I feel great crossing things off of my to do list, but I think I might feel better seeing a list of what I have actually accomplished.  I have always had a to-do list a mile long, but that can get discouraging.  For every item you cross off-you tend to add one or two more items to be done.  Just looking at my to-do list can make me feel anxious, overwhelmed and tired.
Because your "done" list is a list of your accomplishments, it shows progress.  Looking at it will encourage you to push ahead and add more to your list.
You already schedule important things such as doctor and dental visits ~ and they get done.  Maybe scheduling grocery shopping, laundry and other projects you need to accomplish will help you get them done in a timely manner. I know that I have days where I spend to much time playing on my phone, and then I end up rushing through the rest of my day.  If I time blocked just a small portion of my morning, I could enjoy these things without feeling guilty.  
Bottom line - the only things that matter are the things that you actually do.  It takes just as much time to write your "done" list as it does to cross things off your your to do list.  
 Just Remember,  It always seems impossible until it's DONE!

 Boy are we having a case of the Mondays! 
In just a matter of 30 minutes that it took to run to the grocery store to pickup a few last minute items for dinner, our dog Lillybelle, stole a couple of packages of homemade tortillas off the counter and proceeded to shred the plastic bag and eat a majority of them.  Our other dog Indy was also a prime suspect, but she luckily didn't seem affected by it.  My daughter called as I was on my way out of the store and said that the dog was whimpering and appeared to be bloated.  I probably would be also if I had ingested that many tortillas.
We hurried her to the vet, and within a few minutes they had her throwing up a brick of tortillas.  (Sorry, if you don't have pets or kids this is probably pretty gross.)  It's amazing what a relief it was when she did that!  After that was done, they gave her another shot for the nausea and then a pro-biotic capsule to give her a for a few days to help get her "gut health" back to normal.  Almost $300 later we were on our way home.  
After what seemed like a very intense morning, we are happy to report that it appears she is somewhat back to normal, although a little lethargic.
Unexpected setbacks
Unexpected expenses such as that leave little left over for us at the end of the month.  Our business was much more successful before the recession hit us hard.  Many of the businesses we cleaned for were forced to go out of business.  I know that many people think that people who run their own business are banking, but many of us are not.  We are normal families with normal expenses like mortgages, car payments and such.   Sending our kids to college is important to us as well as continuing to run business that has paid the bills for over 35 years.
We continually maintain or replace equipment as needed.  Thankfully, our business doesn't require top of the line technology in order to run efficiently, just some good vacuums, environmentally safe cleaning products and some good old fashioned elbow grease. (Also, the intelligence to know what and when to use all the things we just mentioned.)  We would love to hire more staff to help provide the top quality service that customers have come to expect, as well as provide jobs for more people in the community.    
We have a small budget and try to use social media as a way of advertising for more business.  Larger franchises have more money available and are often able to advertise for more than just one area.  This really hurts a small business like ours who strives to maintain a great reputation.  We could really use a working partner who is familiar with this line of work and how this type of business runs.  We do not get to set our own hours, we work at least five days a week and are usually on call 24/7.
We are proud to be business owners and take pride in the job we do.
Please think local next time you are in need of a service from another business instead of a big name.  Small business owner (and their dogs) will greatly appreciate it.
I hope you have a fantastic, (barf free) Monday.

 We have reached that time of year where many of us are transitioning from unstructured schedules to the holiday rush. And, it's only October!  I think when the stores start putting up decorating displays it makes our heart beat a little faster. We start to feel rushed and stressed out.  
If you think about it, October is the perfect month to get those last minute office improvements completed.  Getting it done will allow you to take the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the great weather. Get out of the office and reconnect with family and friends.
Doing things ahead of time will inspire you to start your day on a positive note.  Some things that might make your day easier are setting out your clothes for the next day. That way there won't be any surprises, such as no clean underwear.  Pack your lunch and a healthy snack so you won't be tempted to spend extra money and eat foods you are trying to stay away from. (Think of all the money and calories you can save for when it really matters - holiday parties and shopping.)  Wash your dishes at home and at the office, how nice is a clean coffee cup is when you need to be caffeinated?
Clutter can make you loose focus and curb your productivity.  Taking just a couple of minutes to tidy up will offer you a great return on your investment.  You will instantly have that little extra spark to concentrate on the task at hand. 
Take good care of your office environment.  If it's dirty - clean it!  Make it a place you will want to spend a large part of your day in, and be able to concentrate in order to get projects done.
Discover how hiring a cleaning service can ease your cleaning anxiety and stress with remarkable results.  It's as easy as giving Ron a call at 602-316-4407 for a no obligation consultation.

It's Monday, But coffee can handle it!
Time for a fresh start and a chance to set a new tone for the rest of the week.  We have a busy week ahead of us and the more help I can get, the better.   Since the weather has finally cooled off enough to wear regular shoes, I had to pull out my magic eraser to spruce them up.  They work wonders on on removing mud and dirt off of shoes.  (

You can complain about bad weather or you can splash in a puddle.  And, there are a lot of puddles out there today.  We don't get these days very often in the Valley of the Sun, so be sure to take some time to enjoy it.  Your outside plants don't need to be watered today, your car won't need washing and if you exercise outside you could take a day off and enjoy a warm cup of coffee and a good book.
If people are coming and going in your home or office today, set out a rug by the front door to dry off their feet and keep puddles from forming inside and making the floor slippery.    Even a bath or beach towel will work in a pinch.   If you have a "beware of wet floor sign" now is a good time to use it.   Since we don't get to use an umbrella for rain often, a simple bucket set by the front door can catch those drips as people come and go.  If people are actually using the coat rack that sits by the door year round,  set a dry towel underneath it.
​My dogs absolutely do not  want to use the bathroom outside on rainy days, but they do enjoy splashing through the puddles and bringing in mud.  I keep several towels handy in case they need a complete wipe down.  
Tell us what inspires you on a rainy day and have an amazing Tuesday.