By Jill Weaver, professional organizer

As summer begins to wind down, you will often experience a shift in priorities.  Often the dynamics of the household changes as committees, tasks and other commitments take over your schedule.  Time seems to speed up as fall approaches; and finding methods to stay on the path you want to go will help you to utilize every moment available each day.
Stop Waiting and Start Doing. A tremendous amount of your life is spent waiting.  You wait for your food to cook, you wait at stoplights, you wait for others to do things, and the list continues.  It is noted that each week the average person spends 24 minutes waiting in line.  Stop waiting and start moving by using those waiting moments to do other tasks, make decisions and decide where you are headed next.  Just putting your mind to the next step will help you squeeze more in throughout the day.
Make a List.  Write down everything you can.  Instead of having your to-do’s floating around in your head, write it down.  Have a list of things you would like to get completed.  Even the smallest little thing can easily be forgotten, but may be very important. Use your Smartphone, an index card or post-it notes and find a way to write it down.  A list will help you get more done and will help you decide where to go next.
Take Baby Steps. Often large tasks are overwhelming and as a result procrastination occurs which provides us with a feeling of dread.  Instead, take little steps toward those tasks each day like making a list of items you will need to start on a project, setting items aside if you are packing or spending a few minutes investigating a new idea online to get more information.  These small steps are easy to fit in between appointments and while you are waiting, and will help you move forward on your big to-do’s in a matter of minutes.
When you find yourself waiting today think about where you want to go next.  Write down those fleeting thoughts and make the most of your time.  Not only will you feel productive, you will be amazed at how much you can get done in a matter of minutes.