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We’ve all heard that cut, carat and clarity are important considerations when buying a diamond, but most of us have no idea what that really means. In this article, we will give you a little explanation of each so that you can be armed with a bit of knowledge the next time you buy a diamond.

Carat

Diamonds are measured in what is called carat weight which stems from an old form of measurement involving carob beans. At one time, if a diamond weighed the same as a carob bean, it was considered one carob or one carat. Today, the measurements are a bit more precise and one carat is 200 milligrams.

You may also hear a diamonds weight referred to as grains which stems from another ancient form of measurement. In the far east, rice was used to measure the weight of a diamond. If the weight equaled 4 grains or rice it was called four grains – or one carat as we know it to be now.

You have to be leery when buying diamonds that are already set or mounted. If there is more than one diamond in the piece then the tag will show the CTW or Carat Total Weight which is the combined weight of all stones. It will not tell you the weight of each stone in the piece, therefore you must ask the jeweler for the total carat weight of the largest diamond in order to really know what you are buying.

Clarity

There are basically two things to think about when evaluating the clarity of a diamond – inclusions and blemishes. Inclusions are flaws inside the diamond and blemishes are those on the surface. Diamonds are graded by the amount of inclusions and blemishes and whether or not they can be seen by the naked eye.

Many diamond buyers mistakenly think that diamond clarity refers to how clear it is but this is not the case.
Clarity actually refers to the external as well as internal imperfections in the stone. The best diamonds, of course get a grade of FL or IF – Flawless or Internally Flawless – meaning that it is perfect. A grade of I-1, I-2 or I-3 means that the diamond is imperfect, with a grade of I-3 being the worst.

Cut

Contrary to what most people think, cut does not refer to the shape of the stone, but to the facets that are cut into each stone. These facets are critical as they are what causes the stone to reflect light and what gives it, it’s brilliance. Even the most wonderful diamond can be ruined if it is not cut properly.

Jewelers follow a mathematical formula to insure that a diamond is cut to show the maximum brilliance of the stone. As with anything cut affects price and there are several grades of cut to consider when buying a diamond.

The best cut is called “Ideal Cut” and it is perfectly per portioned to maximize the brilliance of the stone. The next best cut is called “Premium” which is also very desirable and is less expensive than the ideal cut. A “Very Good” cut is one step down from the premium but still reflects most of the light from the stone.

In some cases, the cutters vary the proportions of the cut to result in a larger diamond. The “Good” cut is an economical grade – lower than the “Very Good” but quite popular with most people buying diamonds as it still shows the stone off quite well. “Fair” and “Poor” cuts should be avoided as they do not result in a sparkly brilliant diamond. These diamonds are cut to specifically maximize size but they sacrifice brilliance in the process.

Author Bio
Lee Dobbins is a jewelry designer and owner of Artisan Jewelry Online where you can find out more about handmade jewelry, diamonds and other gem stones.

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One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools is the trusty old “to do” list. I was trained to diligently put one together at the end of the day for the following day, and whatever tasks I failed to complete, to carry it forward. This system has worked well in helping me prioritize and focus. But I have also heard many of my colleagues complain about having too much on their list, and feeling very discouraged and overwhelmed by the sheer number of items on their “To Do” list. To help ease the overwhelm, I want to introduce the concept of the “Stop Doing” list.

I first read about the “Stop Doing” list in “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. He stated that one of the commonalities of the companies who were able to propel themselves from being just good to being great is that they all looked at what they were currently doing that they needed to Stop Doing. I am implementing this idea in a slightly different way, but I think a “Stop Doing” list can actually help your productivity and effectiveness.

So how do you decide what goes on your “Stop Doing” list? Here’s what I suggest you do.

For the next week or two, each time you work on your “to do” list (and if you are not using one currently, I strongly recommend you start), or blocking off time for specific tasks in you planner, ask yourself this question: “does this task add value or generate positive results for me and my organization?” If the answer is no, it should go right on top of your “Stop Doing” list.

If the answer is “yes”, ask yourself a second question: “am I the best person to do this task?” The first question tells you whether you can eliminate a task. This question tells you whether you can delegate a task. I know for solo-business people, you automatically think that you have no one to delegate any tasks to. But actually, that might not necessarily be true. Today, there is a whole network of virtual assistants who can handle a myriad of administrative work for you. Some accept work by the hour, and some accept work by the project. If you are interested in this resource, check out www.assistu.com

For some people, you may have to then overcome your resistance to delegating. I’ve heard many of the reasons. Do these sound familiar?

Some of these are completely legitimate concerns. However, before you dismiss the idea, consider the following:

So, after considering these tough questions, add your delegated task to your “Stop Doing” list as well and send them elsewhere, and I guarantee you will feel better.

Even though I wrote this article for people struggling with overload at work, the same approach can be applied to create a “Stop Doing” list for home. Think of the possibilities – you can delegate laundry, and cooking, and yard work, and cleaning, and what else?

Seriously, the current state of our lives is that there is generally too much to do and not enough time. So, go through this exercise at least once and see what you can shed from your “to do” list. If you like the results, then establish a routine and do this every 6 months or a year. The point is that you want to spend your time on high impact tasks, and work that you enjoy.

Author Bio
Are your business results suffering due to an ineffective leadership team? Find out what coaching with Inez Ng can do for your leadership team at www.Realizationsunltd.com Want to know about saving time handling emails? Check out her ebook at http://easyemailstrategies.com.

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I’m assuming that you have encountered some form of procrastination in your life. For those of you who don’t struggle with procrastination. Congratulations! I find procrastination especially frustrating to handle, when it disguises itself as irritability, confusion and anger, pointing my heart and mind away from where the real causes lie.

Procrastination is a temporary solution to cover or push away intense feelings during the creative process. Some creatives feel anxiety before starting a project. Others feel depressed in the middle of creating a project. Still others struggle being unable to finish a project, especially one that comes closest to the realization of part of their artistic vision. They don’t want to face the unknowns of exploring a new project.

Procrastination is a form of self-sabotage. I call it a short-term last resort. If you let procrastination go, it can take over your life. In the following exercises, I can increase your awareness of how procrastination may be interfering with your work. Remember to choose to work one exercise at time. Take your time when you write. Be patient as you start to react to these two exercises. Let your mind and heart gently guide you toward deeper awareness and desire to change.

TO-DO LISTS:
Lists are easy to write in your journal. If you can write a laundry list, then you can write a journal list. Feel free to choose organization tools that work best for you. My preference is to use a combination of my calendar, some goal files (pc), index cards and my memory. When I’m creating lists, I like having access to both flexible tools(cards and memory) and a workable structure ( past lists and some goal files). Remember to write a clear, easy to read, and detailed to-do list.

CHOOSE ONE AREA: Choose one urgent “procrastination” area.
To help your focus answer the following questions about your situation:

Purpose: Increasing your awareness of your resistance:
What part of this activity, that I don’t want to do? (answer in specifics)
What am I feeling about working on this activity? (There may be more than one feeling)
What would I rather be doing?
What is so attractive about resisting this activity?

Purpose: Increasing your awareness of your motivation:
What part of doing this creative project do you like?
What are your feeling about this creative project? (any feelings)

Summarize your resistance statements and your motivated statements
Look for any similarities and differences (use this information to answer the next question)
Look for ways to increase your motivational actions and decrease your procrastination actions.

Congratulations! You’ve chosen your new goal.
Start working on it now!!
No more procrastination!

Author Bio
Lael Johnson, owner of Writer’s Eye Advisory Service, offers creativity coaching services and additional writing resources. For more information visit: www.writerseye.com

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“The average office worker receives more than 200 messages a day via snail mail, email, express mail, cell phone, landline, wireless Web, bicycle messenger, singing telegram, you name it. Taking in information these days is like trying to drink from a fire hose.”
–Dr. Martha Beck

Did you know that one Sunday edition of The New York Times contains more information than all the written documents in the world during the 15th century? Does it seem like life is spinning out of control? The pace of life just keeps picking up! And with it, job satisfaction is on the decline.

In an Associated Press article, Marc Greenbaum, a 50-year-old professor at Suffolk Law School, stated that “I’m personally happier but I observe more people that are more miserable. There’s more pressure on them to produce, more problems with maintaining a boundary between work and family, even maintaining a boundary between work and the outside because of things like e-mail, voicemail and the Blackberry. They can’t get away.”

According to the Families and Work Institute, over 47% of U.S. workers surveyed feel overworked. In addition, 59% of Americans describe their lives as very busy according to an NBC news survey. According to Dr. Richard Swensen, author of Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, the average American will spend one year in his/her life searching through desk clutter looking for misplaced objects. We are working harder and faster than ever. Being more organized can help reduce stress, save time, and improve efficiency.

We celebrate National Get Organized Week the first week in October. Most people think of “getting organized” as a physical act – clearing piles of paper, putting things away, etc. What many people overlook is the mental part of getting organized. And I always say that organizing your physical environment without first clarifying your priorities is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic!

Here are 8 tips to help you with the mental part of getting and staying organized. I encourage you to read through the whole list, and then go back and choose two or three ideas to implement.

1. Understand the difference between URGENT and IMPORTANT. If it’s important, it may be a vital priority for you. If it’s urgent, it’s time-sensitive, but it may or may not be important. Be sure you are clear about the difference when deciding what deserves your time. Check out the time management matrix at www.orgcoach.net/timematrix.html, which beautifully illustrates the difference.

2. Find time for yourself. Schedule time away from your work and your family. Use this opportunity to tune in to what you want and need. Don’t feel that you’re being selfish; you have a responsibility to yourself to take care of your needs. Studies show that productivity dramatically increases when you are well rested.

3. Check for balance between these four vital areas of your life:

4. Live your life in the present! Quit saying, “I’ll do this when I get around to it.” I have yet to find a person who said on their death bed, “I wish I had spent more time at the office.”

5. Increase productivity by planning your week and fine-tuning your workday. Block out time to handle priorities. Important tips to remember as you plan your week:

6. Reduce your stress by being underwhelmed. Here are a few tips to help you avoid getting overwhelmed:

7. Stay out of e-mail jail. Here are a few tips to help:

8. Set up your work environment to keep your focus on what’s most important. Here are some tips:

Author Bio
Wouldn’t you love to stumble upon a secret library of ideas to help you de-clutter your life so you can focus on what’s most important? Kathy Paauw offers simple, yet powerful ideas, on how to manage your time, space, and thoughts for a more productive and fulfilling life. Visit www.orgcoach.net

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We’ve all done it at some time or other. We put off our exercise routine until tomorrow; we continually delay finishing that project or starting that business.

Procrastination is the mother of all demons and can literally stop you in your tracks from achieving all that you desire.

Sandra Baptist provides you with 5 effective processes you can use to slay this giant.

1. Do it now
Hold your breath and jump right in! Putting things off until the last minute is a bad habit and like all habits is ingrained in our subconscious mind and hard to break. It feels like the normal thing to do and we simply continue along our path. To complete a task immediately may even feel strange or like a forced action.

When your boss gives you a task or when your clients or customers request your expertise, do it right away!

You not only look well-organized to others, the feeling that the job is done, is complete before the deadline, will be one of relief and gratitude.

How would this efficiency look to your customers when you request a referral or to your boss when salary reviews are approaching? I would think, “Great”.

2. Take baby steps
Sometimes we procrastinate because the task may be intimidating to us. Perhaps we have no possible inkling on where to start.

In these cases, it is quite fine to take it one step at a time.

Say you are preparing a business plan and for the 5th time this week, you’ve turn on the PC and looked at the blank screen. Or you’ve just remembered you need to do some more research before you begin… you’re still not ready.

My friend you ARE ready.

You simply need to break down the project into smaller pieces and tackle each bit separately. Make each task an individual project and after completion of each one, celebrate and acknowledge your achievement.

Soon you’ll be finished and have no idea why you were putting it off in the first place!

3. Vision the perfect
Ah! I love this one. I use the Law of Attraction with my clients to have them easily and effortlessly achieve their dreams and desires and in effect, their vision.

Once you are aware that you are in fact procrastinating, creating a vision of you achieving the perfect plan is extremely helpful. When you create a vision you write in the present tense… as if you have already achieved your goal or if you are in the process of completing it.

For example, we go back to the business plan. Your vision may look something like this.

“I am so grateful that I have completed all the research I need for my business plan. I am finding the information easily using the internet. People that have written business plans are offering me advice that allows me to create an exciting plan that I resonate with. As I write, the words come to me effortlessly… .”

In creating a vision and focusing on it daily, the universal laws state that things, people, processes will begin to occur in your life that will allow you to attract that vision.

4. Forget it
Why force the issue? If you have been ‘dragging your feet’ on something for a very long time, it may all be for the best.

Something, somewhere is trying to tell you something. That something is your intuition and it is usually right!

Think about something that you have been putting off again and again and again. What are the reasons that you need to complete this task in the first place? Does someone want you to do this? What is THEIR agenda? What are YOUR reasons for this lengthy delay?

I find it amazing that 99% of the time I put off doing something, I am thankful that I did! Disregarding a project after a long period of procrastination is however usually a last resort.

5. Support team
Do you put off tasks because you feel that there are too big and complex for you to handle alone? Or because you need assistance? Be honest with yourself. “No man is an island”.

Ask for help! There are many resources out there that can provide you with all you need to carry out your job.

If you’re a solo-professional and you put off answering emails, then don’t answer them yourself. Hire an assistant, find some college students that want experience, get a family member to help.

Procrastinating on life changing activities could be as a result of fear of the unknown. Get a mastermind group together, find a mentor or a coach, join a support group in your area or online.

You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Just ensure that to kick this habit; do what feels good to you in whatever method you choose. You’ll surely postpone procrastination for a very long time.

Author Bio
Known as The Vision Queen^TM, Sandra Baptist teaches single mothers between 25 and 45 years working in the financial industry how to create and attract their vision of success and prosperity… easily and effortlessly. Your “Roadblocks to Prosperity” report is available free at: www.EliteCoachingGroup.com. Contact The Vision Queen^TM for consultations via email: Sandra@EliteCoachingGroup.com or phone: 800-666-4754

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Without even realizing it, we wake up daily to clutter pouring in-constant television or the Internet at home, talk radio in the car, TV news programs at the airport and loud music in restaurants. Soon our senses become dulled and our vision turns lusterless. How can a person connect with their intuitive vision and goals while being constantly bombarded by thousands of outside messages?

Vision is essential to success. Yes, you can stumble on a great idea without knowing where you’re going, but in my experience mentoring thousands of people, it rarely happens that way. Successful people look ahead, imagine the future they want, then make it happen through a combination of passion, commitment and intuitive vision.

To conceive any vision you must first get quiet. Remove the clutter and turn down the volume. When you consciously eliminate pervasive noise, silence arouses your imagination. Make it a goal to eliminate clutter from your mind, your day and your life.

I started with my physical environment, which is the easiest to control. I successfully created an uncluttered house and an uncluttered office. Next I uncluttered my mental environment. While I rarely watch TV or listen to talk radio, and I don’t crave an hourly update on current events, I have my own clutter addiction to battle-movies. My addiction got so bad for a while that I found myself going to really bad movies, wondering later why I wasted that time and money. I still love going to good movies, but now I’m more selective.

I appreciate that these activities are some of the most common ways to relax. But you cannot wake up to clutter, be bombarded with it all day, go to bed with that same level of intrusion and still have the mental space to connect with your intuitive vision. Choose renewing ways to relax, such as strolling through a park, soaking in the tub or reading a great book.

As with most ambitious endeavors, eliminating all the clutter in your life can be overwhelming at first. The trick is to start small:

1. Clear your space.
Unclutter your physical environment at home and work. Take 10 minutes every day to file that stack of papers that’s been sitting on your credenza for months. Devote 15 minutes a day to cleaning out a closet or a room that’s only slightly less attractive than the city dump. Don’t tackle the whole attic. Start with one corner, then move on to another until it’s done.

2. Unclutter your mind.
Eliminate one outside stimulus, one TV show or one chatty phone call. Then eliminate another. Instead of reading three newspapers or magazines, read one. While driving, replace talk radio with inspirational CDs or music that stimulates ideas and opens a space for success. Meditate as you fall asleep or read something relaxing that brings you peace, not agitation.

Be equally selective about how you spend time with friends and family. You might not think of a relationship as clutter, but it can be. Are casual, unsatisfying relationships keeping you from your vision? Would fewer, more meaningful relationships be more helpful? Assess whether a relationship is one that you value. If not, eliminate it or, at minimum, reduce the exposure. Uncluttering is about making choices in all the areas of your mind, space and time.

3. Put off procrastination.
Procrastination leads to worry and anxiety, which is mind clutter. You’re anxious about the upcoming meeting because the report due is still rough at best. You worry about overdrafting your bank account because you’ve put off balancing your checkbook. Instead, just put off procrastination.

Eliminate one area of procrastination each week. Schedule it in your calendar, as you would any important appointment, and when that time arrives, do what needs to be done. Your mind will feel refreshingly alert and uncluttered.

Yet, procrastination is not always bad. I hear people say, “finish what you start” or “you had that idea, where did you go with it?” Every day I wake up with new ideas, but like you I have only 16 waking hours a day in which to do it all. Misplaced stubbornness, as in, “I started it, I have to finish it,” can exhaust you as you plow onward in the wrong direction. Selective-intuitive-procrastination allows the best ideas to rise to the top and keeps you focused.

In the emergency room all nurses learn the value and skill of triage. When several patients come in at once, nurses treat the sickest ones first. That’s triage. You can triage ideas. All ideas are not equal, so match your ideas to your intuitive vision to determine which to develop first.

Selective procrastination also eliminates unnecessary busyness. Imagine a low-priority task-perhaps starting a routine project or writing a letter. You procrastinate, and at the end of the day, or the week, that situation resolves itself. The project is canceled or the topic of the letter gets resolved with a two-minute phone call. Selective procrastination, or triage, combined with your intuitive vision can eliminate the clutter of unnecessary tasks.

Ditching clutter enables you to tune in your intuitive vision and connect with future success. In turn, your newly awakened senses arouse your passion. You not only see the future you want, you’re ready to implement the goals and strategies to make it happen.

Author Bio
Inc. Top 10 Entrepreneur Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute. She is credited by The New York Times with creating the legal nurse consulting profession in 1982. She is the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing the Profession and the Stevie Award (business’s Oscar) as Mentor of the Year. Vickie has revolutionized the careers of thousands of RNs. She is the author of (www.InsideEveryWoman.com) Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn’t Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now, coming March 2006 from John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Order this top 5 Amazon.com bestseller now. Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright or other rights.
Copyright © 2006 Vickie Milazzo Institute, a division of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc., Houston, Texas.
All Rights Reserved.

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I do things by halves. Sometimes, if I’m lucky I’ll get 80% done before I allow myself to get distracted, just stopping short of completion. Just look inside my wardrobe and see the amount of things completed to 80%. Unfinished bags I’ve started sewing, knitted scarves with the knitting needles still threaded through, unsent postcards that are too old to post, a half assed filing system (the stuff that needs to be filed is in a big fat pile next to the phone). Look inside my email account and see 10 draft copies of letters I’ve been meaning to send (one is dated back to a year ago), and other countless emails I’ve left unread with the intention to read and reply. If I do eventually finish something, the pressure has to come from an external source (like a boss (which I don’t have at the moment), or an irrevocable deadline). But even then, the journey to completion certainly isn’t a pretty one. It’s sorta like carrying a whinging child up a very steep hill. Eventually, all the noise and distraction stops me from doing what I’m meant to be doing and I’m forced to listen to her concerns.

“You don’t want to keep going?” I say, “What do you want to do then?”
“Eat”.
“Okay”, I think, “I’ll let her have her way this time so she shuts up”.
I go to the fridge and feed her. Then I go back, ready to begin the journey again. But she’s still hungry. So I go back and forth to the fridge until I’m sure food can’t possibly be a concern anymore.
“You know you really should clean the bathroom before you start again”, she says.
“You’re absolutely right”, I say. “I’ve been putting that off forever”. After finishing the bathroom, I feel a little bit tired. I only manage to carry the child another couple of steps up the hill before she says, “You really ought to rest. You can’t get anything done in the state you’re in right now. Why don’t you see what’s on TV?”
“But It’s almost 2pm” I say, “I have to reach the top by 8pm”.
“You’ve got plenty of time”, she assures me. “Once you’re rested, you will be able to get to the top much quicker”. I don’t really believe her but I know I need to rest. So I put on the TV. “Oh, it’s ‘Oprah’, great!” One hour later: “Oh, ‘Dr Phil’s’ on. He’s so relevant.” One Hour later: “It’s ‘Totally Wild’”. This is where I draw the line. “Look”, I say, “Totally Wild is boring and educational, and the intro music is driving me nuts”.
“You’re right”, says the little girl, “we’d better get a start up the hill again”.
Finally we’re off once more, but I realise we’re running very low on time. I’m also extremely tired at this point, but I’m forced to keep going or risk not making it at all. At 7 o’clock I begin to sprint with the toddler on my back. Now it’s my turn to whinge to her. It’s a crazy sprint and I’m forced to leave out certain tasks due to time restrictions, but I make it finally, albeit rushed and 10 minutes late. I’ve finished but I’m certainly not satisfied with the outcome.

So the moral of the story is this: Imagine how much stuff we would get done if boring educational shows like ‘Totally Wild’ were on at an earlier time slot?

Author Bio
Davina deWitts runs a clothing accessories store, with stock from Australia’s most talented designers. She also believes she’s a social commentator, finding intriguing what most consider banal. If however you would like to indulge her, read her Fashion Blog.

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A new nationwide survey finds that “runaway” meetings are the biggest time waster in the workplace. More than 27 percent of workers polled said meetings are the largest culprit for inefficiency and lack of productivity.

The survey was developed by Office Team, a staffing service specializing in skilled administrative professionals. With responses from 613 men and women, all 18 years or older, the findings are part of the “Office Team Career Challenge,” a project to help administrative professionals advance their careers.

With today’s lean staffing levels, there is increasing pressure for employees to manage their time effectively. Yet, many employers actually sabotage time management with runaway meetings and interruptions. Industry Week calls meetings “the Great White Collar Crime” estimating they waste 37 billion dollars a year.

Some ‘red flags’ that can indicate a mismanaged meeting:

To learn how to make meetings more productive, I contacted Chris Clarke-Epstein, CSP, who wrote the book, I Can’t Take Your Call Right Now, I’m In a Meeting. The former president of the National Speaker’s Association, she works with clients to help employees learn faster and work better. She offers concrete ideas to make your meetings more effective.

The true value of any meeting is what actually happens after the meeting takes place. Make sure that individuals are held accountable for meeting results. And remember, if you don’t measure it, it won’t happen.

For more ideas on effective meetings and building productive teams, please visit: www.chrisclarke-epstein.com

Author Bio
FREE E-MAIL NEWSLETTER. Sign up at www.ThePeoplePro.com. Barbara Bartlein, CSP, is the People Pro. She offers keynotes, training and products that help you build your business and balance your life. She can be reached at 888-747-9953, by e-mail at barb@ThePeoplePro.com. Visit her website at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

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One of the most vivid symbols of modern man is the image of finger with a ribbon tied around it. That image symbolizes a reminder, of not forgetting a chore, a task or an event.

One of the dilemmas of modern man is the need for reminders. We are faced with so many responsibilities, chores and roles that sometimes we forget the details. But it is precisely this failure to remember that could bring a negative consequence to the many responsibilities that we have to juggle around. We have to be effective in our responsibilities and forgetting is not an option. It is because of this that we have a strong need to look for various ways to remind us of the details.

The evolution of instruments and strategies for reminders has gone a long way. During the more low-tech years, one of the more effective methods used was by either circling important events in our calendars at home or taking note of the reminder in a small notebook. These are good instruments but it also had its limitations, most especially with the calendar-at-home method because you obviously cannot bring it with you. Busy mothers as well as working professionals are not always in one place so there was a gradual but increased emphasis on mobility and mobile solutions for reminders.

Because of the new mobility factor, diaries and filofaxes became in vogue. The added benefit of a filofax system is that you not only get to bring the reminders with you, important data like addresses and contact details of clients, friends and family members. For a long time, the filofax system and other variants like the Franklin Planner became the standard for effective time management and reminders. The fact that this system became firmly entrenched not only in corporate culture but also among home-bound but still busy family members say a lot about its effectiveness.

But it was only a matter of time before technology would bring about another shift in the time management and reminder systems. The advent of personal computers had a lot to do with this gradual shift to electronic equipment for the task of giving people reminders. Operating systems gradually included alarm, appointment and reminder functions that are easy to use and operate. For the more mobile solutions, one of the earliest progenitors was the Apple Newton, Apple’s doomed foray into mobile computing.

The first really successful electronic-based time management and reminder system were the Palm handhelds. The easy to use interface, the portability, and the mobility were the qualities that made it an overwhelming success. It’s all in one functions (address book, reminders, appointments, word processing, games) made it very attractive to many people especially those who need the power of a computer in a form factor that would allow them to bring it on the field. The introduction of Pocket PC’s

The internet age has now brought another significant change. The desire of mobile solutions has taken a different road with online reminder services that can be found on the internet. This is a more pervasive form of reminding because not only can it be accessed anywhere there is an internet connection (which is practically everywhere because of WiFi and internet hotspots), these online reminder services (www.onlinereminders.net) have a unique feature in that it can send email reminders to a person’s mailbox on a daily basis. The reminder function now has a level of interactivity and pro-activeness that was missing from other previous solutions.

Author Bio
Philip Nicosia is the webmaster of Onlinereminders.net, a free online reminder service.

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Why does it so often seem like you turn around and it’s midnight when you’re raising your kids? It seems like no matter what you do sometimes, there’s still a lot more work to do by the time you are ready to go to bed. What can you do?

The first thing you need to do is figure out where your time is going each day. Try making notes one day about what you do and how long it takes. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can try this for a week, since every day is going to be different, but even one day will give you an idea as to where you’re using up all your time. It may feel like you’re wasting time writing these things down, and they will slow you down a bit for that day, but it can be a big help.

Take a look at what you spent your day doing. Now assign a priority to each. How much time would you prefer to spend on each?

Now if you add all these up, you’ll probably find out your day is more than 24 hours long if you include time to sleep. That’s how it is being a parent.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what items can be done less often. Can you stand a little mess in the house? Can everyone else? Can you get more help from your spouse and the kids in keeping the house clean? You’ll have to decide which solution is right for you.

What about time spent surfing the internet or watching TV? Give yourself time limits on each of these. If you have a Tivo or a VCR, try recording your favorite shows and watching them a little later, skipping the commercials. Not only does this allow you to choose the time you watch your shows, it can cut down their length.

Sometimes it can be hard finding enough time in your day to be with your kids, yet most parents will call this a priority. Just remember that time with your kids isn’t just about having fun. Even small children can help out with making dinner, which can be a great time for talking with kids of any age. My three year old daughter has been helping make salads since she was two. The lettuce ends up in either rather large or very small pieces, but she has fun helping and we get some great time together. Older kids may or may not appreciate this time, but it’s good for them to help out.

I definitely do not recommend cutting back on whatever meals you insist on eating as a family. This is a great thing to do as a family, and if you aren’t making time for family meals, find a way to do so! Even if it’s just dinner one night a week together, no activities or sports to run off too, your family needs the time to relax together.

Finally, are there things you can cut out all together? If you feel as though you’ve been pushed into doing things for others because you’re at home and “have time,” don’t feel guilty about telling people that you do not have the time to do things they want you to do. Your family comes first. If you really want to volunteer, think about either cutting back the number of hours when you need more time for yourself or your family, or volunteering for something you can do as a family.

There are only so many hours to a day, and so many things you’d love to get done. Take a good look at what you need to do, want to do and don’t really need to do, and you can find ways to feel a little less overwhelmed most of the time. You’ll go through times where there just aren’t enough hours in the day even when you know your priorities, but you can cut down on the less important stuff and relieve a lot of your stress.

Author Bio
Stephanie Foster is the owner of Home with the Kids, a site for stay at home parents. If you want to learn more about time management as an at-home parent, please visit www.homewiththekids.com/time-management/

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