Deliberate Living Made Simpler.

Featured Article: Checking In With Yourself

Most of the time when people ask how I am, I say, “fine.” Even if it isn’t technically true. But I learned that when the person in question is a medical person, I need to really check in and give an honest answer. My oncologist asked at my last appointment if I was having any pain. My answer, after a quick body scan was, “My arm hurts where you just jabbed me with a needle.”

I’m learning that I have to stay on top of how I am feeling physically, mentally and emotionally. I was not in the habit of doing this and it wasn’t easy to do or be consistent with. Still I have implemented multiple daily check ins to see how I am doing.

You may ask why I do this, or even why I am talking about it. I find it a critical piece of the process of course correction throughout my day. This course correction can include stretching, going for a walk, getting some water, writing a quick journal entry to process thoughts or emotions, putting a pause on a project or texting a friend.

I’m finding that doing these frequent check-ins allows me to be on a more even keel physically, mentally and emotionally. That means that I am less prone to mood or blood sugar swings, and I never get to the point when I am ready to drop physically. It’s been a good lesson in taking care of myself

Key takeaway: Frequent check-ins with course corrective action can keep you in a better state physically, mentally and emotionally.

Tool Spotlight

Rescue Time

Using appropriate measurement is the only way that you can get a true insight into anything. “Getting a feel” is plagued with internal bias and is usually way off the mark.

When I want to know how I am spending my time on my devices, I turn to Rescue Time. It gives me a precise breakdown of what I am doing during my precious discretionary time, and allows me to make adjustments.

Best used for: Tracking how you are spending time on your devices.

Pricing: RescueTime has a free (”lite”) option that gets you basic reporting and tracking. The pro plan (with a 2 week free trial) allows you to schedule focus sessions with app/site blocking and has extensive (and in my case, shocking) reports.

Explore Rescue Time

I am an affiliate for RescueTime as well as an enthusiastic user. If you sign up for the Pro plan with the link above, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Quick Productivity Tips

Get Rid of Mismatched Socks - Everyone has them. Find all single socks and get rid of them.
Check Your Shoes - Our shoes support our feet. Poor shoes can lead to foot problems like bunions, corns or blisters, or can exacerbate conditions like plantar faciitis. Are your shoes in good condition? If not, drop them for repair today, or drop them in the trash.
Listen to a Podcast - Podcasts are a way to get information audibly while doing something else. Today, find a podcast that can replace another input (think newspaper or television news, perhaps) and set it up to listen during your commute or exercise time.

From My Experience: Update On Distraction

In early March, I had an epiphany that caused me to severely limit my apps and websites. I had gotten sucked back into the news cycle and it was taking a toll on my mental health. I blocked certain websites entirely on all devices and cranked down the limits on apps that are timewasters.

I am still missing the sites. It’s gotten better, but there are times when I want to go to Google news and wallow. I haven’t needed to, though. My husband is more than happy to tell me when something happens.
I had to block more sites. **I limited Google news, but I then started looking at my local news websites. I told myself I was checking the weather. (HAH!) Not true. I have better weather apps on my phone. So I added my local news stations and AP news to the blocking list.
I had to block more games. **There is one game that I consider healthy because it works my verbal skills. But I was still playing it an excessive amount. That is down to 10 minutes a day, which I am sorry to say I hit every day.
I have not missed the games. All the games (except above) I was playing are limited to 15 minutes per day across all of them. I haven’t missed them.
I still turn to my phone when I am bored. I will pick it up, realize there is nothing I want to do there, and put it down again. This behavior concerns me. I will be looking into ways to break that habit in the next month.
I haven’t added other distractions. I know that I could find other distractions, websites and apps, to replace what I have limited. Other than the blip with the news, that hasn’t happened.

I have been pleased with the results of my actions to limit my distractions. It hasn’t been easy, and the first week was brutal as habit had me turning to the same old stuff. I have also been doing a lot of retrospection and journaling, trying to find what it is I need distraction from so that I can deal with the underlying issue.

Other Articles This Month:

Why You Should Have Backup Skills

I explained why having backup skills is essential in today's unpredictable economy. Through personal examples and practical advice, I showed how developing alternative career options can provide security and peace of mind. I shared strategies for choosing and preparing backup skills while you're still employed.

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Redefining Email Processing

I spent time redefining email processing in my complex email system by stripping away 75+ filters and multiple account forwards. Now I use a streamlined process with just a few action labels, processing directly from my inbox twice daily. This has transformed email from a source of stress to something I confidently control.

Read article

Productivity Myths Busted

I expose and critique common productivity myths that don't work for those who are employees. From inflexible schedules to unrealistic goal-setting advice, I show why "expert" productivity advice often fails for those balancing work, family, and life.

Read article