Prioritizing - My 5-Step Plan

Generally I only blog about things that involve my home life, but it's important to me that I share what I learn and use throughout every aspect of my life. This is what balancing is all about, and as a working woman, I understand that it can feel like a balancing act at times. 

I'm sorry, how many hats am I going to wear today? 

This is where prioritizing comes into play; it helps so much at work (and home) and keeps me sane!

Take today for example; I had a few things on my plate (to say the least). I found myself first thing in the morning getting flustered which was then causing me to be demotivated. What do I do when I get flustered and demotivated you ask? Well, one of two things could happen; I could either get organized and prioritize my day, or I could mentally check out and resent the world (sounds like a teenager now that I think about it). Naturally going with the first (although I will admit, I can fall into the slump of the second at times) I was able to get on track and be ready to face the day after about 20 minutes of personal prep time. 

There are five steps that I go through to get prepared for the workday:

1. Pull up all of my 'systems' on my computer that I'll need in order to face the day (in addition to job specific programs, I use Outlook and OneNote obsessively often)

2. Review my daily calendar and reschedule any conflicts. I also print a copy to have on hand throughout the day.

3. Go through e-mail and sort by category (see below)

4. Type up any notes on my desk that are left from the day before (OneNote is a great program to learn and live by)

5. Create a prioritization list and print a copy to have on hand throughout the day

When it comes to prioritizing, I find that I do best when I write down a list. This way I can keep track of what I need to be doing throughout the day (my memory is horrible), and it's extremely gratifying to see so many lines highlighted as you go.

One more note about my e-mails; I mentioned that I use a 3-category method. I go through each email and I will either trash it, file it away in a folder, or categorize it. These are the categories that I use:

1. Reply - These emails will take some research 

2. Delegate - I will need to get assistance with this 

3. Reply Immediately - I can respond within 2 minutes or less

I cannot tell you how effective this is for me in getting through my 75+ emails a day! My goal by the end of the day is to have 10 or less emails in my inbox. This little system is also very helpful when you've been out of the office and need to catch up on your emails. 

Until next time... 

Lunch Staple - Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Day 8 of my diet and it's going great! I can't tell you how important it is to plan your meals ahead of time, and prepare your food. There have been multiple times that I've failed on this diet after just a few days because I am rushed to get out the door, don't grab food, and then refuse to eat anything because there are carbs in abundance when you work downtown and only have fast food joints nearby. This means I don't eat, and when I don't eat, I get hangry! The moral of the story is plan and prepare, if not for yourself, for everyone around you. Trust me, they notice!

One of the things that I love to eat (and is super low in carbs) is Creamy Cauliflower Soup. Yes, this is another South Beach recipe! I can't help it, they have fantastic recipies; I just love their food! This recipe is great to make on the weekend, and lasts me throughout the week. Did I mention it's fast and cheap too? You have to try it!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

1 (2 lbs) head cauliflower
1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp salt
4 Cups water
1/4 Cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Dried parsley flakes to garnish

 Directions:


Cut cauliflower and stems into 1/4-inch pieces

Heat oil in sauce pan over medium heat

Add onion & cook until softened (this takes about 5 minutes

Add cauliflower & 1/2 tsp salt; cover & cook for 5 minutes

Add water, cover, bring to a simmer, & cook until cauliflower is tender

Puree vegetables and cooking liquid in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use a hand blender (I
use a blender and pulse, but please remember to put a dishtowel over it to protect yourself, the steam can quickly build and soup can come flyin' out and burn you if you're not careful!)

Return to pot and whisk in sour cream and nutmeg. Season with salt & pepper, top with parsley, and serve

 Enjoy!

Dinner, South Beach Style

Okay, so like I said before, one of my New Years resolutions is to lose weight this year. One thing that you have to know about me is that I like love bread and sweets. Really, it's my downfall because I swear, my body converts it to fat faster than you can say "mmmmmm, doughnut." That being said, I found the South Beach Diet years ago, and I swear by it. Really it's not a diet, it's a way of eating, and I get to eat yummy food, which is a total plus! When I was about a year away from getting married, I stared Phase 1 and was completely commited. I lost a little over 10 pounds in 2 weeks, and was able to keep the weight off. Let's not talk about the cliche' of post wedding, being lazy spending all your time hanging out, eating bad-for-you food! Let's just say, I'm back in the position where I need to clean up my diet, get active, and get back in shape.

Back to my excitment of being able to eat good food, we tried a new recipe from the South Beach Diet cookbook yesterday: Warm Beef Salad. Oh, was it tasty! We added in some slivered almonds, but beyond that everything was just as it was in the recipe. One thing to keep in mind is that the dressing tastes bright right out of the bottle, but it really complements the salad once on.

Warm Beef Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, 1" thick

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups mixed greens

4 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 small red onion, thinly spliced and separated into rings

1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions

Heat grill to high. Grill steak 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest 5 minutes; slice thin.

Place lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, and oil in a jar with a lid. Close tightly and shake vigorously to combine. Place greens in a large mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the dressing, and toss to coat.

Divide greens among 4 serving plates, top with steak, tomato wedges, onion, feta, and almons, and serve!

P.S. I'm currently on day 3 and I've already lost a little over 2 pounds! It's the little win's you need to celebrate!