Learning how to say no can be a real challenge. You see saying no is like a muscle that needs to have regular exercise otherwise it becomes weak. And as your “saying no” muscle gets weaker, you end up doing more stuff you dislike and feeling like you never have time for yourself. Can you relate to that feeling? Explore how to say no and you’ll start to improve your overall happiness.

Why do I keep getting sucked into stuff I don’t like doing?

First off, don’t beat yourself up. Oftentimes people who have difficulty saying no are working against their natural instincts. For example, you may be a people pleaser and thoroughly enjoy being able to provide help to those who ask for it. The problem normally arises when too many people are asking for your help or you’re not being realistic about the amount of time you can offer to others.

However, one of the biggest reasons people have a hard time saying no is because they are not aware of their boundaries or in fact, have never created healthy boundaries.  But do not fear, setting boundaries is a lot easier than changing your natural instincts. People who are great at saying no understand their boundaries very well. They are confident when they have spare time, they know who they enjoy helping, and they have a good sense of when they are overcommitting.

So how do I learn to say no?

Let’s start by examining some basic boundaries that you can set for yourself and others around you. Remember, boundaries are personal decisions and only you can determine what will work best for your life.

4 basic boundaries you can establish with examples

• Time Boundaries – this can be as simple as letting people know when it is a good time to call or as detailed as setting up a schedule for work meetings
• Material Boundaries – letting your roommates know what is off-limits to share or creating your own office at home with a lock on the door
• Emotional Boundaries – verbalizing how someone can support you by listening and not offering judgments or suggestions of solutions
• Work Boundaries – having clear outlines of role expectations, duties, and responsibilities or deadlines
• Explore more healthy boundaries

4 ways to verbally say no

1. Thank you for asking, but no. Have you thought about asking (insert name), I think they would love to do it?
2. No, based on previous experiences this is not something I would like to do.
3. No, I currently have too much on my plate.
4. Although I really want to say yes, it is best for me to say no because I will not be able to give it 100%

Practice makes permanent

The more you exercise your muscle to say no the easier it will become with time to practice. Although, sometimes you may be met with confrontation, but again the more you understand your boundaries the more confident you will feel in your decisions to say no.

Wow, there are a lot of ways to use a bullet journal. Maybe you’re like me when I was getting started and did a quick search online which quickly made me feel overwhelmed with how or what to start with. And for this reason, I’ve compiled my favourite bullet journal ideas into this blog. If you’re brand new to bullet journaling it was invented by Ryder Carrol.

Why you’ll love these bullet journal ideas

The whole reason Emilio and I create content is to help people like you feel empowered to live your life on your terms. We wrote even wrote a book about it. Our students literally transform their lives by upping their organization skills and doubling down into self-care and purpose. One of the ways this happens is through journaling. So if you’re ready to start making positive changes in your life try out the bullet journal ideas below.

Keep your bullet journal simple to start

Although we’re sharing with you 10 different bullet journal ideas, please know that getting started is as simple as writing pen to paper. So let go of perfection or thinking you need to be artistic to get the true benefits of bullet journaling. This is a common misconception. Watch me briefly explain the idea of bullet journaling on CTV. Please remember we’re sharing these ideas to inspire you.

And look I’ll show you an example of how I progressed to getting more creative (which isn’t necessary) by providing photos of my reading list templates below.

First attempt at a reading list:

Second attempt at a list:

Third attempt at a reading list:

Every year I have more fun and enjoy the process of creating my reading list. If you have time and want to colour then go for a creative template. If you just want to keep it minimalist then a simple list works well.

10 Bullet Journal Ideas

1. Daily Entry
   The most simplistic form of journaling is to make notes on a daily basis. Whether you journal to keep track of your ideas, work, or passions; a daily entry is the easiest way to get started with bullet journaling.
   
2. Tracking Habits
   Wow, being mindful of your habits can do real wonders for awareness in your life. Often times as humans we tend to have overly optimistic or pessimistic views of our own personal history. The habit tracker allows you to stay accountable, so whether you’re trying to break a bad habit or form a good one — this is a great place to make that happen.
   
3. Designing Your Ideal Week
   Emilio and I are huge advocates for designing how you want your week to look like. Emilio keeps his week digitally on Google calendars, but I still prefer the one-pager for visual effect. Your week may not always happen the way it looks on paper, but if you can even get a little close to your dream week why not go for it, right?
   
4. Creating a Song Book
   Obviously, this may only apply to those among us who enjoy singing or playing an instrument, but having some favourite songs in your journal can help you tap into your inner rock star. No need for wifi when you’ve gone your lyrics in your bag 🙂
   
5. Taking Notes from Meetings
   There is a lot of evidence coming forward that making a concerted effort to record notes during important meetings or learning opportunities can help forge pathways in your brain for a lasting memory. I personally find it very helpful to jot down a few big takeaways when I’m trying to learn. Also, helps keep me from falling into a deep sleep.
   
6. Doodling
   Scribbles, circles, abstracts, or specific drawings can help make your journal a fun written history to look at. By creating your bullet journal you are not only benefiting from the practice of journaling, but you are literally creating the coles notes of your life. Who knows, there might be a keen biographer who’ll use this to write your life story one day. 
   
7. Practicing Daily Gratitude
   A great practice to help retrain your brain to focus on the positive. We’ve written a blog post all about this practice.
   
8. Special Interest Pages
   Our example is the moon cycle and the names of the full moon in indigenous cultures of North America. This just demonstrates that you can create a special interest page about anything you are learning about, curious about, or trying to be mindful of. 
   
9. Time Management
   Below is a weekly spread in Emilio’s journal where he wanted to be conscious of where and how he was spending his time. As a self-employed person, he found this information super valuable for helping him focus on what is really important in his life.
   
10. Lists – ex. Self Care, Bucket List
    It is a lot easier to execute some self-care or follow your dreams when they’re always available to revisit. Taking some time to think about what fills your cup is a big step towards knowing how to help yourself in dark times. And of course, your bucket list is a great tool for living a life you’ve always dreamed of.
    

A bullet journal is designed by you, for you

At the end of the day, I really hope you understand that your journal is YOUR journal. This post is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how many bullet journal ideas exist. Make your journal what you need it to be so that you feel confident in using it. And of course, if you have any comments leave them below – we’ll be right there to answer!

The Miracle Morning. A Powerful Way to Start Your Day

The way you start your day is very important. We have shared in the past some ideas for creating your morning routine. Check this fast and happy morning ritual that we shared back in 2016.

In this article, we would like to share with you The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. A morning routine that includes the best practices to help you skyrocket your day and it can be completed in as little as 6 minutes! (you most likely will take longer once you start feeling the benefits 😊)

The recipe included in The Miracle Morning Book includes 6 steps: “S.A.V.E.R.S.”

Silence

Affirmations

Visualization

Exercise

Reading

Scribing

We love reading books and getting inspired by other’s ideas. Then taking what resonates with us and implementing it in our lives. The Miracle Morning is a great recipe for integrating these great practices in your day.

You can customize this recipe to suit your specific needs. The length, the order, you can even add or remove steps.

The power of this practice resides in taking action and being consistent. Starting small, and slowly creating this new habit. It’s easier to be said than done 🙂 That’s why you can start small, investing only a few minutes, and build up from there once you start experiencing the benefits.

Mental Health and Self Care are very important topics. Having a morning routine that helps you be more intentional, aware, grateful, and efficient can create a huge improvement in your overall mental health and well being. It can also help you achieve greater goals because you are placing your time and energy in the right things.

In a world where distractions, stress, and “busyness” are the norm, we need powerful tools to help us stay on track, and The Miracle Morning could be a great start.

We feel inspired to redesign our morning routine (It has been pretty challenging to do it since we had our little Eva).

This is an example of a 6 minutes miracle morning routine:

Minute 1: Silence. Spend the first minute sitting quietly. You can breathe deeply, slowly. You can think about things you are grateful for. You can meditate. Be in the present.

Minute 2: Affirmations. Read out loud the reminders of how great you are, the goals you want to accomplish, the life you want to have. By doing this consistently, you will gain confidence and clarity on the steps to take. You can write your own affirmations in a piece of paper and have them with you every morning. This post can help you get ideas to write your affirmations.

Minute 3: Visualization. Close your eyes and visualize what you want to see in your life, how you want to feel, what you want to do. You can also look at your vision board, if you have one, and go from image to image, visualizing how it would be if you had accomplished those things.

Minute 4: Scribing. You can write in your journal of choice things you are grateful for. You can write down your thoughts, the things you want to do today. You can write down the intention of the day. Try our top 4 healthy exercises with bullet journaling.

Minute 5: Reading. Invest one minute reading a page or two of a book that will inspire you.

Minute 6: Exercise. It’s time to move your body! Spend 60 seconds doing push-ups, jumping jacks, running in place. You choose your own exercise but make sure that you are getting your heart rate up. This will help you generate energy and increase your focus.

We can all find 6 minutes in our mornings :-). Once we start feeling the benefits of our miracle morning routine,  I am confident that we will invest more than 6 minutes. 

Are you feeling inspired? 

What are you going to include in your morning routine?

Being lazy doesn’t mean you can’t be organized.

There are days, even weeks, where even the smallest effort is difficult to achieve.

And for this reason, I asked my friends and family for their go-to lazy ways to stay organized. I knew that with the upcoming change in our lifestyle, having a baby, I would need all the help I could get with staying organized when sleep and time seemed to disappear.

You define what being organized means, but here are some lazy tips to get you there.

They are in no particular order. Find something that speaks to your organizing style and apply it.

Take on Less.  

Keep things simple and clear that calendar. When was the last time you really took an audit of where you spend your time? It’s a lot more exciting when you look at the day ahead and get excited, rather than dreading the things you have planned. Remember, if you’re not intentional with your time, someone else will determine how you spend it.

Own Less.

The less you own, the less work and maintenance you will be responsible for. It’s easier to clean up when there isn’t so much in your way. It’s faster to get going when you don’t require as many things to bring with you. There is always more time when you’re not shopping for the next and best things. It’s easier to be lazy when you own less.

Do Things in the Moment.

Don’t let the work pile up. If you can get it done in less than 5 minutes DO IT NOW. And consider whether you need to be saying “yes” all the time. Flex that “No” muscle and buy yourself some time to consider whether you’re giving too much of yourself to other people’s agendas.

Hire Help.

Are you fortunate enough to afford some help? Sometimes we don’t even consider this option because who would want to be my virtual assistant? Who would want to clean up my home? Trust us, there is someone out there willing and happy to do that work for you. And sometimes they just what you need to be able to carve out some much needed time for you.

Clean Up After Yourself.

Put that book back where it belongs. Wipe off that knife and cutting board right away. It’s all those small little tasks that can be done quickly that often are the jobs that, if left unfinished, pile up into clutter and hours of work. 

Don’t Procrastinate the Small Stuff.

Make that phone call. Pay that bill. Plan your meals for the week. Those tasks that take the smallest of efforts save your future self enormous amounts of time. Try it, your lazy self will thank you.

Write Things Down.

This can’t be any clearer. Our only suggestion is that you use one place to do it. Whether it be your phone, a whiteboard, a bullet journal, or your hand — write down what you want to get done. It will help protect your brain from mental clutter when you forget what you wanted to do.

Share Your Calendar.

Going digital isn’t easy for everyone, but if you can get on board with a digital calendar you’ll save yourself a lot of frustrations. Less time being late, fewer apologies for missing an event, and more aware of where your spending your time.

Maybe you’re already applying most of these suggestions or you have better suggestions, please share them in the comments below. Again, I felt I wanted to share what was given to me by my inner circle because they’re definitely all amazing people, doing amazing things. I had to laugh when one of my friends made the suggestion “Don’t Have Children!” It rings true because they are a new parent themselves, but I have to say they certainly get a lot accomplished with their newest family member — something I believe can only happen when you have a bit of organization on your side. 

Some might think that the word lazy is a negative one, but I actually think we could all use a lazy revolution. Time to slow down and prioritize what is really important. Let go of the things we don’t really need to be doing and focus on what is important to us. For some, myself included, it might be a well-deserved nap, a session of starring at the wall, or putting that project off just a little while longer until you feel ready.

Happy organizing!

Time to Parent By Julie Morgenstern

I would like to share a great resource that I discovered a month ago. It’s Julie Morgenstern’s new book Time to Parent. Samantha saw it on the library shelf and I read it right away.

In this book, Julie helps us organize our lives to bring out the best in our children and in ourselves. Such good timing because we just had our first baby girl 2 weeks ago! 

I LOVED this book so much and I did learn a LOT of new strategies that I will certainly use in my personal life, and will include them in my tool kit to use while helping others.

One of the main challenges that all parents are facing is time management. Having a child is very demanding (I just discovered that 2 weeks ago 🙂 ) and finding time to get it all done could be very overwhelming (but possible…).

On top of this chaos, we all know that we “should” include time for self care to recharge our own batteries. Self… what? Give me a break! I don’t have time for that! (if that’s your brain reacting… keep reading and you will find a few great ideas to make it possible).

Well, that’s what Julie has done in this book. She has created an instruction manual to manage yourself and your kids efficiently. She has created a very clear and practical job description for parenting.

If you are not a reader, Julie has also created a wonderful podcast that you can enjoy on the go. I have included all the episodes below for your convenience 🙂

Julie has created a very practical blueprint where she divides the time into two main categories:

1. Raising a Human Being
2. Being a Human Being

Raising a Human Being

These are the four core responsibilities you need to allocate your time across to be an efficient parent:

• Provide (basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, safety, education, money)
• Arrange (schedules, transportation, paperwork, activities, social life)
• Relate (listening, soothing, reflecting, talking, enjoying, playing)
• Teach (values, life skills, self-control, social skills)

Everything you do as a parent falls into one of these buckets.

Being a Human Being

There are four essentials of self care required to make sure that you are taking care of yourself, so that you can be the best parent for your child.

• Sleep (enough rest to rejuvenate your body, mind, and energy)
• Exercise (physical activity is essential for body and mind)
• Love (romance, friends, adult time, and extended family)
• Fun (hobbies, passions, things you care about)

You may not be able to spend as much time on each of these as you did before kids, but you must find your own recipe that includes the things that you need to feel better and be the best parent you can be. 

We wrote a hardcover book to help you find your own recipe to live an extraordinary life. Combining our method with Julie’s approach, you can find the time and the strategies to make it happen. Learn more about our book “A Recipe for an Extraordinary Life” here.

Julie has done a lot of research and has invited a lot of professionals into the podcast, so that you get their opinions and what the experts say.

Conclusion

If you want to be a better parent and manage your time better, you can benefit from reading the Time to Parent book. Even if you are not a parent, you can still learn a lot of strategies that will help you improve your life.

The free Podcast is a great addition, Julie talks about every part of the book and then she invites people into the show, they share their specific challenge(s), and Julie helps them find a solution (I have included all the episodes below).

It was very inspiring to me, so I am sure that you may find a lot of value in this resource.

Enjoy and please let us know how it goes!

Time to Parent Podcast Episodes

WHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

We all know that timing is everything. In his new book (WHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing), Daniel Pink makes really clear that timing is really a science.  

Pink reveals in this book how to best live, work and succeed.

One of the cool practical exercises that Daniel Pink suggests in his book is helping you how to figure out your daily WHEN.  He recommends tracking your behaviour systematically for a week. Set your alarm every 90 minutes, every time it beeps answer these 3 questions:

1. What are you doing?
2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how mentally alert do you feel right now?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how physically energetic do you feel right now?

Daniel has created a pdf template that you can use.  Click here to download it.

I think this exercise is a very powerful reflection tool to help you understand your energy levels during the day.

It took me a little bit to get myself to do it, but I have to say that after doing this only for a couple of days I became aware of a LOT of time wasters, things I could change and my day became way more effective and intentional.

The Importance of Breaks

Breaks are not a sign of sloth but a sign of strength.

The researchers say that lunch breaks offer an important recovery setting to promote occupational health and well-being.  Firefighters say that eating together enhances team performance.

Making a break list 

Daniel encourages us to make a list of the breaks we are going to take during our day.

It’s important to define when you are taking them, how long they will be and what you will do during those breaks.

The Benefits of Napping

I am from Spain and I know how important napping is! 😉

Daniel says that naps are zambonies for our brains. They smooth out the nicks, scuffs, and scratches a typical day has left on our mental ice.

Many research has shown that alertness and performance increase after a nap. Napping also strengthens our immune system!

The ideal nap, the one that combines effectiveness with efficiency, is usually between ten and twenty minutes. 

Once the nap lasts beyond that, we can start experiencing “sleep inertia”, the confused and boggy feeling you experience upon waking.

It looks like napping is an art, and you need to find your happy balance. Enough to feel rested, but not too much to get into the sleep inertia.

Some majors companies (Uber, Zappos, Nike…) have created napping spaces for employees in their offices.

I do benefit from practicing this habit and every day I can and remember to do it, I enjoy a little time out in my favorite chair.

Coffee + Nap = Nappuccino

I have to say that I loved this coffee-then-nap formula that Daniel Pink introduces in his book!

It takes about 25 minutes for caffeine to enter the bloodstream. So… if you dring a cup of coffee, and then take a 25-minute nap, this is the ideal technique for staving off sleepiness and increasing performance.

The Perfect Nap

These are the 5 steps you can follow to enjoy the perfect nap:

1. Find your perfect time. Normally about 7 hours after waking.
2. Create a peaceful environment.
3. Down a cup of coffee.
4. Set a timer for twenty-five minutes.
5. Repeat consistently.

The Importance of Self-care

We are big believers of the importance of self-care, and this book proves how performance can be increased with healthy options like taking breaks.

Click here to learn more about why self-care is important and how self-care can help YOU find your own recipe for happiness.

A lack of understanding about your own personal self-care can lead you to feel depressed, anxious, and hopeless in how to feel well. 

Our Lifestyle Design Method

Our passion is to find fun and inspiring ways to make life better and more enjoyable. And Daniel’s book has great points. It fits really well with our personal lifestyle method that we share in our hardcover book.

What if you had the ability to live the life you’ve always wanted and there was a simple way to discover how to do it?

We’ve condensed our knowledge and experience about Minimalism, Self Care, and Organization into one book. And it’s locally made. 

Learn more about our book and watch how it’s made here.

Are you planning on testing any of these ideas? Please share the results!

Here are 5 Ways to politely say “No” or buy yourself more time to think it over.

Have you considered that maybe the reason you’re busy is because you love to please people? Stop for a moment and consider how many things you do for yourself in a day. Now I want you to consider how much you do for others in a day. Compare the lists.

We know how challenging it can be to be pulled in all different directions… your family, your work, your hobbies, your friends, and let’s not forget your online presence. Here’s the thing we think you could feel a lot less stressed if you practice these Top 5 Ways to Say “No.” 

Read Aloud the Top 5 Ways to Say “No” 

1. Right now is not a good time. Can you follow up with me in (insert future date).

2. Thank you for thinking of me… May I have some time to think about it?

3. That’s not ideal for me, but I know someone who would be great.

4. I appreciate your time, but this is not something that interests me.

5. Based on my previous experience I know that this is not for me.

Don’t worry because that’s completely normal. The more you practice these responses, the more confident you will become with others. At the end of the day, you want to make sure you can feel good about protecting your time. Because we all know that if you don’t decide on how to spend your time, someone else will decide for you.

Imagine a practical tool that allows you to visualize your dreams on one single page. 

We’ve condensed our knowledge and experience about Minimalism, Self Care, and Organization into one book.

We always felt that these topics had great importance for achieving overall well-being, but we couldn’t find one place where all the information existed. We wrote this book to make that happen. We’ve worked successfully with hundreds of clients and taken that experience to share with our readers what we believe is the “Recipe For An Extraordinary Life.”  We follow our belief that if you concentrate your efforts on seven key ingredients you can move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling in control. Read more about the seven ingredients.

What if you had the ability to live the life you’ve always wanted and there was a simple way to discover how to do it?

That’s what we want to share with you, the template and mindset of making it happen all in one book. The book is broken down into digestible chapters:

• Our “Why”
• The Seven Ingredients
• The Process of Using the Template
• Resources to Supplement Further Curiousities
• Real Examples
• Templates

If you’ve been looking for a practical way to make change in your life, this is a great starting point. We encourage you to explore our blog posts and get a feel for our content. The book is a direct reflection of our experiences, expertise, and solutions.

About the Book:

The first hardcover book to be written on how to apply Organizing, Minimalism, and Self Care to every aspect of your life, so you can live better.  Co-written by world traveling Professional Organizers, Emilio Jose Garcia and Samantha Kristoferson. The authors draw from their experiences and expertise in helping hundreds of busy individuals regain control over their Extraordinary lives. 

Despite your efforts do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed? Unsure of where to start? Never having enough time?

Professional Organizing team, Garcia and Kristoferson, take you on a journey that holistically looks at your life as a whole. Most methods of getting organized have you only focused on your stuff, but we know from working with our clients that it’s never just about stuff. We take you deeper into the understanding of how organizing, minimalism, and self care can lead you to a more fulfilling and joyful life.

Let this hardcover book open your mind to a new way of thinking about the way you live and how to feel well. Complete with a simple step-by-step process that includes examples and templates.

Self Care is such a simple concept, we often forget we need it to feel well.

Below is one way to create a Self Care list. Below the image you can download the PDF to create your own at home (you can also use a white board, pen & paper, or any writing surface). It is important to physically write a list and post it in a visible place. When we always rely on our memory, we often experience Decision Fatigue or Analysis Paralysis. Make Self Care an easy choice by having a list already prepared. There are examples below.

Self Care is as simple as thinking about what makes YOU happy… and it doesn’t need to cost money!

During the hustle and bustle of any day it’s completely normal to forget to take time for yourself. As discussed in the documentary Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things in today’s society we have the ability to do everything and anything. However, we’re only one person with 24 hours in a day, so we are limited in our capabilities. This is where priorities come in. 

What is at the top of your priority list?

Did you mention yourself as being a priority?

If you said yes, fantastic, you’re probably here because you’re interested in building a more organized approach to making self care easy to make a habit.

If you said no, it’s also fantastic, because you’re here. If you’re just discovering what self care is then there has never been a better time to start a self care habit!

Self Care is care, provided for you, by you. 

Some signs that self care is needed:

• constant fatigue
• loss or change of appetite
• sleeping problems
• having racing thoughts
• feeling overwhelmed or frustrated
• feeling guilty or unhappy

All of these signs can be addressed with self care. If you’re experiencing any of these yourself, consider discussing the idea of self care with your partner, doctor, or health care provider.

Can you share something that helped you through a tough time?

Starting your day with a morning ritual that oozes happiness and success!

Setting yourself up for success in only 23 minutes each day… what a concept!

Even on those days when you wake up and you’re wishing you had more time in bed, this morning ritual really helps you put it all in perspective.

Discovering the works of Shawn Achor has changed the way I look at the day ahead.  If you’re looking to feel better, think better and be more happy, this may be the morning routine for you!

If the image above isn’t detailed enough, follow these simple steps:

Examples: 

• Warm water in your shower
• Acknowledgement for a job well done
• A good night’s sleep
• A snuggle from your pet

Write about one positive experience that you witnessed in the last 24 hours. This serves as a great reminder to focus on the positive!

Examples: 

• Dance party with your favourite songs
• A brisk walk around your block
• Jumping jacks, skipping rope, YouTube Guided Exercise

If you want to reduce stress and focus on one thing at a time, this is a great practice.

Breathe in, Breathe out. Can you hear it?

We all know that when we get down it is our community who supports us and brings us back up. Make sure you don’t wait to keep in touch.