Clutter and stress

Okay, I am guilty as charged! Clutter is just one of those things that I have had to work at super-extra hard at controlling. I came to realize (probably after we had the kids) that clutter has only further compounded any stress I may have already had. And according to Feng Shui principles, clutter can drain you of your positive energy. I'm getting MUCH better at it and I can feel the positive effects of it. I came across these 7 Home Organizing Essentials and thought I would share with anyone who struggles with this beast!

I was happy to read in the article The Cost of Clutter that there is a healthy level of clutter, and if I were spending time nagging my family over little bits of mess here and there (come on, we don't live in a model home, nor should we think our home needs to look that way!) then I would be equally stressing myself out. Finding that balance has been very important for me and my sanity.

Technology: friend or foe?

I've managed to keep a fair distance from many of the high tech gadgets used in business today - so far. Even my cell phone is for "emergency purposes" only. This will probably change in the very near future for me, but I often wonder how I would keep myself from falling into the "available 24/7" scenario that so many people are a part of? It's pretty clear that unless you make a conscious effort to draw some lines, your WLB can go awry. According to an article by the Press Association, Technology 'creating extra work', employees who use remote technology work an extra 20 days per year. That's almost a whole month extra, on your time. I can't imagine how you can give undivided attention to your loved ones (when it should be their time) when you're constantly texting from your Blackberry. I'm not saying technology is a bad thing, and quite honestly I would not be able to run a home-based business without it! But I do think I'll need make some clear boundaries down the road. Tom Musbach from Yahoo! Hot Jobs came up with some nice tips for professional gadget use in his article, Wireless Working: Rudeness Made Easy?. So I'm preparing myself!

Welcome!

One of the things I love to talk about and get better at is work-life balance. As an entrepreneur and mother of three, I definitely feel the challenges of it first hand! I also know that in an age of boundaryless careers, high tech gadgets and a sandwich generation, it's a real issue for most people. Creating this blog is part of my own "therapy" because as I read and write about it, I make it a priority for my life. I think the information I come across would be useful for anyone, and I invite dialogue from anyone who is interested. If you just want to peruse and learn, that is perfectly fine too!