FONT Size=+2>ORGANIZATION and HEALTH

When you first think about health, organization usually doesn't come to mind. But, lack of organization affects our health. We are more stressed when we can't find things. We don't exercise when we don't make a plan. Being surrounded by clutter can make us depressed. Unfinished projects sap our energy.

This month, let's take what we have learned about organization and use it to help us become healthier. The first thing is always planning. Ask yourself how you're are feeling health wise and where you would like to be fitter. Now what changes would help you?

To find out how you are doing, you can keep a fitness journal like Victoria Moran's Body Confident or use a free online health journal like FitDay. Finding out where you are starting from can show you what changes will make the most impact on your health.

If you notice you aren't exercising, it's time to start making an appointment. Do you like to exercise with people? Find an exercise class that fits your schedule. Do you like walking? Find a friend and a time that works to go walking. Do you prefer to exercise at home? Buy some exercise videos and plan a time to work out. If you know you are better in the morning than at night, plan an exercise schedule that works with your body clock.

If you are noticing your are eating a lot of junk food, how can you use your organizing skills to combat that? Maybe you could put the junk food in a spot that is less accessible or out of the house. Perhaps you could make a healthy menu plan of easy to make foods.

Are you drinking enough water? Put water in your daily planner and keep checking off until you reach 8 glasses.

You can use your PDA to create better habits. One of my favorite PDA applications is a free program called Healthy Days. It allows you to keep track of water intake, how many fruits and vegetables, exercise and general feeling of the day.

Notice when you feel the least energetic. What are you doing? Where are you at? Could your surroundings be draining your energy? Or could procrastination be at the root of your tiredness? Is it something you could delegate? Would some energizing music help perk you up?

Your health and your home are tied together. If you don't feel good about yourself, you may not care enough to make your home a pleasant place to be. If you are surrounded by energy-draining clutter you won't be as healthy as you could be. What will be your first step?

This month I am working on incompletions and tolerations. Much of these are little things that bug us daily, but we never get around to taking care of: the squeaky door, the picture you really dislike, or not ever being able to find a pair of scissors. Or the procrastinations like making that phone call that has been hanging on you. Try walking around your house with a notepad and list all these annoyances. Then plan on fixing one every day or so.

David Allen has a Incompletions Trigger List that may spark an ideas of what you need on your list. Thomas Leonard has a list of Tolerations you may be living with.

Live in peace.

We have been learning about the different management sectors in running a household, the past few months. June's focus is Personal Management.

With all we do for our family it may be difficult to fit in time for personal development. But if we don't take time for ourselves we won't be any good for our family. Here are some ideas for self-renewal.

The only way I am able to take time for personal development is to plan for it. I use Stephen Covey's idea of sharpening the saw to make sure I am balanced between physical, social/emotional, spritual and mental. Every week I set goals in each of the sectors. I may decide to exercise five times this week or eat five servings of fruits and vegetables for my physical development.

Social/ emotional ideas are writing in my journal daily, doing a good deed, encouraging someone or calling a friend you haven't talked to in awhile.

Spiritual may include taking a daily time to pray or meditate, or nature walks. Mental goals may include learning a new language or reading a classic book.

Once I decide on my goals for the week, I schedule times or days for the activities.

I also have individual goals like submitting an article to a magazine or learning to crosstich. If you don't have an idea on what kinds of goals you may have it is time to do a brainstorming list. Write down anything you ever might want to do, what kind of person you want to be, what problems or things you don't like about your life at the moment, and things you love and want to maintain.

Now you make a list of the most important things to you from the brainstorming list and start with those. Break those ideas down into small goals and add them to your schedule. If I decide I want to write a book in the future I may have a weekly goal of writing daily, getting out a book on publishing, or joining a writer's group.

Just keep moving forward a bit at a time and you may reach your goals.

Gardening

I am learning to garden this year now that I finally have my own yard. I thought I could just go in and wing it. But I found I actually have to organize my gardening.

To start with, there are all the tools. Do you have an out of the way place to store them like the garage or shed? Many hardware stores carry the hooks for hanging things like shovels and little gardening supplies can go on a shelf. I got so gung-ho that I got kid size gardening tools for my children, too. So I had to find a place for those.

I found you also have to plan the garden, not just throw seeds whichever way. You have to decide whether you want borders,where exactly the garden will go, and how big you want it. Then decide what you want to plant. If you plan it right you can have things growing in spring, summer and fall. You also have to research which plants grow in your climate, sun and soil.

For flowers you need to plan a color scheme and think visually about the height of the flowers.

Once things are planted, it's time for the hard part: maintenance. Garden.Com has a checklist in the regional gardening section of the magazine. The to do list will tell you what needs to be done that month in your gardening zone.

I write the to do's in my planner on my gardening days so I remember to do them. I also do a little weeding every evening to get me in the fresh air.

I am also writing in my planner pages exactly how I am doing my garden and what I am planting. Then I will write down if it was successful or not so I can change things next spring.

Good luck with your gardening this year and if anyone has any tips for a first time gardener, I would appreciate it.