Jacquie Ellis

When we justify the value of objects that are purchased we look at the quality, the cost, and the useful life of the item. If the useful life brings a return that is deemed worthy of the cost then it may be beneficial. How do you value something that is extremely precious and finite? Something that once used never returns? Time is limited for everyone, it is a finite resource. One that we take for granted, regularly. I was originally going to just discuss how to calculate the value of your time. It is simple to put into numbers when you look at the dollars: your hourly rate that you are…

Scheduling your time is important to ensure you achieve your goals and staying productive. Most of us aren’t scheduling the right way. We look at schedules to plan events, but we really need to plan routines first to optimize our time. These are the best scheduling rules ever! There are some pitfalls that we all tend to fall into when using a schedule: Let others dictate our schedule, Rarely plan for contingencies, Over-commit ourselves leaving very little time to take care of ourselves. Don’t worry I’m guilty of doing this too, so you aren’t alone. It isn’t too late to break these bad habits and get the most out of your…

*Updated April 2020* Have you been in this situation? You are tired of rotating the same meals every week. You find yourself searching for new ideas so that meals are not so boring. That was me. I was tired of cooking them and eating them. Life was busy but we were trying to eat healthier and save money so avoiding the drive-thru was necessary. We needed a solution. I had cookbooks but had trouble finding simple meals that would work for our busy lives. Searching online for new recipe ideas was an easy solution, but not so easy to keep these recipes organized. I found myself needing a simple solution…

The thought of keeping track of bill payment schedules on top of family and work schedules is too much for already busy families. There has to be a better way to budget payments, be on time with payments, and plan for those sports registration fees!  One that didn’t take away hours of the fun time we could be spending as a family. This is a simple bill management system; budget tips for busy homes. This simple method worked for our family so that we had better control of our finances while being able to plan for big expenses. As a bonus, it freed up our schedule so that we had…

It doesn’t matter if it is traditional mail or email, they both breed chaos and add stress if not managed properly. What do you do if organizing mail or email is low on the priority for your busy family? Are you tired of the piles of mail on the coffee table, and a massive inbox that is out of control?  Here are some simple tips for managing mail and email. Paper… Endless Paper Traditional mail, bills, junk mail, school paperwork, registration sheets, and magazines can clutter any flat surface quickly if not managed. It can also be a time waster when not managed. Have you ever spent more time than you…