time for timer!

I have just poured myself a big glass of iced coffee and I am ready to Photoshop. I am setting the timer for 30 minute intervals to alternate with other work, because Photoshopping is one of the biggest time-eater-uppers I know. Before you know it, it is 3 am!

A number of you have been e-mailing me asking, "What's with the timer Elaine?" Upon answering your individual e-mails, it seems that you like my clever time- management device. It seems that you want one too! I am so glad!! Here is a great one that the Jodiverse found today and wants to get: with a tape measure motif yet! I have started somewhat of a timer frenzy, I am happy to say.

Once you read my reasoning behind using the egg-timer, I am sure you will love it too. Here it is. The timer is my quiet co-worker that holds me accountable for completing my tasks when no one is around. I set the timer and say to myself, "OK focus! You must do this yucky task that you hate (like straightening up fabric*), but hey, it is only 15 minutes and then you can be done with it!" Then it becomes like a fun game of Beat-the-Clock. If I focus for certain intervals, then I get the job done. (15' if I am really spazzy, 55' if I am calmer, 30' if I want to alternate between 2 tasks that are equally time consuming so this way I get 2 things done without even feeling the pain) Otherwise, I just sit around dreading doing that thing and not doing it, or having little idea how to prioritize my to-do lists. What can I say, I am deadline-driven.

Another great by-product of using the timer is that I know exactly how long specific tasks take to do. When it comes to pricing jobs, or promising orders, this is great great information to have! What did I tell you, you are hooked right? Use your oven timer until you pick out an egg timer of your own. That works too! And..........TIME! (This blog entry clocked in at 13 minutes, minus the Photoshopping of the photos.)

*I did get the job done this morning. I set the timer for 15' for each giant piece of fabric that needed to be rolled up and put on the shelf. Success! Rolling up fabric is tedious and yucky because I would much rather be making things!