December 2005 Anticrastination Tip Sheet
What's the opposite of Procrastination?
THE ANTICRASTINATION TIP SHEET
A Tip Sheet to Blast Away the
Procrastination Habit
From Rita Emmett
Author of THE PROCRASTINATOR'S HANDBOOK,
THE PROCRASTINATING CHILD and
THE CLUTTER-BUSTING HANDBOOK
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Happy Holidays
We just returned from "working" a 2-week cruise to Hawaii.
It was like having a sneak preview of heaven.
Welcome to all our new readers including the several hundred
of you who we met on the cruise.
Up until a month ago, I couldn't advise people how to become
a speaker on a ship so you'd cruise free, because I landed
this arrangement through a lucky break. I didn't know how to
teach a plan or strategy because I never had to use one.
But I've come across an e-book by Daniel Hall that teaches
people how to turn their hobbies, interests and passions into
talks that cruise lines would love.
It has links to all different cruise lines and takes you
step-by-step through the process of deciding what to speak
about, what to say when you call, and even how to plan and
present a talk, and develop handouts.
If you are interested, we've made it available on my web. Go
to
www.RitaEmmett.com/CruiseForFree.htm
Good luck and happy cruising!
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December Message
19 Tips To Keep The Holidays From Leaving You
Over-worked, Over-scheduled and Overwhelmed
- Back off from the expectation of doing everything.
- Stop agreeing to attend a gazillion activities and parties
that you don't enjoy. Go to the ones you absolutely have to
(your mother's place, maybe?), say no to a few of the others, and
call in sick for one or two that you couldn't possibly say no to.
- Once you've cleared your calendar during the holidays,
plan one event you would love:
* lunch with a friend?
* driving around looking at decorations?
* serving meals to the homeless?
* spending time with a favorite child (while the parents wrap presents)?
* a spiritual activity?
* a nap?
* a concert, play or pageant?
* time alone?
- Figure out whose expectations you're trying to live up to - your
own? your family's? your friend's? maybe even someone who has passed
away? Keep asking yourself, "Why am I doing this?"
- Make a list of the people you'll buy gifts for & stick to it. No
adding later.
- Decide on a price range for gifts and stick to it. No adding later.
- Get started on your shopping today & try to have it done this week.
- Set dates on your calendar to decorate, wrap or whatever, so you
aren't frantic and frazzled at the last minute.
- Simplify your gift shopping by buying on-line, by catalogs or giving
gift certificates.
- Simplify gift giving in groups of friends, co-workers or family by
suggesting a grab bag.
- If you tend to receive gifts you never want or need, offer
suggestions. Either specific (these items in this catalogue or web
site) or general (candles, flowers). If some people always give you
great gifts, leave them alone to do their thing:)
- If you always lose & never use gift certificates, ask people not to
buy them for you. Suggest some other ideas.
- Put up only half your decorations this year. See if the world ends
or if anyone complains.
- Get rid of those decorations you never use. Donate them to a
charity where someone would cherish & love using them.
- Clarify what holiday chores you enjoy --- decorate, bake, shop,
entertain, etc. See if you can figure out ways to do more of what you
like & less of what you don't like to do.
- Schedule - actually mark on your calendar - a few days or evenings
off just to relax and enjoy yourself.
- If you dread loneliness during this season, invite someone else who
is alone to join you to attend a concert or somehow spend time together.
- Another idea if you're alone is to call the Salvation Army or your
church or synagogue to volunteer for something during the holidays.
It's a fun way to meet people. You can work on days other than the
actual holiday, if you want.
- Don't let stories on TV make you feel inadequate. Most families
don't have perfect happy endings to every situation like the people
in holiday shows. And NOBODY is as hysterically, insanely happy as the
people in the commercials.
May you have a blessed, joy-full, peace-full, wonder-full holiday
season.
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Update On Melissa
Last month, we asked for prayers and positive thoughts for my friend,
Melissa Nichols, a Hurricane Katrina evacuee. She & her husband lost
their house and businesses in New Orleans, but more important, their
baby needed brain surgery and twice it was canceled at the last minute.
Once because of the hurricane, & on Nov. 1 because baby Bella had
tonsillitis the day before surgery.
The results are wonderfully happy, healthy and positive.
Bella had her surgery on Nov. 22nd in Dallas. She was in surgery less
than 2 hours and her recovery has been fantastic and speedy. They were
able to remove all 4 plates from her 1st surgery (when she was 8 months
old) that held her skull together.
The morning after surgery, she was not only ready for a big breakfast,
she was ready to run up & down the hospital halls. She found their
play room and spent many hours there painting, playing with dolls and
throwing balls around. Her twin, Max was able to visit and play with
her in the afternoon.
All of the staff at the Hospital told Melissa that Bella's enthusiasm,
energy level and speedy recovery was a first for them to see in a
patient the day after cranial surgery.
Amazingly, Bella was discharged on Thanksgiving, just 2 days after her
surgery and is recovering beautifully. If you would like to contact
them for any reason, they are staying with relatives:
Melissa Nichols
5500 Craig Ave
Kenner LA 70065
Melissa says she can now start to breathe normally for the first time
since the hurricane wiped out the electricity in the hospital. Now she
can turn her attention to finding a place to live in New Orleans while
they try to put together their house (it was brand new when they moved
into it a year ago this month) and their businesses.
She sends her love and gratitude to all of you who prayed, sent them
notes and gifts, inquired about them and sent positive thoughts. She
knows she's going to make it and keep her sanity.
Personally, I believe in prayer and ask you to keep praying. She and
her family have a long road ahead of them.
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the art of doing it now.
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Rita Emmett - Recovering Procrastinator
Author of The Procrastinator's Handbook:
Mastering the Art of Doing It Now
and
The Procrastinating Child:
A Handbook For Adults
To Help Children Stop Putting Things Off
and
The Clutter-Busting Handbook:
Clean it up, Clear it Up, And Keep Your Life Clutter Free
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER: Keynotes & Seminars on
"Blast Away Procrastination"; also "Strategies to
Prevent Burnout" and "Generate Fabulous Customer Service"
Email: Rita@RitaEmmett.com
http://www.RitaEmmett.com
Phone: 847-699-9950
So much time, so little to do. Scratch that, reverse it!
--- Willie Wonka
