Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Etsy Carbon-Offset Shipping: Delivering a world of good

                    

I love how Etsy is helping offset their carbon footprint by doing good things for the environment.  As an Etsy seller I too do my part to reduce my carbon footprint by recycling all of our shipping materials.

I look for ways to bring eco-friendly products to my customer's too.

Living a green lifestyle is easy to do.  It just takes a few simple changes in the way you do your daily routine.  Before you know it you've switched out wasteful habits and replaced them with responsible ones.

Check out my post where I share how I live the 'green' life.


How much does it cost to go organic?



Going green around the house:

If you want to see how I incorporate eco-friendly zero waste ideas into my Etsy shop you can check it out at Markets Of Sunshine. <<<click

My husband and I even started a new blog together where we share all of our trade secrets that help you turn your home into...
Natural Home Life DIY <<< click <<<<

If you are as passonate about our planet as we are feel free to share this post on your social media and email.

Sending You Sunshine,

Marsha Jean

P.S.  You can get lots of wonderful organizing tips for green living when you join our "Happy Mail" list affectionately known as:
"Hero Adventures".

 

Sunday, February 24, 2019

How To Organize Your Life - Time Management Tips

Easy Time Management Tips - How To Organize Your Life


Let's get to the list of the matter...

  • Write everything down in a planner, journal or notebook
  • Don't rely on your memory
  • Put things back where they belong
  • Don't be lazy
  • Recycle and donate
  • Get to the important things first
  • Leave the computer and TV for last
  • Make a monthly food menu
  • Make a budget
  • Don't make excuses
  • Clean up after yourself as you go
  • Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night
  • Try to wake up the same time every day (not when you are ill)
  • Do stretches while still in bed (10 reps each leg and side)
  • Drink 2 to 3 glasses of water in the first 30 minutes after you wake up (re-hydrate)
  • Get in the sun right after you get out of bed for at least 10 minutes (this resets your clock)
  • Drink 8 glasses of water a day (not coffee, soda or juice)
  • At the end of the day write down what you accomplished on one list.  Then write down what you need to do the next day on another list.  Now you won't have to do that in your mind while you are trying to sleep
 Write Down Everything

Making a list is going to save you so much time in the long run.  I used to think this was just making more work for me but once I started doing it on a daily basis my life got so much easier to organize and manage.

Don't Rely On Your Memory

Let's face it life is stressful and hectic.  No matter what your age and how smart you think you are your memory is not what it used to be.  Ask a child or teenage to do three things and they won't remember any of them.  But, tell them to do one thing and they can get right to it.

Put Things Back Where They Belong

Notice I said put things back where they belong, not where you found it.  Giggle!  
This will help things to go so much smoother if you just take a minute literally and put things back where they belong.


 Don't Be Lazy



Remember to take a lesson from the ants.  They work round the clock storing up food for the year.  Nature really does have so much to teach us . We just need to take the time to study what is going on around us.  

Recycle and Donate

Try to see how you can recycle empty containers instead of adding to the landfill.  If you don't have a use for something you no longer can use do the kind thing and donate it to your local thrift store or drop off station.

Get To The Important Things First

Get out your list every morning and see what is on it and get to the most important things first.
I keep my list right on the table in my notebook.  While I am eating my breakfast I scan through it to see what is on the schedule for the day.  I also put any appointments on my phone calendar so I never forget where I need to be.

Leave The Computer And TV For Last

It's all too easy to get side-tracked for hours if we turn on the computer or TV first thing in the morning.  Unless, you work from home leave it off.  After you get all your chores done for the day then give yourself permission to sit down and relax at the computer or watching TV.

Make A Monthly Food Menu

Now this might seem silly if you live alone or it's just the two of you now.  But, trust me on this one.  Have you found yourself saying, "What do you want for dinner"?  Or, how about the other way around.  If you have planned meals it will make everyone's life so much easier.  No one has to guess or ask that dreaded question again. 

Make A Budget

I like to sit down at the beginning of every year and make my budget out.  Then I take it one step further and do a monthly budget.  Get a planner that has blank pages in it and do a list of all your bills and income first.  Then fill in the blocks on the calendar pages of your payments each week.

 Don't Make Excuses

Can you come up with a million reasons why you can't organize your life and manage your time?
We all can do that.  That's the easy way out.  I can't because .... I don't know .... I need help ...

See I just came up with three ways that we all start off a sentence of excuses.  You want to know something?  When we make an excuse that really means we don't want to do it.  That's right!

So stop making excuses and own up to the real reason.  You're just saying I don't want to organize my life.  I don't want to manage my time better.  I want to make my life and every ones around me miserable.  Is it working?  Are you happy?  Of course not.  So let's change it together.









 Clean Up After Yourself As You Go

You can apply this method to every aspect of your life.  

Instead of leaving things undone make this simple switch and you will make your life more organized in a flash.


If you work out of the house just shake your sheets in the morning about 15 minutes after you get out of bed.  You'll have time to shower and eat breakfast and then make your bed.

Hang up your pajamas instead of leaving them on the floor or counters.  If they are dirty pop them in the hamper.

Get a basket for your makeup and keep it under the counter or in a corner on the counter.

This will make things tidy and organized.  Leaving it scattered all over the place adds stress to your life.  The brain sees it and says you need to put that away.  Because you don't it is constantly working on how to make you do it.

Take 5 minutes to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher after a meal.  Wipe down the table and countertops.  Now when someone comes over or it's time for your next meal things are clean and fresh.

Do you like getting in a car that smells like a fast food chain?  I sure don't.  Pick up all the trash in the car and put it in the garbage can outside.  Don't bring it in the house.

Drink 2 to 3 Glasses Of Water

After you get out of bed pour yourself a big glass of purified water.  Make it room temperature.  You'll need at least 3 glasses to hydrate your body.  Now wait 30 minutes and eat breakfast.  I do this every morning.  Then I have my protein drink.  About an hour later I eat my breakfast.  I get around 30 grams of protein every morning.


Does any of these apply to you or your family?
When you get out of bed in the morning do you make the bed right away?  When you take a shower do you put the dirty clothes in the hamper?

When you put your makeup on do you leave everything on the counter?  When you make breakfast do you wash the dishes or put them in the dishwasher?  When you eat in the car do you leave the empty cups and bags in the car?   


Get 7 to 9 Hours Of Sleep A Night

 Research has shown that adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.  I have a chronic illness that does not allow me to get a straight nights sleep.  But, even still I get any where from 8 to 10 hours a night.  

Try to Get Up The Same Time Every Day

 Set your alarm clock on your phone to wake you up the same time every morning.  Studies have shown that this helps reset your internal clock.  Take it one step further.  Stand in front of a window for 10 minutes to get sunshine.  This helps your immune system and your brain function better.

Stretch In Bed


A good way to get your exercise is to do stretches in the morning before you even get out of bed.  I like to do this for my legs and my back.  Pull one leg up and bend your knee keeping your foot on the bed.  Now lift the other leg up and down ten times.  Repeat on the other leg.
Then roll on your side and stretch the top leg over and reach with your arm.  Do this in rotation from one side to the other with each leg and arm.  You'll feel the stretch in your back and it also adjusts it too.


Let The Sunshine In

Every morning open those curtains and let the sunshine into your life.  Take a walk outside and sit in the sun for at least 10 minutes.  I open my kitchen curtains and sit at my table and drink my 3 glasses of water every morning.  I can see my garden of flowers.  Watch the birds and people go about their day.

I feel happier and more awake when I stick to this routine.  See what a difference it makes in your life.

End The Day On The Write Note

Get out your notebook or journal and write down everything you accomplished for the day.  Now look at your list of to-do's for the next day.  This not only helps your brain to dump all the stuff you did for the day but will help you get a good nights sleep.

One last tip.  Turn off the TV or computer 1 hour before bedtime.  This helps the brain to calm down and relax before you go to sleep.  Massage your hands and feet before bed as another way to relax.

These are my personal ways that I organize my life and manage my time.  Let me know how they work for you.  Hit reply to my next 'happy mail' email and let me know what works for you.

Sending You Sunshine,

Marsha Jean


Check out my list of past Adult reward system list here:

Adult Reward System #1 Tea Aromatherapy

Adult Reward System #2 Tea Bath Therapy

Adult Reward System #3 Self Hand Massage

Adult Reward System #4 Florida State Parks

Adult Reward System #5 Indoor Gardening