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Work Smart — I mean SMRT.

Archived in Business, Free, Time, Managing | No Comments

I stumbled onto an interesting site that has been helping me keep organized on a day by day basis. The creators of this relatively simple system have made available a set of download-ready cards for you to print and use in your office, BUSINESS, or freelancing work-a-day world.

The tool is call the SMRT Card System (click for a link) and makes use of a simple four-goal approach to TIME management. SMRT.

S stands for SOONER IS BETTER which means, simply, this is my top priority for the day. If nothing else on the list gets done today, this is a must. It could be something as simple as a returned email or phone call — or it could be filing that report. But whatever it is, it’s a priority.

M stands for MEDIUM TERM GOALS or those things that should get going soon. I usually note something here that needs to get started, a small project that I need to kick off, a list I need to tackle, or a meeting I need to set up. Make it something too big and you’ll get discouraged.

R stands for RISKING SOMETHING and is one of my favorites. Third on the list it’s both a reward and a motivator. If I get to this point in the day I’ve virtually given myself permission to take a RISK. What does that mean? It could mean sketching out a new idea, following up on a lead that might not make 100% sense, or going out on a limb. The key is RISK — not too much, but just enough to try open new horizons.

T is for TOMORROW TODAY and is where I tend to get a kick start on things I might have otherwise put off. This item is the opposite of procrastination, and being the evil guy I am, my ‘morning self’ usually tortures my ‘evening self’ by listing something that we’d both rather put off. But it’s on the list — so it get’s done.

The advantages to this, that I can see from using it myself:

1) Anyone can tackle four objectives in one day, provided they are basic and managable.
2) Keeping score is a motivator.
3) Accomplishment, no matter how small, can be a drug for people like you and me.

The system revolves around the idea that setting out four tasks for your day is a simple, early morning activity. It means sitting, as you are drinking your coffee or munching down a slice of lightly buttered toast, and sketching out four places you need to be by the end of the day. Check it out. IT’S FREE, too.

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Five Good Reasons to Fertilize Your Lawn

Archived in Landscape, Do-it-Yourself | 1 Comment

Great grass needs tender loving care, and this means regular and meaningful feedings. If you mow and mulch you’re one step closer, but it doesn’t mean you’ve got all your bases covered. Fertilizing your lawn appropriately is as important as keeping it watered. Why? Here are five good reasons to fertilize your lawn.

1) …because grass is unnatural. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself this: if you had neither seeded nor sodded would you have a lawn? Or would you have a muddy, weedy mess full of local scrub, clover, thistle, et cetera? I’d wager on the second. Your lawn is there because you or someone else planted it there. True, it’s a hardy plant and it will do very well where it is if you feed it well, but in the world of landscaping and competitive plant biology, grass is the visiting team. It has a disadvantage right from the start.

2) …because you walk on your lawn. Crush, stomp, rip, tear, break. You use your lawn to separate your feet from the muddy mess hidden below. You know perfectly well that grass is something of a living carpet, and like any carpet can succumb to eventual wear and tear. Lucky for both you and the grass, a healthy (well fed) lawn will look after repairing itself.

3) …because grass can be a real fighter. Weeds are always — repeat, ALWAYS — trying to find a way to break through the defenses put up by your grass. Whether your lawn is twenty days or twenty years old, a fertilized lawn means that it can choke down intruders through strong, healthy root systems and sustained growth.

4) …because you mow. And — especially if you are like some of my neighbors who quickly stuff their clippings into big orange garbage bags that wind up on the curb — the nutrients, minerals, and potential organic fertilizer you just clipped off wind up in the landfill. It’s not like cutting your hair. This is true damage to the plant, and while it will recover you had better feed it occasionally to give back what you just took away.

5) …because your lawn is an ecosystem. Look close. Besides you and your PETS, there are a lot of critters who make use of your grass. From the small — insects, spiders, worms, and other creepers — to the slightly larger — birds, mice, and rabbits — you are hosting a local ecosystem who’s tenants are probably typical renters: messy and destructive. Think of fertilizer as just another landlord duty.

Please remember: I’m just a guy who has done this work for myself, once. This is just my experience, so do more research before you start. I welcome any comments or updates that anyone with more experience might provide. Cheers!

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Read more posts by Gary W (About the Author)

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