I’m not a particularly crafty person, but enjoyed the creative, artistic aspects of The Declaration of You, written by creativity experts and fellow bloggers Jessica Swift and Michelle Ward.

As the title claims, this book is all about embracing every aspect of your personality and openly acknowledging all your positive attributes. The best part is, this book uses lists to help get you there!

The Declaration of You is divided into 8 different sections, each devoted to a differently-themed declaration. As the authors explain the importance of each declaration, they prompt their readers to develop lists about themselves, such as “Things I Might Want to Try.”

True to their creative ways, Jessica and Michelle include a craft project in each of the sections, but don’t get scared off! These projects are simple and fun. The first project is even a vision board — much like the one I make every New Year.

Through crafts and lists alike, The Declaration of You encourages its readers to begin some self-reflection and discover new aspects of themselves. If you want to hear more, check out their website and begin your declaration. Who knows what you might find?

Having Inbox Zero gives you a great sense of accomplishment and relief. Not being overwhelmed by a full inbox can do wonders for your psyche. It’s a wonderful way to start the week.

Here’s a few tips to get an Inbox Zero of your own!

1. Make time: You have to set aside time to go through emails and do nothing else. You can write back, delete, save for later and delegate during this time. But make sure this is the only project you are working on.
2. Unsubscribe: This is a great time to unsubscribe to the newsletters that you are constantly deleting. I get it – you want to read them but you don’t have time and they end up cluttering up your mailbox and making you anxious. Guess what? You don’t need them. Take the time now to unsubscribe – or change the settings so you only get the updates once a month if it’s something you really are interested in.
3. Outsource: This is a big one. Whenever you come across something that needs your attention figure out who is best to do it. Sometimes it’s not you. If you need to do some research but don’t have time – hire someone at FancyHands.com to do it for you. I use their service all the time. Or if you keep getting nagging emails about finding the perfect restaurant for a get together – send someone from TaskRabbit.com in your place. Now you can get back to the stuff you’re really good at.
4. Make a list: If you know me and know this blog at all… you knew this was going to be one of the items! I can’t stress enough how important having a roadmap in the form of a list can be. As you’re going through your inbox – make a list of all the to-dos, follow ups and tasks you need to get done. Then wipe the email from the inbox. Now all the actions aren’t trapped in your inbox but instead ready to be dealt with on our to-do list.

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Me & Giada at BEA in NYC

I have to share a really fun “bucket list” item with you.  I met Giada de Laurentiis!  Every year I attend Book Expo America (BEA) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC for work.  It’s a huge gathering of book publishers, publicists, authors, potential authors, librarians and book lovers.  I set up several meetings with publishers and get the skinny on the new books coming out in the next few months so I can set up interviews.  It’s always a fun and enlightening event.  But this year was the best yet!  

Meeting Giada

I had no idea that Giada would be at BEA.  Which is really surprising because, as you know, I’m huge on research.  But this year I figured I’d just go with the flow and see what popped up.  As I walked through I stumbled upon her signing books for her new children’s series, “Recipe for Adventure.”  They come out in September and they are chapter books that teach kids about food through traveling to Naples and Paris.  There will be other cities in the future as well.

Working for Fox News I see a lot of celebrities come and go through our building. I’ve done segments with Cynthia Nixon, Jim Belushi and Chris O’Donnell to name a few.  But I have to say — I’m a little jaded and don’t often get star struck.  But I think it’s because I’ve learned to cook by watching Giada’s shows and reading her cookbook that I feel like I know her!  I admire her a lot too so it was a real thrill to meet her in person.

My Vision Board Comes Through Again 

You might think I’m totally crazy — but this actually happened.  I’m a huge vision

Giada on my vision board

board person and I look at mine everyday.  (It is what got me tickets to the final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show.)

I keep it inside my closet door so I look at it as I get dressed in the morning. Before I made my way to BEA I checked out my vision board and no kidding — I touched the photo I have of Giada on it.  It was just a cute little gesture to say, “Hi” and make myself smile.  I don’t ever do that. (I always high five my photo of Oprah…but never Giada.)  And look what happened!  You just never know.  Could it be a complete coincidence…yes.  But I don’t think it is.  I think it’s another example of “You Become What You Believe.”  If you believe something will happen, it will.

Most mornings I high five Oprah for a little inspiration

I got to chat with Giada for a bit and gushed over how lovely she looked. (She’s much smaller than I thought — she’s only about 5’2”.)  I also told her that my DVR is filled with her shows and that my husband is always getting on me about deleting some of them.  (Ask my colleagues .. I can sometimes be seen watching episodes at my desk )  I also told her that my favorite episodes have her Aunt Raffy in them because their dynamic is priceless.

She mentioned that she has a health and wellness book coming out soon so hopefully I’ll be able to have her in for an interview in the winter!  I totally forgot to ask her if she’s a list maker.  I told her we should go out for drinks after the segment and chat  – stay tuned!

Which celebrity would you love to meet?

English: New York City – Supreme Court Deutsch: New York City – Oberstes Gericht (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It happens to all of us at some point in our lives — we all get called for jury duty.  I had to serve last week in New York City and I tried to make the most of the slightly irritating and inconvenient task.  Here’s some ways that you can do the same:

Take yourself out to lunch:  When do you get an entire hour to yourself to eat and relax?  The thing about government agencies is that they are very strict about their break times and their lunches.  They will have you out to lunch at 1pm on the dot.  So take advantage!  Do a little prep work beforehand and find some yummy options near the courthouse where you’re assigned. 

Learn something: Paying attention to the videos and handouts never hurts.  You might even learn a thing or two about the legal system that you didn’t already know from watching Law and Order or My Cousin Vinny.  Or if you’re not into law — get some mp3s that will teach you a foreign language.  Might as well get something out of the time while you’re waiting to be called for a trial.

Catch up on some reading:  It can often be tough to find time to read newspapers, magazines or a good book when you’re on your regular routine.  I’ve said so many times, “I wish I had more time to read.”  Well in jury duty — you have that time and are even expected to keep yourself busy by reading. So do it.

Great writing:  Whether you have thank you cards, wedding invitations or Christmas cards to write this is a great time to get these tedious tasks finished.  You can write a letter or email to an old friend or family member as weel.  Or maybe you’ve had an awesome idea for a story or book — now you can devote some time to getting your thoughts down on paper.

Start a conversation: In NYC people tend to keep to themselves but this isn’t always the case.  Chat up the person next to you — you never know what you might have in common.  Making a friend could make this experience a lot more tolerable.  And who knows — maybe you’ll stay in touch after this is all done.

Research your next vacation:  What better way to escape a dingy government building than by daydreaming!  Think up your next vacation and price out hotels and airfare with your Smart phone or laptop.  Most jury duty locations provide free WIFI these days.  Take advantage of it!

Do nothing: When was the last time you did that?  Just sit and relax — you’re being paid for it!

Be thankful for your job:  Imagine if this was your job everyday?  Just sitting around and doing nothing?  I know that would drive me nuts.  Take this time to be thankful for the job you have and return with a newfound zest after your jury service is complete.

How to create a manageable and realistic bucket list

by Christine Harding

A bucket list is meant to compile those sights, activities, events, and accomplishments we hope to rack up during our exceedingly limited time on the planet. We don’t have to check them all off, of course: The pursuit of them is ultimately what matters, as is the compiling itself—which, at its best, teaches us something about ourselves. Nobody can tell you what to include on your own bucket list, but here are a few guidelines and suggestions to get the inspiration firing.

Take in destinations and sights you’ve always wanted to visit and see—not just the ones you’re expected to. The Taj Mahal, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon—there are innumerable “must-see” wonders, both man made and wild.  The “worldly” seem to be required to visit these destinations as a notch on their belt.

Follow Your Heart

All of those places are worthy of a trip, but only if they’re specifically meaningful to you. Don’t clog up your very own bucket list with items you feel obligated to include. Instead, think of the places you’ve always wanted to see—no matter how kitschy, modest, or goofy they might seem. Maybe it’s the factory that sources your beloved car—or your favorite candy. Maybe it’s some rural hinterland from which a major line of your family originated. Maybe it’s a place about which you know nothing, but which has always signified something mysterious, marvelous, and exotic: the Aleutian Islands, say, or Mount Kilimanjaro.

Everyone has their own idea of what life’s all about, of course, but one good vein to follow is this: Engage in experiences that make you feel most alive, that open your eyes to the glorious, chaotic, unfathomable diversity of the world. Tracking down some obscure landmark that nonetheless calls to you is a venture worth pursuing—and you don’t have to analyze it at all. Be a little reckless and adventurous, and finally travel to the world’s largest Twinkie or the tiny town of Zjvdasvkbeih that’s always beckoned you.

Food For Thought

Let your stomach and taste buds lead you. Unless you extract no joy at all from eating and drinking, cuisine is a marvelous portal through which to experience the planet and get the most out of your stint on it. Reserve a few tiers on your bucket list for hunting down the sources of some of your favorite foods or beverages.

For example, maybe you’re a complete sucker for flatbreads: Well, seek out a few regional examples in authentic environments. That could mean traveling from Central Asia to Mexico, but it might also take the more realistic and affordable form of sniffing out great ethnic restaurants, food carts, and other eateries closer to home. Go visit the home brewery of your beloved lager or ale, the orchards that produce that apple variety you can’t get enough of, an old trade route through which your essential spice once journeyed. Food and drink are among our most intimate communions with the Earth, and adventuring in the gustatory realm can make you feel more connected with the grand ecological food systems—not to mention the throbbing variety of human culture and tradition.

The Wonders of the World

Take in a few extremes of the planet—the marvelously wild and the exquisitely developed. Again, these should be places you feel motivated to visit, but basking in the magnificence of physical landscape and astounding human architecture can be a transcendent and spiritual experience. Spend a few days aligning to the ancient schedule of the planet: Visit a place like Yellowstone National Park, get away from the crowds, and commune with glacially scoured mountain amphitheaters, spouting hydrothermal pools, great ranks of trackless forest. After all, that’s the world, too—it’s not some archaic, vanishing thing, but a continually vital component of our planet’s systems. Then travel to some tribute to human ingenuity and craftsmanship: an imposing statue, a grand cathedral, a historic government building. Such works of art and architecture are rich in symbolism, imbued with much of what the human experience is all about.

A Bucket List All Your Own

Don’t be afraid to follow your gut instinct, and never worry about what others might think of your choices. They are, after all, yours. Maybe you’ll get to all those fantastic places, do all those crazy things, and meet all those impressive folks—and maybe you won’t. Either way, it’s about looking clearly at the world and celebrating your priceless ticket to ride.

Christine Harding is a freelance writer for Wish.co.uk Gifts. Christine is married and has two children. She has enjoyed worldwide travel and immerses herself in the local culture where possible. Her passion is writing to share her life experiences.

Multitasking (Photo credit: JPDaigle)

There’s no evidence that anyone can do 3 things well at once.  That’s just one of the interesting things that I learned from listening to this interview on ScienceFriday.com.  It’s all about “The Myth of Multitasking,” which I think is a very accurate title.  I’ve said before that I think multitasking is impossible.  Sure you can do more than one thing at once — but there is no way you can do it well.

If you disagree — I’d love to hear from you!  Give the interview a listen and let me know what you think!

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But spring cleaning doesn’t apply to your home only.  Don’t forget your office too.  Whether it’s at home or in an office — an organized desk can send your productivity soaring.

Recently the folks at Manilla.com came to me with a dilemma.  A comedian/actress named Jo had let her desk mess get out of hand.  She wasn’t even able to use her desk anymore and had moved over to her dining room table to get work done.  Except — her productivity suffered so they called me in to do an office makeover.  Check out this video for a look.

Who is Astrid?

Astrid is an adorable little octopus and one of my favorite to-do list apps for iPhone or Android.  If you don’t have one of those devices you can also access this productivity tool by going to Astrid.com.

Astrid will keep all of your tasks organized and remind you of what you need to do with motivational and encouraging nudges like “How about it? Ready tiger?”  You can also rename all of your lists and maintain them however you like — set reminders or not, give your tasks due dates or not. It’s up to you.

I was fortunate enough to talk with Jon Paris who is the CEO and co-founder of Astrid.com and I uploaded some of our Skype conversation to my YouTube channel. Here he tells me about what makes Astrid so unique:

Share Your Lists

One of Astrid’s many unique features is that the app is social.  What that means is that you can share your lists with other people.  For example — my friends and I always keep an agenda when we are getting together so we don’t forget what we need to tell each other.  Nerdy but efficient!  How many times have you had lunch with someone and said “I knew I had more to tell you! But I can’t remember!”  Well if you share lists in Astrid (like my friends and I now do) you won’t ever forget.  You just add to the list as you think of things and everyone can view them.

This also works great for families.  If you want to keep a shared list of items that you need to get at the grocery store and update it before your husband heads to the supermarket — you can do that and it will update in his Astrid list too.  Amazing!

One of the other things these shared lists do — is motivate you to get the right things on your list.  Here’s Jon’s take on that:

To see more of my interview with Jon and learn about his own list-making techniques, what’s in store for Astrid’s future and how the cute little octopus came about — check out my YouTube Channel.

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The book is written from the perspective of a college kid who knows more than most about finance.  Scott started a blog called HelpSaveMyDollars.com for young people to get their money issues under control.  Although his book is geared towards 20-somethings, I think people of all ages, including parents and professionals can benefit from reading it.  Here’s some of what I learned: 

• Bribing Yourself Works:  Scott writes on a card how much he wants to save and puts it in his wallet.  Then when he’s tempted to buy something he is reminded of that vacation he’s saving for.
• Outsource Your Savings:  Automating how much money you save each month will make it easier to save more.  You won’t even miss it after a while.  
• More Retailers Accept Mobile Coupons: Apps like Yowza!!, CouponSherpa and RetailMeNot will save you lots of cash when you’re on the go.  Love that! 
• On Sale Isn’t Free:  How many times have you bought more of something just because it was on “sale”? I do it all the time!  Turns out it’s not as smart as you might think.  I get tricked a lot by this advertising tactic to buy things that I don’t really need or want.
• If You Want More Money…Just Ask: Call any of your utility companies and chat with them about about lowering your bill.  Scott says asking for a “loyalty credit” can put between $100-$150 back in your pocket.

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Not my desk, not my mess. (Photo credit: Jim Carson)

When my desk is messy I feel out of sorts.  It’s amazing how a clean desk can lift your mood.  I pride myself on being super organized and having it pretty much together but sometimes my desk falls through the cracks.  I get lots of mail and lots and lots of magazines (which I love!) — but sometime’s it’s overwhelming.

I’ve had a feng shui expert write about how positioning things on your desk could make you more productive in the past.  But there are some other things you should consider like clutter, light, size and monitors.  Here’s a look at those things from TheNextWeb.com called “How to arrange your desk for maximum productivity.”  How does your desk look?

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