work-life balance

How to Create a Clutter-Free Home Office

February 12, 2024 by Amy Slenker-Smith 66 Comments

I'm going to guess that your home office might be the family dumping ground. And it has piles of paper everywhere. Also, the space is overwhelming because every flat surface is covered and you don't know where to begin. Plus the filing cabinet is filled with who knows what. And all this clutter robs you of productivity and focus. Does this describe your home office space? It is so uninviting you rarely work in it The bookshelves are cluttered and looming over you You sit at the dining room table with your laptop instead Well, today is the day to change all of that. In this post, I've written a step-by-step plan with 7 steps to declutter and organize your home office. Because a clutter-free space is a productive space and you can do this. Just take it one step at a time. Your Dream Home Office Before you dive in, take some time to dream about how you’d like your office to look and function. Search online for ideas and inspiration. I pinned some …

Why You Need to Take a Minimalist Vacation

June 12, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

Two of my favorite things are minimalism and travel. So naturally, I enjoy a minimalist vacation. In early 2020, I spent 5 glorious days in the sun and sand. Nothing could have been better for my health and wellness. In hindsight, we were lucky to sneak this trip in before the world fell apart. There's something about a view of the ocean. It was a couples-only trip to Jamaica. My husband and I were so excited because we had not been back to the island since our honeymoon. A lot has changed in 20+ years. Not just on the island, but for us too. We are indeed older, wiser, and living more simply, even on vacation. Old-Amy On Vacation The Old Amy had some pretty bad vacation habits. She tried to stay connected to work, family, and friends. She was tethered to all of it as if she never left. Old Amy packed a large suitcase and carried on a work laptop to be productive during the flight. And she even sacrificed vacation time to take conference calls and respond to emails. Her …

How to Work from Home Effectively with Kids

March 21, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has turned our world upsidedown. As families quarantine and practice social distancing, they also struggle with how to manage endless downtime. I love slowing down and embrace the margin in our schedules. We're free to do things like play a board game, try a new recipe or plant an herb garden. #coronatime But I recognize that working parents are trying to figure out how to work from home and simultaneously entertain and educate children. Workspaces and Homeschool Spaces A few years ago, I homeschooled my son. Most of the time, we traveled but here's the room I used for several weeks. I simply adjusted the height of my existing desk. We didn't buy a new desk. My son worked here for 1-2 hours a day and preferred to be near me. Repurpose or Reuse - Do Not Buy Perhaps your kitchen or dining room table is the answer to this temporary situation. Don't rush out and buy something that will become clutter. Flat surfaces are notorious for …

work-life balance

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