15is...organized

Hello
today's 15is.........organization.
If you were to pop over here and take a look at my closet, or entry way, right now...i don't think you would call me an organized person.  I definitely prefer things clean and put away, but sometimes i need a staging area.  right now that is my closet.  the entry way is just an ongoing conveyor belt of stuff, it generally gets purged daily, so there's not much i can do about it.  Regardless, I would like to offer a few organizational tips.
There are countless books about how to get organized.   But I believe that even the "messiest" people already have a system. YOU are the one who has to maintain it.  even if you had a professional organizer come in, if it isn't easy for you to maintain, then it doesn't do any good (i.e. my closet!)

Most of the books on organizing, just show you how to make a pretty box to put your mail in...(?! mine would sit in there forever. out of sight out of mind!)  I am not going to walk you through project that doesn't suit your needs.  There is plenty of advice out there for that.

The kind of organizing projects i am interested in involve universal conundrums, like how to organize your week, so that you can get all your tasks and chores done....how to stock up presents for kid birthday parties (and get gift suggestions as well)....less stressful holidays....etc.

Today, I will briefly tackle grocery shopping and meal planning.
Spending 15 minutes planning your week or even month's meals, will save you hours in the long run.
I used to go to the store and just pick around.  I barely had time to get there, let alone make a list.
What a difference having a plan makes.  I not only save time, I save money by only buying what I need.

I know that sounds obvious to some and daunting to others.  I have found these solutions from years of trial and error.

First of all, if you are like me, it's nice to have a recipe to give you an idea of what you would like to cook.  I tear out recipes from magazines (and even cook books) and slide them into clear plastic sleeves that i keep in a binder.
Actually, they only go in there if we have tried the recipe and liked it.   Then i flip through the binder to remind myself of the recipes, and write down all the ingredients.   I tend to cook roughly 3 to 4 meals a week.  I focus on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday*.  Thursday is some sort of left over, or take out.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday are more casual, or we're out with friends.  If i'm really organized, i will make a meatloaf or lasagna to have in the fridge.  Plus, during the weekend, my husband is around to help out, during the dinner hour, and happens to be a whiz at looking in the fridge and making a delicious meal out of nothing!

When it comes time to go to the store, i see what i already have in the pantry and cross those off.  Then when i go, i get the items for the recipes plus anything else we need in the house.  I minimize impulse buys, or things i won't end up using....leeks?

Speaking of stores.  I have a few of my favorites.  I do love the produce at whole foods, but they are expensive and don't carry the non-perishables that i like.
I don't like Safeway (all around expensive and do not carry enough organics).
I love Trader Joes!  They carry local produce and most everything that we like to snack on, but i don't buy my meats there.
We have a specialty store in town that has beautiful produce and meats, but the rest of their items are pretty expensive.

So, that leaves something like COSTCO or the like.  I don't love going to Costco because it's far from my house and really only carries one or two items that I need (Downy softener and organic cleaning supplies), that isn't carried by Trader Joes.

Enter SMART-N-FINAL.  They are my new secret weapon!  They not only carry Downy and Tide, they carry organic cleaners,  Horizon milk, name brand breads, produce, meats and cheeses.  They are a mix between Safeway and Costco but with better prices.  Also, you can either buy in bulk or normal sized (products that fit in your pantry!)

Before, i used to suffer through Safeway and then maybe hit Trader Joes.  But we were subsisting on  poultry because you can get a decent organic fryer and ground turkey at Safeway.  No Salmon or beef to speak of.  It was just too expensive after one run to safeway, to go and buy specialty seafood or meats.

When i discovered Smart-n-Final, I could shop for the same things for 1/4 the price of the same goods from Safeway.  At Safeway, my average bill would be around $400.00.  The same food and amount at Smart and Final would be around $150.00.  I was so excited the first time i did the comparison, i wanted to shout it to the world and tell everyone!  really, i was that excited.
This saved me enough money to be able to go to Trader Joes and Diablo Foods for the extras and  seafood and meat that we love!

Yes, I am going to 3 different stores, but I buy 2 of everything when I go to Trader Joes and Smart-n-Final, and i get 3 or 4 different kinds of meat at the specialty store and freeze them.  I intersperse them with organic chicken bought in bulk, or a simple soup, thereby enabling me to only have to shop once a week.

It all seems so simple to me now, and really takes no longer than 15 minutes to plan a month of menus and write out a few shopping lists.  But when I first started figuring this system out, it took me quite a while.  15 minutes at a time, I would concentrate on one aspect of refining my system.  To find and cut out recipes of all kinds to build the Westphal Family recipe book, place the good ones in the sleeves, learn how to shop effectively, compare different stores and write out better shopping lists.  I would spend around 15 minutes at a time to figure out how i could best suit my family's needs.

Having a family recipe book is also good for perfecting your trademark recipes.  I was getting pretty good at grilling a chicken breast and roasting new potatoes and steaming a vegetable.  When one too many nights passed when I was frantically thawing chicken breasts in the microwave at 6:00; or guests were coming and i had no idea what to make them! (i more often than not would look at a recipe that i had never tried before and go full throttle, stressing the whole family out for days beforehand!)  I knew it was time, I learned how to "cook".  I would marvel at the cooking shows where they would feature the chef going into a store and saying "oh, i'll grab a few of these radishes and make chicken tetrazini (just making this part up!).  They had such a repertoire in their minds of recipes that they could make anything out of anything.  I also wanted my kids remembering "mom's famous spaghetti sauce, or mom's famous chicken kiev".  At the time, it was just "mom's famous non-descript food on the table."

*For a while there, I would make a large roasted chicken with vegetables for Monday.  Tuesday is always taco night here...i would embellish that title to include enchiladas or tortilla stack, and use the rest of the leftover chicken and some ground turkey.  Wednesday was always soup night.  I would get yummy bread and salad and make a simple vegetable soup (or add any of the meat that was leftover).
Done:)
Currently my family is tired of that line up, which is when i turn to my recipe book.  But generally Monday night is chicken night, Tuesday is some sort of Mexican food and Wednesday is vegetarian.


thanks for tuning in!

leslie

why couldn't i win a nobel prize

a few weeks ago, i was playing the board game LIFE with my daughter.  I was struck by the LIFE tiles and how grandiose they were.  Won a Nobel Prize; Pulitzer Prize, nominated for an Oscar, etc...and I started thinking how lofty those goals were, for anyone, let alone my little car with one little peg in it.  I had chosen not to go to College this time around (much to the shock of my 11 year old) and see what happened.  Sure enough, I got the career that did not make as much money as she did, and she seemed to collect most of the LIFE tiles.  I lost, but even later in the day, I was still amazed at the assumptions of those tiles.  Are these really the markers of a successful life?  I know success is not limited to such high acclaim, but they had me thinking anyway.
Most of us have been able to define success in less obvious ways, but just as successful ways nonetheless.  Happy marriage, successful job, raising well adjusted, productive, happy kids, giving back to the community, good friends, the ability to discuss current events at a party and look like you know what you're talking about, the ability to cook a turkey for your in laws and not leave the plastic thermometer in it, or the bag of giblets for that matter, you know common goals..etc..
But why not shoot for the stars as well?
I love the episode of 30 Rock, when Tracy Jordan decides to go for an EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony). My son noticed that it would have been funnier if they spelled it like GOTE (goat!) but thought provoking either way.  He actually goes on to do it.  Even though this is fiction, I still find it inspiring.
He had no idea what he was doing and he still went for it.  He could have been striving all his life, only to fall short in the end, but what's the harm in striving for excellence?

I'm afraid I am guilty of setting goals that are quite lofty, almost unattainable.  I like just thinking about how to go about them and the challenges involved.  I haven't made much headway, but that hasn't deterred me from dreaming.

Maybe it's because when I was young, I didn't realize my full potential.   Or, maybe it's that I have spent the last 13 years completely engrossed in the lives of my kids.  I happen to love children's stories, illustrations, songs, jumping, laughing at silly jokes, playing in the sand, etc...all of which have inspired me, and allowed me to dream again, as only a child can.  Big, limitless, beautiful dreams.

At the risk of sounding very foolish, I will tell you some of my rather lofty goals (or dreams): writing and performing on Saturday Night Live, winning the Nobel Peace Prize (i will explain for what, in another post),  solving a dilema in physics (again, i will explain in another post),  becoming an artist (in jewelry and on canvas), having at least one genuine follower on this blog and possibly helping someone along the way; bringing my inventions to market (i have several).

Wow! That feels good to put down in writing.  I see that they are very lofty indeed.  oh well, it's now 10:30 at night......i am heading to bed.

I will give you my 15 is...tips tomorrow.  today was a busy day, home with my little one. she is in school tomorrow, so i will write more!

catching up

Phew, survived the packed weekend and was able to catch up a bit on Sunday.  I don't do well when we rush from one event to the next.  My house looked like it had been in a tornado and I was grumpy (sleep deprived), but actually, I wanted to spend all day spring cleaning!  Certainly not my kids idea of fun on a rainy sunday.  Especially after we had been so busy and barely had time to say 3 words to each other all weekend....so I did the best I could, in between.

Which leads me to today's 15 is tip:  how to clean a room in 15 minutes.  I saw this in a back issue of REAL SIMPLE.

and it actually works.

I have modified it to fit my needs, which is usually pretty rushed and harried.   I like to focus on what stresses me out the most...which is usually what can be seen first.   The entryway.  If you can get your kids involved, great! (magic eraser is good or duster, etc.) If not, even better, you'll be done faster.  Nothing gets my kids memories going,  like suggestions of extra chores ("oh, I just remembered, I have to finish that yarn/glueing/sanding project I started last week!)

First, gather up everything that doesn't belong there and try to put away.  ( If I have time, I adhere to the touch it once principal.  {i put it where it belongs the first time i touch it}).  If I don't have time, I get a bin, bag, drawer or closet and shove it all in there to be put away at a later time.  (you can see how ugly this could get in a few days, which is why it is only to be used in an emergency....when someone is ON THEIR WAY OVER right that moment!) If your kids are helping, this is a good reverse "scavenger hunt" game:  send them to daddy's closet with his shoes, the kitchen with that empty water bottle, etc....2 minutes

Once the room is free of clutter, stand back and look at the floors.  Can you see muddy paw prints or lots of dust bunnies in the corners?  Go over the room with a broom and then again with a swiffer floor mop.  (another great job for the kids...they love squeezing that button).  8 minutes (depending on your  little "helpers"....could be longer)

Now, you have at least a "clean" room, and clean smelling too!.....you can now go and cut some flowers or greenery from your yard or wash the windows.  If you cut really pretty flowers, no one will notice your dirty windows, so I always go for the former.

If you do not have access to a garden, put a pretty bowl out for your mail and keys; or a framed picture that isn't normally there.  Some focal point that is new and different, that has meaning to you.  5 

minutes.

Done!

I will post video as soon as I can, of me cleaning our entryway with my 3 year old daughter.

In the meantime, enjoy your time! Use it wisely, it's really all that we have.

Leslie

15is: four leaf clovers

15is: four leaf clovers: "Today is st. patty's day, (leprechauns came here this morning! turning the oj green, flipping the tv screen upsidown{push menu on your tv an..."

four leaf clovers

Today is st. patty's day, (leprechauns came here this morning! turning the oj green, flipping the tv screen upsidown{push menu on your tv and it will list screen options...fun!} they also left a few gold 1$ coins under a makeshift lephrechaun hut in the yard....and messed up our laundry room! or was it already that way?..) tonight we will try corned beef and cabbage(!) and i will make a little fruit rainbow and write with yogurt or something...."you're the gold and the end of my rainbow".  aww,..my girls love the corny stuff, my teenage son, not so much, but he's a good sport.


Thursday....  i am supposed to pay bills and any correspondence and file this morning...but we had a bit of an emergency with the upcoming boyscout event this weekend that i had to tend to and now i'm running low on time.  i love writing this though, so i am procrastinating the bills and stuff.   i will get to them b4 i pick up my little one at 11:45....i hope....:)  Thursdays are also the days that i devote to: my decorating project (none today); inventions (in the process of trademarking one of the names for the invention and am waiting to hear back from a data search on the name - will look at information today); community involvement (will drop off a few articles and information I have at the chamber of commerce relating to buying local,etc.) and am waiting for PEPSI REFRESH to start up their giving campaign again (April) so I can apply for a grant to donate a small motorized (solar) merry-go-round to our local public space.  All money earned would go back to a charity designated by the city..wouldn't that be cute?!  whatever happened to the rides outside of grocery stores?!!! kids would love it.  (look at all the merry go rounds in public spaces in France)

Today's 15is...................FUN

Since it's St. Patrick's day, i thought it would be fun to pass on some cute jokes to play on your loved ones.....:)
tape clear plastic wrap at eye level on the outside of the kids doorways...it will come right down when they walk into it, but oh! how funny!
see above television screen upsidown joke
something funny on their pillow at night.....an old sock? maybe not...be creative
ok, so i don't have that many.....stay tuned for April Fools Day!

But i do have an interesting story about four leaf clovers.  A few years ago, while in an old, antique doll store in Camden, Maine, I came across a small antique book.  i love anything small, so i bought it.  the book is about a young girl and her grandfather and he is passing on life lessons to her....i just thought it was a cute old book.  when i got home and tried to read it to my kids, you'll never guess what we found inside?  pressed among the pages were, not one, but TWO PERFECT FOUR LEAF CLOVERS.  I couldn't believe our luck!!!!  i will post a picture as soon as i figure out how...
Did you know luck is something that you can actually cultivate?  log on to one of my favorite blogs by Dr. Christine Carter at www.raisinghappiness.com to find out how.
Apparently having a talisman or good luck charm can actually affect your performance.  Just thinking you have good luck and "special" forces on your side, can make a difference.
Personally, I believe in karma, which is kind of like luck...the get what you give kind of philosophy.
things just always seem to come back around.
Since I love science, here is a funny quote about good luck from a Nobel prize winning physicist, lifted from the blog page of Andrej Nabergoj....

An American scientist once visited the offices of the great Nobel prize winning physicist, Niels Bohr, in Copenhagen. He was amazed to find that over Bohr's desk was a horseshoe, securely nailed to the wall, with the open end up in the approved manner (so it would catch the good luck and not let it spill out). The American said with a nervous laugh,

"Surely you don't believe the horseshoe will bring you good luck, do you, Professor Bohr? After all, as a scientist --"

Bohr chuckled. "I believe no such thing, my good friend. Not at all. I am scarcely likely to believe in such foolish nonsense. However, I am told that a horseshoe will bring you good luck whether you believe in it or not."

I also have a few "GOOD TO KNOW"'s while your in the kitchen for you today:
Did you know that you will shed less tears if you cut the root of the onion off last?
If you heat a pan up before putting oil or butter on it, nothing will stick to it...not even eggs.
if you are having trouble with muffins sticking to the bottom of the pan...place the hot muffin tin on a wet towel, the muffins will slide right out!




Ok, go on out there and create some good luck for yourself!!

finding time to write!

ok/
i am in charge of a reception for the Eagle Scouts this weekend; am in the middle of redecorating my house with the help of a friend, and took a short field trip with my sister in law to visit an artists studio.  All of which was great, but contributed to my lack of writing an additional post last week.  Oh, and i took my littlest to an indoor play space yesterday. (the typical week of my three other kids when they were her age, consisted of playdates, museums, parks, special walks.....my fourth feels lucky when we go to the grocery store where she can ride in the car attached to the front of the shopping cart).  My guilt got the best of me when she spent the previous day with her dad and brother at an all day water polo tournament and thought nothing of it.  I thought I would treat her to a fun day........
So, here it is Tuesday and voila! she is in school, and my calendar clear, so i can write again.

I need to back up here and explain my purpose for this blog.  how to achieve my goals on a limited time schedule, and finding time to actually enjoy the process.  i know there are others struggling with this same conundrum.  For the past 10 years, i have collected, studied, listened, evaluated and disseminated as much information that i could find on the subject of time management and about being more present in your life.  Interestingly enough, occasionally these two topics seemed to overlap.   A general example that everyone knows is...how calm one feels when they are organized.  I used to think spending time on  filing or organizing a wardrobe, is too much work, or a waste of time.  I would much rather be appreciating my adorable children or just enjoying a sunny weekend morning not rushing off anywhere (trying to be fully present)......but, what appears to happen is, the emotional burden of having a messy closet or unorganized office, actually dampens the ability to fully relax and appreciate the care free morning, or funny thing your child just said.  We have all read the brilliant books that these pearls of wisdom have come from [Simplify Your Life or Simplify Your Life With Kids, both by Elaine St. James, among others]; where they espouse taking stock of what's important in your life and getting rid of the rest, thereby freeing you to appreciate all that you have.

A more specific example comes from the Baby Wise books by Gary Enzo, where they describe the concept of "carpet time" with your husband.   you might have heard of "carpet time" with your baby or child.  Spending 15 minutes fully concentrated on just them, every day.  Be it playing with them or just listening to whatever it is they want to say. This technique has been used to help children who were having sleep and behavior problems.  The act of being fully present, even for just 15 minutes, was an investment that benefited other aspects of the child's life.  Baby Wise was recommending this excercise for husbands and wives, as well.  When a spouse gets home from work, no matter what else is going on, sit down and talk with them for 10 - 15 minutes.  Impossible, right?  But, the process slows down the pace of the day, re-establishes a physical and emotional connection and even has a positive effect on those around that are not directly participating.  I thought it was worth a try.  It does work, although, I can't say we get a chance to sit down together everyday.  Most of the time, it's a modified, shortened version, but it has raised our awareness and efforts to try to connect before the onslaught of evening activities.

I started thinking about those 15 minutes.  Could all that be accomplished in just 15 measly minutes?  I realized that most of my day consists of small increments of time devoted to tackling larger tasks.  Most of those increments were really around 15 minutes long.  15 minutes to drive my kids somewhere, 15 minutes to fold laundry, 15 minutes to help someone with homework, 15 minutes to start dinner, 15 minutes to return emails, 15 minutes to shower, or do the dishes....the list goes on and on.   My days work out like this because I still have a toddler at home, forcing me from one thing to the next.  "yes, sweetie, let's have a picnic outside and jump on the trampoline, but then you have to help mommy fold some laundry" ( 3 roughly 15 minute activites).  But I can imagine if your kids are in school all day, or grown, or you don't have kids but you have a full time job, or you work from home, or you are retired, your day is not dictated by a 3 year olds time schedule.  You have oodles of time, right?  All day to get excercise in, phone calls to friends, appointments scheduled, dinner thought of, bought and cooked, children (or pets) played with and cared for, loved ones to spend time with, long term projects worked on, household cleaning and errands, shopping for gifts or planning that upcoming event, done during all your time that you have in your day, right?  My guess is that yes, sometimes all that can get done, but that sometimes is characterized by chaos more often than not.  And sometimes you do not get everything done, when you'd rather just not tackle any of the things on your list other than those right in front of you and most necessary to survival, or whether other things come up, or your just too tired.  I am the same.

But I realized I could treat some of my aspirations and goals that are constantly being put off,  like the carpet time.  If i schedule things in 15 minute increments,  I feel more settled because I know I have at least started the ball rolling, and the task doesn't seem as daunting.

Nothing is more important to me than raising my children and being there for my husband.
When my kids were younger, all we did was read, play, create and explore.  I cherished every moment with them.  On walks, we would collect leaves and flowers and press them into books.  When they learned to read, I would record their voices on tape, just to hear when they were older.  I saved every lullaby tape and special t-shirt (will make a t-shirt quilt for when they leave home), have written in journals about their younger years, have drawn and watercolored pictures of their special lovey (teddy bear, bunny, duckie and baby).  The perfect weekend to me would consist of lots and lots of family time.  I still feel this way, but as they get older, i cannot contain them in my cocoon (my 3 yr. old i still can, and that's why i feel strongly about trying to be present with her as much as possible.).  They have outside commitments, goals and agendas that are separate from mine, that I must help to facilitate.   But, i still need to have lots and lots of family time!
My interests have grown as well and the need to balance the time for all of the above has required me to try to figure all this out! What is the best way to accomplish all of this?!

That's where 15is comes in......I will explain to you what I am trying to accomplish in my days and write about pearls of wisdom, gleaned from the experts, on how to accomplish all that you want to do in your days.  15is....patient, 15is.....creative, 15is........yummy, 15is.........fun, 15is..........organized, 15is.......green.....15 is excercise.......etc.  All of this is to be used how you see fit.  It is certainly not going to be a perfect day, every day!  (I just burned a pot of water {how is that even possible you ask?>!} while writing this post).

I hope you enjoy my blog. thanks for tuning in.

Today's 15is topic is......yummy.   A quick (15 minute) recipe for dinner or large snack.

quick chicken pot pie:
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables or any vegetables you have in fridge!
1 cup diced cooked chicken (great for leftover chicken from dinner!) 
1 can condensed cream of chick soup (optional) 
2 1/4  cup baking mix ( I use Bisquick)
2/3 cup milk


preheat oven to 450.  cook vegetables (or reheat leftover veggies) with a little olive oil, salt & pepper; add chicken and soup if using, in med. size pan, until heated through. (3 - 5 minutes)


Mix together the baking mix and milk and knead 10 times on a clean surface sprinkled with baking mix.
Roll out to 1/2" thickness.  


Place serving size of vegetable and chicken mixture into an oven proof bowl.  Cut out biscuit size to cover rim of bowl.  Repeat for as many pot pies as you want (recipe makes about 4 medium sized pies).
Place bowls onto baking sheet and bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown.


I  will be attempting to create this for my teenage son who will be rushing off to water polo and will want a significant snack beforehand.
i will let you know in my next post how it goes.

enjoy the moment, it's really all we have.

"When we feel responsible, concerned and committed, we begin to feel deep emotion and great courage"  - The 14th Dalai Lama



tuesday's are the days i tackle anything related to my son's scouts (ironing badges, filing, etc.); which on most tuesdays is non-existent.  this week i am helping with the reception like i said above, so i am making last minute phone calls and emails.
I also tackle my fledgling jewelry business.  I am currently working on two bracelets that will be gifts for two little girls that we know.  I recently purchased soldering equipment and am still trying to perfect my style.  I have an idea for an interchangeable ring and am trying to work out the details and mechanisms involved with that.  ((didn't actually get a chance to make anything, just had time to think about it and plan for next week)

I also have to make phone calls and schedule appointments on this day (kids dentist and dog groomers); and calendar and rsvp for upcoming events (birthday parties, 6th grade camp).

Then its on to picking everybody up from school and getting on with the rest of the day.....all the while knowing i spent time on the things i wanted to do, and can better appreciate the rest of the day with them!

in good company

this is my first post, and I am jumping right in. (please forgive my lack of capitals..a bad habit started with all the papers written in college (pre-computer!),which has only been made worse with the invention of  emails, texts and my current perceived lack of time!)
I am starting a company for my kids.  Or, rather, i am trying to get them to start one. They are roughly tweens and younger and i would like for them to know how to 1. make something that others might want to buy (my kids happen to be the creative type) 2. give something back to the community 3. learn valuable life skills.
I understand there are organizations out there that teach similar goals to kids, but we wanted the freedom to dictate the who, what, when and where of our product, time and intentions.
I should back up here: I am a mother of 4 and am thrilled at that title.  I love being their alice, carol brady, betty crocker, Rafe Esquith (wonderful teacher in L.A. that has written great books) and Dee (current name of son's bus driver) all in one. But I was a person before i was lucky enough to become their mom and somehow that person keeps butting in.  how to find the time to let the other sides of me (which i will describe as part inventor, part struggling artist, part improv actor, part bleeding heart, etc...the list is long) come through, while i am busy being a happy homemaker.
my greatest fear is not appreciating the time that i have with them.  everyone. my husband, my kids, my parents, my friends.  i try to be present and engaged, when i am with those i love.  those times i will never be able to get back, therefore, i have put off nearly everything else. there is time enough to be an artist, inventor, comedian, writer, when they're grown.........however, i cannot seem to keep my other "person" sticking her nose in!  (i have 6 journals full of inventions, designs, scientific theories, ideas and writings, spanning 10 years now)...this could be a form of mid-life crisis.  or possibly the result of being a late bloomer, or crazy....  but, i think this other "person" might be telling me that I can live simultaneously with both intentions.  they are not mutually exclusive.  in fact, they might just complement each other, as in the desire to create a company with the kids.  (satisfying my need to be with them, be creative and teach them the value of philanthropy and entrepreneurism)......but what that leaves me with is: the daily struggle to find enough time.......

welcome to 15is.  I have organized my limited time into small compartments; thereby enabling me to feel like i am making small steps toward some of my goals.  today, my youngest is in preschool for 3 hours. (2xweek).  it's amazing how much i can get done if i am on a limited schedule!
i will finish this post and then will save 30 min. to clean the kitchen before i pick her up (someone's coming over right after school, otherwise i would save the breakfast dishes, scattered clothes and paperwork, etc to do while the kids are home having their after school snack, when they can help me).
I have organized my weeks into specific days that i devote to specific goals.  thursday is the day that i tackle the kids company;  my inventions, any philanthropic goals, and household paperwork.  done.
I shoot for 15 minutes of each.  that could included just thinking about it or organizing something related to it.  If I know i will be able to devote SOME time to it this week, i feel less overwhelmed and stretched.  Here goes!
Ok, i have researched what charity to bring clothes to on our upcoming trip to mexico. filled out school paperwork, wrote this about the kids company,and did some research on a project that i hope to develop to help nursing women in refugee camps.
  Ok.  I feel slightly less discombobulated.  
it feels good.  i can concentrate on and appreciate my wonderful toddler (who is very possessive and clingy right now) when i pick her up from preschool; because i have given energy and time to my personal pursuits. win-win.
now if i can only get her down for a nap....i can take one too!:)