Archive for Time Management

Summer weather sabotaging your productivity? Tips to stay on track

by Clare Kumar
July 8th, 2018

summer garden

 

In Toronto, where I live, we endure weather extremes. From a wicked ice storm at the end of April to a week of heat alerts just two months later.  With that, I know we are not alone in feeling the urge to take advantage of gorgeous weather. When it’s nice outside, it can be harder than ever to feel motivated and stay focused on work. We may also have purposeful goals to accomplish during these weeks and find it hard to fight the pull to be outdoors.

So, what can we do?

Have a listen to this interview in which I chatted with Rubina Ahmed-Haq for CBC Radio. You’ll hear some interesting perspectives from folks on the street.

 

Here are some simple strategies you can employ to get the important things done this summer:

1. Plan Your Play

Take some time to craft plans to be outside and enjoy the summer, whether it be festivals in the city, an evening on a patio or a weekend getaway. If you’ve made plans you can look forward to and enjoy, it can help you keep focus knowing you will be having fun. And when you’re off work, really be off work. Your mind will be more refreshed and ready to contribute when you return.

 

2. Keep it Comfortable

It’s wonderful to have a breezy office, but as soon as the humidity builds, it’s time to put on the air conditioning to preserve your cognitive function. Simple tasks are less negatively affected by heat and humidity than complex tasks, so choose wisely if you can’t control the heat. If you’re in an over air-conditioned space, use layers to keep warm, so when you’re in the right clothes when you do get outside. Ideally, your office will be between 17 – 23 degrees.

 

3. Take Your Work Outside

Take a close look at your tasks and identify which might be done outside. Read on a bench in a nearby church, voice record while walking through a park, or have walking meetings. Even look at parking further away and adding some walk time to your commute. Make your lunch a picnic. Schedule a networking lunch on a patio.

 

4. Shift Your Schedule

Mix up your routines to enable more time outside. I parked my gym membership until October and now do yoga either on my balcony or at the beach. Evening walks outside after dinner are a must. Get out for a run or walk in the cooler mornings, and work inside in the hot afternoons. Caveat – most Canadians (60-70%) are low in Vitamin D, so do make some time for safe sun exposure when the sun is high in the sky.

 

5. Play Beat the Clock

Commit to an early stop-work deadline each day and let the adrenaline flow to help you beat the clock. Structure your day with a mix of focused and engaged time.

 

6. Practice Mindfulness

Regular meditation is a focus exercise for the brain. Practicing builds the focus muscle. Get clear on your intentions and articulate those in your calendar (your daily road map). Then simply apply your focused mind. If getting stuck, use a sticky note on your computer (paper or virtual) to remind you of the task you’ve committed to. I recommend creating a Focused Five™ list of the top things you wish to accomplish in a day, and keeping that in front of you to help you stay on track. If you’re still not motivated, check in with your “why?” Perhaps there is a bigger question to answer.

 

7. Stay Fueled with Healthy Food

Watch your intake of food and drink that sabotages your ability to think clearly. Stay hydrated (watch out for caffeine and alcohol) and avoid low nutrient foods that are perhaps filling but only provide a sugar rush…and eventual crash.

 

8. Take Smart Vacations

Plan carefully so you are not exhausted upon your return. Taking a day to land, unpack, and get settled is a wise investment and will help you get back in the spirit to contribute at work.

 

Sources:
Heat and Humidity – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4701920/ National Centre for Biotechnology Information
Vitamin D – https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/statscan-finds-widespread-vitamin-d-deficiency-in-canadians/article596998/

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You’re Invited – CIBC Women and Wealth Series – Thursday, June 21st in Toronto

by Clare Kumar
June 14th, 2018

Invitation CIBC Wealth Management - Women and Wealth Series Invitation

Next Thursday evening, on June 21st, I’m pleased to be joining Trish Walker of The Gerstel Wealth Management Group at CIBC Wood Gundy as part of their Women and Wealth Strategies Series in downtown Toronto.

If you’re a busy entrepreneur or professional looking for work-life integration strategies, this is for you!

I’ll be presenting “Kill Cruise Control!” an overview of the “Compass” part of my Productivity CPR™ model, to give you a repeatable methodology for staying engaged in the driver’s seat of your life. And, Trish will take you through an action plan to improve Financial Wellness, a key ingredient for a successful and enjoyable life.

DATE – Thursday, June 21, 2018

TIME – 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

LOCATION – Brookfield Place, 181 Bay Street, Suite 600, Toronto

***UPDATED RSVP DEALINE***- Contact Trish Walker at 416-369-8843 or trish.walker@cibc.ca by Wednesday, June 20th, 2018. Be sure to notify Trish of any dietary restrictions. Dinner and parking is graciously provided by CIBC.

Space is limited so don’t delay!

 

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Four Ways to Have a Smooth and Productive Transition into Fall

by Clare Kumar
September 6th, 2017

Stephanie Smyth of CP24 interviews Clare Kumar on getting organized for the fall. Photo: Screen capture of show on CP24

The change of seasons brings a change of schedule and some anxiety for all about how we’re going to manage it.

Watch the video here!

Here are some strategies which may help. If you’ve got others, please add a comment!

  1. Choose your outfit the night before.

It’s often beneficial to separate planning from execution. Planning requires decision making and sometimes problem solving. Execution is about completing tasks you know how to do. Since mornings are often more rushed, take time the evening before to select what you’re going to wear the next day . I check the weather and often plan from footwear up. Layering is your best friend for days which start out cool and warm up, or for transitions between hot weather and cool, air conditioned environments.

 

  1. Fuel up for your day.

Your brain is on average 2% of your body mass, yet consumes about 20% of your energy.1 Tune into what your body seeks to keep thinking clearly.  If you don’t want to eat a full breakfast before you leave for work or school, identify some portable, nutrient rich snacks which you can take with you.  You don’t want to end up depleted during your morning, or worse, “hangry”!

 

You might think caffeine is helping you boost your focus, but recent research suggests that it is simply an alleviation of your body’s craving for the substance. Consider cutting out caffeine to see if your mind is equally sharp without it.

 

  1. Create a task management system.

When schedules change and we take on new challenges, there is often a worry about keeping on top of everything. Because our brains are challenged to remember everything, as Daniel Levitin suggests in his book, “The Organized Mind”, “Writing things down conserves the mental energy expended in worrying that you might forget something and in trying not to forget it.2

 

Having a system that works for you is critical to staying on top of things, and comforting because you know you depend on it. Key elements of a system include a place to gather your intentions – a “to do list”, a calendar to make time less abstract, and notifications to cue your attention.

 

When building your task management system, pay attention to how you like to work. There is no right and wrong between paper and online solutions. What is important is that it is accessible when you need it, easy to interact with, and redundant (possible to recover information if lost).

 

  1. Avoid making a mess.

When arriving home, it’s easy to plop down our backpacks, briefcases, lunch and gym bags, kick off our shoes, throw off our coats, hats and sunglasses and toss our keys.  Generally, though, this approach leads to chaos.  Turn your “drop and dash” into “stop and stash”!

 

To avoid a stressful entry way, make sure every item you come in with has an easy home to land in. Drawers or hooks near the front door for keys. Cubbies or hooks for backpacks. Use a magazine holder for mail and papers parents need to review. Offer a bin per person for accessories.  Unpack your lunch bag and prepare it for its next use right away. This especially important on Friday nights to avoid unpleasant surprises!!

 

Changing behaviours takes time, so a little lot of coaching is likely required of housemates as you adopt the system. Not only with it keep the entryway clear, everyone will know where items are when they’re running out the door!

 

NEW – In recent months I’ve created new workshops which have been well received by clients such as Facebook Canada and Ryerson University. If your organization is looking for an informative, engaging talk on boosting productivity, becoming more organized or better managing work-life integration, please pass on my contact information, or connect us and I’ll be happy to follow up. With many thanks.

 

SOURCES:

  1. Appraising the brain’s energy budget. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
  2. Levitin, D. (2014). The Organized Mind, Allen Lane, Penguin Canada Books
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Put Down the Phone! How not to answer email on your vacation

by Clare Kumar
July 20th, 2017

If you’ve got a vacation planned, I’ll bet you’re looking forward to a break from your regular routine. But will you get one?

Man on phone with whale by boat.

Photo used with kind permission of photographer Eric J. Smith. Visit http://esmithimages.com to see more of his fine work.

Or will you be like this gentleman?  So engrossed in his phone, he misses the whale emerging from the ocean right beside him.

According to a study by Randstad, an HR firm, in 2015, 40% of Canadians read their email while on vacation.  If you’re like the average person who checks email 15 times per day according to a study from the University of British Columbia, or one of the 75% of people who responds within an hour, you’ve probably wired your brain to repeatedly check for messages and receive a feel good hit of neurotransmitter dopamine, all the while increasing stress levels.

So what can you do to counter your now natural inclination to check email? Invited by CBC Radio to share strategies across Canada earlier this month, I crafted these tips:

  1. Set Intentions for your Vacation

    Taking a break is essential to rest, replenish and recharge, to refresh the mind and broaden perspectives. When thinking of your next vacation, write down what you are hoping to achieve. Articulate your vacation objectives. Is it to explore a new place, is it to nurture relationships with family or friends, to volunteer and contribute to others, or simply to stop thinking so much?  Whatever you choose, commit to it. Write it down to keep it top of mind. Give yourself permission to focus.  It is in the dedication to a priority that we find strength to decline other requests for our time, energy and attention.

 

For a short video on the value creating memorable moments, check out this clip (5 minutes) from Tony Robbins.

 

  1. Dedicate Time to Process Email on Your Return

Schedule time to process your inbox when you get back.  The time to engage with email is often dismissed as a side activity, and not part of our ‘real work’ when in fact it takes considerable time to handle, often more than an hour per day. Read email from the current date and go backwards. You may find a number of issues have been taken care of in your absence.

 

  1. Define and Communicate Boundaries

a) Prior to your vacation, add a note to your email signature letting contacts know of your planned absence, including the time to process email upon your return. This will give the opportunity for people to contact you before you leave if necessary.

b) Craft an “out of office” alert to share your intentions. Let people know you that not only will you be away, but while you’re away, you will not be checking messages.

c) Include contact information for those who may be able to assist while you’re away.

 

  1. What if You’re Feeling Pressured to Respond

While 60% of employees in the Randstad study reported that their bosses don’t expect them to be available when on holidays, 40% don’t.  It can be extra challenging when your workplace culture or leadership doesn’t seem to support taking time off.

 

Consider the following positive support:

a) An Ernst & Young study from 2006 found that for each additional ten hours of vacation the employees took, year-end performance ratings improved by 8%.

b) France passed a set of labour laws early in 2017 supporting the “right to disconnect” which protects employees from having to respond to emails after hours or on weekends. The move was driven in recognition of increasing stress levels related to the continual demands of work and the blurring of office hours.

c) Daimler goes further and deletes employee emails while on vacation

d) In 2012, Volkswagen stopped all emails to employees’ phones after office hours.

Legislation is a drastic step but must be noted for it reflects the depth of the challenge. It is my hope that conversation and appreciation of the positive benefits will be all you need to craft a truly replenishing time off.

 

  1. If You Absolutely Have to Check Email, Set Limits

If you choose to engage in work correspondence while on vacation, schedule a time(s) which will interfere least with your vacation objectives. Set limits to avoid spending more time than you intend. Engage the support of your vacation partners to keep you on track.

 

  1. But, my Phone is Always With Me

If you don’t have the luxury of having a separate phone for work, and especially if you have one inbox to check for all messages like I do, you’ll have to be more determined than ever not to engage in work email.

a) Turn off notifications. This is recommended daily practice, not just on vacation. Notifications are for urgent items or things you will forget to do. I haven’t found one client afraid of forgetting to check their inbox.

b) If you do have to scroll through your inbox you may choose to simply flag work emails for attention later. Do not open and read them.

c) Cycle back to number one. Reread your vacation objectives. Compare how you feel after a restful versus a disrupted sleep? A yoga class in which you focus on your breathing or let your mind race. Tap back into the value of your vacation.

Do you have additional strategies that work for you? Love if you’d share them in the comments.

 

Clare Kumar, CEC, ACC is a Certified Executive Coach delivering presentations, workshops, coaching and consulting to transform motivated professionals from busy and overwhelmed, to calm and in control, engaged, sustainably productive and fulfilled. Clare drives performance to deliver a more profitable bottom line.  To talk with Clare about any of these services, book a complimentary Discovery Call.

 

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Categories Business Organizing, Peace of Mind, Play, Productivity, Technology, Time Management, Wellness
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Productivity Tips for Dating Today

by Clare Kumar
June 1st, 2017

newspaper clipping of dating article in Toronto Star

When anything is new, we experience it differently than when we are accustomed to it. The novelty is naturally appealing to our brains.  Our senses are heightened. You may be keenly aware of what feels right and what doesn’t.

So when I recently dipped my toe back into the dating waters, I enjoyed the fresh perspective and naturally, I kept my productivity lens on.  With the different apps and new opportunities for engagement, it can be pretty time consuming.  I soon found myself thinking of ways to make it less onerous, more enjoyable and more likely to be successful.

I chatted with my dating friends of both sexes and came up with a list of recommendations which I had the pleasure of sharing with writer and creator of Friend of a Friend Matchmaking, Sofi Papamarko, who wrote this piece for The Toronto Star. Six tips for streamlining your dating life.  Or as Sofi so hilariously described it when she posted it on facebook, “how to de-f*ck my dating life”.

If you or someone you know is dating, I invite you to read or share this post.

I have a few more thoughts to add…

1. You can be completely happy on your own. I spoke to several people who felt no need to prioritize dating in their lives. In fact, the ability to be happy on your own makes you all the more attractive.

2. If finding and building a relationship is important to you, if it is your intention, it deserves your time, energy and attention. Not only at the beginning, but on a consistent basis. In many interviews with older people when they look back on their lives, the quality of their relationships is the thing that matters most.

3. You must regularly check in with yourself. Trust your gut if something feels off. Have probing conversations to uncover what is really going on. Watch for signs of other relationships or being taken advantage of. Don’t be duped by the duplicitous, deceptive story tellers out there.

4. Have some fun! While on your search, you’ll likely make good friends along the way. When coupled up in a heterosexual relationship, it often happens that women lose their male friends and vice versa. It has been a joy to develop new friendships. This is especially handy when you’re looking for insight into the mind of the opposite sex.

 

I have a few openings for private coaching if you’re looking to be more productive in any area of life, and especially if you’re looking for better work-life integration.  Schedule a Discovery Chat with me here to learn more.

 

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Coming Clean on Procrastination

by Clare Kumar
August 11th, 2014
cute cats in office window

How can you resist?

I have been thinking about this post for a while.  Just kidding!  I was reviewing a book on time management over the weekend and got to thinking about how I procrastinate. Most people do. In all my experience consulting on productivity, I have only met one person who said they don’t procrastinate.

First of all, a definition of procrastination, according to the Oxford dictionary:

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing something.

For me, there’s a sense that I’m choosing to do something I enjoy slightly more than something I should be doing which is more important but less enjoyable.  Truth is that it might be something that just feels difficult to start doing because it’s challenging to accomplish or worse, it’s boring!

Livening up mundane tasks with music or good company helps. Breaking down complex or daunting tasks into smaller steps, and in particular identifying the immediate next steps will help get you on your way.  An earlier post shares other ways to beat procrastination.

But, in the spirit of fun, here’s a list of some favourite ways to procrastinate (forgive my love of word play):

1. Pro-cats-tination

The real reason behind the onslaught of cute cat videos.  That and taking pictures of your own cats. Example above.  Yes – that’s my office window. When my assistant left last month, she presented me with a parting gift – a mug covered in cat pictures – taken on her desk.  I wasn’t the only one with no immunity to cat cute!

 

2. Procras-tea-nation

Starting to work only after having a second cup of tea.  Applies to coffee, too.

 

3. Consumed with Cleanliness

Surely if the laundry looks good, it’s because there’s something you dislike doing even more on your to do list.

 

4. Virtual Socializing

Conversing on social media a few times a day is today’s office water cooler, especially for solo-preneurs. How else can you stay culturally literate?

 

5. Analysis Paralysis

The comfort and safety of fully researching a project. If you can spend all your time learning about what you want to write about, you really never have to worry about finishing it and finding out if it’s any good.

Okay, maybe these are my favourite ways to procrastinate.  Curious, what are yours?  Let me know in the comments below…

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Insider Secrets: Cool products from the NAPO Conference 2014 – Part 2 – How I met Adam Levine

by Clare Kumar
June 28th, 2014

People viewing Wrap-iT at the NAPO 2014 Conference Expo

Here is the second instalment in my summary of innovative and useful products from the 2014 National Association of Professional Organizers Conference in Phoenix. Read More→

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Time is Money: Is it worth selling your stuff on consignment?

by Clare Kumar
May 9th, 2014

 

Books_for_consignment-words

You have boxes and bins of outgrown clothes and sports gear, games your kids don’t play any more, and books that won’t be opened again. What do you do with them? Normally I would donate them to a local charity (the closest one to my home is a Goodwill), but this time I dedicated my time to find out if trading my belongings for cash would pay off.  Actually, I didn’t dedicate my time, I dedicated my lovely assistant Valerie Penelton’s time.
Here is Valerie’s story of what happened here in Toronto, followed by some general tips:

In Toronto, at Yonge and Eglinton is a bookstore called BMV (short for Books, Music, Video) where you can buy, sell, and trade used books. Their busy location makes it difficult to find parking and when you do, it’s likely paid parking. Nonetheless, it may be worth it if you’re looking to sell or trade soft cover books that are current (within 2 years) and in good condition, as these books are going to give you the most return. Unfortunately I brought in quite a few hard covers, only to find out they don’t accept these unless they’re “one of a kind”. Soft cover novels that are easy to take on the go are most often purchased.

As for children’s books – if they go on the shelf, they hardly ever leave, especially those without a spine and a visible title, so you’ll often find them piled on a table. Once the pile gets picked over, they’re often left with a handful of books that don’t end up being purchased. So, you guessed it! Selling the children’s books was also out of the question.

I was hoping to have some luck selling the children’s books, along with boys’ and girls’ clothing, boots and shoes, sports gear, and games at Once Upon A Child at Bayview and Eglinton, as they buy and sell children’s gently used items. At 2pm on a Friday afternoon, there was a 2 hour wait. The great part was that I was able to leave my items and contact information and they would call me when it was my turn. The catch: if you wish to get the items back that aren’t being purchased, you must return to collect these items 1 hour before the store closes or they will be donated.

My suggestion – If you’re going to make a trip here and you don’t live in the area, have a plan for your wait time! Unfortunately there is no way to determine how busy it will be as every day is different, so be sure to plan ahead.
When it came my turn, the assessment for one laundry basket and a bag full of items took about 20 minutes and ringing the items through the register took another 15. Had I not had to wait for 2 hours, the cash return would’ve been well worth it. Next time I would call ahead to inquire about the wait time.

Often times it’s easier to just head to the local Goodwill and donate the items that no longer suit our lives. Sometimes these items have never been used or had cost a lot of money only a short time ago. In this case, consider taking the time to find local consignment shops or get comfortable using an on-line consignment service where you can make some of that money back and feel better about liberating your belongings.

 

So as you can see from Valerie’s experience it takes time to make some money.  In most cases you’ll recover 45-55% of the amount an item is sold for, and this is often 25-50% of the original value of an item. Only you can assess if consigning the items is worth your time.

Tips for Smart Consigning:

1. Research what stores will take and how much at one time before travelling to the store.

2. If you want your items back (you don’t really, do you?) be sure to understand time limits imposed by stores to sell items. They are often donated after a specific time period.

3. Take a good look at the condition of your items (in bright light) to be sure they are suitable for consignment.

4. Set realistic expectations for your cash payout. Use that to determine if it’s worth it.

5. If you have to wait for items to be assessed, plan other errands in the area or bring along a good book.

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When Things Go Wrong: Is it human error or poor design?

by Clare Kumar
April 29th, 2014

Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Things

This morning, I walked full speed ahead into a glass wall. A glass wall I knew of. A glass wall I even anticipated someone walking into, I just didn’t think it would be me.  It wasn’t pretty. Unlike Martha Stewart, I will spare you the photo.

So you know how this story will end, but allow me to back up a bit to explain how I got there. Yesterday I had a full day planned. Full of good things – a walk with my dog, a lunch with inspiring entrepreneurs, delivery of a quick but meaningful productivity primer at the Women in Biz Conference, time to read the beginning of “Thrive” by Arianna Huffington while taking the subway (and revelling in NOT being stuck on our sadly in need of repair Gardiner “Expressway”, a complete misnomer for the next two years), an hour to sit in the sun and get creative, dinner and meeting fellow organizers in Toronto, and the highlight for me, listening to Don Norman, esteemed thought leader and author of “The Design of Everyday Things” in discussion at the Rotman School of Business. It’s my desire to have Pliio® become an “everyday thing” so you can imagine how interested I was to hear him speak.

I don’t often have insomnia (thankfully), but last night my mind was on fire after listening to Don’s talk and reading “Thrive” so I ended up awake for over half an hour in the middle of the night. Despite the lack of sleep, I was eager to attend my regular 8am yoga class with a teacher who I respect for his breadth of knowledge, how he practices what he preaches, his sense of humour, and his redefinition, for me, of the term “hot” yoga.  Have a peek at www.mryoga.com where you can meet Daniel and discover a wealth of information on how to practice yoga.

The  class was wonderful – working out the kinks (my word for pain in muscles I didn’t know I had) of a conditioning workout I did with Brent Bishop and his crew on Saturday morning over at Think Fitness.  We finished as we normally do with a restorative, mind cleansing Shavasana also known as the far less elegant sounding corpse pose. Whether I’m getting better at the meditative state or whether, more likely, it was my bout of insomnia last night, I came out of the class feeling a little out of this world.

I had  a regular client scheduled across town for 10am, so knew I had to move quickly this morning to make it there after class. Being a bit time pressured, I decided to change my route on the way out of the gym. I normally wash my hands before leaving, but figured I’d head home quickly and get ready there so I made my way straight to the gates.

The gym where I work out is in a corporate office building with a lovely atrium over the stairs. When the gym was renovated recently, they built glass walls around the atrium to preserve light (which I love). The shortest way to leave the gym is around the atrium and through the cardio area to the entrance gates. I came down this wide hallway, narrowed by the recent placement of exercise balls (storage always seems to be a challenge in the gym, but that’s another story).

Glass walls at gym

I could see the gates right in front of me and walked purposefully towards them.  Head up, not texting, not distracted by something at my side, eyes forward. In fact eyes forward gazing directly on the parking ticket machine I needed to put my receipt in. Only thing is, I forgot to take the sharp left, through the too narrower passage way that actually gets you there.

Narrow passageway at the gym

Instead, I walked this way. Glass_walls_across_from_gate-001

Turns out I’m not the only one. At least five other people have walked into the same wall.

One of the concepts Don talked about was that accidents happen, but often not why you think they do.  Sometimes design plays a part in guiding a person to move a certain way.

If you notice the floor, the edges of the hallway are marked on the left side, except the hallway no longer goes that way.  With the renovation, this wasn’t updated.   Glass walls block the commercial sized hallway, and you must rather travel through a residential sized passageway into the cardio area to get to the gates. So why write about this?

I am suggesting a few things, all of which could have been avoided, combined into a rather unfortunate experience for my nose this morning. And when something goes wrong, it’s always worth learning from.  Here they are, not necessarily in order of importance:

1. Lack of time 

2. Lack of rest

3. Change of routine

4. Poor design

Don Norman

Which brings me right back to Don’s presentation and the concept he shares on page 14 of his book. Don created the term “signifiers” for communicating “where the action should take place”.  We count on cues to tell us how to use things – whether to push or pull on a door, for example.  Signifiers are important for the clear-minded, well-rested folks among us, but even more important for the sleep deprived, distracted, crew that abounds.

I can find many other examples where errors have emerged because of time pressures and changes in routine.  I have already blogged about two examples. “Losing” my car and the unfortunate occurrence of forgetting a child in the car.   Don’s book is full of design examples, and Arianna’s book starts off talking about accidents due to lack of sleep.

What have you noticed?  What have you learned? What can you share with us? On my to do list for tomorrow – buy flowers as a thank you for the staff who took care of me this morning. I am praying there is no video to go viral.

 

UPDATE – March 26, 2015

It took almost a year, but I’m happy to say that pursuing this safety improvement paid off:

2015_03_26_Goodlife_Etching

 

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Get a Jump on Summer with a Handy Activity Planner

by Clare Kumar
February 23rd, 2014

kids at summer camp

Every year it feels a bit premature to be thinking about summer camps and swimming lessons in February. I’m lucky to live in a city with well run day programs for kids and we’ve taken advantage of the opportunity every summer. The electronic sign-up is scheduled for 7am on a wintry Saturday morning. Anyone who’s been through it knows there is a bit of an adrenaline rush as you

a) scramble to get into the site
b) rush to enter your account information and activity codes to secure your kids’ spot before they fill up.

Trying to coordinate siblings in the same venue and possibly with friends requires some planning ahead and a good dose of luck.  Over the years I’ve developed a planning calendar to make the process feel a little less stressful and thought perhaps it might be useful for you, even if you don’t have the frantic early morning sign up.

You’ll find my Summer Activity Planner for 2014 in the Tips section on the Resource page. Scroll down the tips page and click on the image of the template to download it. I’ve kept the document in it’s original Microsoft Excel format so that you type right in the file. There is a spot to add in costs for each camp and these will add automatically for you, per child.

I hope this helps your summer planning process. If you’ve got tried and true formulas for success, please share them in the comments below.

Wish me luck – sign up is in six days!

ps. If this format doesn’t work for you, send me an email and I’ll send you a PDF version to use.

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Hello, and welcome to the Streamlife blog. I get excited about taking the bumps out of life, both at home and at work, so life flows a little more smoothly. Please join me and invited guests in conversation...

 

 

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