero in the midafternoon. I've almost completely eliminated soda from my diet and also find myself drinking more "real" water this Fall too.

Do you have a favorite treat or beverage? Tell me what you "like" in the comments below.

Giving Thanks for Productivity Tools

2012-11-22T07:00:00-08:00

As we pause today to give thanks for the blessings that fill our lives, I thought I'd share a few words of gratitude for some of the resources that help me to give my best where it matters most:

All things Apple -- for my iPhone, my Macbook Pro, my iPad and a multitude of apps, I am eternally thankful
Abundant Free Wifi -- for the many places where I find a place to work and free, reliable wifi connections, thank you! And double thanks if -- like Panera -- you offer free refills!
Alternatives to Paper -- for email receipts, Evernote, boarding passes on my smartphone, online banking, and other ways I've been able to eradicate paper in my life, a big "hooray!"
eBooks - for my Kindle, for iBooks, and even for free pdf versions, thanks to those publishers who let me take my books with me wherever I go

What productivity tools are you thankful for this year?

Evernote 5 for Mac Improves Upon One of My Favorite Productivity Tools

2012-11-21T07:00:00-08:00

If you're an Evernote User and a Mac, be sure to check out the awesome new update, Evernote 5 for Mac. I've been an Evernote devotee for the past few months, but I tend to use the online version of the tool.

But not anymore.

The Evernote 5 update is clearly popular. As I type this, it's currently topping the App Store's free listings. After playing around with the upgrade, I can say my favorite new features include:

Shortcuts -- I can easily stash my frequently used templates at the top right sidebar for quick access
Tags - Organized by both name and note count
Atlas - Because I travel frequently, I actually love seeing where my notes originated
Views - I love the variety of note views -- my current favorite is the "card" view, but that will likely change depending upon which notebook I'm using

If you've never checked out Evernote - now's the perfect time to fall in love with an awesome new productivity tool. Happy organizing!

Turkey Talk - What's Your Strategy?

2012-11-20T07:00:00-08:00

Moms out there are prepping for Thursday's big meal. While for the rest of the family Thanksgiving is a relaxing feast, if you're the primary cook and organizer, it can be a stressful day. I thought I'd share a few helpful links I've found to help you get your act together:

And finally, some Thanksgiving planning tips from the crew at The Chew:

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year?