Stop and Smell the Roses…

As our tips and pointers continue to flow on how to juggle a professional life and personal life, I’d like to share some honest and eloquent advise from our dear friends at Truly Mom. They are hardworking, creative, diligent and oh so adorable. Here is what Maria told me about how each of the four ladies do it all…

“Now that I am relaxing with dinner made, some time spent in front of the television watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and a glass of wine by my side, I am smiling at the thought of writing advise to women on “how to do it all.” My dishes remain in the sink, only the pretty colored envelopes have been opened from today’s mail and I believe by last count I have 15 un-heard messages on my home voice mail. Truth be told, the most important tip I could ever give anyone would be to carve out some time for your self each
day. Obviously I do not classify doing the dishes as a soulful activity and folding laundry yields “no zen” for me. Time spent energizing your spirit equates to more in reserve to tackle whatever may come your way. My formulas for stress relief is reading through Oprah Magazine, having lunch with friends at our favorite sandwich shop, laughing while talking on the telephone long after the children are asleep, exercising with the greatest (and most eclectic) group of folks at sunrise, visiting eBay every now and again and in the absence of American Idol , watching the Bachelorette. These are simple activities which allow me to shed the worries of the day for a brief moment, bringing a sense of calm. The second bit of personal wisdom I live by is to get all that I have to accomplish off my mind
and onto paper! That means recording it in my Truly Mom planner (of course). I actually sleep better at night knowing everything is written in one place. I use the planner’s sticky notes (appropriately titled, “remember this”) the most. Having been one of those people who was just short of writing important things to remember on my forehead, I am a huge fan of the stickys. At certain times of the year, they adorn my bathroom mirrors, the front door, and the steering wheel of my car. I have yet to kiss my children goodnight and place a sticky reminder on top of their blanket, but as the old adage goes, never say never!

Michelle’s advice comes from a different place. She always discusses the clarity on life she received through her recovery from cancer. Her motto is simply “do it now.” If you have a phone call to make, an appointment to schedule or a task to complete, waste not a moment of time and get it done. There is so much time spent in between the thought of “having to do something” and actually executing the task. She is a firm believer if you simply master the project initially you will save precious time. Organizing time efficiently allows more time to be spent with family, friends and on fun! Michelle’s “my day” sheets are always complete, giving her the freedom to spend it doing what she enjoys the most.

Kristin is terrific at time management. She runs the design aspect of our business. Her beautifully designed custom stationery reaches from coast to coast. At any given moment she has several baby announcements, birthday parties, Bar Mitzvahs, bridal showers and weddings on her list of things to do! Her advice is to approach each project with enthusiasm. She does not view her tasks as work but rather as being able to celebrate life’s special moments with people. She dutifully sits each evening and fills out her day in her planner as well as crossing off her completed design projects on her “my list.”

All of us at Truly Mom revel in celebrating life. Life to us is found in the joy of our daily routines. Waving goodbye to the children as they put one foot out of the car and onto the curb in front of school. Having a teenage son and blessing him with wild abandon all while reminding him of traffic laws, both big and small, as he leaves the threshold of our home with car keys in hand. Saying a brief hello to the barista at Starbucks, lacing on our tennis shoes to go for an early morning walk, savoring a conversation with an old friend on the telephone, picking fragrant roses from the garden, successfully making a new recipe with ease and writing a thank you note telling someone they are special (a reason behind our “thanking out of the box” stationery set.) These simple joys enhance our lives providing our spirits with strength as we move forward conquering each new day.”

All the gals at Truly Mom are so passionate and enthusiastic about everything they do, it is contagious. After speaking with any of them, even if just for a moment, you can’t help but want to stop and smell the roses.

NEAT Things I Love Today:

My “Thanking Outside of the Box” Thank You notes by Truly Mom. They “make me so very happy” and are too “ooh la la!”

Happy Organizing!

Mrs. Organized

July 8, 2008 on 10:39 pm | In All