projects

Think of your big project as a new hobby

By Hazel Thornton | February 13, 2023 |

  Do you have a big project you’ve been putting off? Is it because you are waiting for the perfect time to devote your entire self to getting it done? If you try to do too much at once, you risk getting overwhelmed and exhausted. Chances are you’ll get discouraged, go away, and never come…

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80/20 Rule

The 80/20 Rule is Your Friend

By Hazel Thornton | June 21, 2021 |

One of my favorite concepts in life is The 80/20 Rule. What is it? The 80/20 Rule, a.k.a. the Pareto principle, stems from observations made by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in 1906, including the fact that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. Or, generalizing to other situations, roughly…

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Getting Back on Track

By Hazel Thornton | May 10, 2021 |

2021 UPDATE: Getting “derailed” is one thing. Here it implies a potential for getting back on track with a little focus, some encouragement, and a few tips from me. However, falling off the trestle bridge into the canyon below, before crashing and burning, is quite another thing! This article is about getting back on track…

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Time Management Tip

Wanna know my #1 time management tip?

By Hazel Thornton | December 28, 2016 |

I love helping my clients spend more of their time doing what they want to, and less of it doing what they have to! I give them lots of time tips (well, I actually coach them through a whole customized program), such as: Identify your priorities, goals, and time wasters. Create an ideal schedule and…

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The Chinese Menu Time Management Technique

By Hazel Thornton | May 15, 2016 |

Are you familiar with the Happy Family Chinese-American restaurant meal? Choose one item from menu Column A, one from Column B… and with six you get egg roll…? Well, that’s how I manage my time. Allow me to explain…

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Clear Your Mind and Get it All Done… Sooner or Later

By Hazel Thornton | May 21, 2013 |

I know how to get stuff done, and I can teach you how, too. I have tools and systems for all the stages of workflow (collect, process, organize, review and do). I have an inbox and project lists which I clear and review weekly. I say no to activities that don’t support my goals and…

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How to Live and Work by Design, not by Default

By Hazel Thornton | January 14, 2013 |

Living and working BY DEFAULT means choosing the easiest path, either by unconsciously resorting to bad habits, or by maintaining the status quo. Sometimes we seek to avoid the conflict that can come with making a change. Sometimes we feel we have no choice in the matter. But I’m with Henry Ford, who said, “Whether you think…

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Does Progress Equal Happiness?

By Hazel Thornton | December 30, 2012 |

Last year I decided I wanted a mantra/slogan/motto/theme. Something that I could fall back on to keep me motivated and — dare I say it? — happy. As a fan of Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project (book and blog), I know that many things can contribute to one’s happiness, from kittens and rainbows and enjoyable…

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It’s About Time

By Hazel Thornton | April 4, 2012 |

I used to tell each of my organizing clients the same thing: “This project, as all projects do, will come down to a Time Management issue. We can make it functional, and make it look pretty, but you will need to devote a bit of time on a regular basis to maintain it. If you…

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