How To Afford More For Your Kids On A Budget

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

How To Afford More For Your Kids On A Budget

Alright, last night I asked my Instagram followers what they wanted to see today.

You spoke. I listened.

In today’s post I’m going to be sharing just how we afford all the fun we do with our little man while on a budget.

Honestly, we weren’t able to do as much as we can now just a year ago. We also know that in a year we plan on being able to do even more. It’s all about making progress around here.

This time last year J was in school full time and we were living off just one income.  We were surviving, but not necessarily thriving.  We had to carefully watch what we spent to make sure we had enough to cover all of our bills from month-to-month.  Luckily we had done some pretty heavy planning before he back to school, so we never went without.

But now life is a little different – we’re back to being a two income household, which means a couple of things:

  • we get to do more
  • we get to save more
  • we’re still acting like we’re living off one income for the majority of our bills

But if you’re ready to afford more for you kids while on a budget then you’ve come to the right place.  We’re going to go over the steps we’ve taken to make sure we can do more for and with our little man while still making progress towards our bigger financial goals.

Make A List

The first step in trying to afford more is to make a list. We have a dream list of all the things we would love to do with our little man. You need to do the same. Here’s a snippet of our list:

  • gymnastics
  • private preschool
  • Baseball/ T-ball
  • Day trips
  • Vacations
  • Summer camps
  • And more

Once you have your list that’s when you need to start planning. How much is each activity going to cost? What age do they need to be to start it? Where is it going to be?

We prioritized our list into one he was able to do right now at 2 years old. We know he’s still a little young for baseball and summer camps, so we don’t have to worry about those right now. But we do have him in gymnastics and we love taking day trips to new places.

Take A Good Look At Your Budget

Next, you need to take a good look at your budget to see where you can squeeze out some extra money.  For instance, we realized that not eating out about three times a month was all we needed to cover the cost of gymnastics.

Once you determine where you can get some extra cash then you need to decide if it’s actually feasible to make the cuts.  For us, we had to weigh the thought of eating out three more times in a month with the idea of our son being more active with other children.

It really was a no brainer, but it may not be that easy for you.  So make a pro/con list.  Talk it over and then make a decision.  The best part about making decisions?  You can always change your mind.  So don’t worry about making a mistake.

affording more for your kids

Plan Ahead

If you’re wanting to make more day trips, road trips and be more spontaneous then you need to plan ahead.

I know, I know.  How do you plan ahead to be spontaneous, Meredith?

Well I’m going to tell you… You need to juts understand and accept that you’re going to do things on a whim so you need to be saving for those.  Now you don’t have to plan for each specific trip to the zoo, pumpkin patch, or road trip but just know that you will take them.

What has worked for us is having a category in our sinking funds earmarked for miscellaneous activities.  This category is for all the last minute trips and fun activities we come up with.  We don’t put a lot towards this category every month and it’s the first to get cut on tighter months, but we have been able to build a little stockpile without much effort.

Decide how much you can easily put back each month for those just-for-fun trips.  It may only be $20, but doing that for a few months could make for a really nice trip to the zoo or to the pumpkin patch.

Be Smart After Spending

This is one of the most important parts of being able to afford more – you have to be smart after a purchase.  On the weeks following a road trip you should be cooking at home more, not eating out, and using what you have on hand instead of going grocery shopping.

Try meal planning every two weeks so that way you know with certainty that you have enough food to prepare dinners and even lunches on those weeks following.  Make sure you aware of your spending so you don’t go over budget.

Spend Gifts With Care

If you ever receive cash or gift cards for birthdays and holidays then make them stretch.  We take on a hoarder type mentality.  We want the money to last as long as possible so we tend not to spend on eating out and other expenses that we already have budgeted for.  We like to save this extra amounts for more fun occasions.

Reward Points

Sign up for reward points or see about earning cash back with your credit card.

Now, I’ve talked about using your credit card before so if you haven’t seen that post I highly recommend checking it out to make sure you don’t throw your entire budget out of whack.

For example we use our credit card for gas and groceries then pay it off each month. At the end of the year we take our reward points and cash them in. That’s usually the majority, if not all, the money we spend on Christmas gifts.

So try to save your reward points and give them a purpose. If you want to take a family trip every summer then save your reward points for that occasion. Make your reward points your spending cash while on vacation.

Try to earn free nights at hotels to save money.  Most hotels have reward programs that are free and you earn points for staying.  In the next few weeks J and I will be traveling to Kansas City for free (except the cost of gas and food).  He earned free tickets through his work and I had enter a drawing at a local hotel and won enough points to cover a night at a hotel in Kansas City.  So this trip that we thought and planned to cost us quite a bit, suddenly just got a whole lot cheaper!  Which means the money we were setting aside can be used for other fun activities with our little man.

Don’t Over Do It

Be mindful of how much you can actually afford and how much your little one can do.  For instance, when the time comes for your little princess to start dance lessons then drop them from gymnastics or go back through these steps to see about finding the money to afford both in your budget.   We know that when the day comes that Dent is ready for a new activity and we’re still in this financial position then we would cancel gymnastics.

However, I know and you know that the goal is to continue to earn more and save more. So that we can have the hopes of being able to do all. the. things. our little ones want to do.

 

Five Ways To Instantly Fix Your Budget (Get Back On Track Today)

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

five tips to instantly fix your budget

Are you tired of failing at your budget month-after-month?

I hear ya!

It can be a struggle to stay on top of your budget with life happening around us.  That’s why I’m on a mission to show other Moms just how easy budgeting can be if you remember a few key things:

  1. Why you started in the first place
  2. Your end goals

Once you know those two key points – then the rest is a breeze.  Well… I wouldn’t say a breeze, but it becomes a lot easier with time.

Every once in awhile though we all make mistakes – we overspend there, we forget to track there and next thing you know it’s been months since we’ve even opened our budget template.  It happens, but I’m here to tell you that it doens’t have to be this way.  We can make mistakes and we can mess up, but we need to be focused on our two most important things (see number one and number two above).

In today’s video I’m sharing with you five ways to instantly fix your budget so you can get back on track and keep making progress towards your goals.  Check out the video down below or online:

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STEP ONE: Determine where you went over.  Which area of your budget did you overspend in?

STEP TWO: Figure out if it was an isolated incident or if it’s a recurring problem.  Did you have to replace a flat tire this month or are you continually going over on your groceries each month.

STEP THREE: Revisit your goals on a regular basis to make sure they are still want you want.

STEP FOUR: Make sure you’re checking in on a monthly or weekly basis so you can catch any overages as they happen.

STEP FIVE: Get with your partner and make sure you’re both on the same page.

Make sure to watch today’s video for more in-depth details on each step.

Teaching Your Kids Halloween Safety

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

teaching your kids Halloween safety tips

Are you gearing up some trick-or-treating adventures in the next week or so?  We are! It’s our third official Halloween and the older our son gets, the more fun it becomes.  As a child I really didn’t like Halloween.  I spent most of the time sitting on my grandparents’ porch handing out candy with her.  I didn’t like scary costumes, which meant I preferred to just sit out the whole trick-or-treating thing.  Honestly, sitting on my grandparents’ porch handing out candy is some of my favorite memories as a little girl.  But things are different now.  Nowadays I couldn’t imagine a better Halloween then with our little man.

His excitement makes it all worth it.  But as mom I am fully aware how dangerous Halloween can be.  There are so many kids running around – in costume, they’re literally taking candy from strangers (which is what we tell them to never do), and in Southeast Missouri the weather is usually cold and wet.

Before heading out for Halloween make sure you prepare yourself and your little one to have a safe night.  Here are some tips for teaching your kids Halloween safety this year and for making sure you’re prepared.

Inspect Candy

Before letting your little ones dig into their stockpile, make sure to take a quick look through it.  Let them know they aren’t allowed to eat any until you all get home and can get in a well-lit area to inspect it.  Check wrappers to make sure they haven’t been tampered with.  Remove any candy that isn’t in its original wrapper or if it’s homemade.  Check expiration dates to make sure everything is still good.

Also, you’re not just checking for tampered candy, but you’re also wanting to make sure you remove any candy that could be a choking hazard.

If you’re in doubt throw it away.  And if you do find anything that has been tampered with – call the police and let them know the candy and the area you trick-or-treated in.

Areas You Know

This one goes with the same tip as below, but make sure if you’re going trick-or-treating you know the neighborhood.  It’s recommended to travel to houses where you know the owners or feel comfortable.  That way you don’t have to worry about candy (but should still inspect it) and can keep a good eye for any cars that look out of place.

Well Lit Subdivisions

If you walk from house-to-house make sure you select a neighborhood that’s well lit and in a good area of town.  Try to hit the streets early and call it quits when it starts to get too dark.  You want to make sure you stay in well lit areas with street lamps and close knit homes.  We tend to stick to the main street we live off of and call it quits before dark hits, which means not a lot of time for trick-or-treating, but that’s okay.  We would rather be safe than sorry.

Damsel in Defense, Holla His Alarm, self defense, teaching children stranger danger

Personal Alarms or Whistles

Your little ones should carry a battery-operated personal alarm or an emergency whistle.  Teach them to use those alarms only when necessary – when they are afraid, when they are separated from you, or when they’re in danger.  It’s hard to teach younger children to use it only when needed, but it can be done.  So start practicing early and make sure you teach them who are strangers and who are not strangers.  If you use a battery-operated personal alarm (like this one in blue or this one in pink) make sure it has a flashlight attached, too.  That way they can see more easily to look for you if they get separated.

How To Track Your Spending

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

how to track your spending

Tired of trying to keep up with your spending day after day?  Well I’m here to tell you there is an easier way – actually three different ways.  You can easily find a system to automate tracking your spending that will fit your family and your needs.

The one piece of advice that I love to give to families learning new budgeting techniques –

Stop trying to be perfect.

We are all human and we will never be perfect 100% of the time.

And that’s okay!  What we should be striving for is progress, not perfection.

Cash Envelope Method

Track your spending by creating a self-imposed budget for yourself.  I’ve mentioned cash envelope budgeting before and it’s probably the easiest budgeting method out there.  You set your budget for the month and then either weekly or every two weeks you withdrawal the cash from your account.  You place the right amount of cash for each category in the right category and there you have it.

Once you run out of cash that’s it.  So there is no need to track your spending manually – the amount of cash you have left is the amount in your budget.

Easier Cash Envelope Method

If you get tired of making trip after trip to the bank then you could always give the easier cash envelope method a try.  The first step is to open multiple accounts at your bank – for your budget categories that you need, like gas, groceries, eating out, misc.  You can transfer your budgeted amounts into their specific accounts and then use debit cards instead of cash.  A great tip is still use envelopes to hold your receipts and you can easily keep track of your spending through out the month.

Check Register

Another option that will help automate tracking your spending, whether you use cash or a debit card is to keep track on a check register.  You can use one in Excel or in Google Drive that will automatically calculate your bank balance.  Having it on your Google Drive is really simple, just create the spreadsheet or purchase this one that’s over in the shop and then open it in Google Sheets.  Now you can have access to it anywhere, anytime.  It’s perfect.

The best part about these methods? You can easily switch between these three methods are make a combination all your own.

Take it from someone who has tried each of these methods and actively goes back and forth between them.  Sometimes when you find yourself spending a little impulsively then it’s nice to be able to switch back to a cash envelope method and then when things are running smooth you can use a combination of a check register and the easier cash envelope method.

 

Learn To Protect Your Family (What Is Damsel in Defense)

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

learn to protect your family, Damsel in Defense

Want to learn how to protect your family better?

Well in today’s post I’m sharing just how to do it.

There are resources, education and tools that you can utilize to protect your family and yourself from would-be attackers.

In today’s video I’m introducing you to Damsel in Defense.  They are a great resource to have to help you learn more ways to protect your kids.  Plus, I may go into a little emotional story about why it’s so important to me to be there for my son and what happened to me years ago.

You can watch today’s video online or down below:

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For more information about the products discussed in this video, be sure to check out these links:

Concealed Carry Purse: http://bit.ly/DiDpurse

Holla His Personal Alarm: http://bit.ly/HollaHisAlarm

Holla Hers Personal Alarm: http://bit.ly/HollaHersAlarm

Road Trip Flashlight: http://bit.ly/flashlightroadtrip

To Whom It May Concern Tactical Pen: http://bit.ly/towhomtactical

Breakaway Boho Keychain: http://bit.ly/breakawayboho

Travel Sassy Spray: http://bit.ly/travelsassy

Sock It To Me Tool: http://bit.ly/sociittome

Hard Conversations Books: http://bit.ly/safeheartsforparents

Join Their Mission: http://bit.ly/joindamselindefense

Learn More About Damsel in Defense:  http://bit.ly/learnmoredid

 

Our New Playroom

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

play room, diy play room

For the past month or so we’ve been doing a lot of work around our home.  We’ve been organizing closets, donating old clothes and household items to our local Rescue Mission, selling what we can on our local Facebook Swap Shops.

In the span of a week we sold a bedroom set that we used for storage (cue the piles of clothes everywhere).  We sold a desk that J used while in school, but was now acting like a shelf.  Then we sold clothes, books, lamps, and more.  We didn’t make enough to pay for our new furniture, but it was enough to cover at least the new recliner (so I’ll count that as a win).

Our goal was simple – declutter the house and make it organized.

The whole process started over Labor Day when we went to our local furniture store just to see if we liked anything.  Our past couch was falling apart.  Literally.  Metal bars had fallen out of the bottom of it and some pieces of wood had snapped in half.  So it was time.

We ended up purchasing a new couch, recliner and dining room table.  We had been saving for for months to be able to pay cash for our new furniture. It was such an amazing feeling to be able to pay cash for everything and then reimburse a portion of our sinking funds with what we sold.

What first started out as updating our family room, ended up creating a playroom for our little boy.

We turned our guest room into a place to play and house most of his toys.  We moved most of his toys into his new room, moved a chair from his nursery so we would have a place to hang out and even hooked up my TV from college.

playroom tour, diy playroom, jewlery holder, organized dressing room, organization tips

Now our little boy has a fun spot all his own and mom can easily clean up after he’s done thanks to some organizational cabinets we bought.

Toy Organizer

Footlocker with Wheels

Chest of Drawers

Closet Organizer

Mirrored Jewelry Cabinet

How To Find The Time To Chase Your Dreams

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

How To Find The Time To Chase Your Dreams

How to find the time to chase your dreams.  It’s a loaded subject.  One that I’ve been wanting to write about for awhile.  You see, I’m not a sugar coat it kind of gal.  I’m more of let’s be blunt, direct and to the point kind of woman.  I talk to you (readers of this blog) just as I would my clients, my family and my closest friends.  I talk to you how I want to be talked to.

I tell you the truth.

So hold on – today’s post is going to be a good one.

But first – let’s recap yesterday.  If you’ve been following me on Instagram (which you totally should!) I’ve been sharing a lot about the Women Aware Conference.  It was a huge undertaking, but yesterday was THE day.  And let me tell you, it was a whirlwind. I promise pictures are coming, but for now make sure to check out my Instagram Stories from yesterday.

As soon as the conference ended I got in a car with two amazing ladies and a guy to drive to another conference that’s happening today.  Yep, if you feel like I’m using the word conference an awful lot lately, it’s because I am.

But after today I get to breathe – at least for the month of October before more trips, events and conferences kick in.  Then December is usually a bit of a break, but it’s quickly followed by 4 months of tax season.  So down time is not really in my vocabulary.

I hear all too often from fellow moms, “how do you have the time?”  That’s usually right after the find out about this online blog and business I am also running.  The truth is – I have just the same amount of time in a day as anyone else.  We all are given 24 hours, but it’s how we use it that makes the biggest difference.

This is where the tough love starts to come in.

When you have goals – big goals, small goals, any goals it’s so easy to tell ourselves we don’t have the time.  But in reality what we’re saying 95% of the time is, “we’re afraid to fail.”  I get it.  I’m afraid of failure, too.  My biggest fear as a young child was disappointing my parents.  Now as an adult that fear as morphed into disappointing my spouse and my child and myself.

But when you start to look at failing differently then you find the time to chase those dreams.

Look at failing from a new angle –  where giving up is failing, where not even trying is failing, and where falling short just means try harder.

Once you start seeing failure as a new idea then you won’t have anything left to do, but try.  So when it comes to finding the time I have a few rules that I follow.  I ask myself a few things about any new project that I want to take on:

  • will this help me reach my end goal?
  • who is going to benefit – me, my family, my community?
  • do I really have the time to fully commit?

If I can answer these three questions honestly and like my responses then I add it.  But when it comes to chasing my dreams I have a few tips to help keep me on track.

Here’s my top tips on how to find the time to chase your dreams:

  1. Know your goals.  Goals are a fluid thing in my mind – I know my end goal, the big picture.  But the small steps to reach that end goal are fluid and constantly changing.I’m going to get real with you for a second – my biggest goal is to turn this online business into a full-time income while still working my full-time career.  Yes, I want more so that I can provide more for my child.  I want him to experience traveling to new places, not have to worry about college debt like his parents, and I want to live on land where my closest neighbor is miles away.  But to reach those goals I need to be greedy and keep focused.

    Your goals may not involve money at all. And yes, I keep talking about goals in the plural sense because you are allowed to hav more than one.  They can be back-t0-back or they can be at the same time.  But dream big.

  2. Set your priorities.  Once you have determined your goals you need to figure out what’s going to help you reach them.  Do you need more time to build your business?  Do you need more passive income so you can work less and be home more?  Do you need to finally take guitar lessons so you can start playing music like you’ve always dreamed?Whatever your goals are – you need to understand what it’s going to take to reach them.  Now here’s the tricky thing about goals – not only are they a fluid concept, but the steps to reach them change too.  You may set out on a path, thinking that’s where you need to be and then you come to a road block.  You’ll have to change directions.  It happens.  Roll with it.
  3. Always keep moving.  Don’t take no for an answer.  If you hear a no or are rejected, bounce back and keep moving forward.  Your path may change and you may have to attack your goal from a new position, but always keep moving.
  4. Don’t be afraid to use all of your time.  Now I’m not suggesting staying awake for a full 24 hours, but be wise of how you’re spending your time.  I started blocking my schedule a few months ago and it’s been a game changer.  I now know when it’s time to work on my business, my work, home management and all the volunteer work I do.  Make sure you’re spending your time wisely so that when it’s time to focus on your dreams you can.

Time Management Tips For Working Moms

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Time Management Tips For Working Moms

What’s a question you get asked all the time?

Mine?

“How do you have time for all of it?”

Yep, I get asked that pretty much each and every week. I’m pretty sure it’s the fact that I’m a working mom and it can be hard.  It can be hard being a stay-at-home mom, a work-from-home mom or a full-time out of the home career momma.  It can be hard.

You have kids to juggle, extracurricular activities to schedule, work projects due, laundry to get finished, and so much more.  So I think it’s about time I share my time management tips.

Watch this weeks video on time management tips for working moms either online or down below:

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Here’s a quick recap of my top time management tips:

  1. Make a list.
  2. Know your prime time.
  3. Ask for help.
  4. Plan everything.
  5. Follow a morning routine.
  6. Prep your week.

Need More Help?

Are you ready to take control of your never-ending to do list? Well grab my Cross Stress Off Your List Guide.  This guide will walk you step-by-step in helping you determine a few key things about your to do list – some items should be delegated, some only you can handle and others… well let’s just call those the ones we say NO to.  Grab your guide and start crossing the stress off your list, momma.

How To Plan For A Good Week (The 5 Tips You Need To Follow)

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

how to plan for your week

Are you ready to figure out how to plan for a good week so you can crush your goals? 

Well you’ve come to the right place.

For the longest time I felt as if I was barely surviving each week.  I always felt behind.  There was way too much chaos going on in our home and I felt as if I was never going to catch up.

Well if you know me at all then you will totally nod your head yes when I tell you “I hate chaos.”  I hate feeling rushed and under pressure.  Just ask J.  When we’re trying to leave town on a Friday after work the last words he’ll utter are, “let’s hurry up.”

When I start to feel rushed then I know something will slip through the cracks.  Like that one time we left on a 2 hour car ride and I left the diapers on the kitchen counter – all of them.  So it’s better to not rush me.

That doesn’t mean I take forever to get out the door.  No way! I have a system and a routine that helps me move quickly and efficiently.

So when it comes to creating calm and peace in my weeks, I had to take the same philosophy of calmness.  I needed to prepare for my week so that I don’t feel as if I’m running a sprint without any training.

I want to share with you my steps on how to plan for a week so you can crush your goals.  Now, let’s be honest these are not rocket science.  But they are smart.  They are efficient and they will help you.

How to plan for a good week:

  1. Make it a habit. Make sitting down on Sunday evenings a habit.  Don’t do it occasionally or when you remember.  Actually schedule it out.  Make it a family affair so that everyone is on the same page.
  2. Review Your Calendar.  Know where you need to be and when.  Make sure you and your spouse know of any games, doctor appointments, etc. that one of you needs to be at.  Also take a look at what you have to do during the day – client appointments, projects due, and so on.  If you aren’t keeping a calendar – start.  You can use a paper calendar that you find at Walmart or you can find a digital planner like Google to get started.
  3. Prep your outfits.  Go ahead and lay out your outfits for the entire week.  That will take the guess work out of selecting clothes each morning.  Now instead of changing your mind 15 times and wasting 20 minutes you’ll know exactly what you’re wearing and it will be ironed ready to go.
  4. Write Monday’s to do list.  Take a few minutes to write out your top 3 or 5 tasks you want to accomplish on Monday.  That way when you wake up with a Case of the Mondays you’ll be able to hit the ground running.
  5. Meal prep.  This is one of the easiest and yet, most forgotten tasks.  Spend time planning out your meals for the week.  You can use my two-week meal plan to help, but just do it.  To take it a step further go ahead and gather all the meats, vegetables and canned goods you’re going to need.  Put them together or as much as possible (I understand you can’t leave your chicken with your canned beans on the counter, but you get the picture) so that it’s easy to just grab, open, and start cooking.

Once you find a habit and start following it then you’ll start feeling less stressed about your week. You’ll be able to set yourself up for success and conquer the world.

Need more help?

Grab our guide to help you Cross Stress Off Your List.  This exercise will help you tame your to do list so you can stop feeling overwhelmed about having to take care of all. the. things.

How To Organize Your To Do List

Posted on by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

how to organize your to do list

Tired of having an overwhelming to-do list day after day?  Well I got you covered.

I’m going to share the secrets on how to organize your to do list so you can finally start powering through it.

Organizing your to do list isn’t really rocket science, but do you know what it is? Trial and error.

Yes, you start keeping a to do list one way and out of nowhere it no longer works.  Which causes you more stress than tasks you have to get done.  If you’re like me then you probably have several areas of your life that you have to take care of – family, work, yourself, volunteer organizations, etc.  Usually the thought of combining all of your to do lists sounds like a good idea, until it doesn’t.

When your to do list starts looking more like a puzzle then it’s time to try something new.  I’ve found the busier I get the more detailed my to-do lists need to be.  And the more separated they need to be.

But there is an exception to what I’m about to share with you…

If any item on my to do list has a hard deadline then the due date gets added to my digital calendar.  Typically with a reminder so I can make sure to get it done on time.  However, if there is no hard deadline then I add it to my to do list.. at some point in the future.

Alright, here’s how to organize your to do list:

You’ll need a spiral notebook and a pen.

how to organize your to do list to get more done

Typically you will need to keep a separate sheet of paper or list for each area of your life.  So for me there’s a page for:

  1. family
  2. work
  3. blog
  4. Women Aware – volunteer group I’m involved in.

Not only do I write down every. single. thing. that needs to get done for each area, but I also create a deadline.  So for instance, let’s say I need to make a dentist appointment, a grooming appointment, and meal prep.  Well I will write each one done and then next to it write down when I need to have it done by.  For work I may have reports that need to be completed, letters to write to send to clients, and an appointment to prep for.  Once again, I write down the task and create a due date next to it.

Do this for all the areas in your life – separate your areas onto different pages, write down all your tasks, and create deadlines.

Once you have a general list for all areas of your life that’s when your time blocking or daily to do list comes into play.  Next, take the top three to five tasks that you want to get done.  Now these tasks could come from one list, two lists or a combination of all your lists.

On a typical day my top 5 usually has one task from family, one from blog, two from work, and one other.  However, the closer I was getting to the annual Women Aware conference then the more my daily top five were coming from my Women Aware to do list.

Now I feel that I need to include a disclosure  – the top 3-5 daily list is not all you will work on through out the day.

These are the important tasks to help you reach your goals and help keep your life running smooth.

Life happens.  Each day will not be perfect.  There will be days you’ll be hit with fires (hopefully not literal fires) that demand attention.  Client needs a report ASAP, you get sick and have to go to the doctor, and so on.  It happens.

The goal of your daily top 3-5 list is to help you keep moving forward to reach your goals.

Having this type of organized to do list will do is help you focus.

Yes, focus.

It will help you think about only the task at hand without getting too overwhelmed.  A mom notebook is also a good thing to have so when something pops into your head that needs to get done, but it’s not urgent then it can be jotted down.  Once it’s written down my philosophy is that it will get done.. at some point.. but other tasks that are more important or more urgent will come first.

Now at the end of each day, spend a few minutes creating your daily top five list from your notebook.  This will help you get ready to hit the ground running the next morning.