How a Simple Kitchen Timer Gave Me Back My Life!

All kinds of stuff was piling up—on my desk, in the kitchen—in fact, in every room in the house. Then I discovered the power of . . . the timer!

Now my motto is: Set it and forget it! (Where have I heard that before?)

It really seemed too simple a solution to solve what had become an overwhelming problem: how to fit all the work I have to do, need to do, must do, and wish to do into one twenty-four hour period and still have any time left to do anything halfway resembling "fun." (Whats that, anyway?)

But the fact of the matter is that it IS just that SIMPLE! First, I get all of the routine out of the way: shower, exercise, grooming, prayer or meditation, breakfast, etc.

Finally at the computer, I set the timer—usually for half an hour. When it "dings" I get up and maybe transfer some laundry to the dryer. (Im one of those rare and lucky women who is married to an exceptional man who usually at least starts the laundry, and on a daily basis, so we never have laundry piled up.)

Just a little "mini" break from the computer, but it does several things: (1) It allows me to tend to the little mundane tasks that otherwise get put off. (2) It truly is the "pause that refreshes," as doing so prevents me from developing carpal tunnel or that horrible pain between the shoulders that so many women suffer from. (3) It gets the blood circulating in my legs and prevents the varicose veins or phlebitis that sometimes develop in those who sit a lot. (4) It helps rev up my metabolism, just moving around a bit.

Another benefit of the mini-break is that it seems to help clear my thinking and keeps me from getting bogged down or developing writers block. And it helps me to stay focussed (believe it or not), as my mind isnt as prone to wander as when Im "at it" for hours on end. And I dont get "burnt out" on any one thing this way.

I set the timer for various chunks of time throughout the day—thats the beauty of it—it is SO flexible, and it gives you that awesome feeling of being in control at all times. If you plan your work, you can work your plan a whole lot easier using a timer. You actually have a roadmap then for the whole day, and the little "dings" are the mile markers. You get a real feeling of accomplishment, because you ARE, in fact, actually accomplishing things.

Try it—youll love it!

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