solitude

Why We All Need a Little Solitude

One of my girlfriends has a waterproof notepad and pencil in her shower.  Did you know that such a thing exists?  I didn’t!  It’s genius because we all know that great ideas often strike in the shower.  But have you ever wondered why? Yesterday I was pondering that question…you guessed it, in the shower.  Why …

Time boxing

Using Timeboxing to Reduce Decision Fatigue

As I’ve been pondering decision fatigue lately, I’ve also been reading about what others are doing to reduce its effect on them.  One concept that has been intriguing to me is timeboxing. Timeboxing is simply limiting an activity to a set period of time. For example, you might set a timer for processing emails and …

Do you have Decision Fatigue?

Do You Have Decision Fatigue?

Does Decision Fatigue Affect You? What is that project or task you are avoiding and putting off? Come on, don’t tell me you don’t have one. We all do. Think about it. What is the item that keeps getting bumped from one list to the next? What thing do you walk by and wish you …

Local Food

Do You Want to Eat More Local Food?

The average food item on a U.S. grocery shelf has traveled farther than most families go on their annual vacations. – Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral Why Eat Local Food? Why would anyone choose to buy meat and produce from local farmers instead of from the grocery store? Why do some people spend time in …

negative bias

Learning to Look Beyond the Weeds

Weeds, Weeds, and More Weeds This time of year, crabgrass, clover, dandelions, and sorrel are everywhere I look. The weeds taunt me and whisper threats. It feels as though if I don’t remove them, they will take over that flowerbed, the entire yard, the farm, and maybe my life. I will never get rid of …

hero in the kitchen

Be the Hero in the Kitchen

When you’re washing, peeling, and chopping vegetables, do you feel like a hero? When you drive past that fast food restaurant, despite the protests from the backseat, toward home and leftovers in the fridge, do you feel like Wonder Woman? Neither do I. But maybe we should. You’ve heard it said that the hand that …

Prune your life

How to Prune Your Life

Do you ever wish you could prune your life? Once in a while, wouldn’t it be nice to trim back to what is essential? This morning I bent over 12 tomato plants, pinching off perfectly good, green foliage. I clipped the low-hanging branches of each plant, and then removed the suckers. Afterward, the plants looked …