The obligatory resolutions post: 4 simple ways to approach your resolutions

It’s New Year’s Eve-Day and it seems only fitting that today’s tip involve setting resolutions. Since my last post covered how to establish automatic reminders of your resolutions, I thought it would be appropriate to provide some simple suggestions regarding resolutions and how to approach them, whatever they might be.

1. Focus on the benefit.
Define why you have the resolution you do. Example: I want to rediscover my six pack abs that faded shortly after my son was born and, in general, get into better shape. The benefit of this? I won’t cringe when I look in the mirror, I’ll feel better in general and will have more energy.

2. Find a way to keep yourself motivated.
Everyone has great intentions until about February 2nd and then the goals* we were all fired up about don’t seem all that important and it’s easier to slack off. Motivation is the way to remember the benefit. There are a lot of ways to keep yourself motivated. Using the missing six pack example, perhaps it’s a “before” picture I tape to the mirror. Maybe it’s a collection of pictures of people doing active things who look fit. Or, my wife’s favorite, create a star chart and give myself a star every day that I do 100 sit-ups. You get the idea.

3. Don’t try to start accomplishing all your resolutions at once.
For example, let’s say your resolution is to become a well-read person, so you want to finish four books from classic literature this year. Instead of worrying about finishing all four books, pace your resolution so you read a book every three months. It’s a less intimidating way to look at things and you’ll be less likely to feel overwhelmed and give up.

4. Simplify your goals. Limit the number of resolutions you have. If you’re like me, you can probably list a couple dozen things you’d like to do better (or stop doing) right off the top of your head. Slow down, pick a the three or four of the most important things you’re passionate about. Define them. Determine what you have to do to achieve them and go.

What other things should you keep in mind when approaching your resolutions? Do you disagree with one of the points? Do you have any resolutions you’d like to share? The comments are open!

*I’m aware that the definitions of goals and resolutions are unique, but for the purpose of this post I’m going to use them interchangeably.

How to set up automatic reminders of your new year’s resolutions

If rules are made to be broken, then resolutions are made to be forgotten. No matter how good my intentions are, I seem to fall off the wagon. And it’s usually sooner than later. Shameful, I know.

Sometimes it’s because of laziness but other times it’s because I simply forget. Fortunately, it’s easy to send yourself reminders with Google Calendar.

Set up a new calendar called Reminders. Using that calendar, schedule days you want reminders to do things. For example, if you’ve resolved to write your grandma a letter once a week (a great idea – not only does it communicate with a loved one, but make a copy of the letters to keep as a personal history) schedule an appointment for Monday titled “Write Granny” using your Reminders calendar.

Of course, you can set each appointment to repeat weekly so you don’t have to repeat the process 52 times.

Repeat with your weekly and monthly resolutions.

I’d also suggest establishing “check-up” reminders. For example, if you want to read War and Peace, perhaps break it up into sections. So by the end of week one you want to be on page 125, week two: 250, etc. So on the first Saturday set an appointment that says, “War and Peace page 125″. Continue to do this for the remaining Saturdays until you should be done with your resolution. It’s a much more manageable way to approach a big task like this. Knowing you only have to read 125 pages a week is much less daunting than being reminded to “Read War and Peace.”

Once your schedule is established, go into your Google Calendar settings, select your Reminder calendar, Notifications then select Daily Agenda. Ta-da! All your resolutions will be there happily waiting for you in your Inbox each morning making sure you don’t forget to write Granny and tell her about your latest adventures.

Oh, and if you want to keep your calendar looking clutter-free you can uncheck your Reminders calendar (see picture) to hide those appointments from view. They’re still there, you just won’t have to look at them all day. Then again, that might not be a bad thing.

Do you have any other suggestions on how to remember your resolutions? Please leave word in the comments.

LivSimpl

Gingerbread homes

Readers Christa and Stephanie sent in pictures of their gingerbread houses in response to my request during my post about a simple recipe for really, really strong gingerbread house frosting. Thanks to them for the pics – you each have a cement truck full of the really, really strong gingerbread house frosting on its way.

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas! I’m sitting in an airport at the moment, waiting for a delayed flight, trying to think about how I could simplify this situation. Nothing is coming to mind. Are there more experienced travelers out there reading this who might be able to contribute a travel tip? If so, shoot me an e-mail: LivSimpl at gmail.

Thanks for reading!

LivSimpl

Merry Christmas from Oregon

Merry Christmas from a damp, green, beautiful Oregon! I hope it’s a wonderful one for you and yours.

For lack of anything else to write, what was the best gift given or received in your family? For example, did your mom give your dad something particularly thoughtful? Did your family do something for a less fortunate family? Let me know in the comments.

Also, later today I’ll be posting some pictures of gingerbread houses people have been kind enough e-mail me in response to my post about the world’s best gingerbread house frosting. So stay tuned!

LivSimpl

Simplify your shopping by paying online, picking up locally

Less than 24 hours to go before the big day. Ideally, this day would be spent with family and friends celebrating the season and enjoying each other’s company. Realistically, it’s our last chance to go out and get the presents we’ve either procrastinated picking up or just realized we needed.

Unfortunately, everyone else is doing the same thing.

Here’s a simple tip to cut down the amount of time you spend out and about. Many big retailers give offer to let you purchase items on their websites but pick them up locally. This allows you to avoid having to wander through the store, struggle to find a sales associate (if needed), and stand in a long checkout line.

Of course, it’s not available everywhere. As far as I know, it’s only at the big box-type retailers (which I’m generally not that fond of) but it maybe worth your time to call ahead to smaller, local merchants (with better customer service) who may set aside your purchases at the front counter.

Good luck getting your last minute shopping done and Merry Christmas!

LivSimpl

11 non-lame, last-minute Christmas gifts generic enough for anyone, for under $30

Christmas is fast approaching. Here are 11 simple, last-minute gifts that could work for just about anybody.

Moleskine journal/notebook
I’m a huge fan of these and would recommend one to anybody as they come in various formats from sketch pages to lined and grid to blank sheet music to daily planners. A bit more “romantic” than a standard notebook, these are supposedly the choice of Chatwin, Van Gogh, Hemingway and Picasso.

Purchase here, or your local bookstore.

Far Side desk calendar
One reason Mondays are bearable is because I get to come in and look at three day’s worth of Far Sides. The way Gary Larson fits so much brilliance into a a little 2.5″ x 3″ box is amazing.

Date-in-a-box
Movie passes, restaurant gift card, gift certificate for flowers, etc. You can also do a “Stay In” date-in-a-box but include Blockbuster/Hollywood video gift card, microwave popcorn, some candles, etc. If you’re presenting the gift to a couple with children, you may even want to throw in a gift certificate for a night of babysitting.

Slippers
Nobody likes cold feet. I got a pair of sheepskin slippers last year and absolutely love them. The first things I do when I get home from work are kiss my wife, kiss my son, take of my shoes and put on my slippers. Note: The sheepskin variety can run a little more than $30.

Gorillapod
Gorillapods allow the photographer in your life to mount their camera on just about anything without having to haul around a full-sized tripod. Starting at $22.

Audio book subscription
Perfect for long-commuters, Audbile.com is the answer to books on tape and offers over 40,000 titles for your iPod or MP3 player. You can even burn them to a CD if that’s your preference. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about it and if you sign up now and you can give 3 months for $7.95 with a free download each month.

The Office
Probably my favorite show on TV, you can get your friends in on the groundworks of “Dinkin flicka”, “That’s what she said” and what it takes to be “The assistant (to the) regional manager”. Season One is available for about $20, or you can splurge and get seasons two or three for about $33, respectively.

Nalgene Bottle
For those of us who cringe at throwing away water bottles, yet know we need to drink more water, a Nalgene Bottle is a great gift. I keep mine on my desk at work and try to down two bottles per day.

The Sushi Box
Sushi has become quite popular and this little box includes, “A maki-su, mat, miniature chopsticks, a soy sauce bowl, plastic grass, and a 32-page book chock-full of sushi tidbits.” You can pick it up at Barnes & Noble for about $6.

Subscription to a niche magazine
You can find publications dedicated to just about any hobby or profession nowadays. Pick up the current copy off the newsstand and wrap it with a note explaining the subscription, how many issues they can expect, etc.

A night in a museum
Expose your friends and family to a little culture. Buy tickets to a local museum or art gallery and spend an evening looking at the exhibits. Take your time as you make your way through and make a point to think about what you’re looking at. Maybe even take some notes to research a particular item in more depth when you get home. Of course, the price of entry will vary by venue.

That does it for the 11 simple, non-lame*, last-minute Christmas gifts for less than $30. I hope you found them helpful. Have any additional ideas for gifts? Leave word in the comments or e-mail me at LivSimpl at gmail.

Merry Christmas!

LivSimpl

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*Of course “non-lame” is subjective. But if you don’t like these gifts there’s something wrong with you. (I kid, I kid.)

Spike in traffic

I just noticed I’ve had a significant jump in traffic today. Not sure why, but I couldn’t be happier about it. So to all of you visiting LivSimpl for the first time, welcome!

The site is all about how to simplify life, become more efficient and enjoy the simple things we all too often overlook. I generally post 3-4 times per week and would love it if you’d add the site to your RSS feeds. You can do so by copying and pasting this link into your RSS reader:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/livsimpl

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for a post please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at LivSimpl at gmail.

Thanks for visiting,

David

Three tips on how to simplify your holiday travels

Many of us will be traveling this weekend (myself included). And most of us will be flying somewhere. Being a frequenter of Southwest Airlines (great customer service and flight attendants with actual personalities) I’ve compiled three tips to help you simplify your experience. While these are Southwest-specific, I’d imagine some of these would apply to other airlines as well.

1. Skip the security line. Southwest’s Rapid Rewards Cards are not only free, but at some airports (Portland International in particular), flashing said card allows you to bypass the long lines at security and skip straight to that fun machine that blasts you with little puffs of air.

2. Get an “A” boarding pass. You know those boarding passes you receive when you check in your luggage? Instead of having to decide between showing up early to get an “A” pass, having a nice seat on the plane but having to wait for hours in the terminal, and showing up on time, getting a “C” pass but getting squished in a middle seat for your entire flight, you can check in online.

By checking in online you can print out your boarding pass from home 24 hours before your flight leaves – an “A” pass without having to sit in the terminal for hours. All you need is your name and confirmation number.

3. Miss your flight? Relax. Can’t make your flight? Need to cancel last minute? Southwest allows you to apply the full cash value to apply to a future flight, up to a year away (see Southwest.com for full details). My family has actually used this a number of times and never run into a hitch.

Of course, this doesn’t help you get to your destination (especially during the holidays) but at least you’ll know your money hasn’t gone down the tubes.

Despite what you think, I’m not endorsed by Southwest (although I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea – Southwest People, you have my number). It’s just the airline I have the most experience with. Does anybody have tips for simplifying your holiday travels on other airlines? If so, either leave word in the comments or e-mail me at LivSimpl at gmail.

LivSimpl

P.S. Feeling lucky? A couple of years ago while we were back in Oregon for Christmas, my sister lost her driver’s license. Fearful about whether they’d let her board with the increased security measures and no government-issued ID, we called the airline. They said it was fine, but she’d have to go through a more stringent version of security and to arrive early to allow time, which we did.

While we stood in line waiting for our turn to walk through the metal detectors (I’d forgotten my Rapid Rewards card) my sister was escorted to the left where she was asked a couple of questions, had her bag x-rayed and walked on through. That’s right. With no ID, my sister made it through the “stringent security” much faster than those of us armed with IDs.

Southwest logo courtesy of here.

A really, really good recipe for gingerbread house icing – UPDATED

Each year since I’ve been married (three) my wife and I have gone to her family’s home and, with her brother and sister, have made gingerbread houses. Sure, sometimes they collapse onto themselves, and sometimes my mother in-law is so horrified at our creations that she refuses to publicly display them. But it’s been a fun tradition and I feel I’ve learned a bit along the way.

While my wife and I don’t think we’re particularly good at this, but we don’t think we’re particularly bad either. We feel we can hold our own when it comes to edible home construction.

So you’ll understand my excitement when a friend of ours invited us over to make gingerbread/gram cracker houses. Thinking back to our three years’ experience I wrongly started shooting my mouth off about how we were going to kick their trash and they’d have no idea what hit them and yadda-yadda-yadda.

“Have you forgotten,” my friend good-naturedly asked, “That I went to culinary school, am a pastry chef and design cakes for a living?”

Actually, yes. Yes I had.

When the time came to build our various graham cracker structures we all enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We spent hours on our various creations and my wife and I ended up winning the prize for tallest gingerbread house. (It was one of those situations where everybody wins something.)

Why do I share this story with you and what does it have to do with simplifying life, becoming more efficient and/or enjoying the little things?

Not only is it a simple, inexpensive activity to do with friends and family that encourages interaction (versus, say, watching a movie), but I now have a great, very simple recipe (only three ingredients!) for the perfect gingerbread-house-constructing frosting. It’s even been endorsed by a pastry chef I know…

The Ultimate Gingerbread House Frosting Recipe*:

3 egg whites, room temperature
1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Stick ‘em in a bowl, beat on high for 7-10 minutes and you’ve got yourself some very strong icing, perfect for gingerbread houses. I mean, if it can hold up the three-story monstrosity you see in the picture above (affectionately referred to as The Peppermint Palace), I’m confident it’ll work for you too.

Has anybody else made gingerbread/graham cracker houses? I’d love to post a few so e-mail them in to LivSimpl at gmail.

LivSimpl

P.S. Please don’t eat the frosting. It works like cement and tastes about the same.

*As I said, the recipe was endorsed, but not created by my friend. The original recipe can be found here.

UPDATE – If there was any doubt remaining as to the excellence of that frosting recipe, check out this picture:


That’s 55 pounds of books piled on a graham cracker house my friends.

And a thank you to Stephanie who sent in some gingerbread house pictures. I’ll be posting them soon. Anybody else planning on sending in pictures?

Confirmation: how to start working faster in the mornings

Turns out I’m not completely nuts about some of the things I write on here. For example, this guy who is much more experienced and undoubtedly makes much more money than I, also suggests planning your day the night before, and goes into a little more detail about why it’s a good idea.

While I don’t necessarily think my subconscious is planning my day for me in my sleep (then again, if it’s was I wouldn’t know would I?) I think he makes some good points. What do you think?

LivSimpl