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On Using a Timer

Writing about a timer feels incredibly weird. How could something so simple be worth a whole post?

I’m still asking myself that. But the timer has become an invaluable tool for increasing progress on things that are important to me while decreasing life-time-spent on things that really don’t matter.

So, yeah. Today it gets its own post. Get ready to be sold on using a timer.

Why I Love the Timer

There are two primary ways the timer tricks me into doing more of what is important to me:

  • It helps me get started on tasks or projects I’d rather keep procrastinating on
  • It gently enforces self-set boundaries for work and play

The Timer Helps Me Get Started

I hate housework. I like to cook, and I like organizing, but I don’t consider those housework. The never ending carousel of dishes? Housework. Toilets? Housework. Floors? Housework.

As with lots of things I don’t like to do, I frequently “postpone” household tasks. This is a bad strategy. Things tend to pile up quickly and soon I’m totally drowning.

Timer to the rescue! I’ve found that if I “limit” the amount of time I intend to spend on a task, I don’t mind getting started. I might not be willing to tackle an impossibly messy room, but setting a timer for ten minutes and doing as much as I can during that time and then getting to walk away? I can totally do that.

And if I do it every hour or two, I’ll have worked on it for almost an hour in a single day. It’s like magic.

The timer also helps me get started on large projects. Planning for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day can feel like a huge task, but if I set the timer for 30 minutes and just write down everything that comes into my head, a half-hour later I’m well on my way to ironing out a reliable plan.

The Timer Helps me Set Boundaries

For Work

I use a timer all throughout the work day.

If I need to really move on a task or project, I’ll set the timer and force myself to not do anything else until it goes off. If I need to take a break, I’ll set the timer for 15 minutes or so and make myself get back to work when it goes off. If I have some work I need to do on the internet – like researching or trolling for tutorials – I’ll set a timer for about 8 minutes at a time to make sure I’m staying on track. It shouldn’t surprise you that its beep has found me perusing pinterest instead of finding the article I meant to send the Dude about neuroplasticity.

On a normal work day it goes something like this:

  • 45-55 minutes of work (timed) on a single project
  • 5-10 minutes of break (also timed) in which I refill my water glass and busy about with a needed item of house work.
  • Within those elements, I also set a timer when doing anything that is likely to distract me.

By the end of the day I’ve accomplished desk work and house work, and avoided getting googly-eyed by looking at the computer for too long at a single stretch. And I love feeling like I’ve been productive instead of being carried along by a random current like my thoughts or the internet.

On a day when I have too much to do, I use the timer to make sure I’m not spending a disproportionate amount of time on any one task. I’ll assign time-estimates to the tasks on my list and limit myself to working on that task for the given amount of time. It forces me to move quickly, and if there is something I need to get back to, I can usually squeeze it in later in the day. This works much better for me than reaching 2pm and having only made progress on a single item.

I also use the timer to make sure I shut down at a reasonable time each evening. When I get to what ought to be the last task of the day, I set the timer and when it goes off, so does the computer. Sometimes I need something external to cue me to walk away.

For Play

Don’t freak out; I don’t use the timer to restrict true play. I firmly believe in letting time with those dearest to us stroll on without interruption.

What I’m referring to here is mindless fake-play, like bumbling around on social media or watching an endless stream of You Tube videos. Basically, anything that isn’t somewhat efficiently making progress on an already-defined task gets lumped into the category of fake-play. Fake-play is something that either doesn’t really need to be done at all, or it doesn’t need to be done right this second. And I usually have enough to do that I should limit fake-play.

So whenever I let myself “play” in this way, be it reading a magazine, blog-hopping, or browsing movie trailers, I set the timer. When it goes off, I’m reminded to get back to what I intended to be doing.

For Kids

I don’t have kids, but I have oodles of play-nieces and play-nephews. I also have a limited kid-threshold. (Hey, don’t judge.)

My parents were ferocious users of the timer when I was growing up and I have amped that up significantly in my adult life. I use the timer to let kids know when it’s bedtime (“Hey, I’m going to set the timer for ten minutes… we’ll pay until it goes off, and then it’s time for bed”). I use the timer to postpone my involvement when I need to get something done (“I need to work for about 30 more minutes, but I’ll set the timer and when it goes off we’ll read together again, okay?”). And, of course, I use the timer for dismissing time out.

Final Thoughts and Links to My Favorite Timers

All in all, the timer helps me do more of what really matters to me, and do less of what doesn’t bring much value to my life. I use this timer on my mac desktop, I use this repeat interval timer on my iphone for extended focus, and I have a timer with multiple settings like this one in my kitchen. I also usually have a few basic ones floating around to make sure I’ve always got one at the ready. I like the kind that will keep buzzing until you tend to them. You’ll certainly find what suits you best as you foray farther into timer-ville. Let me know how the journey treats you!

…what about you?…

Do you use a timer? How does it help you?

How To Make Oatmeal (The quick, easy, healthy, earth-friendly alternative to “instant”)

We’ve been duped, friends. In the convenience food craze of the last few decades, companies began selling as “instant” foods that were already quick and easy to begin with.

Fast-forward enough years and we’ve nearly forgotten that these instant food even had original versions. Oatmeal is a great example of this. Oatmeal, as in the hot breakfast dish, used to be something other than what comes out of a paper pouch. Something almost as quick, but healthier, tastier, and better for the environment.

Why Oatmeal?

Oatmeal is an easy and satisfying breakfast. Oats have a good amount of protein, so they leave you feeling satisfied longer than other breakfast carbs like toast or muffins. Oatmeal is also an easy base for supplemental fruit, fiber, or extra protein.

It’s also fast. You can microwave it in under 5 minutes. A full batch on the stove top with fresh fruit and all will take about 15-20 minutes. And it reheats incredibly well. So you can make a big batch over the weekend and microwave smaller servings daily throughout the week. Way easy.

So.

Today’s post is all about making oatmeal. No recipes, just ideas and a simple ratio. By the end you should be able to make your own oatmeal in under five minutes (which is still pretty instant in my book), but without the curious ingredients and extra cost. [Read more…]

How To Write Better Thank You Notes in Less Time (Using Sketching & a Script)

What is sketching? I’ll explain how to do it in a sec, but sketching is a tool I use to streamline all sorts of written and verbal communications (and other stuff, too). Today I’m going to show you how to use it to make quick work of Thank You notes.

If you’re like me, you might write more thank you notes if it didn’t seem so overwhelming. I have no idea why writing a simple note can feel like pulling weeds on the hottest day of summer. But sometimes it does. So rather than spend unnecessary time analyzing this, I’m working on just getting past it.

Sketching helps. A lot.

How To Sketch

Once you’ve done it a few times, sketching your thank you note should take you about a minute. But sketching before you begin will ensure that [Read more…]

Affect vs. Effect

Few English word-pairs confound native speakers like “affect” and “effect.” (And few punctuation issues confound me like correctly placing periods and commas when using quotation marks.)

So if you’re still in doubt about these two, today’s simple explanation is for you. In typical Project Grownup fashion, I’m aiming to detail the 20% of the issue that will effect 80% accuracy. I’m all about bang for my buck.

(Ironically, using “effect” as I just did is not part of the 20%. But I’ve explained it over at the facebook page if you’re interested.)

Using “Affect” and “Effect” Properly

The vast majority of the time, you can use the word’s part-of-speech to determine whether “affect” or “effect” is appropriate.

If the word is a verb, it’s most likely correct to use “affect”, meaning “to influence,” as in “His speech affected me” or “How does poverty affect children’s behavior?”

If the word is a noun, it’s most likely correct to use “effect”, meaning “result,” as in “not being able to choose a sentence for “effect” is having a negative effect on my mood.” or “I wonder if these boots will provide the desired effect?”

But How To Remember?

I don’t have an easy way to remember this. Grammar Girl has something that works for her, but it’s a little dubious for me. The good news is, if you can remember one of the two (which is the verb or noun) you can remember the other by default.

I did this by remembering that “effect” is the noun. I think of the phrase “cause and effect” and remember that just like in that phrase, “effect” is usually the noun, which means that “affect” is the verb.

To Recap:

The vast majority of the time you can use the part of speech to determine whether to use “affect” or “effect”:

  • “Effect” is the noun
  • “Affect” is the verb

But if correct usage really matters – like when you’re writing something in a professional context – definitely consult a more in depth treatment like these definitions and sample sentences at Daily Writing Tips.

…what about you?…

What words or phrases regularly give you the most trouble?

The Seasonal Closet Switch-Out

Do you switch out your closet between seasons? Do you intend to but never get around to it or find it an enormous drag? If so, hopefully today’s post will help you out.

Switching out clothing for the seasons where I live is a joke. We have only two seasons: hot, and hell. And I basically wear the same things in both. So the swap is formality, not necessity. But it lets me see what I own and allows me to get rid of things in a timely fashion. Which helps me spend less money on clothes, and (hypothetically) helps me dress better. I said, hypothetically, okay?

But as Fall is officially here, I swapped out my closet this week and thought I’d share my process for anyone looking to develop their own. I’m sharing my script with you and including some ideas for getting rid of stuff and maximizing what you have in the process.

It’s like killing three stones with one bird!

Schedule the Switch-Out

Scheduling time for the switch-out will help ensure you do it when you want to. I have a recurring task in my To-Do List. You could make a note on your calendar. Just put a reminder somewhere you’ll see it when the time rolls around.

Create a Script

Cleaning out a closet is a process just begging for a script. It’s one of those things [Read more…]

Taming the Wild Spice Rack

Does finding a particular spice in your spice cabinet feel like trying to find a lone daisy in a cornfield? If so, today’s tip is for you.

I long wrestled an unruly spice cabinet, usually something eye-level and near the stove, regularly losing my real-life game of Where’s Waldo and bowling down bottles in the process.

Then came a day when a cabinet near the stove was no longer an option. And, surprise surprise, a simpler option presented itself. I’m pretty sure the idea occurred to me because somewhere in the distant past (before Pinterest… gasp!) I saw this somewhere online. But as I regularly as my milk-allergy-ridden friend of 10+ years if she’d like some ice cream, you can bet I don’t remember if or where I might have seen it.

So I’m just showing you pics of my own spices, sharing how to do it, and telling you why I love the new way so much better.

The Solution: Using a bin or basket and lid-labeling spices

Your bin or basket be as simple or dramatic as you’d like. Are you addicted to your label maker? Perfect. Own a Sharpie? Also perfect.

Now stay with me ’cause here’s the complicated part: Write the names of the spices (or some abbreviation that you’ll recognize) on the top of the lid; and find a basket or drawer of suitable size for your spices. Then, put spices in drawer or bin.

Okay, I lied. Not complicated.

But now, rather than having to shuffle the bottles around every time you need one, you can slide out your bin or drawer, get what you need, and slide it back. My bin is currently on a low shelf, but in the past it has been in cabinets both high and low depending on what space I had available.

Another thing I don’t miss? Coming home from the grocery store with a second bottle of ground cloves because I couldn’t see that I already had one.

…and you?…

Is your spice cabinet a bliss or a beast? Any spice-storing methods you personally love?