Happy Easter

Image from www.innerfx.com

Today is Easter Sunday. It is the day that we Christians believe that Jesus resurrected from the dead.  Jesus died for our sins on Good Friday and was resurrected on Easter Sunday. 

Whether or not you believe that, or whether you just use Easter as an excuse to over indulge on chocolate, I still wish you a Happy Easter.

There are plenty of sites out there with the Easter story so I will not go into here.  If you are interested in knowing more about Easter you can google it.  If you are not familiar with Easter traditions then please do google it and enjoy reading about the many ways Easter is celebrated around the world (as well as the original story). 

I come from a Portuguese tradition and my husband from an Italian tradition. Being Canadians now, we bring a bit of both cultures, plus incorporate the tradition of hidden eggs for the boy.  Mostly it is about food. We enjoy edible treats from both Portuguese and Italian traditions as well as chocolate.  

Later I will roast a chicken (sometimes turkey) and have stuffing, potatoes, and other yummy treats. This year I did not get a pumpkin pie (or make one). I am trying to cut back on all the sweets. 

It is a quiet day, watching religious programming on the television, and enjoying each other's company.

Gift Baskets By Design

Check out what's new at Gift Baskets by Design. Angie Wilson from Gift Baskets by Design has some new and wonderful products in her store. She is more than just gift baskets. There are wonderful products you can get from Angie on their own, without being in a basket.

Angie does a wonderful job in creating custom gift baskets for any occasion.  I have been both a recipient and a giver of her wonderful baskets and have never been disappointed. She really takes care to create wonderful, one of a kind, gifts just for you. She can work with any budget too!

Easter is coming up, and so is Mother's Day.  I have received and/or given gift baskets for birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, and baby showers. Really, any occasion you need to let someone know that you are thinking of them and care is a great occasion for a gift basket from Gift Baskets by Design.

March 5, 2009 (EDM# 23 & 25)

EDM # 25 - Draw a glass (the kind you drink from) and EDM # 23 - Draw your foot

15 Minute Day or The Timer is My Best Friend

FlyLady says that "you can do anything for 15 minutes".

I love just about everything about FlyLady's system. However, one of my favourite things is the use of the timer to help keep me focussed.  

One of my problems is that I am easily distracted. I will start on one project, think about something else, go do that, think of something else, start on that, and so on. Before I know it I have worked myself into exhaustion and have finished nothing all day to show for my efforts. The timer helps keep my focussed on one project/job/task at a time.

On days that I need to complete a lot I will set my timer for 15 minutes and work on one task for the full 15 minutes. I will stop that task when the timer goes off and move on to another task. This usually happens on good days, where the pain is tolerable.  I will work on one task, for example, clearing clutter in one room, then I move to 15 minutes doing computer work, then 15 minutes cleaning a focus zone, then 15 minutes reading.  I try to alternate from something physical to something sedentary, and including a 15 minute "break" every third 15 minute session. This is what I call my 15 minute day, and I find that I am most productive these days.

If I am working on a web job or a portrait, 15 minutes does not give me enough time to really get into the zone, so I will set the timer for an hour or two. This reminds me to get up and stretch.

Another way to use the timer is to force myself to do something that needs to be done but that I really don't want to do (or feel like doing). I can do anything for 15 minutes (or 10, or 7, or 5). If I really don't want to empty the dishwasher and refill it I will set the timer for 15 minutes and go to it. Funny thing, I can usually have it all done in less that 4 minutes.  Ironing is something I detest and avoid if I can. However, if I have to iron, I will set the timer for 15 minutes and iron until the timer goes off, then stop. Quite often I am finished before the timer goes off.

The timer can be used to help me focus on one job/task at at time, and it can be used to get me to do a job/task I hate or am avoiding.  Either way, the timer is my best friend.

This year FlyLady says "Go for 7 in 2011" so if 15 minutes is too much, go for seven minutes!