Category: Time Management

Are You Hosting a Feast?

Published on by Kim

Will you be hosting a feast this Thanksgiving? Let’s talk about how that can be a labor of love rather than a horrible burden.

Plan your menu ahead of time. Do this as soon as you can. Write down what you intend to make (and what others are bringing, as a reference). Make sure you have everything you would like and get rid of any extras that you don’t really need or want.

Once you know your menu, make a grocery list and schedule time to go to the store. We know that Wednesday afternoon is NOT the best time for this, so plan ahead and avoid the hassle.

Planning ahead involves knowing how your day will go (roughly) and knowing what you plan to make for a meal, but you also need to know how the various steps for your chosen menu will fit into your schedule. When do you need to start preparing? Do you need to figure on 2 hours in the kitchen or 20 minutes?

Many recipes now include prep time and cook time, which is very helpful. But you still need to know what you’ll be doing when.

Note: if you use frozen meat for your meals, remember to add defrosting the meat to your steps or your schedule the day before or early the day of. A turkey may need a few days to defrost completely.

As you look at your menu, map out the different steps and when you’ll need to do each of them (i.e., 2 hours ahead, 45 minutes ahead, right before serving, etc.). Some recipes or dishes are simple enough that you only need 5 minutes of prep time 2 hours before dinner. Some have a few more steps. Others are all last minute, just before you eat. Write it down in a timeline, counting backwards from your target mealtime.

For an example, you would sketch out a timeline like this:

  • 2 hours prior — prepare meat and put in oven
  • 45 minutes prior — prepare sweet potatoes and put in oven
  • 15 minutes prior — set table and steam vegetables

Do anything non-time-sensitive ahead of time as you can. Add a section to your timeline (or an additional sheet) that lists what you would like to be done at some point (prepare place-cards, make centerpiece, sweep front porch, pull extra chairs out of garage, etc.). Getting ready ahead of time helps you, and you’ll also have a quick answer for anyone who is available to help.

Now you also know what you are doing and that your bases are covered. Way to plan!

How Do You Eat an Elephant?

Published on by Kim

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Sometimes we come to a place where we look at a project or a goal or an assignment and think that it seems a little too much — perhaps impossible. It’s tempting to give up before even trying. You may be like Scarlett and decide to tackle it tomorrow…and tomorrow never comes. Maybe the sky will fall before the deadline, and then it won’t be an issue. One can always hope, right?

Just like it is impossible to swallow an elephant whole, we can’t tackle big things overnight. BUT — it can be done over time in pieces.

  • Break it down. What are the “bite-sized” parts of the whole project? What are little goals that will get you to the big goal? Making an action plan doesn’t just map a path to the end, it also helps break the big into lots of littles.Once you know the little pieces, you can simply look at the one step you need to take, just like chewing one bite. It works.
  • Start somewhere. I use this trick for myself a lot. Just taking one step toward the goal can break the cloud of feeling overwhelmed. That step in the right direction creates a tiny bit of momentum that puts you on the right track, even though it’s at the very beginning of that track. Now you’re ready to keep going!
  • Stick to it. It’s so tempting to want the easy solution, but there isn’t always a quick fix. Sometimes we simply need to keep chewing.If you know the path, know the steps, know you are on the right track, keep walking. It may be a long walk, but your faithfulness and hard work will pay off.

Bon appetit!