This past year has been tough.

In many respects, this Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to think long and hard about what it is we value. What goals do we want to set?

For centuries, being able to compete within the rat race has been a symbol of pride and standing in our society. We often feel as though we are held to a cutthroat world, whereby success is measured through financial earnings and specific titles.

Throughout this article, we’ll discuss how to navigate choices, how to set goals so that hopefully one doesn’t feel stuck between a rock and a hard place, especially during times of stress.

Taking The “Enough Is Enough” Angle 

If one places impractical pressures on oneself and their family, it becomes exhausting for all. That daily structure we create needs to be organized, but also flexible. It’s also important to recognize yourself, your needs, desires, and goals as being significant.  

This isn’t stroking the ego, this simply means that the goals and expectations you set for yourself matters. We all want to be at the top of our game, maximizing our success with balance.

You can use iStratus to, make sure those targets are aligned with our strengths and interests. Not doing this can often lead to overload and this is also a real cause of burnout.

At iStratus, we feel that as long as you can use our app to develop some, structure or direction regarding what’s next even amid a pandemic, one step at a time – with goals in mind, this will provide a certain feeling of stability. 

We know how important it is to have a plan for the future. 

Be Realistic

On the same hand, we also need to remain realistic with the goals we set. We believe goals are great, but even better is when they are prioritized. With an exceeding amount of pressure that is placed upon us for success, continual motivation is unlikely if things are not prioritized or obtainable. 

Additionally, it’s also important to remember, there’s a distinct difference between having goals versus putting all one’s eggs in the same basket. Ultimately, the latter is bound for a struggle. 

Use iStratus to take note of specific steps and break your goals down. Trying this approach may help things feel less overwhelming, which in turn, will likely see some progress on those long-term goals or projects:

• Assess what is wanted – Not solely what you think you should be doing. 

(We all have to undertake tasks we don’t want to do. That’s life. However, distinguishing the objectives between what requires completion, alongside what is wanted, is a different kettle of fish).

• What Do You Enjoy? – List five things on a “Loves” list in iStratus. Can they help you attain your goals in some way?
• Start SMALL – Smaller goals are easier to achieve. Feeling better about things more often helps us progress and maintain it.
• Define Goals. Be specific – For example: To learn a musical instrument. Commit to practicing for 20 minutes a week even (it’s not always easy). Keep a list of any songs you’d love to learn.
• Break It Down – Mini goals help motivation levels.
• Set Deadlines – Targets help things stay on track. Set dates on your iStratus calendar for achieving each mini-goal and try your best to stick with it.

Every phase of life is a process. And honestly, providing all the advice and tools in the world doesn’t mean everything will be miraculously easier. Nothing is that simple. However, a good starting point is to truly think about what it is we hope to achieve.

“Set priorities for your goals. A major part of successful living lies in the ability to put first things first. Indeed, the reason most major goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.” ~ Robert J. McKain

We’ve been here many times, right? From a societal standpoint “time is always of the essence” however, we all know by now things change unexpectedly. The point is to take one step or one thing off the checklist at a time. 

And Sometimes, Press Pause, Just Breathe…

If there’s another thing this pandemic has taught us is – might it be that home is supposed to be a sanctuary? The four walls of a home are a place where one can retreat to and find peace, away from those things that pressure us.

Pause, rest, recharge, just breathe – and then tackle things! Set those goals in iStratus today and see how you go. Keep things flexible, one checkmark at a time, and there’s no doubt you’ll feel more open and positive towards those goals for the taking.

Live life and roll well with iStratus.

Are you constantly on the hunt for your car keys? Or walking into the store without your shopping list or phone on hand? And what about names?  Do you struggle to remember your mailman’s name? You’re not alone. Everyone forgets things occasionally. Still, memory loss is not something to be taken lightly.

In life, there are no assurances to preventing memory loss or conditions such as Alzheimer’s however, there is a myriad of evidence available online that indicates certain activities can potentially help. 

At iStratus, we’d like to consider the process of organization as one of seven simple ways our app can help sharpen memory. It will also hopefully make it easier to recognize the signs of memory loss and when there’s a need to address it.

Get Organized

Is your home cluttered or are your notes in disarray? You’re more likely to forget things when you are not organized. 

iStratus is the perfect tool for recording tasks, appointments, and other important events, limiting the amount of paper around you.

To help cement tasks in your memory, it also pays to repeat each entry aloud as you type it. We suggest, maintaining “To-Do” lists and checking off items as they’re completed. 

And always have a mainstay place for your wallet, keys, sunglasses/glasses, and other essentials.

Limit distractions as much as possible. If you focus on the information that you want to retain, you’re more likely to recall it later. It might also help to connect names to a favorite song or another familiar phrase or concept.

Exercise Your Body, Exercise Your Mind

Physical activity increases blood flow in your entire body, including your brain. This might help keep your memory sharp.

The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderately intense aerobic movement or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobics or a combination of both preferably spread throughout the week.

Even a 15-minute walk around the house or Zumba session in your living room is better than nothing! But, it’s easy to let an exercise routine slip if you don’t schedule it.  We suggest including your daily workout in your iStratus Dayplanner. 

Increase Your Brain Waves For Fluid Thought 

Akin to physical activity keeping your body in shape, mental stimulation keeps your brain in shape — and might keep memory loss at bay. Implement things into your daily schedule on iStratus and do your best to stick to it. There are other options too – like taking an alternate route when driving or learning to play a musical instrument. 

Stay Social. 

Social interaction helps keep depression and stress at bay, both of which can contribute to memory loss. Get together with loved ones, friends, and others.  This is especially important if you live alone.

Prioritize Catching Your Zzzzzzz’s!

Your brain needs quality, consistent sleep to perform at its best. It’s no surprise catching Zzzzzz’s plays a fundamental part in the process of memory strengthening.

Try to create a consistent sleep-wake cycle where you’re going to bed and waking up around the same time every day – even on the weekends.

Cutting screen time before bed can also help you get great sleep. For many, scrolling through your phone or watching television before settling can have negative impacts on sleep patterns.

Sleep experts also endorse limiting your caffeine intake during the late afternoon and evening. It also pays to avoid nicotine at night and limit alcoholic beverages before bed. Too much of anything at night may cause frequent restroom interruptions to catch your Zzzzzzzz’s anyway.

Sleep plays an important role in filing things within your long-term memory for recall down the road. Getting enough sleep is a definite priority. Extensive research can be found online which indicates most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per day.

You’ll feel like a better “you” when your schedule is on track – sleep included!

Eat Some Veggies: A Healthy Diet Helps

A healthy diet is as good for your brain as it is for your heart. Your stomach is your second brain. So eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for fuel. Choose low-fat protein sources, such as fish, beans, and skinless poultry. Drinks count, too. Too much alcohol and not enough water can result in confusion and memory loss. 

When To Seek Further Help

If memory loss is a concern, talk to your doctor. Particularly, if this forgetfulness is noticeably worse or affects your ability to complete your usual daily activities. Your medical examiner is likely to undertake a physical assessment, as well as check memory and problem-solving skills. Treatment and testing depend on what’s contributing to memory lapses.

The important thing is to stay abreast of matters; being efficiently organized helps lessen memory stress.

Live life and roll well with iStratus. 

There’s not an adult on the planet that doesn’t have a mind filled with clutter.

And there’s something about that which is more troublesome than a cluttered home or workspace. A cluttered mind is restless, unfocused, and somewhat akin to a scrambled egg. The cluttered mind moves in multiple directions at once, and the result is little gets done.

Mental clutter can include keeping a mental “To-Do” list, worrying about the future, deliberating about the past, and so on. Does this sound like you?  Are you ready to clear space in your head?

Below are ideas to de-clutter your mind with iStratus, reduce feeling overwhelmed, and ultimately gain beneficial clarity to achieve more.

Your Physical Environment Matters

Clutter bombards the mind with disproportionate stimuli, which makes our brains work overtime. Clutter also signals that there’s plenty else that needs addressing, which is of course, in its own right mentally exhausting.

The bottom line: De-cluttering your physical space also de-clutters your mind in succession.

For The Record…

You don’t need to keep everything stored in your brain. Record and categorize things within the iStratus app —and utilize it as a storage device for all those bits and pieces of information you need to remember. This can include appointments, shopping lists, ideas for future projects, and so on.

Quit Multi-Tasking

We’ve mentioned this many times, but it’s worth repeating. Quit multitasking. It doesn’t work

If your house was a mess and you needed to reorganize it, how would you begin? Perhaps start by choosing one important area—for example, the kitchen pantry —and giving it a good cleaning.

The mental equivalent of tidying the kitchen pantry is to allocate a certain amount of time exclusively devoted to clearing your mind. Throughout this process, transfer your mental clutter to the side and completely focus your attention upon the task at hand.

Imagine your pantry top notch and organized, and ensure that it stays so, without other items being plonked all over it during the timeframe you’ve devoted to it. 

Mentally push the clutter outside of the pantry doors too. Make a note in iStratus of any items that might be needed to make this organization even more efficient, such as labels or storage canisters.

The Past Haunts

Speaking of “pushing something out the door” – mind clutter is also often related to the past. Most people keep a large cabinet of mental drawers stored in the back of their subconscious. 

Go through those mental files and discard memories of the past that are not serving you well in the present (it’s not easy, we know)… Set some “Quiet Time” on your schedule for yourself with iStratus.

Be Decisive

If your email inbox is filled with emails that require addressing, and no decisions are made on them, what will happen? Soon, your inbox will be overflowing with bills, requests from your employer or clients, and spam mail. The way to progress is to address what’s in your inbox or check things off your checklist. 

The solution for clarity of mind is to be decisive and follow through with tasks, to the best of your ability. Everyone has up and down days – that’s a given, life is a rollercoaster of crazy sometimes and really, the truth is, we are only human!

Routine Decisions Require an Auto Pilot Switch

Flick it to the “On” position.

Small, routine tasks can occupy a lot of brain space. This can include things like:

• Deciding what to eat for breakfast each morning;
• Deciding what you’re going to wear each day;
• Deciding on what to have for lunch; and so forth.

You can reduce the amount of brain space because of routine tasks by putting them into auto-pilot mode and setting them on automatic. This is why meal planning works so well.

Prioritize

Nothing creates as much brain clutter as an endless To-Do list. Accept that some things need to be dropped and focus on the most important things. 

A checklist of your top priorities will make all the difference to freeing up the bulk of your brain space.

And Learn To Breathe.

Sounds simple, but breathing is key to placing the mind at ease and putting useless thoughts of overload away. It’s not easy to do, but just like organizing your workspace, it can be done. 

“Nothing contributes so much to tranquilizing the mind as a steady purpose – a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye.”

~ Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley: English novelist (1797 – 1851)

Think clearly, and focus on what matters most.

Live life and roll well with iStratus.

The holidays can feel like madness for even the most organized folks. Don’t let disorganization detract from the fun of the season. 

The best way to keep you and your family sane is with structure. A map of what needs to be covered is effective even for your at-home holiday time. Use iStratus to post and share some sort of plan or file, so anyone involved can add or change things as tasks change or fluctuate. (It’s Ok if everything doesn’t go according to THE SET plan).

Get around the stress. Create a plan, stick to it as best you can, and avoid rushing around at the last minute.

iStratus recommends:

“Spring Cleaning” Before Hanging Holiday Decorations

Oh boy another chore, it’s hard to resist the temptation to eye roll here we know… finding the time to clean when your days are long and hectic as it is… yes we hear you! The last thing you want to do is to house clean!

The thing is though, when the house is messy or cluttered, adding holiday decorations and preparing for holiday guests is an absolute nightmare for most people. You’re not alone in feeling this way.

Therefore, it helps to stay organized over Christmas, and you can begin by cleaning the house. Your decorations will add easily to festivities when they aren’t competing with clutter, you know you’ll feel annoyed about.

The holidays are busy, and you’ve got a lot to do when getting ready for the holidays, so focus on the parts of the house that see the most traffic. Before you sort through your Christmas decorations storage, make a list in iStratus of things or areas that need de-cluttering before hanging lights.

Organize Your Living Space

If you look around the house and think, “How do I get organized for the holidays?” it may be as simple as tidying your living space. Take the opportunity to rearrange the cluttered areas of the house. 

Swap out your summer clothes for your winter clothes.  Go through holiday decorations and get rid of ones that are broken or no longer matter. You may even consider organizing an area just for extra blankets and pillows for visitors.

Even a little extra organization in your home can relieve some stress from the holiday madness.

Holiday Shop Early

Ugh, Yes. Love it or hate it. 

If gifts are on your iStratus checklists, don’t wait until the week before Christmas. Mark them off early and avoid shopping with the masses. Many stores will begin their Thanksgiving Black Friday sales a week or more before the Black Friday event, so you can deal-hunt without getting up at the crack of dawn. Shopping early is great because you don’t have to do it all at once and overwhelm yourself. Spread it out over a week or two or even throughout the year so that it fits within your schedule. If you have someone in your life who could use some organization, this Gift Guide may help.

Use a List App

Of course, this is our favorite idea! However, no bias is intended here! Paper lists get lost easily, but you’ve always got your phone on you. A planning app like ours can help you keep track of everything, holiday plans, gifts, and grocery lists. As usual, customize your lists and set reminders so you won’t forget to pick up those herbs or spices you need from the grocery store. 

Decorate Home As Home

So what if your holiday decor doesn’t rival “In Style” magazine? Decorating for the holidays should be fun, not stressful. 

Set aside a day on your schedule in iStratus, dedicated to decorating and getting the whole family in on it. 

Decorate to add happiness to your home. If you need some inspiration, there are many simple ideas to be found on Pinterest. Just “Google it.”

Don’t keep anything that doesn’t bring festive cheer to your home. Keep your favorite decorations neat, tidy, and clean with storage bins, for example.

Create A Gift-Wrapping Zone

Pick a corner of the house that receives little traffic and establish a makeshift wrapping station. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A folding table, few plastic containers will help organize supplies. (Even a patch of floor works). Then wrap your gifts as they come in to avoid the mad dash on Christmas Eve.

Reduce some of the stress associated with the holidays by planning well and getting organized with iStratus. Your schedule won’t prevent unexpected guests from dropping by, or those last-minute holiday party invites, or any family drama. It happens. It will, however, keep you sane during day-to-day holiday preparation, which frees up mental energy to be grateful for loved ones and just enjoy celebrating.

Live life and roll well with iStratus.

If you’re not an inherently organized person, iStratus is here to help you apply critical organizational skills daily that will be transformative to your career. We want you to stand out and separate from the pack. Read on to discover five key strategies that will improve your organizational skills within the workplace.

Planning

Plan for accomplishment. Thinking as far ahead and establishing a thoughtful plan of attack allows for the value-added organization each day. Be proactive! The easiest way to be productive for the day is to plan and prepare, for it.

Being an efficient planner entails utilizing lists. 

Use iStratus to make a list of all the tasks you must cover each day. This will ensure:

• Fewer tasks are forgotten
• You experience the satisfaction of checking things off from your to-do list throughout the day.
• You have a concrete way to keep track of the tasks for completion.
• You will potentially stay motivate to commit and there will be a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment from finalizing tasks.

Regardless of which list or calendar method you use on iStratus, the application of a list will help you focus and structure your day.

Time Management

Begin by viewing your time as valuable. Life will pull you in different directions at times; feeling like you’ll never get atop your job. However, effective time management will allow you to address those moments of havoc with added intention and intelligence. We can view interruptions as a minor annoyance as opposed to something, which controls your day.

Everybody has a certain time of the day when they are most productive – if you function better early in the morning, consider that your prime time use iStratus to highlight and schedule your most demanding and challenging work during this time. Try to coordinate your prime time with others to minimize unnecessary and avoidable interruptions. 

Typically significant time is wasted dealing with interruptions during the workday. From emails to those constant “dings” that occur on our mobile phones and those distractions steal valuable time. Focusing on key tasks noted on your iStratus calendar in time blocks will help you track your day effectively.

Schedule. Schedule. Schedule

The scheduling strategy goes hand in hand with creating checklists. While you are creating “To-Dos” or Checklists of tasks and projects, align it all with a schedule. Give each task a designated timeframe in which to accomplish it. That way, you can ensure deadlines are met and nothing is left undone or by the wayside. 

Be generous and allow some flexibility with your time estimates for each task or project. The schedule must be realistic. Try not to compile a list and schedule that results in feeling low and unaccomplished because you “failed to meet” your own presets for work.

Appreciate your calendar with an eye upon the bigger, wider picture. Sometimes it’s important to focus on what’s happening today, for today, and then deal with tomorrow, tomorrow. Following this to take a few steps ahead at once towards a broader view will help you thrive.

Kick Goals

Nothing feels better than setting a goal and smashing it. Go for fulfillment. It’s a genuine energy boost!

Set daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly goals for yourself. Prioritize both smaller and larger goals to stay motivated and disciplined to finalize tasks.

Remember flexibility is key. Adding new goals to your agenda in iStratus throughout the year or adjusting an existing goal is perfectly okay. Life is unpredictable, thus it’s important be open and willing to redirect the course as required. This doesn’t equate to failure. Sometimes, there is simply a need to pivot to keep moving forward. Moving forward is what counts.

You are in charge of your organizational domain.  Arrange your digital workspace into folders within iStratus for maximum efficiency. Anyone can diminish the time and effort it takes to accomplish tasks. 

Storing your files digitally with iStratus is designed to organize them in such a way so that everything you require is stored adequately and named appropriately. This will save time looking for those “lost” files. Create a master document of all your files to save time in the long run. 

Ultimately, we recognize that life is not a checklist, to rule your world. We do, believe in allowing the process to flow. We say that organizational skills are crucial for success and increasing your productivity so that you can breathe and focus on those things that matter to you most.

We hope these tips assist in helping you – Organize and transform your daily routine to stand out amongst “the crowd.”

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.”

~ J. K. Rowling

Live life and roll well with iStratus.

The world’s technology revolution and information overload explosion have placed our daily attention under siege of sorts. On a given day we absorb more than quadruple the information than we ever did four decades ago. Information, thanks to the virtual world, is merely a few finger taps away.

Our brains, as governed by Darwin’s theory of biological evolution — advances gradually. Thus, our “attention intelligence” must effectively join the race to maintain productivity across the board.

Attention Intelligence? Really?

Yes. Really. With so much bombardment of information we all require some strategies to boost attention spans. It is no surprise that rapid change can become overwhelming. If you feel this way, right now – you’re not flying solo there.  First and foremost we need to de-clutter the mind to improve brain functionality or circuitry and ultimately boot productivity more successfully.

Knowing When to Switch Thinking Up or Off

The operating principle behind this idea is to enhance self-awareness to lead to greater productivity.

This is where we must address tasks that benefit from sustained concentration. These are things that typically involve, step-by-step problem solving, gathering and analyzing information (for example, organizing weekly schedules, expenses, To-Do Lists, and so forth). 

When we have been problem-solving for a meaningful period and our tight focused attention begins to feel counterproductive, as evidenced by lethargy, wavering concentration, and feeling stuck in gridlock.

To combat such things we believe that reducing distractions is key.

You can efficiently use iStratus to build a routine that capitalizes on reward circuitry within the brain. In short: By addressing goals, tasks, and checklists, one element at a time, we come to feel some sense of relief and fewer overloads.

Free Up Attention: Unload Info to Reduce Stress

Every day we have countless things to keep track of, that anytime we can dependably unload any of it, we free up our attention. If parts of the mind are preoccupied with our ‘To Do’ lists, we’re unable to fully engage in problem-solving or relax. We often unload by creating a contact list on our phones or recording our passwords. So we already acknowledge there are benefits to such “downloading”. 

Numerous studies associated with productivity, indicate we should be embracing as many opportunities as possible to unload stored information. Over decades, our brain circuitry has transitioned more towards being vigilant and constantly “pinging” reminders of our endless responsibilities and commitments. Ultimately, we are stuck with minds that are compelled to churn over such responsibilities – to what neuroscientists refer to as “rehearsal loops”.

Now more than ever, we recommend that besides unloading a trusted person, we also need to utilize an operational App or system such as ours to “mind sweep” and prioritize responsibilities and open up our capacity for responsiveness (and gain some much-needed sleep)!

You’ve no doubt heard of the “mind-sweeping” technique which is intended to capture all the tasks, responsibilities, commitments and those “should dos” that interject into our minds daily. Essentially it is all “the stuff” we feel obligated to complete.

• The first step towards progress is to identify and list as many of these items in iStratus so that information is readily available.
• The second step is to add new items that pop up (your can voice record them on your phone and transfer these across to iStratus).

By doing so, these items are “downloaded” onto a trusted external system, which can be reviewed periodically. In turn, we also “down the volume” on those rehearsal loops, become more relaxed, and have more capacity to focus on tasks at hand and the things we love.

As You Know, Prioritizing Is Meaningful. 

To de-clutter our minds, we also need to cultivate the habit of putting these tasks on a daily calendar. And any business that can be in the electronic trash upon reflection, 

De-clutter our attention and working memory and transfer some of those worries into our worlds. 

And as we noted in some of our previous articles: Sleep! – Don’t forget to catch a good night’s sleep, the most significant booster of productivity!

If you wish to save your mental energy for the important stuff to increase productivity, we recommend adopting the ‘good enough’ principle, with the unimportant stuff. President Obama knew what he was doing by limiting his wardrobe, depending on his schedule. This gives our attention spans space for more essential objectives.

With so many choices at our disposal, we can often feel that is our fault for not applying the best one.

However, with all the research on focus and excellence, consider it another reason to “dump” unnecessary information. It’s not as complicated as it seems. 

Why not use iStratus today, to help kick a new direction, preserve your time and cerebral energy for invaluable productivity? Start the change. Leap. Unload. Redirect your attention – 

Live life and roll well with iStratus.

In today’s world, parents are juggling a myriad of activities, responsibilities, work commitments, and family affairs more than ever before.

Life is continually becoming busier, and one thing that will make all the difference between having a relaxed and peaceful household rather than a chaotic and overwhelming one is, our favorite iStratus feature: Organization.

If you’d like to incorporate a bit more order into your family environment, iStratus has ways in which you can become an organized parent whilst simultaneously increasing harmony at home.

Everyday Life 

Let’s face it; most of us spend large chunks of our days in the car—driving back and forth to work and shuttling kids to their activities. 

Often it’s difficult to keep track. 

That’s why it’s a good idea to keep your “To-Do List” accessible and ‘on the go whenever you leave the house. Given its portability on your device, iStratus is simply perfect for that.

You’re unlikely to forget a task or project to tackle while on the move, or waiting in line, which saves you time in the long run – and when home there’s more time for family. 

The Weekly Menu

How often do you shop for your groceries?

Are you constantly roving in the supermarket pretty much daily simply because you’ve overlooked some ingredients in that recipe or have no clue what you’re serving for dinner? 

The biggest sanity saver for any family is meal planning. It does not have to be complicated or fanciful. It can still be convenient and healthy.

Most families enjoy staple meals upon the table such as spaghetti meatballs (which you can incorporate veggies, like grated zucchinis and carrots into) roasted chicken and rice, or more relaxed foods like Tacos Tuesdays.

iStratus recommends:

• Creating a list of about 10 or 12 meals that your family enjoys regularly and incorporate those into your weekly menu.
• Shop with your dinnertime plan handy so that you don’t overlook any key ingredients on the list.
• Leave nights open for leftovers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or take out.
• Try not to stress over “What’s for dinner?” every night

This way, there’s less stress and you will have some extra energy to spend focused on your projects, which will be of additional benefit to your family.

Resourcefully Organize a “Cheat Sheet”

As you probably well know by now, we at iStratus believe that having a calendar system is a must to keep your family organized, it’s not new news. 

However, in addition to that idea, you can create some “cheat sheets” which can be shared electronically. Information is right there in a few taps.

By all means, transition these into concrete form to be laminated and kept on the fridge or inside the kitchen cabinets, for quick access.

Include emergency numbers for police/fire and any of the following essential info:

• Work numbers for Mom and Dad, 
• The pediatricians, neighbors, extended family, and friends nearby 
• Contact details for anyone who is back up in an emergency. 
• Notes regarding over-the-counter medication dosages that are required for family members, particularly the younger ones, who have any allergies.
• Record and safely store social security numbers on the cheat sheet, which is always required for one form or another.

Create a separate memo in iStratus, which can be shared with sitters, grandparents, older children, and so forth, 

• Record full names
• Age, weights, and dates of birth of your kids’.
• Details which doctors and emergency personnel frequently request, on a need-to-know basis).
• Document important relevant notes following each consultation/check-up – and update them regularly.

That Morning Rush

Besides meal planning, the second-best organizational habit is to checklist what helps you and your kids prepare for school the night before, like: 

• School lunches 
• Reminders of the outfits, and extra things needed, such as gym clothes or after-school practice equipment.
• Library bags, reading folders, anything else needed to head out the door without feeling like headless chooks aka chickens.

Learning to Say “No”

This idea is something we’re mentioned in our previous article: “When Working and Caregiving Are Pulling You Apart” [hyperlink].

One of the main reasons people become disorganized and stressed out more than necessary is because of the difficulty in saying one word: NO. 

You name it, from over-volunteering time to a myriad of duties, too many people over-commit. 

Use iStratus to prioritize your social obligations and civic duties clearly towards multiple play-dates and birthday parties for the kids.

“This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle: we are given one life… the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act and in acting, to live.”

~ General Omar Bradley

Be honest with yourself in what value these things truly hold you and your family. Eliminate the tasks you can and you’ll free up time, be less overwhelmed, and feel more organized.

Live life and roll well with iStratus.