Time Managment

With so many of our friends PCSing and starting new jobs, we turned to our friend Stacy Swearengen at Portable Career Planning for some helpful advice. Enjoy her tips and insight into time management.

Time Management

There is an epidemic among us, and we’ve accepted it as a fact of life. We’ve become accustomed to feeling like there is never enough time to accomplish all we have set out to do and have resigned ourselves to a life of being pulled in a hundred different directions, never really accomplishing anything to our fullest potential, all in the name of “a lack of time.”

With the launch of a new website, PCSing and setting up a new home, I’ve begun to question if 24 hours really does enough time to get the important things in life done (and this includes eating, sleeping and having fun …or if perhaps this ever-so-elusive-seeming amount of hours is in fact quite enough—we just haven’t figured out how to use it.

Now, if time management was an easy thing to master, there wouldn’t be so many blogs, books and self-help seminars on the matter. Everyone has his or her tricks and tips, but why does the problem persist? As a career coach and struggler of work/life balance myself, I’ve found a few key changes that must be made to our thinking about time before we can even hope to act differently when spending it. I call it “thought management,” and it’s kind of like the prerequisite to time management.

 Thought Management Principle #1:

You Cannot Make Time…You Can Only Take It

How often do you say, “I have to make time to …(insert whatever action you have been putting off for days/weeks/months)”? It sounds totally fine, right? Well.. not really. It wasn’t until I attended a workshop, where the speaker said this very statement, that I realized how we subconsciously view time so incorrectly.

Try as we might, we cannot make any more hours in the day. We can stay up later or work longer, but we still have a set amount of time—and with every action you choose to do, you take time—thereby using it up. Which brings us to Thought Management Principle #2…

Thought Management Principle #2: When You Choose To Do One Thing, You Automatically Choose NOT to Do Everything Else

Stay up late…don’t sleep…watch reality TV all day. With each action you take, you make an unconscious (or conscious) decision to forgo everything else you could be doing with that minute, hour, day.

This is pretty powerful to think about, especially when you are choosing to do the things that are not priorities or that are actually eating away at your goals.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking because the cynic in me thought it too: If I multi-task I am ultimately beating the clock! Let’s really look at that logic though…

 Thought Management Principle #3: Multi-Tasking is a Fast Way to Achieve Slow Results

Why are there so many of us who are tired, worn out, and who feel like we are just barely keeping our heads above water when it comes to getting everything done?

Unfortunately, we have so many fires to put out on a daily basis that we start to feel like we have no choice but to take on more and more. The problem is our responsibilities and daily duties increase, but the time we have remains the same. So, we get really good at “multi-tasking.” It feels like we’re accomplishing lots all at once, but we’re never fully focused on any one thing.

Recent research has shown that over time, multitasking actually propels our sense of overwhelm by not allowing us to recover from the excessive stimulation that bombards us on a daily basis.

And for those of you who disagree, there’s a new study that finds people who think they are the masters of multitask tend to be the worst at it!

 Time Management Resources

One of the top ways that I found to kick the multi-tasking habit and really see how ineffective my time management had become as a result was to record my daily activities. There are a few resources I’ve used in my professional life that helped me along my time management journey:

•  LetsFreckle – You can pay for the service, but I found that a free trial provided me with enough information to see the trends and time wasters that I needed to kick.
• TeamGantt – This is another resource that you can pay for or use a free trial. This site is for teams and project management, but I like it for the fact it’s a great way to see how I manage multiple projects simultaneously.

These resources helped me to see that the technology that is supposed to make life so much easier to manage, like email and social media, was actually causing me to get less done. The key is to find the time wasters in your life—and they won’t necessarily be like mine, or your best friend. Identify yours and see them for exactly what they are: a big black hole where time disappears!

Looking for a new job? Look no further. SargesList has new jobs added every day.

PCSing? Need help? Read more advice from Stacy and other special sections about careers in our free PCS Guide.

Armed Forces Day

We love May at SargesList! Although we appreciate our armed forces every day, we’ll be taking some special time out of our weekend to celebrate Armed Forces Day, which is one of the many military-focused holidays that occurs during the month of May.

Armed Forces Day is traditionally celebrated each year on the third Saturday in May.Tomorrow will mark the last day of Armed Forces Week, which started last week. So, just in case you haven’t had a chance to celebrate your loved one in uniform yet, consider this a perfect opportunity,

If you’re looking for a little history, today is reserved for Americans to pay special tribute those who serve in all branches of the Armed Forces. The holiday was established by President Truman, as he desired to single out a holiday that would celebrate all who serve, that was separate from the branches’ individual celebrations.

Many non-profits, cities and bases hold events on Armed Forces Day, so chances are, there is something to do if you’re looking to go out and about today. At the very least, we’d like to suggest you take a moment to call, write, email or thank a service member in person.

Be sure to check your local SargesList page for events happening in your area. If you know of something that isn’t listed, please add it for everyone’s benefit.

Moving? Need help settling in?

Need help organizing you move?

Looking for a new home in your new duty station? Check out homes for sale on SargesList or homes for rent on AHRN.com.

Need help organizing your move? Download the free Ultimate PCS Guide.

Know of a great local event? Post a free listing on SargesList.

Need details about your new duty station?

Photo Credit: Defenseimagery.mil

Today, we are pleased to have yet another excuse to celebrate our military and their families – it’s Armed Forces Day!

Armed Forces Day is always celebrated on the third Saturday in May, and falls at the end of Armed Forces Week. May is full of holidays honoring the military, and we’re happy to participate in every one.

Armed Forces Day was first celebrated in the United States in May of 1950. It was established to honor those who serve in all branches of the US Military.

Some base communities hold special events to commemorate Armed Forces Day. If you’re local to Bremerton, WA, you can take advantage of the Nation’s longest running Armed Forces Day parade, which will marking it’s 65th year in 2013.

Other government, community and non-profit events may be happening in your area, so if you and your family are looking for something to do this weekend, be sure to check out your local SargesList Facebook page and our listings to check for posted events. If you know of something that isn’t listed, please take a moment and do so!

In honor of Armed Forces Day, we’d like to thank all of our readers who serve. Woof!

Photo Credit: Toby Keathley Photography

As a month filled with holidays celebrating the military, many of us have had the opportunity to thank a military spouse or an important mother in our lives. Hopefully, if you are a military spouse or Mom, you’ve also had someone show you how incredibly important and special you are in your community and, of course, in your very own family.

However, if you happen to be solo-parenting for now, we also hope (at the very least) you’re also getting a break every once and a while.

Solo-parenting kids while your spouse is gone is an all-consuming, taxing, difficult and sometimes seemingly impossible task! While there are a great many services and programs available to help you both mentally and physically, nothing can truly take the place of your spouse physically pitching in.

Even the strongest among us needs a break every now and then. One government-sponsored program that many military families take advantage of is the free Sittercity Military Program, which can help you find babysitters, nannies, pet sitters, housekeepers, and tutors to help you manage your household and retain your sanity.

You can active your free membership at www.sittercity.com/DoD.

With the Sittercity membership covered, it will be easier for you to search for caregivers with specific training, credentials, time availability. You can also view salary requirements and contact the sitter via the site to ensure the help you hire will fit into your budget. Additionally, Sittercity provides thorough reviews and references so you can be assured the person you are inviting into your home is a safe, quality individual.

Learn how to use the Sittercity Military Program.

Moving this year? See our special section on smoothing moves for children in the Ultimate PCS Guide.

SargesList makes selling your home easier.

Taking good pictures of your home for sale or rent is one of the most important things you can do to find the right owner for your property. The National Association of Realtors states that nine out of ten prospective buyers start their search online. They also state that 98 percent of home buyers who search online cite photos as the most useful features of real-estate websites. Here are five tips to get you started.

1.  Let’s start with the most obvious (yet often ignored) advice: Clean and tidy the home! Be sure unmade beds, dirty dishes, smudges and clutter are not in your pictures.
2. Optimize the pictures you choose for viewing on the web. This can take some practice, but you want to try to capture enough detail that a viewer can take in the essence of a room without including so much detail that you leave them squinting.
3. Show the best of your home. It’s not a great idea to post a picture of every room in your house. Just like a conventional advertisement, you want to hook perspective buyers into visiting and looking in person.
4. If you can afford it, have a professional help you with your staging and photography. If you can’t, try to give a straight-forward representation of what your home has to offer. This is not an appropriate time for artistic photography, distorting lighting or special effects. Also remember, architecture is much more important than your decorating skills, so be sure you’re focusing on the home and minimizing the distraction.
5. Include at least one great exterior shot and try to exclude your vehicles, overwhelming hedges, toys or lawn equipment and walkways.

Selling a home? Post your free listing today.

Moving? Get the guidance you need with the free PCS Guide.

Many Military Families are celebrating Mothers Day in their own special way.

On the heels of Friday’s Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we’re so pleased to usher in Mother’s Day. Many military families are lucky enough to have reason to celebrate both of these events this weekend.

Mothers Day, one of the most widely-celebrated and beloved of the May holidays, is cherished as a special day, set aside, to thank the many many mothers and mother figures who have deeply touched our lives.

There are many mothers who deserve a special place of honor in the life of a service member and their family. Service members who are mothers deserve a very special place in today’s Mom Hall of Fame. Mothers of service members, who surely worry and struggle on a daily basis to support their loved ones, also deserve some extra praise for their hardship. So many different types of mothers touch our lives on a daily basis and each are uniquely appreciated and needed.

With this in mind, we at SargesList would like to give an extra shout out to all our readers who are Mothers affiliated with the military who may be spending this special day without someone to give  a hug and a word of thanks. We truly salute you! At SargesList, as military spouses, we’ve been there (are there) ourselves!

It can be tough as your friends and families all over the world are sitting down for nice meals with families, or are given spa treatments and sweet gifts from children, when that kind of celebration just isn’t in the cards for you. We realize some of you are simply not so lucky this time around.

Today may be lonely and, although the love and respect may not arrive in physical form, know you are appreciated more than you may even know. We know you might not feel like celebrating as you miss your kids, your spouse or worry about your child serving in a combat zone, but we, along with many other grateful patriots, are thinking of you.

We hope your day is as wonderful as is possibly can be, and know we’re celebrating with you in our own special way.

Happy Mothers Day 2013, SargesList readers. We thank you for all you do to make our lives better.

If you’re a little late in buying a gift for special mother in your life, take a look on SargesList. We have local events listed as well as many items for sale in our classifieds.

Hey Moms – We love to be patriotic, and in the spirit of the Month, we’re hosting a Cute Kids Patriotic Photo Contest. Please feel free to enter or simply vote for your favorites!

Moving? Need help settling in?

Need help organizing you move?

Looking for a new home in your new duty station? Check out homes for sale on SargesList or homes for rent on AHRN.com.

Need help organizing your move? Download the free Ultimate PCS Guide.

Know of a great local event? Post a free listing on SargesList.

Need details about your new duty station?

Photo Credit: Jennifer Buchanan at Sunshinesoulphotography.com with OpLove Reunited

It’s Military Spouse Appreciation Day today! Let’s start off by saying, if you’re a military spouse, thank you for all you do do support your spouse’s career and our great country!

Most of the employees at SargesList are also military spouses so we are profoundly aware of what you go through on a day-by-day basis. It’s hard work, and the collective effort put forth by you, (as well as your supporting family and friends) is uniquely necessary to give your spouse the strength they need to do their job each and every day. We truly salute you and your sacrifices.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on the Friday before Mothers Day. So, for many of us, this weekend is doubly important!

Every day at SargesList and Military Duty Stations, we are motivated to do what we do to serve you, your spouse and your family and make your life even a little bit easier.  We hope you find our PCS resources, classifieds, and military lifestyle information helpful and we’re always on the lookout for other great things going on.

What else can you look forward to today? Generally, the President of the United States makes an official speech and proclamation commemorating the day. Most events are local and base-specific. Some of our friends at BlueStar Families and many other non-profits are hosting chapter-specific programs.

Chances are there are some great events going on this weekend in your area celebrating you, the military spouse, and some of the other great military appreciation-themed holidays happening in May. Be sure to check your local SargesList page to see if any events are listed. If you know of one but don’t see it, please help us out and add it! Even if you are a military spouse, today is a great day to thank a MilSpouse friend and remind them how important they are to their spouse’s service.

Again, we thank you for what you do. We hope you have a fantastic Military Spouse Appreciation Day! We’ll be joining you in celebration.

Photo Credit: StemCyte

As Mothers Day approaches, expectant mothers will be celebrating in their own unique way. Whether or not it’s their first child, expecting a baby will make Sunday May, 12 very special for many expecting service members or spouses.

If your spouse, or a loved one is expecting, you may be considering how to help her feel special and appreciated this Sunday.

If you’re looking for unique, practical gifts, you might consider something that will continue to give back to the mother and her family for days, months or years to come. Contributing to college funds is a good option, as is arranging for housekeeping or meals. However, if you’re looking for a truly unique and special gift, you might want to think outside of the box and consider helping to fund cord blood banking.

Paying for part or all of the cord blood banking process may mean your loved one and their whole family are safer for the rest of their lives. Babies’ umbilical cord blood umbilical cord lining are excellent sources of stem cells which are the body’s genetically unique building blocks for blood, organs, tissue, and the immune system.

Many families are catching onto the stem cell saving process for good reason: they are useful for current and potential cures for cancers, blood disorders, immune and genetic diseases. A growing body of research is showing promise for many more potential treatments as well.

Baby arriving soon? Cord blood and tissue must be collected immediately after birth, so the decision to do so much be made by the third trimester. So, if you’re looking to give cord blood banking as a gift, now is the time to talk to the new mom!

If you have questions, you can read a list of procedures, pricing and frequently asked questions on StemCyte‘s website.

Have a Mothers Day gift to buy or sell?  Post a free listing on SargesList.

Moving? Need help settling in?

Need help organizing you move?

Looking for a new home in your new duty station? Check out homes for sale on SargesList or homes for rent on AHRN.com.

Need help organizing your move? Download the free Ultimate PCS Guide.

Need details about your new duty station?

Photo Credit: Jennifer Buchanan of SunshineSoul Photography and OpLove Reunited.

On the heels of The Month of the Military Child, we are happy to welcome May, which hosts many beloved – and some lesser-known – holidays:

• National Military Appreciation Month: Since 1999, when the Senate passed the resolution, May is National Military Appreciation Month. Poetically stated in the declaration, citizens of the United States were called, “in a symbol of unity, … to honor the current and former members of the armed forces, including those who have died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.” There is a wealth of information available at the official website for the month.

• Public Service Recognition Week: Since 1985, Public Service Recognition Week has been celebrated during the first week of May. In 2013, it will take place May 5-11. According to the official website, the week “is time set aside to honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees and ensure that our government is the best in the world.” PSRW also hosts special events for those who serve and their supporters.

• Military Spouse Appreciation Day: Friday May 10, 2013 will mark one of our favorite days over at SargesList! Military Spouse Appreciation Day was first celebrated in1984.

• Mother’s Day Sunday: We realize Mothers Day isn’t just for military service members and spouses who are mothers, but we couldn’t leave it out! Mothers Day will be on May 12, 2013 and many of us will be celebrating the women who have given so much for their families and their countries in their own way.

• Armed Forces Day: Armed Forces Day will take place in 2013 on Saturday, May 18. The holiday was created in and has taken place annually since 1949. According to Defense.gov, “President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.”

• Memorial Day: The month culminates with Memorial Day, which takes place on the last Monday in May. In 2013, Memorial Day will be on Monday, May 27. Since the Civil War, Memorial Day has been set aside to honor and remember those who have died while serving our country.

At SargesList, most of us are military spouses or veterans, so we share a strong respect and daily appreciation for the military and the lifestyle and sacrifices that accompany it. Everything we do is out of a deep sense of respect and appreciation for what our spouses, friends and fellow veterans do each day.

We’ll be following up throughout the month of May with more posts honoring some of these special events. Also, we’ll be featuring a couple of special posts for our fellow military spouses who have recently PCSed and are looking for new work.

In the meantime, please head on over to your local SargesList page and check for local May “holiday” events happening in your area. Our local SargesList representatives are great resources for military-centered information. If you know of a local event, and you don’t see it on your local SargesList page, please consider posting a free listing and sharing the knowledge! Your local community will thank you.

We love to be patriotic, and in the spirit of the Month, we’re hosting a Cute Kids Patriotic Photo Contest. Please feel free to enter or simply vote for your favorites!

Moving? Need help settling in?

Need help organizing you move?

Looking for a new home in your new duty station? Check out homes for sale on SargesList or homes for rent on AHRN.com.

Need help organizing your move? Download the free Ultimate PCS Guide.

Know of a great local event? Post a free listing on SargesList.

Need details about your new duty station?

HomeZada provides ways to track home inventory, maintenance, contacts and more.

HomeZada.com allows you to create your own online property calendar that reminds you of all the important tasks to keep the home running smoothly, safely, and efficiently.  The system comes with over 150 common maintenance tasks that you can choose from, as maintaining a home in Minnesota is different than in Florida.  These guides come in three categories.

1. Maintenance:  Equipment and appliance need regular maintenance to run efficiently.  Filters need to be changed.  Hot water heaters need to be periodically drained.  Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers need to be checked.  And so much more.
2. Yardwork:  Lawns need to be fertilized.  Gutters need to be cleaned.  Shrubs need to be trimmed around air condition units.  And so much more.
3. Special Cleaning:  Mattresses need to be periodically flipped.  Ceiling fans need an occasional dusting.  Refrigerator coils need to be vacuumed.  And so much more.

All you have to do is add these checklists to your property calendar with a recommended frequency (annually, quarterly, monthly, etc.)  HomeZada does the rest by automatically reminding you with emails and the News page of when things need to get done.  You no longer have to remember when certain things need to get done, as HomeZada does the thinking for you.

Check out HomeZada or you can focus on the home maintenance.