I'm excited to get started & thought you might be too!

If you already use them, leave a comment & help us newbies out. If you give them a try & want to let others know your thoughts ~ come on back & leave a comment {grin}

Happy reading y'all!


april


 

Tips for successful "shwapping" trip:

1. Know what you're looking for ~ like a black jacket or something to wear on the cruise next year
2. Know your capacity {& your treasure's new home} ~ ask yourself "where am I going to put this once I get it cleaned up?"
3. And finally, have fun!! This looks like it's a blast!

So this just happens to have been a week full of travel related tasks & I have to share with you the latest from one of my fave sites! Yapta.com

Now, remember, as I seem to shamelessly plug this site ~ there's nothing in it for me {other than making your life a little easier too!}.

To put it simply...

1. you input your travel plans ...
2. search for available fares &
3. either book the best one accordingly OR
4. save your search &
5. set up alerts.

The alerts are my favorite part!

I often know when I'll be traveling with plenty of notice, so I set up an "alert" that lets me know when the fare drops!

I know!

Awesome, right???

{yes, I was raised in the 70's & 80's}

Their newest addition is the "airfare refund" function.

You put in your itinerary for any already purchased flight & they do the fare comparison. 

If your ticket price drops from the time you buy until the time you fly ~ you could qualify for a refund {or travel voucher}. Be sure to read the fine print though, not every ticket qualifies.

I knew I had to share when I found myself setting up 4 trips to track between now & November! 

What a handy-dandy little 2.0 Lifestyle treasure!

What's your favorite "make your life easier" site that has had an impact on you lately?

Remember, together we are stronger...

Comment away!

april

A recent question got me thinking:

 

Depending on your lifestyle, we would all answer this question differently. Although, I had to pause & consider ... which one do I pay the most attention to?

When I'm working from home Email is the most effective.

When I'm working on-site or traveling Text Message is the quickest way to heed a response.

And yet, when I'm plugged in & feeling social either Twitter or Facebook are the way to go.

Am I an exception to the rule? Or does anyone else feel as though they are connected differently depending on their circumstances?

Please comment {or respond to the poll} ~ I think we can all learn something here,

april

Anyone who read my tweets today saw the one where I said

"over 800 emails have been dealt with this week, only 300 more to go {not counting the ones still coming in} {about 9 hours ago via yoono}"

By the end of the day I had more than 100 more to work through.

So, this brings me to the dilemma most of us feel in our daily lives ... how do I manage my virtual life too?

To be honest, I think it's a miracle that we get as much done as we do ... but that's a different post.

Frustration points:

• when you unsubscribe but still get email from someone
• e-zines you subscribed to when you had more time
• folks who know you personally & think of you when they FWD: items

What to do, what to do:

• Don't be afraid to delete

{if you're not interested, you're not interested}

• Create folders for hobbies, vacations, research projects & file accordingly

I know, everyone screams in horror when I say "file" but remember ~ most email programs allow you to search based on a key word ... thus making relocation that much easier.

• Go in with blinders

When I work with small businesses or entrepreneurs I teach them to check their e-mail "with a mission". Know what you're looking for {email from Sally about the upcoming social media campaign} check the inbox ... either find it & address the contents or don't find it & get out {think about the mantra "I came, I saw, I conquered"}

• Figure out what's more important

Having an empty email box by Friday afternoon or being productive with appropriate projects? I promise, you're not the only one supporting their "open rate".

• And finally, walk away

Don't be afraid to address the high priority items in the day & leave less priority items for a later date. Turn off the computer/blackberry/iPhone & go live life {grin}


Remember, these are just tips to get you started. None of these are meant to be the only way ~ only you can figure that part out!

Have a great weekend {whether you spend it cleaning out the email in-box or chillin' out with friends}

april

A struggle I've heard as I entered this interactive social media industry is:


"I get so sucked in by Twitter"

Boy, can I see how easy that is {I even do it sometimes!}


While I'm NOT going to tell you "do X, Y, Z" I WILL give you some suggestions to consider & then leave it up to YOU to see if they fit.


Something I'm considering doing is "Twitter Hours" just like how I would create "Office Hours" or "Family Time".


The thing with Twitter is, it capitalizes on our ability {or lack thereof} to multi-task. So, in our super-hero ego we think "I can do that". Truth be told ... can you really?


Sure there are things I can multi-task like talking to the kids while doing dishes on one foot while I ward the dog off from the dishwasher with the other foot. But honestly, is that how I would choose to do it? Probably not.


My recommendation would be to evaluate what you could "partner" with your Twitter habit that allows you to participate while doing something else {not so mentally taxing}. 


For example: 

• having your morning cup of coffee {or evening glass of wine}
• taking your daily walk
• eating lunch
• waiting {for kids after school or at the Dr.'s office}

Then, separately set aside some time during your day/week that is "Twitter Social Hour" time where you completely focus on conversations.


Notice this strategy puts you back in the driver's seat? But it will also require self discipline. 


During the non-Twitter hours {this is going to be the hard part} turn off your automatic notifications. 


Don't worry the screeching tires & car crashing noises you just heard were in your head ~ no one is really hurt.


But isn't that kind of the point of us staying plugged in? We don't want to miss anything OR accidentally hurt someone's feelings because we didn't respond to them {right away}?


So here's the concept ~ let your tweeps know that you're going offline for awhile AND when you expect you'll be back online. {kind of like how those "will return at:" clock hangers are on storefront doors}


While offline, or otherwise lovingly referred to as "going dark", plug into what you're doing. If you're hanging out with your kiddos ~ look into their eyes while they're talking to you, if you're working on a research project ~ focus on your intentions & stay in sites that help you complete what you're doing.


I would love to hear some feedback here! What strategies are you already using? What tools help you the most? How do you feel about "going dark"? 


Looking forward to the conversation!


april

Welcome to my latest brainstorming idea!


Recently, I spoke at the Mom 2.0 Summit in Houston Texas about Mental Clutter & your 2.0 Lifestyle. {what a blast & inspiration!}


So, after returning home I felt the need to create this blog & continue the conversation from the conference.


My intention with this "new addition" to the Simply Organized Online Family is to bring several of the tips, resources, tools & recommendations to anyone looking for help in navigating the overwhelming feeling while online.


The reason I named the blog "2.0 Lifestyle" is because I'm seeing the shift happen among all my clients, whether it's the Busy Mom, Stay-at-Home Dad, Unemployed Student or Hobby 2.0 Surfer ~ they all are trying to figure out how to incorporate the technology into their daily life. Some successfully, most {tragically} with too much guilt.


So, I've created a place where those who Tweet, FaceBook, Blog or even LinkedIn can come to find funny stories as well as organizing resources that could help them out.


**Disclaimer**
This is the one place you will see advertising on the sidebar {other blogs on here sport the things I like to advocate} however, rest assured, I still hold my integrity up as a shield to protect any reader. What that means is ... ALL advertisers need to have a Moral Alignment to what this blog is all about ~ eliminating the overwhelm in your 2.0 Lifestyle. {So, sorry Pepsi ~ no matter how big the bucks are, you can't advertise here}


I hope you enjoy the upcoming conversations & I really hope you'll comment when you find something useful {or that I've left out that helped you}.


Looking forward to meeting y'all!


april