(5735,560,'2019-04-03 07:00:40','2019-04-03 07:00:40','We all need to get things done. There are so many things to do that we often lose track of what they are.  You begin to look over your various lists and get overwhelmed by everything.  You start to think about one thing you need to handle and then another pops up in your head.\r\n\r\nThings start to get lost on your lists, deadlines are missed and you are right back where you started.  Forgetting important things that need to get done and skipping over others.\r\n<h1>Use An AIR Log To Get Things Done</h1>\r\nI recommend you use a master list to keep track of your things you need to do, which I call an AIR Log.  An AIR log is a master list of action items, issue items and risks that help you keep track of everything that needs to be done on a project.  Then you can use a subset of this list \"Daily Priority List\" to segment out top priority items for the day or the week.\r\n\r\nAn AIR Log allows you to get things out of your head and onto a master list.  It frees up your mental space to focus on the tasks that you really need to get done.\r\n<h1>Setup Your AIR Log to Get Things Done</h1>\r\nNow the first thing you need is your spreadsheet app of choice (i.e., excel).  You can always use paper or other tools, but I find having an electronic grid format works best. I\'ll explain further why below.  <strong>[<a href=\"https://pages.convertkit.com/5b78902eef/ed9c814881\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">click here to get your copy of the AIR Log template</a>]</strong>\r\n<h2>Setup Your Main Columns</h2>\r\nIt\'s now time to setup your main columns in your sheet.  I want you to add the columns that make sense for your environment. These, however, are the ones I typically use and ultimately recommend:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Name of the task</span> - A high-level summary of the task.  Something you can glance over and know what it is.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Description of the task</span> - Provides as much detail as needed to complete the task at hand.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Priority of the task</span> - Helps you segment the list based on high, average or low priority (or whatever priority you choose to set)</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Category of the task</span> - Allows you to segment based on the type of task it is.  You identify the type of projects you have going on (i.e., house, personal, website, social media, course, etc.)</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Person Assigned</span> - This is an optional field, but if this is for a team or group of people it is always great to know who is handling the task.  It should be the point person responsible for the overall status, not necessarily who is going to be doing the physical work.  If you are the only person using this list then you could eliminate this column.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Due date</span> - This is task specific and helps you prioritize your work.  It is recommended that you set this for your subset list, but on your AIR log you may not have a due date.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Status</span> - Signifies if your task is done or not.  There are different statuses that can be used, but the most common are not started, in progress, on hold and completed.  If tasks are related to software, you might add an enhancement request, issue status or training status as well.</li>\r\n 	<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Notes/comments</span> - Capture any additional information that is needed.  If you have supplemental information, a link or direction on where to find something that needs to be used to complete the task then enter that information here.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[convertkit form=898352]\r\n<h1>How to Pick Your Subset List</h1>\r\nNow that you have your master list, you can create your own system for picking which tasks will get done.  You can sort or filter by category, due date and/or priority to see what pops up to the top of your list.\r\n\r\nThis is one of the main reasons I recommend putting the list in an electronic spreadsheet. It provides you the ability to sort or filter your list based on what you are working on.  Maybe today you are focused on your personal development.  If you filter your list by that category you can see what all needs to be done and batch your work.\r\n\r\nIt makes your overall selection process easier and really focuses your work.\r\n<h1>How to Use Extra and Small Segments of Time</h1>\r\nFor some, you might finish your subset task list and have additional time to work.  If that\'s the case, you can review your master list and select other things that need to get done.  I also love doing this when I have small pockets of wait time.  By planning ahead you can ensure you have everything you need with you to accomplish tasks while you wait.\r\n\r\nThe way I plan ahead is to look at my list at the beginning of the week or day.  Then, I pick items from my AIR Log that can be completed in small spurts of time.  I also ensure I have the necessary items with me, during the week, to complete each of the items.\r\n\r\nMake sure to pick up your <a href=\"https://pages.convertkit.com/5b78902eef/ed9c814881\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">AIR log template</a>. Also, make sure to share on our <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/thehappinessbucket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook Page</a> how it has helped improve your productivity.','How to Get Things Done Using an AIR Backlog List','','publish','open','open','','get-things-done-backlog','','','2019-07-27 05:15:25','2019-07-27 05:15:25','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5735',0,'post','',0),(5736,1,'2017-09-08 20:46:25','2017-09-08 20:46:25','How many times have you been doing something and realized you needed to do ten more things to get the job done.  Often times when I think about one thing it leads me to think or brainstorm about so many additional things that I need to handle.  We tend to create a massive to do list that then becomes overwhelming, things start to get lost on the list and we are right back to where we started from, forgetting important things that need to get done and skipping over others.\r\n\r\nUse a master list to keep track of things and use a sub list to work on things.\r\n\r\nThe idea is that you should have a master list of things to do (probably what you are working with now) and a sublist or a GTD list (a list of items to get done today).\r\n\r\n[click here to get your copy of our GTD template]\r\n\r\nHere is a breakdown of how to setup and use this list\r\n\r\nI recommend using a spreadsheet app - excel, google docs or __________ are good applications to use to do this.  You can always use paper, but I find having it in electronic form is better and I\'ll explain why below.\r\n\r\nYou want to have some main columns on your sheet:\r\n\r\nName of the task, description of the task, priority of the task, category of the task, assigned person for the task, due date, status, notes/comments\r\n\r\nThe key purpose of the name of the task is to give it a high level summary, something you can glance over and know what it is.\r\n\r\nThe Description of the task should provide as much detail as needed to complete the task at hand.\r\n\r\nPriority of the Task helps you segment the list based on high, average or low priority\r\n\r\nCategory allows you to segment based on the type of task it is (i.e., house, personal, website, social media, weightloss, etc.)\r\n\r\nAssigned Person is an optional field but if this is a master list for a team or a group of people it is always great to know who is handling it or what is supposed to happen with it.  It should be the point person that is responsible for the overall status of the task, not necessarily who is going to do the physical work.  if you are the only person using this list then you could eliminate this column.\r\n\r\nThe due date is a field that you may or may not use, this is task specific but it helps you to prioritize your work.\r\n\r\nStatus tells you whether you are done or not.  I have used various different status, but the most common are not started, in progress, on hold and completed.  If it is a business type of task list you may add an enhancement request, issue status or training status as well.\r\n\r\nNotes/Comments column is to capture any additional information that is needed.  If you have supplimental information, a link or direction on where to find something that needs to be used to complete the task then enter that information here.\r\n\r\n[get your copy of the template here]\r\n\r\nNow that you have your master list built, you can create your own system for picking which tasks will get done.  You can sort by category, due date and priority to see what pops up to the top of your list.  This is one of the main reasons I recommend putting the list in a spreadsheet electronic form because it provides you the ability to sort your list based on what you are working on.  Maybe you want to pick three things to tackle from your self, personal and business categories.  Well this will make your selection process easier.\r\n\r\nAs you finish tasks and have more time you can sort your list and fill it up with other things that need to get done.\r\n\r\nThis is great for when you have pockets of time and need to accomplish specific things, you can pick things from your list that can be completed in small spurts and make sure they are with you during the week, so when you are sitting in the waiting room at your doctors office or at the ball field waiting on your child you can pull it out and knock it out.\r\n\r\nI hope this has been helpful and will prove to help you be more successful in your tasklist completion process.\r\n\r\nI\'d love to hear if you are going to try to implement this in your life.','How to Organize Your Year Using a Backlog List','','inherit','closed','closed','','5735-revision-v1','','','2017-09-08 20:46:25','2017-09-08 20:46:25','',5735,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5735-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5737,1,'2017-09-08 20:47:05','2017-09-08 20:47:05','How many times have you been doing something and realized you needed to do ten more things to get the job done.  Often times when I think about one thing it leads me to think or brainstorm about so many additional things that I need to handle.  We tend to create a massive to do list that then becomes overwhelming, things start to get lost on the list and we are right back to where we started from, forgetting important things that need to get done and skipping over others.\r\n\r\nUse a master list to keep track of things and use a sub list to work on things.\r\n\r\nThe idea is that you should have a master list of things to do (probably what you are working with now) and a sublist or a GTD list (a list of items to get done today).\r\n\r\n[click here to get your copy of our GTD template]\r\n\r\nHere is a breakdown of how to setup and use this list\r\n\r\nI recommend using a spreadsheet app - excel, google docs or __________ are good applications to use to do this.  You can always use paper, but I find having it in electronic form is better and I\'ll explain why below.\r\n\r\nYou want to have some main columns on your sheet:\r\n\r\nName of the task, description of the task, priority of the task, category of the task, assigned person for the task, due date, status, notes/comments\r\n\r\nThe key purpose of the name of the task is to give it a high level summary, something you can glance over and know what it is.\r\n\r\nThe Description of the task should provide as much detail as needed to complete the task at hand.\r\n\r\nPriority of the Task helps you segment the list based on high, average or low priority\r\n\r\nCategory allows you to segment based on the type of task it is (i.e., house, personal, website, social media, weightloss, etc.)\r\n\r\nAssigned Person is an optional field but if this is a master list for a team or a group of people it is always great to know who is handling it or what is supposed to happen with it.  It should be the point person that is responsible for the overall status of the task, not necessarily who is going to do the physical work.  if you are the only person using this list then you could eliminate this column.\r\n\r\nThe due date is a field that you may or may not use, this is task specific but it helps you to prioritize your work.\r\n\r\nStatus tells you whether you are done or not.  I have used various different status, but the most common are not started, in progress, on hold and completed.  If it is a business type of task list you may add an enhancement request, issue status or training status as well.\r\n\r\nNotes/Comments column is to capture any additional information that is needed.  If you have supplimental information, a link or direction on where to find something that needs to be used to complete the task then enter that information here.\r\n\r\n[get your copy of the template here]\r\n\r\nNow that you have your master list built, you can create your own system for picking which tasks will get done.  You can sort by category, due date and priority to see what pops up to the top of your list.  This is one of the main reasons I recommend putting the list in a spreadsheet electronic form because it provides you the ability to sort your list based on what you are working on.  Maybe you want to pick three things to tackle from your self, personal and business categories.  Well this will make your selection process easier.\r\n\r\nAs you finish tasks and have more time you can sort your list and fill it up with other things that need to get done.\r\n\r\nThis is great for when you have pockets of time and need to accomplish specific things, you can pick things from your list that can be completed in small spurts and make sure they are with you during the week, so when you are sitting in the waiting room at your doctors office or at the ball field waiting on your child you can pull it out and knock it out.\r\n\r\nI hope this has been helpful and will prove to help you be more successful in your tasklist completion process.\r\n\r\nI\'d love to hear if you are going to try to implement this in your life.','How to Get Things Done Using a Backlog List','','inherit','closed','closed','','5735-revision-v1','','','2017-09-08 20:47:05','2017-09-08 20:47:05','',5735,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5735-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5738,1,'2017-09-08 20:49:40','2017-09-08 20:49:40','We all need to get things done in our daily lives, but often times there are so many things to do that we begin to lose track or we get so much on our to do list that we get overwhelmed.\r\n\r\nHow many times have you been doing something and realized you needed to do ten more things to get the job done.  Often times when I think about one thing it leads me to think or brainstorm about so many additional things that I need to handle.  We tend to create a massive to do list that then becomes overwhelming, things start to get lost on the list and we are right back to where we started from, forgetting important things that need to get done and skipping over others.\r\n\r\nUse a master list to keep track of things and use a sub list to work on things.\r\n\r\nThe idea is that you should have a master list of things to do (probably what you are working with now) and a sublist or a GTD list (a list of items to get done today).\r\n\r\n[click here to get your copy of our GTD template]\r\n\r\nHere is a breakdown of how to setup and use this list\r\n\r\nI recommend using a spreadsheet app - excel, google docs or __________ are good applications to use to do this.  You can always use paper, but I find having it in electronic form is better and I\'ll explain why below.\r\n\r\nYou want to have some main columns on your sheet:\r\n\r\nName of the task, description of the task, priority of the task, category of the task, assigned person for the task, due date, status, notes/comments\r\n\r\nThe key purpose of the name of the task is to give it a high level summary, something you can glance over and know what it is.\r\n\r\nThe Description of the task should provide as much detail as needed to complete the task at hand.\r\n\r\nPriority of the Task helps you segment the list based on high, average or low priority\r\n\r\nCategory allows you to segment based on the type of task it is (i.e., house, personal, website, social media, weightloss, etc.)\r\n\r\nAssigned Person is an optional field but if this is a master list for a team or a group of people it is always great to know who is handling it or what is supposed to happen with it.  It should be the point person that is responsible for the overall status of the task, not necessarily who is going to do the physical work.  if you are the only person using this list then you could eliminate this column.\r\n\r\nThe due date is a field that you may or may not use, this is task specific but it helps you to prioritize your work.\r\n\r\nStatus tells you whether you are done or not.  I have used various different status, but the most common are not started, in progress, on hold and completed.  If it is a business type of task list you may add an enhancement request, issue status or training status as well.\r\n\r\nNotes/Comments column is to capture any additional information that is needed.  If you have supplimental information, a link or direction on where to find something that needs to be used to complete the task then enter that information here.\r\n\r\n[get your copy of the template here]\r\n\r\nNow that you have your master list built, you can create your own system for picking which tasks will get done.  You can sort by category, due date and priority to see what pops up to the top of your list.  This is one of the main reasons I recommend putting the list in a spreadsheet electronic form because it provides you the ability to sort your list based on what you are working on.  Maybe you want to pick three things to tackle from your self, personal and business categories.  Well this will make your selection process easier.\r\n\r\nAs you finish tasks and have more time you can sort your list and fill it up with other things that need to get done.\r\n\r\nThis is great for when you have pockets of time and need to accomplish specific things, you can pick things from your list that can be completed in small spurts and make sure they are with you during the week, so when you are sitting in the waiting room at your doctors office or at the ball field waiting on your child you can pull it out and knock it out.\r\n\r\nI hope this has been helpful and will prove to help you be more successful in your tasklist completion process.\r\n\r\nI\'d love to hear if you are going to try to implement this in your life.','How to Get Things Done Using a Backlog List','','inherit','closed','closed','','5735-revision-v1','','','2017-09-08 20:49:40','2017-09-08 20:49:40','',5735,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5735-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (5739,1,'2017-09-08 21:47:15','2017-09-08 21:47:15','Many of you probably didn\'t know but I was actually a customer service representative for the Internal Revenue Service back in the day.  It was a great experience and made me realize the mistakes that people make on a regular basis as it relates to their personal income tax.  I decided it would be good for me to share some of the most common issues I used to and still do see (almost twenty years later), to help you avoid them.\r\n\r\nNow I know that many of you get anxious and itching to file your taxes in January, because that is like an instant payday to you.  I mean I totally get it, but seriously people CALM DOWN!!!!  I promise you taking a little time and ensuring you have crossed the T\'s and dotted the I\'s can save you not only time but money and frustration.  Ok now before I provide you with these tips I want to put out a disclaimer:  I am not a tax professional.  I am providing you information based on my own experiences as a CSR for those filing personal tax returns.  and want you to use your own judgement as to whether or not you should take it or not.\r\n\r\nAlright, now that that\'s out of the way, lets get to it!\r\n<h2>1.  Don\'t File Too Fast</h2>\r\nMany of you only worked at one place, so you get your W2 and you want to go ahead and file.  I say, \"whoaaaaaa nelly\"!!!  Do you really have all the documents you need to file?  You need to really think about what assets/liabilities you have and ensure you properly account for them in all the places on your tax form.  You\'d hate to receive your refund and then have to pay back money or amend your return because you omitted something in error.  By law, all tax documents should be postmarked by Jan 31st...so at least wait until Feb 5th. to ensure you have what you need.\r\n<h2>2.  Avoid Anticipation Loans</h2>\r\nNow, I don\'t want any of these companies trying to sue me for telling the truth here.  The truth is that by going to these places you are essentially taking out a loan on your own money!  Did you know by filing electronically you can get your money in as quick as 7 days?!?!  Why pay someone to do the same thing that you can do for free?  Just go directly to the source, file your taxes electronically...provide them with an account number and they will deposit your money into it directly.  If you want to <a href=\"https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get the status of your refund</a>, you can go to the IRS website directly.\r\n<h2>3.  Mind Who You Claim</h2>\r\nIf you have a person that may be claimable by someone else you need to ensure you can claim them before you put them on your taxes.  Just because they live with you during the year does not mean you can claim them.  It\'s based on five tests:  Relationship, age, residency, support and joint return and the answers aren\'t necessarily what you may think.  Divorce decrees and/or written declarations can also change the rules.  Chapter 3 of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17</a> details this out.  If all else fails <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">call and ask</a> a CSR, but be honest in your responses so they can give you the real answer.  Claiming someone on your taxes that someone else should claim will only delay your refund or cause you to owe money back.\r\n<h2>4.  Get Help Preparing Your Taxes</h2>\r\nFor those who make $54,000 or less you can receive free help at a <a href=\"http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VITA site</a>.  Those over the age of 60 can participate in the Tax Counseling for the elderly program and there are some things for a few other specific groups as well.  For everyone else don\'t be afraid to call 1-800-829-1040, the IRS help line, to get assistance.  Also, use <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17 </a>to assist you in preparing your taxes.\r\n<h2>5.  Use Free Online Filing Options</h2>\r\nYou should use the <a title=\"E-File Through IRS\" href=\"https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Free File links</a> to identify all available offers.  Many \"other\" sites have tricky extras that end up costing you when using their links.  Make sure you read and understand (especially the fine print) before clicking the button of sites outside of the list the IRS provides.\r\n<h2>6.  Appropriately Apply Deductions and Credits</h2>\r\nThere are many deductions and credits out there that people miss because they don\'t educate themselves.  The online filing sites ask questions that help determine whether you are or aren\'t eligible for specific deductions and credits.  If you are using a preparer and the deduction or credit seems too good to be true, always ask for a detailed explanation of how they came up with it or what makes you eligible.  Every deduction and credit has an <a href=\"https://taxmap.ntis.gov/taxmap/pubs/pubtoc.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication</a> associated with it.  It doesn\'t take an extremely long time to review them...empower yourself!\r\n<h2>7.  Get a Copy of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17</a></h2>\r\nIt explains most of the scenarios you will need to have covered.  If when reading it refers to another publication, just get it or download it from the website, they are all there.  This is a great place to start when researching changes in the tax code each year too.\r\n<h2>8.  Keep Good Records</h2>\r\nYou always want to make sure you have records of anything you plan on claiming...or have a way of proving it if you are ever audited.  Most people have a general idea of what those things are so start keeping a running file of those items be that electronic or physical.  If you know you will have a lot of receipts, have a way of categorizing them to make it easier come tax time.  If filing a F1040, make sure you keep a charitable donation and gift log as well.  In some cases the standard deduction was more beneficial for me, but you never know until you crunch the numbers...so plan for it just in case.\r\n<h2>9.  Know Tax Year Changes</h2>\r\nWe all experience life happenings, some of the biggest ones are caused by natural disasters, job loss, home loss and other national happenings.  Along with these changes comes changes to the tax rules, some good and some bad.  Please educate yourselves so you don\'t miss out or make a mistake when it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/Credits-&amp;-Deductions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">credits and deductions</a>.  Don\'t let this one scare you, you have the ability to do this on your own.  Again, most of the information you need to know is covered in Publication 17.  Just be aware so you can ensure there isn\'t a credit, deduction or additional tax that you didn\'t have to pay in years past (marriage/divorce, birth/death, new home, etc.)\r\n<h2>10.  Don\'t Miss the Deadline</h2>\r\nWhatever you do, do not miss the April 15th deadline if you owe!  File an extension, but don\'t just try to ignore it as though it\'s going to go away because it is not.  In fact, all that\'s going to happen is interest and penalties will continue to add up (these are calculated daily!).   If it is just a matter of you don\'t have the money, it\'s okay!!!  Just call and tell them you want to make an arrangement to pay.  They will set you up on a payment plan that works for your budget...no matter the amount.  I actually had to do this myself the year I was categorized as an Independent Contractor and didn\'t realize I had to pay my own taxes (I was young).  I owed $20,000 and went into a mass panic when I received the letter from the IRS.  I was able to make arrangements and pay it off.  It took me about 10 or so years, but I did it...and you can too.\r\n<h1>A Few Bonus Tax Tips</h1>\r\nOk, so after writing #10 above, I felt obligated to add a couple of bonus tips for you small business owners...\r\n<h2>Bonus 1:  Know Small Business Requirements</h2>\r\nMake sure you know what taxes you owe, both for your Federal and State taxes.  As a person who experienced the stress of owing the Government, you want to make sure you know and understand your requirements as a business owner, especially all of you who are independent contractors.  If you don\'t pay quarterly taxes you need to ensure you are taking the appropriate taxes out of the money you make from every sell.  If not, you risk getting shocked at the end of the year.\r\n<h2>Bonus 2:  Business Tax and Sale Log</h2>\r\nNow for some small businesses you haven\'t made enough sells to justify purchasing an accounting software for your business.  There are mixed feelings about this, but I say do what is best for your business.  If you are diligent about keeping track of what is going in and out of your business, you can do it by hand without a problem.  Of course the more successful you are, the more complicated your in-take and out-take procedures and processes are the riskier and more difficult it becomes.\r\n<h2>Bonus 3:  Know What You Are Filing</h2>\r\nEven if you have your taxes prepared by someone else, you should always have a clear understanding and approve of what is being filed on your behalf.  You are ultimately responsible, whether someone else made the decision to do it or not.  By signing the last line on your physical and electronic return, you are certifying that you are taking the responsibility for everything on the document, so take it seriously.  Don\'t let someone rush you through the explanation of your taxes. If you are paying them, you are paying for their time...so use it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hope you found these tips helpful!  Please let me know if you do by liking this post and/or commenting below, I\'d love your feedback.','10 Mistakes to Avoid When Filing Taxes','','inherit','closed','closed','','145-revision-v1','','','2017-09-08 21:47:15','2017-09-08 21:47:15','',145,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/145-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5740,1,'2017-09-08 21:53:44','2017-09-08 21:53:44','','Tax Tips','','inherit','open','closed','','tax-tips','','','2017-09-08 21:54:00','2017-09-08 21:54:00','',145,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Tax-Tips.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5741,1,'2017-09-08 22:03:41','2017-09-08 22:03:41','Many of you probably didn\'t know but I was actually a customer service representative for the Internal Revenue Service back in the day.  It was a great experience and made me realize the mistakes that people make on a regular basis as it relates to their personal income tax.  I decided it would be good for me to share some of the most common issues I used to and still do see (almost twenty years later), to help you avoid them.\r\n\r\nNow I know that many of you get anxious and itching to file your taxes in January, because that is like an instant payday to you.  I mean I totally get it, but seriously people CALM DOWN!!!!  I promise you taking a little time and ensuring you have crossed the T\'s and dotted the I\'s can save you not only time but money and frustration.  Ok now before I provide you with these tips I want to put out a disclaimer:  I am not a tax professional.  I am providing you information based on my own experiences as a CSR for those filing personal tax returns.  and want you to use your own judgement as to whether or not you should take it or not.\r\n\r\nAlright, now that that\'s out of the way, lets get to it:\r\n<h2>1.  Don\'t File Too Fast</h2>\r\nMany of you only worked at one place, so you get your W2 and you want to go ahead and file.  I say, \"whoaaaaaa nelly\"!!!  Do you really have all the documents you need to file?  You need to really think about what assets/liabilities you have and ensure you properly account for them in all the places on your tax form.  You\'d hate to receive your refund and then have to pay back money or amend your return because you omitted something in error.  By law, all tax documents should be postmarked by Jan 31st...so at least wait until Feb 5th. to ensure you have what you need.\r\n<h2>2.  Avoid Anticipation Loans</h2>\r\nNow, I don\'t want any of these companies trying to sue me for telling the truth here.  The truth is that by going to these places you are essentially taking out a loan on your own money!  Did you know by filing electronically you can get your money in as quick as 7 days?!?!  Why pay someone to do the same thing that you can do for free?  Just go directly to the source, file your taxes electronically...provide them with an account number and they will deposit your money into it directly.  If you want to <a href=\"https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get the status of your refund</a>, you can go to the IRS website directly.\r\n<h2>3.  Mind Who You Claim</h2>\r\nIf you have a person that may be claimable by someone else you need to ensure you can claim them before you put them on your taxes.  Just because they live with you during the year does not mean you can claim them.  It\'s based on five tests:  Relationship, age, residency, support and joint return and the answers aren\'t necessarily what you may think.  Divorce decrees and/or written declarations can also change the rules.  Chapter 3 of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17</a> details this out.  If all else fails <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">call and ask</a> a CSR, but be honest in your responses so they can give you the real answer.  Claiming someone on your taxes that someone else should claim will only delay your refund or cause you to owe money back.\r\n<h2>4.  Get Help Preparing Your Taxes</h2>\r\nFor those who make $54,000 or less you can receive free help at a <a href=\"http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VITA site</a>.  Those over the age of 60 can participate in the Tax Counseling for the elderly program and there are some things for a few other specific groups as well.  For everyone else don\'t be afraid to call 1-800-829-1040, the IRS help line, to get assistance.  Also, use <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17 </a>to assist you in preparing your taxes.\r\n<h2>5.  Use Free Online Filing Options</h2>\r\nYou should use the <a title=\"E-File Through IRS\" href=\"https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Free File links</a> to identify all available offers.  Many \"other\" sites have tricky extras that end up costing you when using their links.  Make sure you read and understand (especially the fine print) before clicking the button of sites outside of the list the IRS provides.\r\n<h2>6.  Appropriately Apply Deductions and Credits</h2>\r\nThere are many deductions and credits out there that people miss because they don\'t educate themselves.  The online filing sites ask questions that help determine whether you are or aren\'t eligible for specific deductions and credits.  If you are using a preparer and the deduction or credit seems too good to be true, always ask for a detailed explanation of how they came up with it or what makes you eligible.  Every deduction and credit has an <a href=\"https://taxmap.ntis.gov/taxmap/pubs/pubtoc.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication</a> associated with it.  It doesn\'t take an extremely long time to review them...empower yourself!\r\n<h2>7.  Get a Copy of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17</a></h2>\r\nIt explains most of the scenarios you will need to have covered.  If when reading it refers to another publication, just get it or download it from the website, they are all there.  This is a great place to start when researching changes in the tax code each year too.\r\n<h2>8.  Keep Good Records</h2>\r\nYou always want to make sure you have records of anything you plan on claiming...or have a way of proving it if you are ever audited.  Most people have a general idea of what those things are so start keeping a running file of those items be that electronic or physical.  If you know you will have a lot of receipts, have a way of categorizing them to make it easier come tax time.  If filing a F1040, make sure you keep a charitable donation and gift log as well.  In some cases the standard deduction was more beneficial for me, but you never know until you crunch the numbers...so plan for it just in case.\r\n<h2>9.  Know Tax Year Changes</h2>\r\nWe all experience life happenings, some of the biggest ones are caused by natural disasters, job loss, home loss and other national happenings.  Along with these changes comes changes to the tax rules, some good and some bad.  Please educate yourselves so you don\'t miss out or make a mistake when it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/Credits-&amp;-Deductions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">credits and deductions</a>.  Don\'t let this one scare you, you have the ability to do this on your own.  Again, most of the information you need to know is covered in Publication 17.  Just be aware so you can ensure there isn\'t a credit, deduction or additional tax that you didn\'t have to pay in years past (marriage/divorce, birth/death, new home, etc.)\r\n<h2>10.  Don\'t Miss the Deadline</h2>\r\nWhatever you do, do not miss the April 15th deadline if you owe!  File an extension, but don\'t just try to ignore it as though it\'s going to go away because it is not.  In fact, all that\'s going to happen is interest and penalties will continue to add up (these are calculated daily!).   If it is just a matter of you don\'t have the money, it\'s okay!!!  Just call and tell them you want to make an arrangement to pay.  They will set you up on a payment plan that works for your budget...no matter the amount.  I actually had to do this myself the year I was categorized as an Independent Contractor and didn\'t realize I had to pay my own taxes (I was young).  I owed $20,000 and went into a mass panic when I received the letter from the IRS.  I was able to make arrangements and pay it off.  It took me about 10 or so years, but I did it...and you can too.\r\n<h1>A Few Bonus Tax Tips</h1>\r\nOk, so after writing #10 above, I felt obligated to add a couple of bonus tips for you small business owners...\r\n<h2>Bonus 1:  Know Small Business Requirements</h2>\r\nMake sure you know what taxes you owe, both for your Federal and State taxes.  As a person who experienced the stress of owing the Government, you want to make sure you know and understand your requirements as a business owner, especially all of you who are independent contractors.  If you don\'t pay quarterly taxes you need to ensure you are taking the appropriate taxes out of the money you make from every sell.  If not, you risk getting shocked at the end of the year.\r\n<h2>Bonus 2:  Business Tax and Sale Log</h2>\r\nNow for some small businesses you haven\'t made enough sells to justify purchasing an accounting software for your business.  There are mixed feelings about this, but I say do what is best for your business.  If you are diligent about keeping track of what is going in and out of your business, you can do it by hand without a problem.  Of course the more successful you are, the more complicated your in-take and out-take procedures and processes are the riskier and more difficult it becomes.\r\n<h2>Bonus 3:  Know What You Are Filing</h2>\r\nEven if you have your taxes prepared by someone else, you should always have a clear understanding and approve of what is being filed on your behalf.  You are ultimately responsible, whether someone else made the decision to do it or not.  By signing the last line on your physical and electronic return, you are certifying that you are taking the responsibility for everything on the document, so take it seriously.  Don\'t let someone rush you through the explanation of your taxes. If you are paying them, you are paying for their time...so use it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hope you found these tips helpful!  Please let me know if you do by liking this post and/or commenting below, I\'d love your feedback.','Organize your Tax Filing Process with these 10 Tax Filing Tips','','inherit','closed','closed','','145-revision-v1','','','2017-09-08 22:03:41','2017-09-08 22:03:41','',145,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/145-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5743,1,'2017-09-09 03:22:30','2017-09-09 03:22:30','','Reactive-Proactive','','inherit','open','closed','','reactive-proactive','','','2017-09-09 03:22:56','2017-09-09 03:22:56','',5236,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Reactive-Proactive.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5744,1,'2017-09-09 03:23:20','2017-09-09 03:23:20','<h1>Business Process Tips</h1>\r\nToday we are making a deposit in our business bucket, because I\'m seeing something that needs to be addressed.  As moms and small business owners, we are often juggling many things at the same time and one of those things is our business. In observing small businesses around the area and on online, I have found that many are missing some basic business processes.  Now, I know many of us learn on the job, myself included...but there are a few business processes that are important for you to get right out of the gate.\r\n\r\nNow, don\'t fret if you find that you need to resolve a number of these areas in your business. Business processes aren\'t necessarily a small business owner\'s specialty, your craft is...but don\'t worry because it is my specialty and I\'m gonna help you through it all. By making a few of these small changes in your processes, you can turn from being a reactive business to a proactive one and drive potential customers to your product or service, instead of to your competitors.\r\n\r\nSo lets get into these business process tips:\r\n<h2>Anticipate Your Customer\'s Needs</h2>\r\nWhen you are creating processes in your business, you should do so by anticipating your customer\'s needs.  This enables you to prepare to answer their questions and deliver the supporting items to help meet their needs.  By taking this small step, it makes your customers feel understood, supported and safe doing business with you.\r\n<h2>Create Business Policies</h2>\r\nMany customers want to know their risk level upfront before they commit to doing business with you.  Think about the things you want to put into place to protect not only your business, but your customers too.  A few of the common policies you need to have in place are:  refund/return/cancellation policy, payment policy, travel policy, etc.  Think about the things you would want to know about a company if you were the customer and ensure you have those same policies and guidelines in place.\r\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5743\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Reactive-Proactive-200x300.png\" alt=\"Reactive vs. Proactive Business Processes\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nAnother area where you can anticipate need is by having a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list.  You can easily build this list from the questions people regularly ask you.  You can choose where you provide access to this information, it may be once a person shows interest in your service/product that you provide it then, or you may just list it on your website for easy access.  I find this usually depends on your industry and whether or not you provide a service or a product.  I personally don\'t think there is a right or wrong answer, just do what works best for you and makes you and your customer feel comfortable.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Identify Customer Requirements</h2>\r\nPlace yourself in the position of your customer and try to think through the expectation or requirements they may have for your service or product.  For example, a landscaper needs a customer to make specific decisions or provide specific information.  This information will help you complete the job as expected by the customer.  For example, how low do you want the grass cut, are there restrictions in your neighborhood, how often should you come, etc.  By obtaining this information ahead of time, it sets the expectations and the requirements for the job.  Creating customer information forms or questionnaires can help identify and capture these requirements from the customer.\r\n<h2>Quality Assurance</h2>\r\nThis is an area that is often missed.  Testing and looking for quality within your product or service is critical for retaining clients.  You should test your processes in both a controlled and uncontrolled environment.  Walk through your processes as though you are your ideal customer, to ensure you have thought through all the possible scenarios (or the top three) that could come up.   Once you feel comfortable with your processes, have someone else walk through it without your assistance to see if they notice anything that isn\'t right or to see if they have any questions about the process.\r\n\r\nI hope you have found this information helpful.  Feel free to watch the video below, which covers this information in a little more detail.  If you feel you need a little more guidance in reviewing your business processes, I encourage you to <a href=\"mailto: dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">connect with me to set up your business consultation.</a>\r\n\r\n[embed]https://youtu.be/yfPE2XG7wFM[/embed]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Be More Proactive with Defined Business Processes','','inherit','closed','closed','','5236-revision-v1','','','2017-09-09 03:23:20','2017-09-09 03:23:20','',5236,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5236-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5745,1,'2017-09-09 03:24:35','2017-09-09 03:24:35','<h1>Business Process Tips</h1>\r\nToday we are making a deposit in our business bucket, because I\'m seeing something that needs to be addressed.  As moms and small business owners, we are often juggling many things at the same time and one of those things is our business. In observing small businesses around the area and on online, I have found that many are missing some basic business processes.  Now, I know many of us learn on the job, myself included...but there are a few business processes that are important for you to get right out of the gate.\r\n\r\nNow, don\'t fret if you find that you need to resolve a number of these areas in your business. Business processes aren\'t necessarily a small business owner\'s specialty, your craft is...but don\'t worry because it is my specialty and I\'m gonna help you through it all. By making a few of these small changes in your processes, you can turn from being a reactive business to a proactive one and drive potential customers to your product or service, instead of to your competitors.\r\n\r\nSo lets get into these business process tips:\r\n<h2>Anticipate Your Customer\'s Needs</h2>\r\nWhen you are creating processes in your business, you should do so by anticipating your customer\'s needs.  This enables you to prepare to answer their questions and deliver the supporting items to help meet their needs.  By taking this small step, it makes your customers feel understood, supported and safe doing business with you.\r\n<h2>Create Business Policies</h2>\r\nMany customers want to know their risk level upfront before they commit to doing business with you.  Think about the things you want to put into place to protect not only your business, but your customers too.  A few of the common policies you need to have in place are:  refund/return/cancellation policy, payment policy, travel policy, etc.  Think about the things you would want to know about a company if you were the customer and ensure you have those same policies and guidelines in place.\r\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5743 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Reactive-Proactive-200x300.png\" alt=\"Reactive vs. Proactive Business Processes\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nAnother area where you can anticipate need is by having a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list.  You can easily build this list from the questions people regularly ask you.  You can choose where you provide access to this information, it may be once a person shows interest in your service/product that you provide it then, or you may just list it on your website for easy access.  I find thi\r\n\r\ns usually depends on your industry and whether or not you provide a service or a product.  I personally don\'t think there is a right or wrong answer, just do what works best for you and makes you and your customer feel comfortable.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Identify Customer Requirements</h2>\r\nPlace yourself in the position of your customer and try to think through the expectation or requirements they may have for your service or product.  For example, a landscaper needs a customer to make specific decisions or provide specific information.  This information will help you complete the job as expected by the customer.  For example, how low do you want the grass cut, are there restrictions in your neighborhood, how often should you come, etc.  By obtaining this information ahead of time, it sets the expectations and the requirements for the job.  Creating customer information forms or questionnaires can help identify and capture these requirements from the customer.\r\n<h2>Quality Assurance</h2>\r\nThis is an area that is often missed.  Testing and looking for quality within your product or service is critical for retaining clients.  You should test your processes in both a controlled and uncontrolled environment.  Walk through your processes as though you are your ideal customer, to ensure you have thought through all the possible scenarios (or the top three) that could come up.   Once you feel comfortable with your processes, have someone else walk through it without your assistance to see if they notice anything that isn\'t right or to see if they have any questions about the process.\r\n\r\nI hope you have found this information helpful.  Feel free to watch the video below, which covers this information in a little more detail.  If you feel you need a little more guidance in reviewing your business processes, I encourage you to <a href=\"mailto: dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">connect with me to set up your business consultation.</a>\r\n\r\n[embed]https://youtu.be/yfPE2XG7wFM[/embed]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Be More Proactive with Defined Business Processes','','inherit','closed','closed','','5236-revision-v1','','','2017-09-09 03:24:35','2017-09-09 03:24:35','',5236,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5236-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5750,1,'2017-09-09 03:30:13','2017-09-09 03:30:13','<h1>Business Process Tips</h1>\r\nToday we are making a deposit in our business bucket, because I\'m seeing something that needs to be addressed.  As moms and small business owners, we are often juggling many things at the same time and one of those things is our business. In observing small businesses around the area and on online, I have found that many are missing some basic business processes.  Now, I know many of us learn on the job, myself included...but there are a few business processes that are important for you to get right out of the gate.\r\n\r\nNow, don\'t fret if you find that you need to resolve a number of these areas in your business. Business processes aren\'t necessarily a small business owner\'s specialty, your craft is...but don\'t worry because it is my specialty and I\'m gonna help you through it all. By making a few of these small changes in your processes, you can turn from being a reactive business to a proactive one and drive potential customers to your product or service, instead of to your competitors.\r\n\r\nSo lets get into these business process tips:\r\n<h2>Anticipate Your Customer\'s Needs</h2>\r\nWhen you are creating processes in your business, you should do so by anticipating your customer\'s needs.  This enables you to prepare to answer their questions and deliver the supporting items to help meet their needs.  By taking this small step, it makes your customers feel understood, supported and safe doing business with you.\r\n<h2>Create Business Policies</h2>\r\nMany customers want to know their risk level upfront before they commit to doing business with you.  Think about the things you want to put into place to protect not only your business, but your customers too.  A few of the common policies you need to have in place are:  refund/return/cancellation policy, payment policy, travel policy, etc.  Think about the things you would want to know about a company if you were the customer and ensure you have those same policies and guidelines in place.\r\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5743 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Reactive-Proactive-200x300.png\" alt=\"Reactive vs. Proactive Business Processes\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nAnother area where you can anticipate need is by having a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list.  You can easily build this list from the questions people regularly ask you.  You can choose where you provide access to this information, it may be once a person shows interest in your service/product that you provide it then, or you may just list it on your website for easy access.  I find this usually depends on your industry and whether or not you provide a service or a product.  I personally don\'t think there is a right or wrong answer, just do what works best for you and makes you and your customer feel comfortable.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>Identify Customer Requirements</h2>\r\nPlace yourself in the position of your customer and try to think through the expectation or requirements they may have for your service or product.  For example, a landscaper needs a customer to make specific decisions or provide specific information.  This information will help you complete the job as expected by the customer.  For example, how low do you want the grass cut, are there restrictions in your neighborhood, how often should you come, etc.  By obtaining this information ahead of time, it sets the expectations and the requirements for the job.  Creating customer information forms or questionnaires can help identify and capture these requirements from the customer.\r\n<h2>Quality Assurance</h2>\r\nThis is an area that is often missed.  Testing and looking for quality within your product or service is critical for retaining clients.  You should test your processes in both a controlled and uncontrolled environment.  Walk through your processes as though you are your ideal customer, to ensure you have thought through all the possible scenarios (or the top three) that could come up.   Once you feel comfortable with your processes, have someone else walk through it without your assistance to see if they notice anything that isn\'t right or to see if they have any questions about the process.\r\n\r\nI hope you have found this information helpful.  Feel free to watch the video below, which covers this information in a little more detail.  If you feel you need a little more guidance in reviewing your business processes, I encourage you to <a href=\"mailto: dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">connect with me to set up your business consultation.</a> or consider purchasing my <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business process leaks ebook</a>.\r\n\r\n[embed]https://youtu.be/yfPE2XG7wFM[/embed]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Be More Proactive with Defined Business Processes','','inherit','closed','closed','','5236-revision-v1','','','2017-09-09 03:30:13','2017-09-09 03:30:13','',5236,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5236-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5751,1,'2017-09-09 03:35:31','2017-09-09 03:35:31','','tax filing','','inherit','open','closed','','tax-filing','','','2017-09-09 03:36:18','2017-09-09 03:36:18','',145,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tax-filing.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5753,1,'2017-09-09 03:39:17','2017-09-09 03:39:17','Many of you probably didn\'t know but I was actually a customer service representative for the Internal Revenue Service back in the day.  It was a great experience and made me realize the mistakes that people make on a regular basis as it relates to their personal income tax.  I decided it would be good for me to share some of the most common issues I used to and still do see (almost twenty years later), to help you avoid them.\r\n\r\nNow I know that many of you get anxious and itching to file your taxes in January, because that is like an instant payday to you.  I mean I totally get it, but seriously people CALM DOWN!!!!  I promise you taking a little time and ensuring you have crossed the T\'s and dotted the I\'s can save you not only time but money and frustration.  Ok now before I provide you with these tips I want to put out a disclaimer:  I am not a tax professional.  I am providing you information based on my own experiences as a CSR for those filing personal tax returns.  and want you to use your own judgement as to whether or not you should take it or not.\r\n\r\nAlright, now that that\'s out of the way, lets get to it:\r\n<h2>1.  Don\'t File Too Fast</h2>\r\nMany of you only worked at one place, so you get your W2 and you want to go ahead and file.  I say, \"whoaaaaaa nelly\"!!!  Do you really have all the documents you need to file?  You need to really think about what assets/liabilities you have and ensure you properly account for them in all the places on your tax form.  You\'d hate to receive your refund and then have to pay back money or amend your return because you omitted something in error.  By law, all tax documents should be postmarked by Jan 31st...so at least wait until Feb 5th. to ensure you have what you need.\r\n<h2>2.  Avoid Anticipation Loans</h2>\r\nNow, I don\'t want any of these companies trying to sue me for telling the truth here.  The truth is that by going to these places you are essentially taking out a loan on your own money!  Did you know by filing electronically you can get your money in as quick as 7 days?!?!  Why pay someone to do the same thing that you can do for free?  Just go directly to the source, file your taxes electronically...provide them with an account number and they will deposit your money into it directly.  If you want to <a href=\"https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">get the status of your refund</a>, you can go to the IRS website directly.\r\n<h2>3.  Mind Who You Claim</h2>\r\nIf you have a person that may be claimable by someone else you need to ensure you can claim them before you put them on your taxes.  Just because they live with you during the year does not mean you can claim them.  It\'s based on five tests:  Relationship, age, residency, support and joint return and the answers aren\'t necessarily what you may think.  Divorce decrees and/or written declarations can also change the rules.  Chapter 3 of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17</a> details this out.  If all else fails <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">call and ask</a> a CSR, but be honest in your responses so they can give you the real answer.  Claiming someone on your taxes that someone else should claim will only delay your refund or cause you to owe money back.\r\n<h2>4.  Get Help Preparing Your Taxes</h2>\r\nFor those who make $54,000 or less you can receive free help at a <a href=\"http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VITA site</a>.  Those over the age of 60 can participate in the Tax Counseling for the elderly program and there are some things for a few other specific groups as well.  For everyone else don\'t be afraid to call 1-800-829-1040, the IRS help line, to get assistance.  Also, use <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17 </a>to assist you in preparing your taxes.\r\n<h2>5.  Use Free Online Filing Options</h2>\r\nYou should use the <a title=\"E-File Through IRS\" href=\"https://www.irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Free File links</a> to identify all available offers.  Many \"other\" sites have tricky extras that end up costing you when using their links.  Make sure you read and understand (especially the fine print) before clicking the button of sites outside of the list the IRS provides.\r\n<h2>6.  Appropriately Apply Deductions and Credits</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5751 \" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/tax-filing-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Organize for Tax Filing - Common Mistakes\" width=\"306\" height=\"459\" />\r\n\r\nThere are many deductions and credits out there that people miss because they don\'t educate themselves.  The online filing sites ask questions that help determine whether you are or aren\'t eligible for specific deductions and credits.  If you are using a preparer and the deduction or credit seems too good to be true, always ask for a detailed explanation of how they came up with it or what makes you eligible.  Every deduction and credit has an <a href=\"https://taxmap.ntis.gov/taxmap/pubs/pubtoc.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication</a> associated with it.  It doesn\'t take an extremely long time to review them...empower yourself!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2>7.  Get a Copy of <a title=\"Publication 17\" href=\"http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS Publication 17</a></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt explains most of the scenarios you will need to have covered.  If when reading it refers to another publication, just get it or download it from the website, they are all there.  This is a great place to start when researching changes in the tax code each year too.\r\n<h2>8.  Keep Good Records</h2>\r\nYou always want to make sure you have records of anything you plan on claiming...or have a way of proving it if you are ever audited.  Most people have a general idea of what those things are so start keeping a running file of those items be that electronic or physical.  If you know you will have a lot of receipts, have a way of categorizing them to make it easier come tax time.  If filing a F1040, make sure you keep a charitable donation and gift log as well.  In some cases the standard deduction was more beneficial for me, but you never know until you crunch the numbers...so plan for it just in case.\r\n<h2>9.  Know Tax Year Changes</h2>\r\nWe all experience life happenings, some of the biggest ones are caused by natural disasters, job loss, home loss and other national happenings.  Along with these changes comes changes to the tax rules, some good and some bad.  Please educate yourselves so you don\'t miss out or make a mistake when it comes to <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/Credits-&amp;-Deductions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">credits and deductions</a>.  Don\'t let this one scare you, you have the ability to do this on your own.  Again, most of the information you need to know is covered in Publication 17.  Just be aware so you can ensure there isn\'t a credit, deduction or additional tax that you didn\'t have to pay in years past (marriage/divorce, birth/death, new home, etc.)\r\n<h2>10.  Don\'t Miss the Deadline</h2>\r\nWhatever you do, do not miss the April 15th deadline if you owe!  File an extension, but don\'t just try to ignore it as though it\'s going to go away because it is not.  In fact, all that\'s going to happen is interest and penalties will continue to add up (these are calculated daily!).   If it is just a matter of you don\'t have the money, it\'s okay!!!  Just call and tell them you want to make an arrangement to pay.  They will set you up on a payment plan that works for your budget...no matter the amount.  I actually had to do this myself the year I was categorized as an Independent Contractor and didn\'t realize I had to pay my own taxes (I was young).  I owed $20,000 and went into a mass panic when I received the letter from the IRS.  I was able to make arrangements and pay it off.  It took me about 10 or so years, but I did it...and you can too.\r\n<h1>A Few Bonus Tax Tips</h1>\r\nOk, so after writing #10 above, I felt obligated to add a couple of bonus tips for you small business owners...\r\n<h2>Bonus 1:  Know Small Business Requirements</h2>\r\nMake sure you know what taxes you owe, both for your Federal and State taxes.  As a person who experienced the stress of owing the Government, you want to make sure you know and understand your requirements as a business owner, especially all of you who are independent contractors.  If you don\'t pay quarterly taxes you need to ensure you are taking the appropriate taxes out of the money you make from every sell.  If not, you risk getting shocked at the end of the year.\r\n<h2>Bonus 2:  Business Tax and Sale Log</h2>\r\nNow for some small businesses you haven\'t made enough sells to justify purchasing an accounting software for your business.  There are mixed feelings about this, but I say do what is best for your business.  If you are diligent about keeping track of what is going in and out of your business, you can do it by hand without a problem.  Of course the more successful you are, the more complicated your in-take and out-take procedures and processes are the riskier and more difficult it becomes.\r\n<h2>Bonus 3:  Know What You Are Filing</h2>\r\nEven if you have your taxes prepared by someone else, you should always have a clear understanding and approve of what is being filed on your behalf.  You are ultimately responsible, whether someone else made the decision to do it or not.  By signing the last line on your physical and electronic return, you are certifying that you are taking the responsibility for everything on the document, so take it seriously.  Don\'t let someone rush you through the explanation of your taxes. If you are paying them, you are paying for their time...so use it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hope you found these tips helpful!  Please let me know if you do by liking this post and/or commenting below, I\'d love your feedback.','Organize your Tax Filing Process with these 10 Tax Filing Tips','','inherit','closed','closed','','145-revision-v1','','','2017-09-09 03:39:17','2017-09-09 03:39:17','',145,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/145-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5755,1,'2017-09-10 23:18:16','2017-09-10 23:18:16','Ok lets take a poll, how many of you currently have a all of your life\'s important papers?  Okay let me be more specific...do you have a will in place? A living will???  What about life insurance?  I know this is a morbid topic but ignoring it doesn\'t make the need for it go away.  If you have anything of worth (a car, home, china, jewelry, furniture, etc.) you should have a will....definitely if you have a child you should have a Will.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5758 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Are-You-Ready-200x300.png\" alt=\"Are you Ready for Life\'s Unexpected\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nThis piece of paper makes things a lot easier for your loved ones in the event of your passing...and ensures things are handled the way you want.  As a military brat, it was common practice in our house to discuss the \"what if\'s\".  We never thought of death as a topic not to discuss because we talked about it all the time...yes so much so that my mom has practically planned her own funeral...I just have to make it happen.  I made sure that things are handled in the case of my passing...because I don\'t want to be a burden on my family...because I\'d like to think they\'d be so upset they couldn\'t think straight...(see how our humor is a little off??)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOk so on a serious note...how many of you know someone who was in a serious car accident or was affected by a hurricane, tornado or wildfire?  I can add many things to this list.  The point is, what if any of these devastating life events happened to you?  Would your family know your wishes?  Do they know whether you want your organs donated or not (and don\'t say its on the back of your license)? Do you want to leave it for someone else to decide whether you live or die...whether you are fed through a tube for the rest of your life or not?    What about your funeral expenses?  Do you want to burden your family with having to come up with $6,000 - $8,000 extra dollars to bury you?\r\n\r\nAs hard as it is to think about, it is vitally important that you handle these things while you can and that you have an honest and open conversation with your family about your wishes.  Think of it as your last act of kindness at your families biggest time of need.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5067895]\r\n\r\nI also recommend that you begin to gather all the vital records and important papers together to ensure you and your loved ones can find them when needed.  Preparing ahead in the case of an emergency goes beyond having random fire drills in your home, you have to think and plan for life\'s unexpected events.  You can\'t predict everything that is going to happen in your life and you certainly can\'t stop or dictate it.  The best you can do is prepare as much as possible and ease the pain of those around you when it does.\r\n\r\nIf you need help identifying those key records and information, <a href=\"mailto: dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact me</a> for a House In Order Discovery session.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Collect and Organize Life\'s most important papers','','inherit','closed','closed','','223-autosave-v1','','','2017-09-10 23:18:16','2017-09-10 23:18:16','',223,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/223-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5756,1,'2017-09-10 22:28:23','2017-09-10 22:28:23','Ok lets take a poll, how many of you currently have a Will in place? A living will???  What about life insurance?  I know this is a morbid topic but ignoring it doesn\'t make the need for it go away.  If you have anything of worth (a car, home, china, jewelry, furniture, etc.) you should have a will....definitely if you have a child you should have a Will.  This piece of paper makes things a lot easier for your loved ones in the event of your passing...and ensures things are handled the way you want.  As a military brat, it was common practice in our house to discuss the \"what if\'s\".  We never thought of death as a topic not to discuss because we talked about it all the time...yes so much so that my mom has practically planned her own funeral...I just have to make it happen.  Although I\'m young, I made sure that things are handled in the case of my passing...because I don\'t want to be a burden on my family...because I\'d like to think they\'d be so upset they couldn\'t think straight...(see how our humor is a little off??)\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5067895]\r\n\r\nOk so on a serious note...how many of you know someone who was in a serious car accident?  What if that happened to you?  Would your family know your wishes?  Do they know whether you want your organs donated (and don\'t say its on the back of your license)...Do you want to leave it to someone else to decide whether you live or die...whether you are fed through a tube for the rest of your life or not?    What about your funeral expenses?  Do you want to burden your family with having to come up with $6,000 - $8,000 extra dollars to bury you?\r\n\r\nAs hard as it is to think about, it is vitally important that you handle these things while you can and you have an honest and open conversation with your family about your wishes.  Think of it as your last act of kindness at your families biggest time of need.','Life\'s most important papers','','inherit','closed','closed','','223-revision-v1','','','2017-09-10 22:28:23','2017-09-10 22:28:23','',223,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/223-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5757,1,'2017-09-10 22:39:53','2017-09-10 22:39:53','','Funeral','','inherit','open','closed','','funeral','','','2017-09-10 22:40:28','2017-09-10 22:40:28','',223,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Funeral.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5758,1,'2017-09-10 22:39:56','2017-09-10 22:39:56','','Are You Ready','','inherit','open','closed','','are-you-ready','','','2017-09-10 23:14:17','2017-09-10 23:14:17','',223,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Are-You-Ready.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5759,1,'2017-09-10 23:18:53','2017-09-10 23:18:53','Ok lets take a poll, how many of you currently have a all of your life\'s important papers?  Okay let me be more specific...do you have a will in place? A living will???  What about life insurance?  I know this is a morbid topic but ignoring it doesn\'t make the need for it go away.  If you have anything of worth (a car, home, china, jewelry, furniture, etc.) you should have a will....definitely if you have a child you should have a Will.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5758 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Are-You-Ready-200x300.png\" alt=\"Are you Ready for Life\'s Unexpected\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nThis piece of paper makes things a lot easier for your loved ones in the event of your passing...and ensures things are handled the way you want.  As a military brat, it was common practice in our house to discuss the \"what if\'s\".  We never thought of death as a topic not to discuss because we talked about it all the time...yes so much so that my mom has practically planned her own funeral...I just have to make it happen.  I made sure that things are handled in the case of my passing...because I don\'t want to be a burden on my family...because I\'d like to think they\'d be so upset they couldn\'t think straight...(see how our humor is a little off??)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOk so on a serious note...how many of you know someone who was in a serious car accident or was affected by a hurricane, tornado or wildfire?  I can add many things to this list.  The point is, what if any of these devastating life events happened to you?  Would your family know your wishes?  Do they know whether you want your organs donated or not (and don\'t say its on the back of your license)? Do you want to leave it for someone else to decide whether you live or die...whether you are fed through a tube for the rest of your life or not?    What about your funeral expenses?  Do you want to burden your family with having to come up with $6,000 - $8,000 extra dollars to bury you?\r\n\r\nAs hard as it is to think about, it is vitally important that you handle these things while you can and that you have an honest and open conversation with your family about your wishes.  Think of it as your last act of kindness at your families biggest time of need.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5067895]\r\n\r\nI also recommend that you begin to gather all the vital records and important papers together to ensure you and your loved ones can find them when needed.  Preparing ahead in the case of an emergency goes beyond having random fire drills in your home, you have to think and plan for life\'s unexpected events.  You can\'t predict everything that is going to happen in your life and you certainly can\'t stop or dictate it.  The best you can do is prepare as much as possible and ease the pain of those around you when it does.\r\n\r\nIf you need help identifying those key records and information, <a href=\"mailto: dana@thehappinessbucket.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact me</a> for a House In Order Discovery session.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Collect and Organize Life\'s most important papers','','inherit','closed','closed','','223-revision-v1','','','2017-09-10 23:18:53','2017-09-10 23:18:53','',223,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/223-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5760,560,'2017-09-16 08:33:09','2017-09-16 08:33:09','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n<h2>Cable is Entertainment Not a Necessity</h2>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n<h2>Money Saved from Cutting Cable Could Fund More Important Goals</h2>\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n<h2>Acknowledge and Eliminate Your Fears</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>List out all the shows you watch</h3>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Prioritize your List</h3>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify what platforms the show(s) are on</h3>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watch is on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks are represented on our list.\r\n\r\nIn our tivo box, it was easy to identify each show\'s platform(s). You just go into the info section of the shows in your record list and it shows the platforms at the top near the show image.  Just write these down so you can evaluate the list as a whole. I found that many of the shows we watch, air on up to four platforms.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify the platforms and their fees</h3>\r\nNow that you have your prioritized show list and have identified their associated platforms, you need to research their costs.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season. One example I can give you is there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  Think about the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel. In our case, we had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more that were lower on my priority list.  In your case, if you aren\'t planning to or don\'t want to get sling, then you would compare the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h2>The Point I Want to Make</h2>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on wrapping your mind around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are dealing with.\r\n\r\nThe hesitation that most of us feel is actually the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown; the fear of missing out; and the fear of what you will do without. I encourage you to focus on the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you take a chance.  You will get gain time in your day; you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there; you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account; you will gain the reassurance that you can do it; and you might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','publish','open','open','','cutting-cable','','','2019-07-27 05:16:33','2019-07-27 05:16:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5760',0,'post','',0),(5761,1,'2017-09-13 14:31:00','2017-09-13 14:31:00','How many of you have been contemplating cutting the cable cord, but have a fear of missing something?  Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea!  We could have saved at least $2400 dollars if not more!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the step to do whatever it is you need to do to help you along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cable Cutting Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think we we stayed in this stage a little too long!  Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting the cable cord.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nPlace the list created in #1 above into priority order, meaning these are shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li>Identify the signup fees for accessing those platforms/shows</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting the Cable Cord - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 14:31:00','2017-09-13 14:31:00','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5762,1,'2017-09-13 15:51:43','2017-09-13 15:51:43','How many of you have been contemplating cutting the cable cord, but have a fear of missing something?  Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea!  We could have saved at least $2400 dollars if not more!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the step to do whatever it is you need to do to help you along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cable Cutting Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think we we stayed in this stage a little too long!  Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting the cable cord.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting the Cable Cord - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 15:51:43','2017-09-13 15:51:43','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5763,1,'2017-09-13 16:16:24','2017-09-13 16:16:24','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something?  Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea!  We could have saved at least $2400 dollars if not more!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the step to do whatever it is you need to do to help you along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cable Cutting Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think we we stayed in this stage a little too long!  Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting the cable cord.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 16:16:24','2017-09-13 16:16:24','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5764,1,'2017-09-13 18:45:17','2017-09-13 18:45:17','','CableCutting','','inherit','open','closed','','cablecutting','','','2017-09-13 18:45:33','2017-09-13 18:45:33','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCutting.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5765,1,'2017-09-13 19:05:11','2017-09-13 19:05:11','Eliminating the fear of cable cutting.\n\nwww.thehappinessbucket.com','Research Savings','','inherit','open','closed','','research-savings','','','2017-09-13 19:08:41','2017-09-13 19:08:41','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5766,1,'2017-09-13 19:05:14','2017-09-13 19:05:14','','Cut and Save','','inherit','open','closed','','cut-and-save','','','2017-09-13 19:05:14','2017-09-13 19:05:14','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Cut-and-Save.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5767,1,'2017-09-13 19:05:20','2017-09-13 19:05:20','','CableCuttingPin','','inherit','open','closed','','cablecuttingpin','','','2017-09-13 19:06:08','2017-09-13 19:06:08','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5768,1,'2017-09-13 19:09:17','2017-09-13 19:09:17','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea!  We could have saved at least $2400 dollars if not more!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the step to do whatever it is you need to do to help you along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cable Cutting Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think we we stayed in this stage a little too long!  Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting the cable cord.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5767 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cable cutting\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5765 alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cable cutting\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:09:17','2017-09-13 19:09:17','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5769,1,'2017-09-13 19:16:30','2017-09-13 19:16:30','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea!  We could have saved at least $2400 dollars if not more!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the step to do whatever it is you need to do to help you along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cable Cutting Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think we we stayed in this stage a little too long!  Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting the cable cord.\r\n<div style=\"”display: none;\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5767 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cable cutting | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5765 alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cable cutting\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:16:30','2017-09-13 19:16:30','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5770,1,'2017-09-13 19:17:48','2017-09-13 19:17:48','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea!  We could have saved at least $2400 dollars if not more!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the step to do whatever it is you need to do to help you along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cable Cutting Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think we we stayed in this stage a little too long!  Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting the cable cord.\r\n<div style=”display: none;\"><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5767 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cable cutting | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5765 alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cable cutting\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:17:48','2017-09-13 19:17:48','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5771,1,'2017-09-13 19:31:26','2017-09-13 19:31:26','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n<div><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5767 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" /></div>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"alignright wp-image-5765 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:31:26','2017-09-13 19:31:26','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5772,1,'2017-09-13 19:32:34','2017-09-13 19:32:34','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"alignright wp-image-5765 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:32:34','2017-09-13 19:32:34','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5773,1,'2017-09-13 19:33:05','2017-09-13 19:33:05','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765  alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are really dealing with.  The hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown. The fear of missing out. The fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  If you test it and see. You will get gain time in your day, you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there, you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account, you will gain the reassurance that you can do it. You might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:33:05','2017-09-13 19:33:05','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5774,1,'2019-04-19 17:06:10','2019-04-19 17:06:10','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n<h2>Cable is Entertainment Not a Necessity</h2>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n<h2>Money Saved from Cutting Cable Could Fund More Important Goals</h2>\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n<h2>Acknowledge and Eliminate Your Fears</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>List out all the shows you watch</h3>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Prioritize your List</h3>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify what platforms the show(s) are on</h3>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watch is on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks are represented on our list.\r\n\r\nIn our tivo box, it was easy to identify each show\'s platform(s). You just go into the info section of the shows in your record list and it shows the platforms at the top near the show image.  Just write these down so you can evaluate the list as a whole. I found that many of the shows we watch, air on up to four platforms.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify the platforms and their fees</h3>\r\nNow that you have your prioritized show list and have identified their associated platforms, you need to research their costs.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season. One example I can give you is there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  Think about the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel. In our case, we had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more that were lower on my priority list.  In your case, if you aren\'t planning to or don\'t want to get sling, then you would compare the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h2>The Point I Want to Make</h2>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on wrapping your mind around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are dealing with.\r\n\r\nThe hesitation that most of us feel is actually the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown; the fear of missing out; and the fear of what you will do without. I encourage you to focus on the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you take a chance.  You will get gain time in your day; you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there; you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account; you will gain the reassurance that you can do it; and you might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-autosave-v1','','','2019-04-19 17:06:10','2019-04-19 17:06:10','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5775,1,'2017-09-13 19:38:11','2017-09-13 19:38:11','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>List out all the shows you watch</h2>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Prioritize your List</h2>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h2>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h2>Identify the platforms and their fees</h2>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h1>In summary</h1>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are dealing with.\r\n\r\nThe hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown; the fear of missing out; and the fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  You will get gain time in your day; you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there; you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account; you will gain the reassurance that you can do it; and you might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:38:11','2017-09-13 19:38:11','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5776,1,'2017-09-13 19:45:17','2017-09-13 19:45:17','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n<h2>Cable is Entertainment Not a Necessity</h2>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n<h2>Money Saved from Cutting Cable Could Fund More Important Goals</h2>\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n<h2>Acknowledge and Eliminate Your Fears</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>List out all the shows you watch</h3>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Prioritize your List</h3>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h3>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watched was on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks were represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify the platforms and their fees</h3>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  What you have to think about is the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h2>In summary</h2>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on getting your mind wrapped around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are dealing with.\r\n\r\nThe hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown; the fear of missing out; and the fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  You will get gain time in your day; you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there; you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account; you will gain the reassurance that you can do it; and you might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:45:17','2017-09-13 19:45:17','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5777,1,'2017-09-13 19:50:26','2017-09-13 19:50:26','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n<h2>Cable is Entertainment Not a Necessity</h2>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n<h2>Money Saved from Cutting Cable Could Fund More Important Goals</h2>\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n<h2>Acknowledge and Eliminate Your Fears</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>List out all the shows you watch</h3>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Prioritize your List</h3>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify what platforms the show(s) are shown on</h3>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watch is on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks are represented on our list.\r\n\r\nNow I have a tivo box, so it was easy for me, because when you went into the info section of the shows on my record list it showed all the platforms it was shown on.  Some aired on up to four platforms.  Just write these down so you can evaluate as a whole.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify the platforms and their fees</h3>\r\nAlright, now that you have your prioritized list and have identified the platforms on which each of them airs, it\'s time to research the cost of these platforms.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season.  For example, there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  Think about the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel.  We had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more.  If you weren\'t planning on getting sling, then you would be comparing the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h2>In summary</h2>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on wrapping your mind around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are dealing with.\r\n\r\nThe hesitation that most of us feel is due to the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown; the fear of missing out; and the fear of what you will do without. Instead, deal in the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you give it a try.  You will get gain time in your day; you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there; you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account; you will gain the reassurance that you can do it; and you might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 19:50:26','2017-09-13 19:50:26','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5778,1,'2017-09-13 21:35:15','2017-09-13 21:35:15','How many of you have been contemplating cutting cable, but have a fear of missing something? Come on, I know I wasn\'t and aren\'t the only one who has had these types of thoughts.  You know you are paying way too much to sit and watch tv.  You ponder regularly as to how you can get everything done that needs to be done, yet you catch every episode of your favorite tv shows.\r\n\r\nYou see I know the truth!  Why...because I\'ve been there too.  In fact, I just officially cut the cable cord and it feels sooooooooooo good!  My husband and I have been talking about doing this for almost two years and we finally made the decision to make it happen.  When I calculate how much we could have saved in those two years that we tetered with the idea (approximately $2400 dollars if not more) I just shake my head!\r\n\r\nI want to share with you a little about our cutting cable process (we aren\'t finished with everything yet), in hopes that I encourage you to let go of the fear and take the next step along your journey.\r\n<h1>Getting Your Cutting Cable Mindset Right</h1>\r\nAs you know, In the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/orgroadmapworkshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizational Roadmap Workshop</a>, I teach that the first thing you must do in any new endeavor is get your mind right. This particular situation is no exception, in fact...if I\'m being honest with you and myself, I think my husband and I stayed in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this stage</a> a little too long! Knowing that, I want to help you overcome some of the fears you may be experiencing as it pertains to cutting cable.\r\n\r\n[convertkit form=5064088]\r\n<h2>Cable is Entertainment Not a Necessity</h2>\r\nFirst of all, as with most people, we knew that we were being totally overcharged for the entertainment of television.  I mean, lets get real...that\'s what it is, it\'s entertainment.  It\'s extra, it\'s not a necessity (unless your livelihood requirements i.e., news reporter or an entertainment blogger).  We complained about how much we were paying each month that we paid the bill, but month after month we still paid it.  So if this is you, lets get your mindset right.\r\n<h2>Money Saved from Cutting Cable Could Fund More Important Goals</h2>\r\nLets say you could save $75 - $100 each month.  Would this help you with the goals you have for your life?  Could you reallocate that money to help pay off something else or save up for something you\'ve been wanting to do?  Most people will admit that they could do something better with that money.  Now, if you are someone who has a lot of extra expendable income and you don\'t need to save then this really isn\'t something that you need to overcome.  To my understanding, most cable cord cutters are looking to save money and stop giving companies money unnecessarily.  So, if this is you, definitely read on.\r\n<h2>Acknowledge and Eliminate Your Fears</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-5767 size-medium alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CableCuttingPin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nSo the next thing we need to do in this mindset journey is to tackle some of the fears you may be feeling.  One thing is what about all the shows I love.  Okay, so this is a big one that we can help put into perspective, so to help you overcome this fear I want you to do a few things:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>List out all the shows you watch</h3>\r\nThe first thing you need to do is get a list of all your favorite shows.  If you have a DVR, this may be a little easier for you as you can just look at your recording history or your wishlist to develop your list of shows.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Prioritize your List</h3>\r\nNow it\'s time to prioritize your list.  I know you have those shows you usually watch as soon as they come on or shortly there after.  If you are anything like me, you also have a number of shows you are behind on, this should be a clue to you that they shouldn\'t be #1 on your priority list.  By prioritizing your list, it will help you eliminate and determine, which platforms you need and which you don\'t.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify what platforms the show(s) are on</h3>\r\nAt this point, you can identify which platforms each of the shows is on.  When I did this I realized that a lot of what we watch is on regular television networks.  These networks are absolutely free using the over the air (OTA) signal.  You just need an antenna to get the signal.  It just came down to identifying what other networks are represented on our list.\r\n\r\nIn our tivo box, it was easy to identify each show\'s platform(s). You just go into the info section of the shows in your record list and it shows the platforms at the top near the show image.  Just write these down so you can evaluate the list as a whole. I found that many of the shows we watch, air on up to four platforms.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h3>Identify the platforms and their fees</h3>\r\nNow that you have your prioritized show list and have identified their associated platforms, you need to research their costs.  When I did this for our list I learned about a number of platforms I didn\'t really knew existed.  Most of what I watched was isolated down to OTA, Amazon, Vudu or Hulu.  You need to look at each platform and see how much it costs for a monthly subscription and/or the purchase of an entire season. One example I can give you is there are two shows that come on the OWN network that I love to watch - Greenleaf and Queen Sugar.  Both of these<img class=\"wp-image-5765 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Research-Savings-300x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminating the fear of cutting cable\" width=\"216\" height=\"216\" /> are available on Amazon and Vudu.  I can purchase by the season fox approximately $20ish dollars or I can pay $1.99 - $2.99 per episode.  The other option is for me to get a subscription service that provides that channel.  Think about the cost of a subscription vs. purchasing the two series outright.  As an example we are talking ~$50 for both full seasons vs. $60 to add the special package on Sling that provides that channel. In our case, we had planned to get Sling anyway, so to me it makes sense to purchase access to the channel so I can get those shows plus a few more that were lower on my priority list.  In your case, if you aren\'t planning to or don\'t want to get sling, then you would compare the ~$50 to your setup fees etc.\r\n<h2>The Point I Want to Make</h2>\r\nThe point of all of this is to deal in facts and not your fears.  Focus on wrapping your mind around the task at hand.  Understand what you will gain vs. what you will truly lose.  Do the math, break it down and see exactly what you are dealing with.\r\n\r\nThe hesitation that most of us feel is actually the fear of letting go. The fear of the unknown; the fear of missing out; and the fear of what you will do without. I encourage you to focus on the truth...the facts of what you will gain if you take a chance.  You will get gain time in your day; you will discover things that you didn\'t know were out there; you will gain more money in your pocket/bank account; you will gain the reassurance that you can do it; and you might even gain time with your family.\r\n\r\nIt never hurts to just try it and see...you can always go back to cable if you absolutely hate it.</li>\r\n</ol>','Eliminate the Fear of Cutting Cable - Save Money','','inherit','closed','closed','','5760-revision-v1','','','2017-09-13 21:35:15','2017-09-13 21:35:15','',5760,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5760-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5779,560,'2019-04-23 07:00:14','2019-04-23 07:00:14','Today, I want to talk to you about developing a requirements document for your projects to help align yourself and your team to what it is you are trying to accomplish.  It never fails when I am brought in to work on trouble projects one of the common issues is that there are no true requirements for the project.\n\nThe requirements are often made up as the project goes along or are added and removed willy nilly throughout the project.  This causes clunky development, wasted money and time not to mentioned a disjointed final product.\n\n[embed]https://youtu.be/7xQGBetgado[/embed]\n\nIn project management, the requirements document is very important.  It provides you with the framework of what your project is about.  Regardless of whether you are on the personal or business track, the requirements document will help provide the project roadmap.\n<h2>Develop Your Requirements Documents by Brainstorming</h2>\nThere are many ways you can go about creating your requirements document. A common method I like to use is brainstorming or mindmapping.  Brainstorming can be done as an individual (mindmapping) or with a team.  It is similar to a brain dump of what needs to be done on the project.  Often when you begin writing out one thing or idea, it can trigger something else in your mind.\n\nFor teams, it is important that all members participate in this exercise so everyone has a voice. This also helps because participants can feed off one another to fill in the gaps. Everyone comes at issues and situations differently.  Having the different perspectives can help guide decisions and lead to better understanding of goals and needs\n<h2>Examples of Brainstorming and It\'s Benefits</h2>\nBrainstorming can be used in all types of scenarios in both our Business and Personal tracks.  it can be used for planning Events or Launches, organizing an office or space in your home, planning your garden or swapping systems, etc.\n\nOne great example of group brainstorming is setting up the kitchen after a big move.  In this scenario, most would think the cook would make the decision, but that is the worst thing you can do.  It\'s best to bring the entire family in to discuss how the kitchen and areas are used.  Who needs what and when.  What did you dislike about your old kitchen layout and can you improve on it in the new one.  This of course will change over time as people grow older (kids and adults).\n<blockquote>Your system may make sense to you, but because you are so close to it, often times we over complicate or forget things.  Multiple brains are always better than just one. -Dana LaRieal Morales</blockquote>\nAnother example of group brainstorming is planning a live event.  Thinking through all the pieces that come into play when you are planning an online event versus an in person event.  There are many moving parts, so it is important to think through and brainstorm out all those parts.  Many of these are dependent on others as well.  Knowing what those are can be helpful in developing your budget and timeline as well.\n<h2>Identifying your Project Boundaries</h2>\nOnce you have brainstormed things out you will be able to determine your must-haves. Your must haves are those things that regardless of anything else they have to be included.  I often call these needs.  Your wants or your like to haves are those things that would be great, but if you can\'t do it or if you run out of time (or money) they can be cut.  Finally, you will have your absolutely not\'s or your \"out of scope\" items.  These are things that you won\'t be including or doing with this project.\n\nAll of these categories are extremely important because it creates a playbook by which the team is working. Whenever there is doubt or confusion on a project, the team as a whole should refer back to the requirements document or project playbook or roadmap.  This will allow everyone to regroup and get back into the game. (Why am I all of a sudden giving all these sports analogies?).\n\nSo on your next project, take a little time and really think out what you are trying to accomplish.  Define not only your goals but your requirements for the project and how you plan to complete it.  This will save you a lot of time, money and headaches in the long run and will make it much more likely that you will have a successful project.','How to Develop A Requirements Document for Small Business and Personal Projects','','publish','open','open','','requirements-document','','','2019-09-15 19:36:10','2019-09-15 19:36:10','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5779',0,'post','',0),(5780,1,'2017-09-14 15:56:14','2017-09-14 15:56:14','','Developing Your Requirements List for Small Business and Personal Projects','','inherit','closed','closed','','5779-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 15:56:14','2017-09-14 15:56:14','',5779,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5779-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5781,560,'2017-09-14 15:57:22','2017-09-14 15:57:22','','Project Management for Small Business and Personal Projects','','draft','open','open','','project-management','','','2019-07-27 05:16:33','2019-07-27 05:16:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5781',0,'post','',0),(5782,1,'2017-09-14 15:57:22','2017-09-14 15:57:22','','Project Management for Small Business and Personal Projects','','inherit','closed','closed','','5781-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 15:57:22','2017-09-14 15:57:22','',5781,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5781-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5784,1,'2017-09-14 16:00:03','2017-09-14 16:00:03','Project brainstorming is something that can honestly make or break your project. It is the time your team comes together to think of the pros and the cons, all the things that need to happen, and the assumed order in which those things should take place. It\'s a time when your team feels heard and no idea is a stupid idea. It\'s a great time to build team moral and the overall excitement for the project. As the team leader you can observe how your team is working together to identify problem areas, personality conflicts and overall strengths and weaknesses.\r\n\r\nI love this time in a project because it really shows me what I have to work with...it is the one time everyone is a little vulnerable and is on the same level. It\'s new beginnings and the energy that enters the room is amazing.\r\n<h2>How to Start the Brainstorming Process</h2>\r\nThere are many ways to go about the brainstorming process. The one thing as a project manager you don\'t want to do is to brainstorm by\r\nyourself. You also don\'t want to conduct it with a room full of executives. You need worker bees to give their input and buy-in because they are the ones really doing the work. If you are able to, you want to get some feedback from your key Stakeholders/Target Market. The people you will be servicing or who will benefit the most from whatever it is you are providing. The worst thing you can do is create something for yourself assuming others will think it is just as great as your mind makes it out to be. The reality is that you aren\'t the customer. You are the person providing the service/product. You have biased so you need to get as many unbiased opinions as possible.\r\n\r\nThis is how you build a full plan...this is how you begin identifying requirements and risks. This is the one piece of the puzzle you don\'t want to miss or it could be extremely detrimental to your timeline and possibly your project as a whole\r\n<h2>Brainstorming Techniques</h2>\r\nOn <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram</a>, we covered many different brainstorming techniques. One of my favorites is the sticky note technique. It is basically when you give all participants a stack of sticky notes and you give them a topic and say go! They begin to write down things that need to be done or questions that they may have around the topic. You put those under the section so everyone can see all the input. By seeing it in this fashion, some of the items will trigger other thoughts and action items and in some cases, it may breed a brand new topic area that you hadn\'t thought <img class=\"wp-image-112 alignright\" src=\"http://productivitytoolbox.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/brainstorm-1076587_640.jpg\" alt=\"Brainstorming Ideas\" width=\"392\" height=\"261\" />about.\r\n\r\nAnother favorite of mine is the kanban board. You basically take a number of different columns/channels and you create a grid on the wall/board/sheet of paper. The most common categories I use are - backlog, active, pending, complete/closed and hold. You aren\'t bound by these specific categories, but they are very common. Every to do, issue, and question goes under the backlog section. Your team then would work from this master list ...picking off things that are most important (this can be done by view or using a scoring method). They move the items through the categories until they reach the completed/closed column. Usually there are rules as to how many items you can have in play at one time...and sometimes there is a limit as to how many low vs. high items you can pick. These rules are determined by your project team.\r\n\r\nNow there are other techniques out there, but these are my favorites.\r\n<h2>Small Business Brainstorming</h2>\r\nIf you are a solopreneur or a small business owner with more than one employee, don\'t fret...you can use brainstorming methods too. You just won\'t have a lot of input from others...it will mainly be just you and your employee if you have one. I often times will recommend you letting some independent person look at your brainstorming results and see if they can poke a hole in it or ask questions maybe you didn\'t ask. This is a great peer to peer exercise, because we are sometimes so close to something that we can\'t see the forest for the trees.  You can also conduct a focus group with some individuals from your target market or your peer group.  The key is you want to get someone else\'s feedback prior to proceeding.\r\n<h3>The Benefits of a Success Brainstorming Session</h3>\r\nOnce your brainstorming session is over you can review the information received and often times it will jump start the development of your project plan.  It can begin to build your issues and/or action log.  It can also help you develop your project requirements list.  A successful brainstorming session is definitely a valuable tool that you should use on as many projects as possible.\r\n\r\nSo how often do you use brainstorming on your projects? Is this a step that you have missed in the past or did you make the mistake of conducting it without any outside input? Let me know in the comments below.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Check out our <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram posts</a> for more information about brainstorming and other organization and productivity tips.</p>','Brainstorming for Small Business and Personal Projects','','inherit','closed','closed','','5249-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 16:00:03','2017-09-14 16:00:03','',5249,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5249-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5786,1,'2017-09-14 16:45:00','2017-09-14 16:45:00','Project brainstorming is something that can honestly make or break your project. It is the time you and/or your team comes together to think of the pros and the cons, all the things that need to happen, and the assumed order in which those things should take place. It\'s a time when your team feels heard and all ideas are considered safe.\r\n\r\nNo matter whether the team is made up of internal employees or a Client and their employees, it\'s a great time to build team moral and the overall excitement for the project. As the team leader you can observe how your team is working together to identify problem areas, personality conflicts and overall strengths and weaknesses.\r\n\r\nI love this time in a project, because it really shows what I have to work with...it is the one time everyone is a little vulnerable and is on the same level. It\'s new beginnings and the energy that enters the room that is truly amazing.\r\n<h2>How to Start the Brainstorming Process</h2>\r\nThere are many ways to go about the brainstorming process. The one thing as a small business owner you don\'t want to do, is brainstorm completely by yourself. You also don\'t want to conduct a brainstorming session with non-workers. You need worker bees to give their input and buy-in because they are the ones really doing the work. If you are able to, you want to get some feedback from the people who are actually using or those that you want to use the system, product, space, etc. These individuals in the project management world are referred to as your key Stakeholders, Clients or Target Market. The people you will be servicing or who will benefit the most from whatever it is you are providing. The worst thing you can do is create something for yourself assuming others will think it is just as great as your mind makes it out to be. The reality is that you aren\'t the customer. You are the person providing the service or product or developing the system. You are biased so you need to get as many unbiased opinions as possible.\r\n\r\nThis is how you build a full plan...this is how you begin identifying requirements and risks. This is the one piece of the puzzle you don\'t want to miss or it could be extremely detrimental to your timeline and possibly your project as a whole.\r\n<h2>Brainstorming Techniques</h2>\r\nOn <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram</a>, we covered many different brainstorming techniques.  Lets talk about a two of my favorities:\r\n<h3>The Sticky Note Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nOne of my favorites is the sticky note technique. It is basically when you give all participants a stack of sticky notes and you give them a topic and say go! They begin to write down things that need to be done or questions that they may have around the topic. You put those under the section so everyone can see all the input. By seeing it in this fashion, some of the items will trigger other thoughts and action items and in some cases, it may breed a brand new topic area that you hadn\'t thought about.  Participants can also add an identifier of agreement on the sticky to \"bump it up\" in importance.\r\n<h3>The Kanban Board Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nAnother favorite of mine is the kanban board. You basically take a number of different columns/channels and you create a grid on the wall/board/sheet of paper. The most common categories I use are - backlog, active, pending, complete/closed and hold. You aren\'t bound by these specific categories, but they are very common. Every to do, issue, and question goes under the backlog section. Your team then would work from this master list ...picking off things that are most important (this can be done by view or using a scoring method). They move the items through the categories until they reach the completed/closed column. Usually there are rules as to how many items you can have in play at one time...and sometimes there is a limit as to how many low vs. high items you can pick at a time. These rules are determined by your project team.\r\n<h3>The Mindmap Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nThe mindmap brainstorming technique rounds out my top favorites.  This technique uses a tree root type of development system.  Each thought brings on other thoughts which builds out your plan or root system of thought.  You start with one topic/idea, and you let that branch off into other areas that need to be explored.  Each area can branch off into areas related to them, ultimately creating a full root system of ideas.  This is a great technique to use when you have no idea where to start. Let your thoughts dictate which branch to develop and brainstorm.\r\n\r\nNow there are other techniques out there, but these are three of my favorites.\r\n<h2>Brainstorming as a Solopreneur</h2>\r\nIf you are a solopreneur or a small business owner with only one employee, don\'t fret...you can use brainstorming methods too. You just won\'t have a lot of input from others...it will mainly be just you and your employee if you have one. I often times will recommend letting an independent person look at your brainstorming results and see if they can poke a hole in it or ask questions maybe you didn\'t ask. This is a great peer to peer exercise, because we are sometimes so close to something that we can\'t see the forest for the trees.  You can also conduct a focus group with some individuals from your target market or your peer group.  The key is you want to get someone else\'s feedback prior to proceeding.\r\n<h3>The Benefits of a Success Brainstorming Session</h3>\r\nOnce your brainstorming session is over you can review the information received and often times it will jump start the development of your project plan.  It can begin to build your issues and/or action log.  It can also help you develop your project requirements list.  A successful brainstorming session is definitely a valuable tool that you should use on as many projects as possible.\r\n\r\nSo how often do you use brainstorming on your projects? Is this a step that you have missed in the past or did you make the mistake of conducting it without any outside input? Let me know in the comments below.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Check out our <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram posts</a> for more information about brainstorming and other organization and productivity tips.</p>','Brainstorming for Small Businesses','','inherit','closed','closed','','5249-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 16:45:00','2017-09-14 16:45:00','',5249,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5249-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5787,1,'2017-09-14 17:00:54','2017-09-14 17:00:54','','Brainstorming Session','','inherit','open','closed','','brainstorming-session','','','2017-09-14 17:03:42','2017-09-14 17:03:42','',5249,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Brainstorming-Session.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5788,1,'2017-09-14 17:00:56','2017-09-14 17:00:56','','small business brainstorming','','inherit','open','closed','','small-business-brainstorming','','','2017-09-14 17:01:40','2017-09-14 17:01:40','',5249,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/small-business-brainstorming.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5789,1,'2017-09-14 17:02:38','2017-09-14 17:02:38','Project brainstorming is something that can honestly make or break your project. It is the time you and/or your team comes together to think of the pros and the cons, all the things that need to happen, and the assumed order in which those things should take place. It\'s a time when your team feels heard and all ideas are considered safe.\r\n\r\nNo matter whether the team is made up of internal employees or a Client and their employees, it\'s a great time to build team moral and the overall excitement for the project. As the team leader you can observe how your team is working together to identify problem areas, personality conflicts and overall strengths and weaknesses.\r\n\r\nI love this time in a project, because it really shows what I have to work with...it is the one time everyone is a little vulnerable and is on the same level. It\'s new beginnings and the energy that enters the room that is truly amazing.\r\n<h2>How to Start the Brainstorming Process</h2>\r\nThere are many ways to go about the brainstorming process. The one thing as a small business owner you don\'t want to do, is brainstorm completely by yourself. You also don\'t want to conduct a brainstorming session with non-workers. You need worker bees to give their input and buy-in because they are the ones really doing the work. If you are able to, you want to get some feedback from the people who are actually using or those that you want to use the system, product, space, etc. These individuals in the project management world are referred to as your key Stakeholders, Clients or Target Market. The people you will be servicing or who will benefit the most from whatever it is you are providing. The worst thing you can do is create something for yourself assuming others will think it is just as great as your mind makes it out to be. The reality is that you aren\'t the customer. You are the person providing the service or product or developing the system. You are biased so you need to get as many unbiased opinions as possible.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5788 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/small-business-brainstorming-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Brainstorm as a Small Business | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />This is how you build a full plan...this is how you begin identifying requirements and risks. This is the one piece of the puzzle you don\'t want to miss or it could be extremely detrimental to your timeline and possibly your project as a whole.\r\n<h2>Brainstorming Techniques</h2>\r\nOn <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram</a>, we covered many different brainstorming techniques.  Lets talk about a two of my favorities:\r\n<h3>The Sticky Note Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nOne of my favorites is the sticky note technique. It is basically when you give all participants a stack of sticky notes and you give them a topic and say go! They begin to write down things that need to be done or questions that they may have around the topic. You put those under the section so everyone can see all the input. By seeing it in this fashion, some of the items will trigger other thoughts and action items and in some cases, it may breed a brand new topic area that you hadn\'t thought about.  Participants can also add an identifier of agreement on the sticky to \"bump it up\" in importance.\r\n<h3>The Kanban Board Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nAnother favorite of mine is the kanban board. You basically take a number of different columns/channels and you create a grid on the wall/board/sheet of paper. The most common categories I use are - backlog, active, pending, complete/closed and hold. You aren\'t bound by these specific categories, but they are very common. Every to do, issue, and question goes under the backlog section. Your team then would work from this master list ...picking off things that are most important (this can be done by view or using a scoring method). They move the items through the categories until they reach the completed/closed column. Usually there are rules as to how many items you can have in play at one time...and sometimes there is a limit as to how many low vs. high items you can pick at a time. These rules are determined by your project team.\r\n<h3>The Mindmap Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nThe mindmap brainstorming technique rounds out my top favorites.  This technique uses a tree root type of development system.  Each thought brings on other thoughts which builds out your plan or root system of thought.  You start with one topic/idea, and you let that branch off into other areas that need to be explored.  Each area can branch off into areas related to them, ultimately creating a full root system of ideas.  This is a great technique to use when you have no idea where to start. Let your thoughts dictate which branch to develop and brainstorm.\r\n\r\nNow there are other techniques out there, but these are three of my favorites.\r\n<h2>Brainstorming as a Solopreneur</h2>\r\nIf you are a solopreneur or a small business owner with only one employee, don\'t fret...you can use brainstorming methods too. You just won\'t have a lot of input from others...it will mainly be just you and your employee if you have one. I often times will recommend letting an independent person look at your brainstorming results and see if they can poke a hole in it or ask questions maybe you didn\'t ask. This is a great peer to peer exercise, because we are sometimes so close to something that we can\'t see the forest for the trees.  You can also conduct a focus group with some individuals from your target market or your peer group.  The key is you want to get someone else\'s feedback prior to proceeding.\r\n<h3>The Benefits of a Success Brainstorming Session</h3>\r\nOnce your brainstorming session is over you can review the information received and often times it will jump start the development of your project plan.  It can begin to build your issues and/or action log.  It can also help you develop your project requirements list.  A successful brainstorming session is definitely a valuable tool that you should use on as many projects as possible.\r\n\r\nSo how often do you use brainstorming on your projects? Is this a step that you have missed in the past or did you make the mistake of conducting it without any outside input? Let me know in the comments below.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Check out our <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram posts</a> for more information about brainstorming and other organization and productivity tips.</p>','Brainstorming for Small Businesses','','inherit','closed','closed','','5249-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:02:38','2017-09-14 17:02:38','',5249,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5249-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5790,1,'2017-09-14 17:04:02','2017-09-14 17:04:02','Project brainstorming is something that can honestly make or break your project. It is the time you and/or your team comes together to think of the pros and the cons, all the things that need to happen, and the assumed order in which those things should take place. It\'s a time when your team feels heard and all ideas are considered safe.\r\n\r\nNo matter whether the team is made up of internal employees or a Client and their employees, it\'s a great time to build team moral and the overall excitement for the project. As the team leader you can observe how your team is working together to identify problem areas, personality conflicts and overall strengths and weaknesses.\r\n\r\nI love this time in a project, because it really shows what I have to work with...it is the one time everyone is a little vulnerable and is on the same level. It\'s new beginnings and the energy that enters the room that is truly amazing.\r\n<h2>How to Start the Brainstorming Process</h2>\r\nThere are many ways to go about the brainstorming process. The one thing as a small business owner you don\'t want to do, is brainstorm completely by yourself. You also don\'t want to conduct a brainstorming session with non-workers. You need worker bees to give their input and buy-in because they are the ones really doing the work. If you are able to, you want to get some feedback from the people who are actually using or those that you want to use the system, product, space, etc. These individuals in the project management world are referred to as your key Stakeholders, Clients or Target Market. The people you will be servicing or who will benefit the most from whatever it is you are providing. The worst thing you can do is create something for yourself assuming others will think it is just as great as your mind makes it out to be. The reality is that you aren\'t the customer. You are the person providing the service or product or developing the system. You are biased so you need to get as many unbiased opinions as possible.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-5788 size-medium\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/small-business-brainstorming-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Brainstorm as a Small Business | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />This is how you build a full plan...this is how you begin identifying requirements and risks. This is the one piece of the puzzle you don\'t want to miss or it could be extremely detrimental to your timeline and possibly your project as a whole.\r\n<h2>Brainstorming Techniques</h2>\r\nOn <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram</a>, we covered many different brainstorming techniques.  Lets talk about a two of my favorities:\r\n<h3>The Sticky Note Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nOne of my favorites is the sticky note technique. It is basically when you give all participants a stack of sticky notes and you give them a topic and say go! They begin to write down things that need to be done or questions that they may have around the topic. You put those under the section so everyone can see all the input. By seeing it in this fashion, some of the items will trigger other thoughts and action items and in some cases, it may breed a brand new topic area that you hadn\'t thought about.  Participants can also add an identifier of agreement on the sticky to \"bump it up\" in importance.\r\n<h3>The Kanban Board Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nAnother favorite of mine is the kanban board. You basically take a number of different columns/channels and you create a grid on the wall/board/sheet of paper. The most common categories I use are - backlog, active, pending, complete/closed and hold. You aren\'t bound by these specific categories, but they are very common. Every to do, issue, and question goes under the backlog section. Your team then would work from this master list ...picking off things that are most important (this can be done by view or using a scoring method). They move the items through the categories until they reach the completed/closed column. Usually there are rules as to how <img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5787 alignright\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Brainstorming-Session-300x300.png\" alt=\"Brainstorming Session | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />many items you can have in play at one time...and sometimes there is a limit as to how many low vs. high items you can pick at a time. These rules are determined by your project team.\r\n<h3>The Mindmap Brainstorming Technique</h3>\r\nThe mindmap brainstorming technique rounds out my top favorites.  This technique uses a tree root type of development system.  Each thought brings on other thoughts which builds out your plan or root system of thought.  You start with one topic/idea, and you let that branch off into other areas that need to be explored.  Each area can branch off into areas related to them, ultimately creating a full root system of ideas.  This is a great technique to use when you have no idea where to start. Let your thoughts dictate which branch to develop and brainstorm.\r\n\r\nNow there are other techniques out there, but these are three of my favorites.\r\n<h2>Brainstorming as a Solopreneur</h2>\r\nIf you are a solopreneur or a small business owner with only one employee, don\'t fret...you can use brainstorming methods too. You just won\'t have a lot of input from others...it will mainly be just you and your employee if you have one. I often times will recommend letting an independent person look at your brainstorming results and see if they can poke a hole in it or ask questions maybe you didn\'t ask. This is a great peer to peer exercise, because we are sometimes so close to something that we can\'t see the forest for the trees.  You can also conduct a focus group with some individuals from your target market or your peer group.  The key is you want to get someone else\'s feedback prior to proceeding.\r\n<h3>The Benefits of a Success Brainstorming Session</h3>\r\nOnce your brainstorming session is over you can review the information received and often times it will jump start the development of your project plan.  It can begin to build your issues and/or action log.  It can also help you develop your project requirements list.  A successful brainstorming session is definitely a valuable tool that you should use on as many projects as possible.\r\n\r\nSo how often do you use brainstorming on your projects? Is this a step that you have missed in the past or did you make the mistake of conducting it without any outside input? Let me know in the comments below.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Check out our <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thehappinessbucket/\">Instagram posts</a> for more information about brainstorming and other organization and productivity tips.</p>','Brainstorming for Small Businesses','','inherit','closed','closed','','5249-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:04:02','2017-09-14 17:04:02','',5249,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5249-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5791,1,'2017-09-14 17:36:37','2017-09-14 17:36:37','','Routing 101','','inherit','open','closed','','routing-101','','','2017-09-14 17:41:34','2017-09-14 17:41:34','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5792,1,'2017-09-14 17:36:41','2017-09-14 17:36:41','','Routing','','inherit','open','closed','','routing','','','2017-09-14 17:37:28','2017-09-14 17:37:28','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5793,1,'2017-09-14 17:37:47','2017-09-14 17:37:47','<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5231\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/folding-map-360382_640-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Map\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" />You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>Once you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:37:47','2017-09-14 17:37:47','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5794,1,'2017-09-14 17:38:32','2017-09-14 17:38:32','<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>Once you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:38:32','2017-09-14 17:38:32','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5795,1,'2017-09-14 17:40:34','2017-09-14 17:40:34','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:40:34','2017-09-14 17:40:34','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5796,1,'2017-09-14 17:41:40','2017-09-14 17:41:40','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5791\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Increase Productivity with Routing | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Start the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:41:40','2017-09-14 17:41:40','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5797,1,'2017-09-14 17:42:39','2017-09-14 17:42:39','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5791\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Increase Productivity with Routing | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Start the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:42:39','2017-09-14 17:42:39','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5798,1,'2017-09-14 17:43:50','2017-09-14 17:43:50','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5791\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Increase Productivity with Routing | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:43:50','2017-09-14 17:43:50','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5799,1,'2017-09-14 17:48:47','2017-09-14 17:48:47','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5791\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Increase Productivity with Routing | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Your Personal Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-14 17:48:47','2017-09-14 17:48:47','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5801,560,'2017-09-18 15:43:16','2017-09-18 15:43:16','When you purchase a home there are a number of things that often get overlooked in the process.  I talk to many people who are mesmorized and in love with the \"perfect home\" and the idea of what a home is and represents and they loose focus on the real deal holifield when it comes to maintaining and repairing that home, so I want to share a little of my story with you in an effort to prepare you for the reality of home ownership.\r\n\r\nSo first thing, it takes more money than just your mortgage.  You look at the monthly note, but many times we forget about the cost to maintain your house.  Depending on the year of your home you may need to replace vital pieces like the air conditioner or other major appliances.  What about roof, door or window leaks?  The maintenance of the yard is another big one.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Organizing Home Repairs and Maintenance','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:16:33','2019-07-27 05:16:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5801',0,'post','',0),(5802,1,'2017-09-18 15:43:16','2017-09-18 15:43:16','When you purchase a home there are a number of things that often get overlooked in the process.  I talk to many people who are mesmorized and in love with the \"perfect home\" and the idea of what a home is and represents and they loose focus on the real deal holifield when it comes to maintaining and repairing that home, so I want to share a little of my story with you in an effort to prepare you for the reality of home ownership.\r\n\r\nSo first thing, it takes more money than just your mortgage.  You look at the monthly note, but many times we forget about the cost to maintain your house.  Depending on the year of your home you may need to replace vital pieces like the air conditioner or other major appliances.  What about roof, door or window leaks?  The maintenance of the yard is another big one.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Organizing Home Repairs and Maintenance','','inherit','closed','closed','','5801-revision-v1','','','2017-09-18 15:43:16','2017-09-18 15:43:16','',5801,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5801-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5803,560,'2019-02-07 23:55:51','2019-02-07 23:55:51','I absolutely love the fall season!  It represents football, cooler weather and change!  Leaves change colors, time changes and our \"things\" change in our house.  In our household this is mini-maintenance time.  In the Organizational Roadmap and the Organize Like a Pro course, I talk to you about the importance of maintenancing your organizational system.  Some of the things I recommend you do during this period of time is as follows:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Go through your closet and declutter the current/previous season\'s clothes prior to switching out your clothes.  Now, I keep all our clothes in one closet for all seasons, but we do still switch out our clothes by putting the more frequently used things up front and the others in the back.  This is a great opportunity for you to weed out those things that aren\'t serving a purpose in your life today.</li>\r\n 	<li>Go through your coats - how often do you pack away a coat knowing that it doesn\'t fit, needs repair or needs to be removed.  This is the perfect time to evaluate these items because you could bless someone else with a new to them coat.  You could get it repaired before you really need it, or you could make room for something else.  Check the pockets and make sure it is ready to wear, because when that weather hits...you don\'t want to have to worry about all this.</li>\r\n 	<li>Go through your gloves, scarves and hats - This is an area we usually have either an overabundance or not enough.  It of course depends on your environment as to whether you have a ton or not.</li>\r\n 	<li>Go through your shoes - For some reason we don\'t really evaluate our shoes regularly.  I literally had two pairs of boots that absolutely didn\'t fit...why was I holding onto them?  They were too high and too tight on my calves, so why not bless someone else with them?  I talk a lot about purposeful spending, how can you purchase things purposely.</li>\r\n 	<li>Declutter your freezer - Seems strange that I would say this but think about it...what do you do more in the winter/fall than you do any other time? You cook in the crockpot, you make soups and hearty foods!!!  Soooo, you will have more things in your freezer than you normally do, well ok we do.  I have freezer cooking days when I cook two or three soups and a lasagna all at once and I make them in small freezer servings.  <strong>Check out this post where I talk about my freezer cooking days </strong>You will need room to put all of these delicious goodies.</li>\r\n 	<li>Home Decor - Starting in the fall you switch out/add to your household decor more than any other time of the year.  In September, you start putting up fall stuff, leaves, fall colors etc., in October, you start putting up halloween things then November it\'s Thanksgiving and then December is Christmas.  You move and shift things around to accommodate this temporary decor so why not go ahead and evaluate the stuff that you had there.</li>\r\n 	<li>Blankets - Review your blankets and flannel sheets, if applicable, to ensure they don\'t have holes or rips in them.  Prep for the new season before you need the items.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNow with all of these areas I want you to repeat our mantra to yourself, \"Does this serve a purpose in my life today?\"  Be honest with yourself to be able free yourself from the things that have held you back from truly living your happiest life.  This will put you in the right place for the fall/winter months.  This will also prepare you for purposeful spending over the holidays.','Organizing and Decluttering for the New Season','','draft','open','open','','','','','2019-07-27 05:15:26','2019-07-27 05:15:26','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5803',0,'post','',0),(5804,1,'2017-09-18 16:09:06','2017-09-18 16:09:06','I absolutely love the fall season!  It represents football, cooler weather and change!  Leaves change colors, time changes and our \"things\" change in our house.  In our household this is mini-maintenance time.  In the Organizational Roadmap and the Organize Like a Pro course, I talk to you about the importance of maintenancing your organizational system.  Some of the things I recommend you do during this period of time is as follows:\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Go through your closet and declutter the current/previous season\'s clothes prior to switching out your clothes.  Now, I keep all our clothes in one closet for all seasons, but we do still switch out our clothes by putting the more frequently used things up front and the others in the back.  This is a great opportunity for you to weed out those things that aren\'t serving a purpose in your life today.</li>\r\n 	<li>Go through your coats - how often do you pack away a coat knowing that it doesn\'t fit, needs repair or needs to be removed.  This is the perfect time to evaluate these items because you could bless someone else with a new to them coat.  You could get it repaired before you really need it, or you could make room for something else.  Check the pockets and make sure it is ready to wear, because when that weather hits...you don\'t want to have to worry about all this.</li>\r\n 	<li>Go through your gloves, scarves and hats - This is an area we usually have either an overabundance or not enough.  It of course depends on your environment as to whether you have a ton or not.</li>\r\n 	<li>Go through your shoes - For some reason we don\'t really evaluate our shoes regularly.  I literally had two pairs of boots that absolutely didn\'t fit...why was I holding onto them?  They were too high and too tight on my calves, so why not bless someone else with them?  I talk a lot about purposeful spending, how can you purchase things purposely.</li>\r\n 	<li>Declutter your freezer - Seems strange that I would say this but think about it...what do you do more in the winter/fall than you do any other time? You cook in the crockpot, you make soups and hearty foods!!!  Soooo, you will have more things in your freezer than you normally do, well ok we do.  I have freezer cooking days when I cook two or three soups and a lasagna all at once and I make them in small freezer servings.  <strong>Check out this post where I talk about my freezer cooking days </strong>You will need room to put all of these delicious goodies.</li>\r\n 	<li>Home Decor - Starting in the fall you switch out/add to your household decor more than any other time of the year.  In September, you start putting up fall stuff, leaves, fall colors etc., in October, you start putting up halloween things then November it\'s Thanksgiving and then December is Christmas.  You move and shift things around to accommodate this temporary decor so why not go ahead and evaluate the stuff that you had there.</li>\r\n 	<li>Blankets - Review your blankets and flannel sheets, if applicable, to ensure they don\'t have holes or rips in them.  Prep for the new season before you need the items.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nNow with all of these areas I want you to repeat our mantra to yourself, \"Does this serve a purpose in my life today?\"  Be honest with yourself to be able free yourself from the things that have held you back from truly living your happiest life.  This will put you in the right place for the fall/winter months.  This will also prepare you for purposeful spending over the holidays.','Organizing and Decluttering for the New Season','','inherit','closed','closed','','5803-revision-v1','','','2017-09-18 16:09:06','2017-09-18 16:09:06','',5803,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5803-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5805,560,'2019-02-15 07:00:14','2019-02-15 07:00:14','We are entering the time of year when packing and travel are at an all-time high. Actually, I guess the holidays, summer, fall break, spring break, vacation, business trips, etc....are all times that require a lot of packing LOL.  Obviously, the timing of travel season and the need to pack is different for everyone.  What I\'d like to do today is give you a few organizing and packing tips regarding your toiletries, that will help you whenever your travel season comes to pass.  I encourage you to adapt these for your lifestyle and needs as necessary:\r\n<h2>The Travel Toiletry Bag</h2>\r\nOh the fabulous travel toiletry bag, what is it and why do I feel it is essential to your happiness when traveling?  Well, it makes packing so much easier when you don\'t have to overthink the process.  When traveling the one thing that typically doesn\'t change is your need for toiletries and which toiletries at that.  Most people take the exact same things on every trip with very few alterations for seasons.\r\n<h2>His, Her or Joint Toiletry Bags?</h2>\r\nNow, you may be thinking, how many toiletry bags do I need?  Well, each person should have their own bag.  Think of it like this, if you had to travel separately what types of things would you need for your trip?  Are there any items that cross-pollinate?  For example, my husband and I use different body wash and body sprays, but we use the same toothpaste and lotion.  We each have a container for body wash and body spray, we have travel sized toothpaste and lotion bottles and we have backups available.  That way if we are traveling apart and both needed it we would have it and if we were traveling together we would only need to take one (unless for a long period where we needed more).\r\n<h2>Your Toiletry Bag is Prepped Year Round</h2>\r\nThe beauty of this bag is that its main purpose is to be used for travel and time away from home.  It is something that if prepped properly could be grabbed in the blink of an eye if necessary.  You never know when you need to run out of the house for that unexpected overnight event.  A perfect example is an unexpected hospital stay.  If we ever had to experience this, how easy would it be for you to just grab the toiletry bag and go?\r\n\r\nIn those cases, clothes may not be at the top of your list, but isn\'t it great you don\'t have to think about clothes and toiletries?  I actually keep this bag packed year round because it comes in really handy even for those overnight or short weekend trips.  I have one and so does my husband, when we travel together we have a \"toiletry\" bag that our small little bags fit into.  It makes packing so much easier and eliminates the need for those humongous shampoo and soap bottles.\r\n<h2>Observation is Key</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-7668 alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Packing-Toiletries-200x300.png\" alt=\"Packing Toiletries | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"231\" height=\"347\" />An important piece to developing and maintaining your toiletry bag is observing what truly serves a purpose in your life today.  For those of you who haven\'t gone through my Organize Like a Pro course, this is something that we talk about extensively.  If you are still living in abundance, it may be hard for you to narrow down what you truly need in a travel toiletry bag.  I encourage you to get your toiletries down to the nitty gritty before you develop this bag for yourself.\r\n<h2>Packing for Carry-on vs. Checked Luggage</h2>\r\nOk, so here is something I have learned over the years for those of you who actually fly most places.  I always recommend putting your toiletry bag in your carry on luggage.  Why you ask? Well, have you ever heard of lost luggage? No??? well, I have heard and experienced it for myself and let me tell you it is NO BUENO!  Since that experience, I have always packed my toiletries (at least some) in my carry-on bag or luggage.  I also carry a change of underwear too. This at least allows me to be clean if nothing else while waiting on my luggage to be found and delivered to me. By getting down to your main necessities, you know which items you need with you immediately and which items you can check with your luggage.\r\n<h2>Key Tips When Packing Your Toiletry Bag</h2>\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Get TSA approved bottles and bags - This is your starting foundation, there is no need in building a system that doesn\'t meet your overall regulatory requirements.  I will share with you how we prep for airplane vs. road trips.  You want to fill these bottles with whatever products you use the most, especially if it doesn\'t come in a travel size.</li>\r\n 	<li>Get travel sizes toiletries - Some products come in travel sizes, I recommend purchasing these at least once for any items you use on a regular basis that aren\'t too expensive.  Deodorant, body wash, toothpaste, Q-tips, etc.</li>\r\n 	<li>Get small containers that can hold products you need, but only need a little of.  For example, I use hair gel, but when traveling I try to maintain hairstyles that don\'t require a lot of it.  I have these small round containers that hold just enough gel for those \"emergency\" hair moments when I need a little help lol.  I have put hair moisturizer, medicine and other things in containers like this to prevent having to carry the large bottle.</li>\r\n 	<li>Medicine weekly container - You know those containers that have the days of the week on them. My husband and I use these to hold our medicine.  Now, we have been known to just put each medicine in each opening for the number of days we are gone so we can share one main container. So instead of putting them in the proper days, we put all the medicine for cholesterol in one, and all my vitamins in another, all his vitamins in another etc.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<h2>Traveling by Car vs. Plane</h2>\r\nThe age old debate is which traveling method is better, well I don\'t have the answer to this question but I do have some thoughts when it comes to traveling by car vs. a plane.  The main being that most people are more cognizant about what they pack when going via air because of baggage overage costs.  When traveling by car you are more apt to throw everything but the kitchen sink in your bags.  By creating your travel bag it helps prevent this urge.  The one thing my husband and I do is we have a big \"toiletry\" bag that holds our individual toiletry bags.  This helps us take larger quantities of things we use together and/or other things we steer away from when needing to save space.\r\n<h2>Less is More When Packing Your Toiletry Bag</h2>\r\nAll in all, I recommend you develop a mindset of less is more.  Plan out your trips and what you really need for where you are going.  Count the days and calculate just how much of something you need.  Instead of taking the entire box of q-tips, get a travel size or better yet grab enough to have one or two per day and put those in a small ziplock bag. Try to use a capsule wardrobe for your trip so you can use some of the same jewelry, accessories, and makeup.\r\n\r\nDespite the fact that I used \"toiletry\" way too much in this post, I hope you found it helpful.  Do you have a toiletry bag?','Organizing and Packing your Toiletries for Travel Season','','publish','open','open','','packing-toiletries','','','2019-07-27 05:15:25','2019-07-27 05:15:25','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5805',0,'post','',0),(5806,1,'2017-09-18 16:57:31','2017-09-18 16:57:31','Oh the holidays are a time of joy and peace and it is also a time that requires a lot of packing! Actually, I guess the holidays, summer, fall break, spring break, vacation...are all times that require a lot of packing LOL.  Obviously, the timing of travel season and the need to pack is different for everyone.  What I\'d like to do today is give you a few organizing and packing tips regarding your toiletries, that will help you whenever your travel season comes to pass.  I encourage you to adapt these for your lifestyle and needs as necessary:\r\n<h2>The Travel Toiletry Bag</h2>\r\nOh the fabulous travel toiletry bag, what is it and why do I feel it is essential to your happiness when travelling?  Well, it makes packing so much easier when you don\'t have to overthink the process.  When travelling the one thing that typically doesn\'t change is your need for toiletries and which toiletries at that.  Most people take the exact same things on every trip with very few alterations for seasons.\r\n<h2>His, Her or Joint Toiletry Bags?</h2>\r\nNow, you may be thinking, how many toiletry bags do I need?  Well, each person should have their own bag.  Think of it like this, if you had to travel separately what types of things would you need for your trip?  Are there any items that cross pollinate?  For example, my husband and I use different body wash and body sprays, but we use the same toothpaste and lotion.  We each have a container for body wash and body spray, we have travel sized toothpaste and lotion bottles and we have backups available.  That way if we are travelling apart and both needed it we would have it and if we were travelling together we would only need to take one (unless for a long period where we needed more).\r\n<h2>Your Toiletry Bag is Prepped Year Round</h2>\r\nThe beauty of this bag is that it\'s main purpose is to be used for travel and time away from home.  It is something that if prepped properly could be grabbed in the blink of an eye if necessary.  You never know when you need to run out of the house for that unexpected overnight event.  A perfect example is an unexpected hospital stay.  If we ever had to experience this, how easy would it be fore you to just grab the toiletry bag and go?  In those cases, clothes may not be at the top of your list, but isn\'t it great you don\'t have to think about clothes and toiletries?  I actually keep this bag packed year round because it comes in really handy even for those overnight or short weekend trips.  I have one and so does my husband, when we travel together we have a \"toiletry\" bag that our small little bags fit into.  It makes packing so much easier and eliminates the need for those humongous bottles of toiletries.\r\n<h2>Observation is Key</h2>\r\nAn important piece to developing and maintaining your toiletry bag is observing what truly serves a purpose in your life today.  For those of you who haven\'t gone through my Organize Like a Pro course, this is something that we talk about extensively.  If you are still living in abundance, it may be hard for you to narrow down what you truly need in a travel toiletry bag.  I encourage you to go through the _________________ post to get your toiletries down to the nitty gritty before you develop this bag for yourself.\r\n<h2>Packing for Carry-on vs. Checked Luggage</h2>\r\nOk, so here is something I have learned over the years for those of you who actually fly most places.  I always recommend packing your toiletry bag in your carry on luggage.  Why you ask? Well, have you ever heard of lost luggage? No??? well I have heard and experienced it for myself and let me tell you it is NO BUENO!  Every since that experience, I have always packed my toiletries (at least some) in my carry-on bag or luggage.  I also carry a change of underwear too. This at least allows me to be clean if nothing else while waiting on my luggage to be found and delivered to me.  By getting down to your main necessities, you know which items you need with you immediately and which items you can check with your luggage.\r\n<h2>Key Tips When Packing Your Toiletry Bag</h2>\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Get TSA approved bottles and bags - This is your starting foundation, there is no need in building a system that doesn\'t meet your overall regulatory requirements.  I will share with you how we prep for airplane vs. road trips.  You want to fill these bottles with whatever products you use the most, especially if it doesn\'t come in a travel size.</li>\r\n 	<li>Get travel sizes toiletries - Some products come in travel sizes, I recommend purchasing these at least once for any items you use on a regular basis that aren\'t too expensive.  Deoderant, bodywash, toothpaste, qtips, etc.</li>\r\n 	<li>Get small containers that can hold products you need, but only need a little of.  For example, I use hair gel, but when travelling I try to maintain hairstyles that don\'t require a lot of it.  I have these small round containers that hold just enough gel for those \"emergency\" hair moments when I need a little help lol.  I have put hair moisturizer, medicine and other things in containers like this to prevent having to carry the large bottle.</li>\r\n 	<li>Medicine weekly container - You know those containers that have the days of the week on them.  My husband and I use these to hold our medicine.  Now, we have been known to just put each medicine in each opening for the number of days we are gone so we can share one main container.  So instead of putting them in the proper days we put all the medicine for cholesterol in one, and all my vitamins in another, all his vitamins in another etc.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<h2>Travelling by Car vs. Plane</h2>\r\nThe age old debate is which travelling method is better, well I don\'t have the answer to this question but I do have some thoughts when it comes to travelling by car vs. a plane.  The main being that most people are more cognizant about what they pack when going via air because of baggage overage costs.  When travelling by car you are more apt to throw everything but the kitchen sink in your bags.  By creating your travel bag it helps prevent this urge.  The one thing my husband and I do is we have a toiletry bag that holds our individual toiletry bags.  This helps us take larger quantities of things we use together and/or other things we steer away from when needing to save space.\r\n<h2>Less is More When Packing Your Toiletry Bag</h2>\r\nAll in all I recommend you develop a mindset of less is more.  Plan out your trips and what you really need for where you are going.  Count the days and calculate just how much of something you need.  Instead of taking the entire box of q-tips, get a travel size or better yet grab enough to have one or two per day and put those in a small ziplock bag. Try to use a capsule wardrobe for your trip so you can use some of the same jewelry, accessories and makeup.','Organizing and Packing your Toiletries for Travel Season','','inherit','closed','closed','','5805-revision-v1','','','2017-09-18 16:57:31','2017-09-18 16:57:31','',5805,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5805-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5807,560,'2019-02-07 23:56:29','2019-02-07 23:56:29','Do you struggle with knowing just how to organize and store your unused luggage?  This is a common issue that many people have and I\'m going to give you a few tips today.\r\n\r\nFirst things first, you need to determine just how often you travel.  This has a big impact on where and how you need to organize and store your luggage.  For those who travel regularly, you will want much more access than those who travel once or twice a year.\r\n\r\nThe next thing you need to evaluate is the amount of room you are working with in your space.  Do you have an abundance of space where you can store the luggage and other items or is your storage space limited to where you have to get creative with how and where you store your luggage.\r\n\r\nWhat type and how much luggage do you have?  Now, if I\'m honest I can say I have run into people across the board on this one.  It is usually one or the other, either you have way too much luggage or you don\'t have nearly enough.  In my situation, I think I am on the enough, but not necessarily what I want lol.  The truth is I would love matching luggage, but what we have works for us right now.  The amount and type of luggage you have is important because this will help determine how you have to navigate storage options.\r\n\r\nNow once you have answered these questions, we can get into the nitty gritty of developing a plan for your luggage.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Physical storage for your luggage - if you are able to consider using your underbed storage space to store unused luggage</li>\r\n 	<li>Consider using the actual luggage to store seasonal or rarely used items when they aren\'t in use for travel.  Granted when you do travel you will need to remove that stuff and pack the things you need, but in most cases this isn\'t a huge concern, as you can replace it once you get back.  This of course isn\'t an idea option for those who travel regularly;</li>\r\n 	<li>Use hooks to hang luggage when not in use.  This is great if you have an attic space, walkable crawl space or garage area.  The one thing you need to be careful of is damaging the strap or handle when hanging it.  Make sure it is a hook that can handle the weight.  You also want to protect the luggage with a plastic bag if in a dusty or uncontrolled climate.  You don\'t want critters or the elements getting to your luggage.</li>\r\n 	<li>Nestle the bags - for those like me who have the humongous bag that is used for week long trips vs. the overnight or weekend bag, you can nestle smaller bags in the larger bag.  This will allow all travel bags and luggage to be in one place.  This also takes up a lot less space than having them all hung or stored separately.</li>\r\n 	<li>Store Your Toiletry Travel Bag Separate from Luggage - you don\'t want to store your toiletry bag too far from your day to day toiletries, mainly because you will need to ensure they stay in a controlled climate.  You also want to keep them near so you can change them or use them as needed.  I store our toiletry bag in our closet on a shelf for ease of access.</li>\r\n</ol>','Organizing and Storing your Luggage','','draft','open','open','','storing-luggage','','','2019-07-27 05:15:26','2019-07-27 05:15:26','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5807',0,'post','',0),(5808,1,'2017-09-18 17:12:08','2017-09-18 17:12:08','Do you struggle with knowing just how to organize and store your unused luggage?  This is a common issue that many people have and I\'m going to give you a few tips today.\r\n\r\nFirst things first, you need to determine just how often you travel.  This has a big impact on where and how you need to organize and store your luggage.  For those who travel regularly, you will want much more access than those who travel once or twice a year.\r\n\r\nThe next thing you need to evaluate is the amount of room you are working with in your space.  Do you have an abundance of space where you can store the luggage and other items or is your storage space limited to where you have to get creative with how and where you store your luggage.\r\n\r\nWhat type and how much luggage do you have?  Now, if I\'m honest I can say I have run into people across the board on this one.  It is usually one or the other, either you have way too much luggage or you don\'t have nearly enough.  In my situation, I think I am on the enough, but not necessarily what I want lol.  The truth is I would love matching luggage, but what we have works for us right now.  The amount and type of luggage you have is important because this will help determine how you have to navigate storage options.\r\n\r\nNow once you have answered these questions, we can get into the nitty gritty of developing a plan for your luggage.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Physical storage for your luggage - if you are able to consider using your underbed storage space to store unused luggage</li>\r\n 	<li>Consider using the actual luggage to store seasonal or rarely used items when they aren\'t in use for travel.  Granted when you do travel you will need to remove that stuff and pack the things you need, but in most cases this isn\'t a huge concern, as you can replace it once you get back.  This of course isn\'t an idea option for those who travel regularly;</li>\r\n 	<li>Use hooks to hang luggage when not in use.  This is great if you have an attic space, walkable crawl space or garage area.  The one thing you need to be careful of is damaging the strap or handle when hanging it.  Make sure it is a hook that can handle the weight.  You also want to protect the luggage with a plastic bag if in a dusty or uncontrolled climate.  You don\'t want critters or the elements getting to your luggage.</li>\r\n 	<li>Nestle the bags - for those like me who have the humongous bag that is used for week long trips vs. the overnight or weekend bag, you can nestle smaller bags in the larger bag.  This will allow all travel bags and luggage to be in one place.  This also takes up a lot less space than having them all hung or stored separately.</li>\r\n 	<li>Store Your Toiletry Travel Bag separate - you don\'t want to store your toiletry bag too far from your day to day toiletries, mainly because you will need to ensure they stay in a controlled climate.  You also want to keep them near so you can change them or use them as needed.  I store our toiletry bag in our closet on a shelf for ease of access.</li>\r\n</ol>','Organizing and Storing your Luggage','','inherit','closed','closed','','5807-revision-v1','','','2017-09-18 17:12:08','2017-09-18 17:12:08','',5807,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5807-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5809,1,'2017-09-18 17:21:30','2017-09-18 17:21:30','Do you struggle with knowing just how to organize and store your unused luggage?  This is a common issue that many people have and I\'m going to give you a few tips today.\r\n\r\nFirst things first, you need to determine just how often you travel.  This has a big impact on where and how you need to organize and store your luggage.  For those who travel regularly, you will want much more access than those who travel once or twice a year.\r\n\r\nThe next thing you need to evaluate is the amount of room you are working with in your space.  Do you have an abundance of space where you can store the luggage and other items or is your storage space limited to where you have to get creative with how and where you store your luggage.\r\n\r\nWhat type and how much luggage do you have?  Now, if I\'m honest I can say I have run into people across the board on this one.  It is usually one or the other, either you have way too much luggage or you don\'t have nearly enough.  In my situation, I think I am on the enough, but not necessarily what I want lol.  The truth is I would love matching luggage, but what we have works for us right now.  The amount and type of luggage you have is important because this will help determine how you have to navigate storage options.\r\n\r\nNow once you have answered these questions, we can get into the nitty gritty of developing a plan for your luggage.\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li>Physical storage for your luggage - if you are able to consider using your underbed storage space to store unused luggage</li>\r\n 	<li>Consider using the actual luggage to store seasonal or rarely used items when they aren\'t in use for travel.  Granted when you do travel you will need to remove that stuff and pack the things you need, but in most cases this isn\'t a huge concern, as you can replace it once you get back.  This of course isn\'t an idea option for those who travel regularly;</li>\r\n 	<li>Use hooks to hang luggage when not in use.  This is great if you have an attic space, walkable crawl space or garage area.  The one thing you need to be careful of is damaging the strap or handle when hanging it.  Make sure it is a hook that can handle the weight.  You also want to protect the luggage with a plastic bag if in a dusty or uncontrolled climate.  You don\'t want critters or the elements getting to your luggage.</li>\r\n 	<li>Nestle the bags - for those like me who have the humongous bag that is used for week long trips vs. the overnight or weekend bag, you can nestle smaller bags in the larger bag.  This will allow all travel bags and luggage to be in one place.  This also takes up a lot less space than having them all hung or stored separately.</li>\r\n 	<li>Store Your Toiletry Travel Bag Separate from Luggage - you don\'t want to store your toiletry bag too far from your day to day toiletries, mainly because you will need to ensure they stay in a controlled climate.  You also want to keep them near so you can change them or use them as needed.  I store our toiletry bag in our closet on a shelf for ease of access.</li>\r\n</ol>','Organizing and Storing your Luggage','','inherit','closed','closed','','5807-revision-v1','','','2017-09-18 17:21:30','2017-09-18 17:21:30','',5807,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5807-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5811,1,'2018-02-05 22:42:48','2018-02-05 22:42:48','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  It is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.<a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6407 size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Click-to-tweet-768-x-150.png\" alt=\"Click to tweet - Routing Your Day | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"768\" height=\"150\" /></a>\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5791\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Increase Productivity with Routing | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Personal Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-autosave-v1','','','2018-02-05 22:42:48','2018-02-05 22:42:48','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5812,1,'2017-09-19 19:35:30','2017-09-19 19:35:30','You guys know I am all about saving time and money, but what you may not know is that I absolutely love using routing to improve my overall productivity.  What is routing?  it is the act or process by which you plan out and route your journey so you follow the path of least resistance.\r\n\r\nAlright, I know that was a lot of words, so let me give you an example.  Lets say today you have a meeting you need to attend, you need to drop off a sales packet and run by a supplier.  In planning those events for today I would map out the path these take and basically make a circle. Determine if you have any downtime between meetings and plan in a site visit or look up the nearest Starbucks where you can work.  You also would need to ensure you have the files you need to work on while at Starbucks.\r\n<h2>How Does Routing Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nYou see unless you have a delivery service, most people don\'t realize how much time is truly wasted when they fail to route their day.  In the above mentioned scenario it is often that people will go to work then go to the supplier, then back to work...to leave 45 minutes later to drop off the sales packet, etc.  The result of this is wasted time and money.\r\n\r\nOnce you begin the process of routing, you will find that early planning helps you better plan your route.  You may start by just routing one day and see how it helps, but think about how applying <a href=\"http://ctt.ec/UB4F9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignright\" src=\"http://clicktotweet.com/img/tweet-graphic-3.png\" alt=\"Tweet: Start by routing one day and see how it helps increase your productivity. Learn how here http://ctt.ec/UB4F9+ #productivity #timemanagement\" /></a>routing to your entire week will save you a lot of time.  How planning one particular day of the week as the day to schedule out of office meetings or maybe you service one side of the city on certain days?  The possibilities are endless, just think outside the box about what you are doing on a daily basis and see where you can route your activities.\r\n<h2>How Do You \"Route\" to Improve Productivity?</h2>\r\nSo, now that I\'ve told you all about this fabulousness, how do you do it?  Well, it is easier than you think.  In a nutshell, you figure out all the things you need to do for the day and then you map out a plan to accomplish it with as little effort as possible.  So, start by looking at your calendar for today...does it require you to leave your office or your desk?  If you are a solopreneur or someone trying to work a full-time job and build a business at a same time, I encourage you to include your personal items as well.  Why?  because you are often times struggling to find pockets of time in your life as a whole, not just your business.  Alright so lets walk through it:\r\n<h3>Create your List of Things To Do</h3>\r\nStart the process of routing by just writing down everything that needs to be done for the day. On your schedule today you have to do the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Take the dog to the vet, which closes at 5 (5 miles from your home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Drop off your upcoming event invitations at the printer;</li>\r\n 	<li>Conduct a consultation with a potential client;</li>\r\n 	<li>Pick up your child from school at 4 (10 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Go grocery shopping for dinner (2 miles from home);</li>\r\n 	<li>Get stamps at the post office to mail the invitations; and</li>\r\n 	<li>Take your child to practice (you normally just sit and wait).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Begin the Routing Process</h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5791\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Routing-101-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Increase Productivity with Routing | www.thehappinessbucket.com\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\r\n\r\nIn looking at what has to be done, see where things can be done together.  In looking at the list above, I would route it as follows (I have included the why):\r\n<ol>\r\n 	<li> I\'d work to conduct the consultation with the potential client as early as possible.  You want to make sure you are fresh.  This also gives the client time to get settled and allows you to avoid rush hour.  You want to be able to wear something a little more professional as you are a representative of your business.</li>\r\n 	<li>Depending on when the consultation is I would drop off the event invites at the printer before or after the consultation.</li>\r\n 	<li>On the way home I\'d go to the grocery store and knock out the grocery shopping, at the same time I\'d pick up the stamps (assuming I absolutely want to add a stamp, otherwise I\'d just plan to hand deliver these to the post office and have them stamp them there with the machine). This allows me to drop off the groceries at home, change my clothes and pick up the dog (I would also try to figure out a less busy day to grocery shop if possible).</li>\r\n 	<li>I\'d then take the dog to the vet on my way to pick up the kids from school (if there was enough time and if it wasn\'t an overnight visit).  I\'d work on my report while waiting on the dog to finish, if it wasn\'t overnight.</li>\r\n 	<li>Take my child to their practice and continue to work on the consultation report from that morning.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nBy developing this routing schedule, I know exactly what I need to do and how to do it in the most efficient way possible.\r\n<h2>The Productivity Benefits of Routing</h2>\r\nWhen you start routing your calendar, you begin to identify your optimal times of the day and week. You will begin to see how much easier things are and how much time you can recover.  You will begin to make deliberate decisions as to when and how you are going to do something.  No more doing things randomly, each action is calculated as to how it effects the day and your desired deliverables.\r\n<h3>The Birth of Batching</h3>\r\nSuccessful routing eventually grows into batching, which I talk about in <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/batching/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organizing and Increasing Productivity Using Batching</a>.  You will also begin to see patterns and areas where you can move things around.  Why do you grocery shop during the week?  Can you pick a different day of the week when you aren\'t as busy or are naturally in the area.  You will figure out when you have must haves versus like to haves or I wanna\'s.  You will also be able to eliminate things that you really don\'t need to do.\r\n\r\nSo I\'m curious, prior to reading this post had you ever routed?  If so, share any ideas or ways you use routing to improve your overall productivity.  If this is your first time hearing about routing? How will try to incorporate it in your day?','Improve Personal Productivity by Routing Your Day','','inherit','closed','closed','','5124-revision-v1','','','2017-09-19 19:35:30','2017-09-19 19:35:30','',5124,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5124-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5819,1,'2017-09-20 21:54:03','2017-09-20 21:54:03','<h2>How It All Started</h2>\r\nThe Happiness Bucket has been an idea of mine I developed when I was in college interning as a Sentencing Advocate.  I realized that there were many life circumstances that make us who we are today.  Regardless of if your turn is a good one or a bad one, it can affect your life in many ways...but nothing is permanent.  You can always change your circumstances if you have determination, the right circle around you and you are willing to make the necessary changes in and around yourself. My idea of the C.H.A.N.G.E Center, which is what it was called at the time, was centered around reusing an old school building that would house a number of service agencies (social security, police, fire stations) trade schools and a community center.  It would also have a restaurant that would train non-violent offenders in the restaurant industry.  The entire idea was to have a central place where you could get your problems addressed, grow as a person and feel safe.  It would be the center safe place of the community where you were honoring excellence in one another.  Although this idea has never completely gone away, it was never completely born either.\r\n\r\nFast forward to 2008, when I had the opportunity to talk with a group of women who were going through a lot of personal issues.  In listening to their stories I knew I could help on a different scale.  In that mini-mastermind session, I began to dig deeper with the ladies by working to discover the center of their happiness.  You see, they truly didn\'t know what would make them happy and that was part of the root cause of their problems.  By the end of our visit, each woman had a plan of action and were reassured that they would make it through and past their situations to become a happier version of themselves. I\'m happy to say they all began working towards their goals and were successful in accomplishing many of them.  This session reignited that original dream of a community of excellence.\r\n<h2>The <span style=\"color: #e100b1;\">C.H.A.N.G.E</span> ACADEMY</h2>\r\nOut of that session in 2008, a Community Honoring A New Goal of Excellence, the C.H.A.N.G.E Academy was born.  It was developed specifically to help provide guidance, workshops and encouragement in reaching your individual goals.  It is a place where we want you to feel safe sharing your most intimate dreams and fears and know you will receive genuine support.  This is a safe place to ask questions and a place where it is okay to laugh and cry.\r\n\r\nThe C.H.A.N.G.E Academy is a holistic learning portal.  Here at the Happiness Bucket, I believe we have to deal with our lives in totality.  You are one person with many different hats on, why then would we only address a hat and not the person?  Your family is made of of many different people with many different hats, why then would we not deal with the individuals and then the family unit? As Michael Jackson said, \"Start with the [wo]man in the mirror\".\r\n\r\nThere are two ways in which you can be a part of the Academy:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Join our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChangeAcademy/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Facebook Group</a> - this is our community of support, where THB Family Members gather to share all types of information, provide support and learn.</li>\r\n 	<li>Visit our <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Portal</a> - this is where the official education takes place.  You can find both free and paid courses and resources in the Academy Portal.  All of the educational resources are centered around the organization of your space, life, soul and business.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTake whichever route makes the most sense for you today, just take action and do something.  I look forward to working with you on a deeper level as you begin your C.H.A.N.G.E Journey today!\r\n<h2>What is The Happiness Bucket About?</h2>\r\nAs you look at the Happiness Bucket\'s theme I know some of you are wondering what it represents, what it is about.  You see our company represents change, growth and beauty.  It represents the flourishing life you were meant to have.  You are a seed that needs to be watered and nourished to grow into what God has made you to be and that is what The Happiness Bucket tries to bring to your life...that water and food you need to grow.\r\n<div id=\"page\" class=\"site\">\r\n<div class=\"site-content-contain\">\r\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"site-content\">\r\n<div class=\"wrap\">\r\n<div id=\"primary\" class=\"content-area\"><article id=\"post-3499\" class=\"post-3499 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-soulorg tag-goals tag-god tag-happiness tag-happiness-bucket tag-happinessbucket tag-jesus tag-journey tag-legalmane tag-life tag-planning tag-preparation tag-take-the-wheel tag-thb tag-thbchange tag-the-c-h-a-n-g-e-center tag-the-happiness-bucket tag-thehappinessbucket tag-transitioning tag-trust\">\r\n<div class=\"entry-content jpibfi_container\">\r\n\r\nSo how do you grow?  By letting go…letting go of that barrier that is keeping you from reaching your dreams and goals.  I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Let go and let God”, and that is what you need to do.  Make the decision to take the back seat in your life, behind Jesus, and begin doing the work so you can do what you were made to do.  You see He drives me and guides me down the path that I need to go.  When I try to take the wheel, I always end up on the wrong path and I don’t get back on the right path until I let Him take the wheel again.  The same, I’m sure is true for you.  So…my message to you today is to let go, and let God take the wheel in your life and you will be amazed at where you can go.  Trust Him, even when you don’t really understand or want to, because when the time is right He will make the path and purpose clear to you.\r\n<h2>Routed in Organization</h2>\r\nSo what does all this have to do with Organization?  Well, organization is the root of all things...you are either organized or disorganized.  In most cases, you feel the effects pretty quickly in either direction.  By using project management principles, The Happiness Bucket can help you organize your space, life, soul and business ultimately allowing you to live your happiest life.  You see, if you are struggling in any of those areas, you more than likely are experiencing some level of disorganization.  Conquering that at the root will help you build on a solid foundation, and trust...once you start you won\'t want to stop!\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</article></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','About THB','','inherit','closed','closed','','4669-revision-v1','','','2017-09-20 21:54:03','2017-09-20 21:54:03','',4669,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/4669-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5820,1,'2018-02-18 04:52:53','2018-02-18 04:52:53','Recently, I posted an article titled, <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning A Move</a>.  In it, I mentioned an invaluable tool called a floor map.  This is a rough sketch of how you want the room setup.  Now, this map can be as detailed or as basic as you wish, the main purpose of it is to help those who will be helping you move know where things should go without your assistance.\n\nOn most move maps you want to focus on the big furniture items and any large electrical items that may need to be connected.  There is nothing like having a ton of help on move day to only realize after everyone is gone that things aren\'t quite where they need to be.  It is so much easier to get the heavy items placed right the first time.\n<h1>How to Draw Your Floor Plan</h1>\nNow, first things first...most of the time I create floor maps with a good ol pencil/pen and a piece of paper.  Again, this doesn\'t have to be to scale or overly complicated.  You just want to give a general idea of where things should go.  On your sketch, you should make it clear where the windows and doors are so those looking at it clearly understand the directions.  Think about the heaviest items in the room and how you ideally want it placed.  Draw or write on the map where these go.  (i.e., a square with the word bed in the middle of it).  Also designated where you\'d like for them to stack the boxes that go with that room.  Ideally again they will be placed against a wall in the space (that doesn\'t require other items).  No need in having to go through a maze to try and find your bed after a long day of moving.\n\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6767\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Move-Floor-Plan-200x300.png\" alt=\"Move Floor Plan | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />\n\nI would also recommend that you measure your space prior to making your map to ensure your layout will actually work.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h1>Other Considerations for your Floor Plan</h1>\nOnce you finish drawing your floor map, you should make sure your room color is clearly notated on the page.  We use the color dots you get from office supply stores to label not only the move map but also the boxes that belong in the designated space.\n\nYou will find that most dots are in primary colors, but if you are moving into a larger home you may need to get the pastels too so each room can have a distinct color.  This makes it easy for movers to know where the boxes go and it also makes it easier for you to identify the items in a box from across the room.\n<h1>Developing Your Master Move Legend</h1>\nI recommend you develop a few master move legends that just have the room color, name and location (upstairs or downstairs, left or right arrows) so movers can know with a quick glance where they need to go.  You know boxes and large furniture are pretty heavy, so no need in prolonging the processes with indecisiveness.  Tape your room maps on the door frame of each room and make sure to strategically place the master maps at key direction points throughout the house.\n\nAnother place where you want to put the move legend is in your storage shelter (if applicable).  It will allow you to identify items quickly at a glance.\n\nI hope you have found this moving tip helpful.  If you have, please let us know by commenting below and make sure to signup to regularly receive our organizational tips.\n\nI wish you a successful and easy move!','How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map ','','inherit','closed','closed','','3402-autosave-v1','','','2018-02-18 04:52:53','2018-02-18 04:52:53','',3402,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/3402-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5821,1,'2017-09-22 15:42:19','2017-09-22 15:42:19','Recently, we posted an article titled, <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning A Move</a>.  In it, we mentioned an invaluable tool called a floor map, this is basically a rough sketch of how you want the room setup. Mostly you focus on the big furniture items and any electrical things that may need to be connected. This is helpful for those who will be helping you move, because you can\'t be everywhere at the same time. It is so much easier to get the heavy items placed right the first time. On your sketch you should make it clear where the windows and doors are so those looking at it clearly understand the directions.  Prior to making your map it is always good to measure the space, if possible, so you are sure your layout will work.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, on your floor map you should apply your room color.  We use the color dots you get from office supply stores. Most are in primary colors, but if you are moving into a larger home you may need to get the pastels too so each room can have a distinct color.  Once you assign a room a color, you should place that color dot on the floor map and also place that same color dot on all boxes that go to that room.  This makes it easy for movers to know where the boxes go and it also makes it easier for you to identify the items in a box from across the room.  It may also be helpful to create a few master maps that just have the room color, name and location (upstairs or downstairs, left or right arrows) so movers can know with a quick glance.  Tape your room maps on the door frame of each room and make sure to strategically place the master maps at key direction points throughout the house.\r\n\r\nWe also found the colored dots helpful in identifying items quickly when they were temporarily stored in our storage shelter while our house was on the market.\r\n\r\nWe hope you have found these moving tips to be helpful.  If you have, please let us know by commenting below and make sure to signup to regularly receive our organization, decluttering and overall happiness tips.\r\n\r\nWe wish you a successful and easy move!','How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map ','','inherit','closed','closed','','3402-revision-v1','','','2017-09-22 15:42:19','2017-09-22 15:42:19','',3402,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/3402-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5822,1,'2018-02-18 04:17:09','2018-02-18 04:17:09','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In honor of National Move month, we are going to take a trip back in time to March/April of 2013.  This is when my husband and I were anticipating the arrival of our daughter.  It was also the time when we decided it was time to move into a stand-alone home.  My goal when I began the process of planning our move, was that I wanted to make sure that my husband and family would know where I wanted things to go and what was in which box in case I was not able to be there. I knew that I wouldn\'t be able to move around as quickly as I wanted because I was carrying this extra load (my daughter) and I also couldn\'t be at the condo, new house and storage shelter all at the same time. So knowing the goal I set out to find a way to organize the move so anyone could jump in and help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img class=\" wp-image-636 alignleft\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\" alt=\"20120305-192257.jpg\" width=\"138\" height=\"138\" /></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I want to share with you some key tips on how to plan a move, and don\'t worry...being pregnant isn\'t a prerequisite:</p>\r\n\r\n<h1 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;\">Create a Move Binder</span></h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is the master binder that will help keep you sane.  You will have one place to reference everything related to your move.  Check out my post <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/move-binder/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Increase Your Chances of a Successful Move with a Move Binder</a> <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/move-binder/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"></a>for more detailed information.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Establish Responsibilities</h1>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you and your spouse/helper are available on move day, delegate move day responsibilities. In our scenario, my hubby was responsible for getting the truck loaded/moving the heavy stuff and I was responsible for the little things, last minute packing and new space coordination.  This helped eliminate the need for everyone to contact me for every decision. If delegation isn\'t possible, you definitely want the next three items.</p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Create a Floor Plan Map</h1>\r\nThis is invaluable in helping to plan out where everything needs to go in your new space.  I learned this trick from our many many office moves at the law firm.  It was standard practice that you would draw out how you want your office set up with your desk, filing cabinets, computer, etc.  That way the people moving you would know where to place your items and wouldn\'t need you there to show them.  You tape the floor plan on the wall outside the space and/or place it in the space so the movers can see where to place your large items.  Check out <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map</a> for more information.\r\n<h1>Create a Kitchen Map</h1>\r\nThis is also an invaluable tool if you are able to create one.  In a future blog post I will detail the specifics of how you create one.  The kitchen is usually the first one you organize and the one that you can easily delegate to someone else to arrange if you have a map.  It is also the one area (other than setting up your bed(s) and cleaning your bathroom) that you want to make sure is up and running so you can eat and make coffee during your first week in your new home.\r\n<h1>Have a Move Meeting</h1>\r\nYes, a meeting...one with everyone involved in the move.  When you have four or more people involved moving and packing items it can get chaotic really quickly.  It is helpful to have everyone in one space so you can ensure they are all on the same page.  Use this time to explain the space colors, floor plan maps, responsibility delegation, timing, break or eating schedule and any other instructions that are needed.\r\n<h1>Declutter</h1>\r\nNow you knew this one was going to be on here!  Just think about it, moving is costly so why would you want to waste time and money moving items you don\'t need or want?  For those with short notice, it may be more difficult, but you can still do it.  If you pick up an item to pack, and you think to yourself - what is this or why do I still have this?  Then don\'t pack it, put it in a predetermined giveaway/throwaway box or bag.  Think about the space/home you are going to and whether or not the item(s) are needed in your new situation.\r\n<h1>Pack Based on your New Space</h1>\r\nI think this is one of the most important tips (other than the one above) that I can give you.  Think about your new space and how it will be arranged.  Pack your boxes based on the new space not the old.  This will definitely come in handy if you are used to keeping non-room related items in a space just because you didn\'t have a dedicated space for it.  For us, we were moving from a 1355 sq ft home to a 3000 sq ft home.  My guest room, guest bathroom, overflow closet, baby room and office didn\'t have to share space any longer.  If I had packed all the items together as they were in the old space, I would have had to travel up and down the stairs just to put items away.<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-6763 \" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/14-Organizing-and-Planning-A-Move-Tips-683x1024.png\" alt=\"Organizing and Planning A Move | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"305\" height=\"458\" />\r\n<h1>Color Code your Rooms</h1>\r\nThis will be helpful for you and for your movers.  We will get more into this in a future post, but you want to assign a dot color to each room.  We got our dots at an office supply store, but most big box stores have them in the office supply section.  We used one package that had all the primary colors and one that had pastel colors.\r\n<h1>Create a Box Inventory</h1>\r\nFor those going on long moves across the country, this can be extremely important to prove you had an item in case of loss or damage.  This is also helpful when you are trying to find something, in your new space, before you get completely unpacked.\r\n<h1>Pack a bag...or Two</h1>\r\nReally, each person in your home should probably pack as though they were going on a week or weekend-long trip.  You are going to be exhausted when you finish moving everything and all you will want to see is your bed and MAYBE a shower before you go to sleep.  So when you wake, you will need to be able to locate your toiletries and a change of clothes.  Now, devils advocate, what are you going to spend the day doing on day two?  Are you going to unpack everything?  Well, okay in my case, yes...but it was very helpful to not HAVE to do this.  Make sure to put your valuables in this bag as well or include it with the next suggestion.\r\n<h1>Pack a Box...OR Two</h1>\r\nUsing the same premise above,  you need to be able to quickly find your sheets, coffee, snacks, hand-towel/towels, etc.  Yes, some of this you could pack in your suitcases, but I would suggest you have a separate box for the more bulkier items and that you carry them in your vehicle to ensure it arrives safely and you know where it is.  The thought is to pack items in this box that you will need right away...again think a week-long trip where you have to bring everything, what would you need?\r\n<h1>Cleaning Supplies</h1>\r\nThis is another set of items you want to have set aside for easy access.  You will need to clean your old space once everything is out and clean your new space before you put everything in.  If nothing else make sure these items are the last thing loaded on your moving truck, unless you are moving cross country then you may consider putting them in your vehicle as you may arrive before your stuff.\r\n<h1>Schedule Utility Start and End Times</h1>\r\nYou need to ensure you have your utilities (water, electric and gas) turned on at your new location as well as shut off at the old space.  It will be hard to clean your new home if you don\'t have water or electricity.  You also want to verify how they will calculate your new and old bill, so you don\'t get overcharged.\r\n<h1>Eat a Healthy Breakfast</h1>\r\nThis seems so simple, but so many people forget about this step.  You will be really active on move day and you don\'t want to run out of energy or worse have a medical issue due to your blood sugar dropping.  Eat something substantial, but leave cracker barrel for another day.  You don\'t want to be so satisfied that you are sluggish most of the day.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Happy Moving!!!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','14 Tips When Organizing and Planning A Move','','inherit','closed','closed','','2982-autosave-v1','','','2018-02-18 04:17:09','2018-02-18 04:17:09','',2982,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/2982-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5823,1,'2017-09-22 18:51:46','2017-09-22 18:51:46','','Move Binder','','inherit','open','closed','','move-binder-2','','','2017-09-22 18:52:30','2017-09-22 18:52:30','',3376,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Move-Binder.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5824,1,'2017-09-22 18:51:49','2017-09-22 18:51:49','','Move Floor Map','','inherit','open','closed','','move-floor-map','','','2017-09-22 19:00:32','2017-09-22 19:00:32','',3376,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Move-Floor-Map.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5825,1,'2017-09-22 18:59:15','2017-09-22 18:59:15','In 2013, when I began the process of packing up our then 1355 sq ft condo, my goal was to make sure that my husband and family would know where I wanted things to go and what was in which box in case I was not able to be there, considering I would be 7 months pregnant at the time we listed our house. I knew there was a possibility that I wouldn\'t be able to help with the move and if I was there that I wouldn\'t be able to move around as quickly as I wanted carrying this extra load.  I also knew that I couldn\'t be everywhere at one time (at the condo, at the new house and at the storage shelter all at the same time). So knowing the goal I set out to find a way to organize the move so anyone could jump in and help. Enter the creation of my Move Binder.\r\n<h1>Purpose of the Move Binder</h1>\r\nAs I mentioned earlier, the reason I created the move binder was to provide instructions and guidance to anyone filling in for me if I wasn\'t available.  I recommend everyone create a move binder whether they are available or not as a way to have everything they need in one place.  It enables you to manage the in\'s and out\'s of the move.  As you could see in my post <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning a Move</a>, there are a lot of things you need to do and keep track of when you are moving.  A move binder just enables you track things a little easier.  Consider it your move book of knowledge that you refer to for all things move related.\r\n<h1>How I Started My Move Binder</h1>\r\nIt was just what I needed! I had an old binder lying around and was able to begin the process. I based my room categories on what I had in my house that we were looking for in our new home. You see we hadn\'t yet bought the home...at the time the binder was created we were just decluttering and packing up extra stuff to prep to put the house on the market. I had to use my wanted rooms instead of my actual rooms. The categories I had were:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Master Bedroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Master Bathroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Guest Bathroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Guest Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Babies Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Office</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Kitchen</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Dining Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Decor/Misc.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Living Room</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h1>Color-Coding Your Rooms in Your Move Binder</h1>\r\nThe next step was to color-code my rooms, so I could easily identify what boxes/items went in which space.  I used the small circular dots you get from office supply stores.  Luckily, I had found a package of prime color dots during one of my decluttering moments in my office and since that wasn\'t enough of a color variety (based on my room list) I went and picked up some pastel colors as well. I Then assigned each room a color.  I don\'t remember all of the color assignments, but I do remember the Kitchen was red and my daughters room was pink.\r\n<h1>Developing Your Move Inventory Sheets</h1>\r\nYour move inventory sheets are a running list of all your boxes per room and a high level and secondary level of what is in them.  You don\'t have to write anything for the secondary level, but I found that some high level categories needed more than one box (i.e., books).  If I was looking for a specific author or book type, I could refer to the secondary level in the inventory.  I could identify the room color and the box number based on the contents.  You will find that the high level description was helpful when looking at items when you didn\'t have the inventory sheet handy, but the inventory sheet was helpful when you were looking for that one specific item.\r\n\r\nThe sheet also was helpful in determining how many boxes you had for one particular room.  This would allow you to take a count to ensure all boxes were loaded and all boxes were removed.\r\n<h1>The Kitchen Map</h1>\r\n<ul>The kitchen map is something I absolutely fell in love with.  You can\'t always do this step, but if you can it will be so very helpful for you or anyone else who is helping you unpack.</ul>\r\n<ul>To create this map you have to have photos of the kitchen.  You can take these yourself during a walk through or you can create them from the online photos of the house.  You want to number all of the cabinets and drawers.  I actually created my map electronically by importing the photo into powerpoint and overlaying the numbers on each drawer/cabinet (you can also do this in word or another app or by hand).  In the notes section or on another sheet of paper, I listed the number and beside it what would be going in it.  For example, Drawer 1: Everyday Silverware; Drawer 2: Dish Towels; Drawer 3: Tupperware, etc.</ul>\r\n<ul>This process is not only fun, but it allows you to dream a little and plan ahead too.  You could also use your inventory to help you ensure you have identified a place for everything.  When you get in the space you may change your mind, but having an idea of how it should go and having a plan so someone else can pitch in and help is beyond amazing!  Needless to say my kitchen was the easiest space to unpack and organize.</ul>\r\n<h1>Room Floor Plan Maps</h1>\r\nRoom <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\">floor plans maps</a> are similar to your kitchen map, except most rooms are empty.  Instead of numbering the drawers and cabinets you draw the walls of the room and then draw the pieces of furniture where you want them to go.  The floor plans should also have a corresponding colored dot to that of the boxes that go into them.  This way the movers aren\'t calling you asking you were or how the furniture should go...or worse yet they won\'t just sit the furniture haphazardly in the room. By having things clearly drawn out, at the end of move day most of your heavy furniture is where it belongs and boxes are stacked in the proper rooms out of the way.  Click here to<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\"> learn more about creating and using the floor plan maps</a> .<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\"></a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;\">The Pros of Using a Move Binder</span>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Would I do this again? Heck yeah!!!! This system allowed me to know that I had X number of boxes for the living room. X number for the kitchen etc. I also knew at a glance which box number to look for if we were hunting for something specific. the storage facility not only looked heavenly, but made it easy to locate things if we needed them. My mother even commented on how great it looked and how we were able to use every single inch. When we did finally get to the house and were beginning to unpack, the system was great because we knew to look for all the red dots when we were washing and putting up all the dishes. When I got ready to do the baby\'s room I knew to look for all the pink dots. It made those processes a lot easier.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h1><strong>The Possible Cons of Using a Move Binder</strong></h1>\r\nIn our case the bad was the craziness of our move (not the normal situation) so we had to just go for what we knew vs the organized way I imagined/planned the move to be.  Our house closing was delayed, but in our situation we closed on our condo on the same day so we had to be out of the house.  We ended up having to move our house items before the storage unit items and all of the last minute items that remained in our condo unpacked.  As with any space that hasn\'t been completely packed, the contents seemed to multiply, so there was no time to label and properly inventory those items and needless to say some items were lost because In a rush I don\'t know how they were removed from the house...my gut says they accidentally got mixed up with our last Goodwill run.\r\n<h1><strong>The Lessons Learned</strong></h1>\r\nDue to the closing debacle, it was unfortunate that we had to move our items into the garage of the house vs into the house itself.  This caused stuff to just be stacked on top of one another in a limited amount of space. When we were finally able to move into the houes, it did help because we just grabbed the stuff closest to the door and put it where it belonged based on the color coded tags. We were able to quickly assess where things went if it had a label on the box, but those random last minute things were all over the place. In a perfect world you can move from one place to another all at once or in a slow controlled fashion.  I would also highly recommend that you have EVERYTHING packed.  If that isn\'t possible, plan to move those unpacked things last or have them all grouped together.  A multiple and gradual move over two or more days is ideal, but not always possible, so you should plan a large enough work force so you can take all the items to the rooms where they belong instead of putting them in a staging area (unless that\'s what you want). You could also put up your room labels with colors on them, which would be helpful for those who don\'t know which rooms are what or if you aren\'t there to help unload. The first load that we unloaded, I was there to supervise and the guys began stacking the items by room/color in the garage, but as time slipped away, I was needed elsewhere and the garage got too full.  The guys abandoned the color coding idea and they started piling it in...however it would fit.  In the flurry of activity, I also forgot to check off boxes as we loaded and unpacked them, so in hindsight it would be better to assign that task to someone else, maybe someone who isn\'t in high demand.\r\n\r\nThe good thing about the move binder is that even though we had a few hiccups during move day it still came in very handy.  I was able to keep up with all the important dates, contracts, vendors, etc.  I was able to use the inventory as we unpacked the boxes.  The color coding was absolutely fabulous and helpful and the room diagrams were super helpful too.  Also, you can use this binder method even if you didn\'t have the amount of time we did to move it to storage first. It actually may work better for you since all the boxes would be in one place in your home and therefore would already be all together based on room.  In that case, I would definitely encourage you to have everything packed and ready to go the night before move day.\r\n<ul>The Bottom Line - The move binder is a win win pin and a definite keeper. Here are a few other posts that may help you with your move:</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning a Move</a>','Increase Your Chances of a Successful Move with a Move Binder','','inherit','closed','closed','','3376-revision-v1','','','2017-09-22 18:59:15','2017-09-22 18:59:15','',3376,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/3376-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5826,1,'2017-09-22 21:54:32','2017-09-22 21:54:32','In 2013, when I began the process of packing up our then 1355 sq ft condo, my goal was to make sure that my husband and family would know where I wanted things to go and what was in which box, in case I was not able to be there.  You see, I would be 7 months pregnant by the time we listed our house on the market. I knew there was a possibility that I wouldn\'t be able to help with the move and if I was there that I wouldn\'t be able to move around as quickly as I wanted carrying the extra load that was my daughter.  I also knew that I couldn\'t be everywhere at one time (at the condo, at the new house and at the storage shelter all at the same time). So knowing the goal, I set out to find a way to organize the move so anyone could jump in and help. Enter the creation of my Move Binder.\r\n<h1>Purpose of the Move Binder</h1>\r\nAs I mentioned earlier, the reason I created the move binder was to provide instructions and guidance to anyone filling in for me if I wasn\'t available.  I recommend everyone create a move binder, whether they are available or not as a way to have everything they need in one place.  It enables you to quickly and efficiently manage the in\'s and out\'s of the move.  As you could see in my <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning a Move</a> post, there are a lot of things you need to do and keep track of when you are moving.  A move binder just enables you to track things a little easier.  Consider it your move book of knowledge that you refer to for all things move related.\r\n<h1>How I Started My Move Binder</h1>\r\nIt was just what I needed! I had an old binder lying around and was able to begin the process. I based my room categories on what I had in my house that we were looking for in our new home. You see we hadn\'t yet bought the home...at the time the binder was created we were just decluttering and packing up extra stuff to prep to put the house on the market. I had to use my wanted rooms instead of my actual rooms. The categories I had were:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Master Bedroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Master Bathroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Guest Bathroom</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Guest Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Babies Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Office</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Kitchen</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Dining Room</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Decor/Misc.</li>\r\n 	<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Living Room</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h1>Color-Coding Your Rooms in Your Move Binder</h1>\r\nThe next step was to color-code my rooms, so I could easily identify what boxes/items went in which space.  I used the small circular dots you get from office supply stores.  Luckily, I had found a package of prime color dots during one of my decluttering moments in my office and since that wasn\'t enough of a color variety (based on my room list) I went and picked up some pastel colors as well. I Then assigned each room a color.  I don\'t remember all of the color assignments, but I do remember the Kitchen was red and my daughters room was pink.\r\n<h1>Developing Your Move Inventory Sheets</h1>\r\nYour move inventory sheets are a running list of all your boxes per room and a high level and secondary level of what is in them.  You don\'t have to write anything for the secondary level, but I found that some high level categories needed more than one box (i.e., books).  If I was looking for a specific author or book type, I could refer to the secondary level in the inventory.  I could identify the room color and the box number based on the contents.  You will find that the high level description was helpful when looking at items when you didn\'t have the inventory sheet handy, but the inventory sheet was helpful when you were looking for that one specific item.\r\n\r\nThe sheet also was helpful in determining how many boxes you had for one particular room.  This would allow you to take a count to ensure all boxes were loaded and all boxes were removed.\r\n<h1>The Kitchen Map</h1>\r\n<ul>The kitchen map is something I absolutely fell in love with.  You can\'t always do this step, but if you can it will be so very helpful for you or anyone else who is helping you unpack.</ul>\r\n<ul>To create this map you have to have photos of the kitchen.  You can take these yourself during a walk through or you can create them from the online photos of the house.  You want to number all of the cabinets and drawers.  I actually created my map electronically by importing the photo into powerpoint and overlaying the numbers on each drawer/cabinet (you can also do this in word or another app or by hand).  In the notes section or on another sheet of paper, I listed the number and beside it what would be going in it.  For example, Drawer 1: Everyday Silverware; Drawer 2: Dish Towels; Drawer 3: Tupperware, etc.</ul>\r\n<ul>This process is not only fun, but it allows you to dream a little and plan ahead too.  You could also use your inventory to help you ensure you have identified a place for everything.  When you get in the space you may change your mind, but having an idea of how it should go and having a plan so someone else can pitch in and help is beyond amazing!  Needless to say my kitchen was the easiest space to unpack and organize.</ul>\r\n<h1>Room Floor Plan Maps</h1>\r\nRoom <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\">floor plans maps</a> are similar to your kitchen map, except most rooms are empty.  Instead of numbering the drawers and cabinets you draw the walls of the room and then draw the pieces of furniture where you want them to go.  The floor plans should also have a corresponding colored dot to that of the boxes that go into them.  This way the movers aren\'t calling you asking you were or how the furniture should go...or worse yet they won\'t just sit the furniture haphazardly in the room. By having things clearly drawn out, at the end of move day most of your heavy furniture is where it belongs and boxes are stacked in the proper rooms out of the way.  Click here to<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\"> learn more about creating and using the floor plan maps</a> .\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;\">The Pros of Using a Move Binder</span>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Would I do this again? Heck yeah!!!! This system allowed me to know that I had X number of boxes for the living room. X number for the kitchen etc. I also knew at a glance which box number to look for if we were hunting for something specific. the storage facility not only looked heavenly, but made it easy to locate things if we needed them. My mother even commented on how great it looked and how we were able to use every single inch. When we did finally get to the house and were beginning to unpack, the system was great because we knew to look for all the red dots when we were washing and putting up all the dishes. When I got ready to do the baby\'s room I knew to look for all the pink dots. It made those processes a lot easier.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h1><strong>The Possible Cons of Using a Move Binder</strong></h1>\r\nIn our case the bad was the craziness of our move (not the normal situation) so we had to just go for what we knew vs the organized way I imagined/planned the move to be.  Our house closing was delayed, but in our situation we closed on our condo on the same day so we had to be out of the house.  We ended up having to move our house items before the storage unit items and all of the last minute items that remained in our condo unpacked.  As with any space that hasn\'t been completely packed, the contents seemed to multiply, so there was no time to label and properly inventory those items and needless to say some items were lost because In a rush I don\'t know how they were removed from the house...my gut says they accidentally got mixed up with our last Goodwill run.\r\n<h1><strong>The Lessons Learned</strong></h1>\r\nDue to the closing debacle, it was unfortunate that we had to move our items into the garage of the house vs into the house itself.  This caused stuff to just be stacked on top of one another in a limited amount of space. When we were finally able to move into the houes, it did help because we just grabbed the stuff closest to the door and put it where it belonged based on the color coded tags. We were able to quickly assess where things went if it had a label on the box, but those random last minute things were all over the place. In a perfect world you can move from one place to another all at once or in a slow controlled fashion.  I would also highly recommend that you have EVERYTHING packed.  If that isn\'t possible, plan to move those unpacked things last or have them all grouped together.  A multiple and gradual move over two or more days is ideal, but not always possible, so you should plan a large enough work force so you can take all the items to the rooms where they belong instead of putting them in a staging area (unless that\'s what you want). You could also put up your room labels with colors on them, which would be helpful for those who don\'t know which rooms are what or if you aren\'t there to help unload. The first load that we unloaded, I was there to supervise and the guys began stacking the items by room/color in the garage, but as time slipped away, I was needed elsewhere and the garage got too full.  The guys abandoned the color coding idea and they started piling it in...however it would fit.  In the flurry of activity, I also forgot to check off boxes as we loaded and unpacked them, so in hindsight it would be better to assign that task to someone else, maybe someone who isn\'t in high demand.\r\n\r\nThe good thing about the move binder is that even though we had a few hiccups during move day it still came in very handy.  I was able to keep up with all the important dates, contracts, vendors, etc.  I was able to use the inventory as we unpacked the boxes.  The color coding was absolutely fabulous and helpful and the room diagrams were super helpful too.  Also, you can use this binder method even if you didn\'t have the amount of time we did to move it to storage first. It actually may work better for you since all the boxes would be in one place in your home and therefore would already be all together based on room.  In that case, I would definitely encourage you to have everything packed and ready to go the night before move day.\r\n<ul>The Bottom Line - The move binder is a win win pin and a definite keeper. Here are a few other posts that may help you with your move:</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/thborganize-14-tips-when-organizing-and-planning-a-move/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14 Tips When Organizing and Planning a Move</a>','Increase Your Chances of a Successful Move with a Move Binder','','inherit','closed','closed','','3376-revision-v1','','','2017-09-22 21:54:32','2017-09-22 21:54:32','',3376,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/3376-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5827,1,'2017-09-22 21:55:00','2017-09-22 21:55:00','<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-2686\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/moving.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"moving\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" /></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In honor of National Move month, we are going to take a trip back in time to March/April of 2013.  This is when my husband and I were anticipating the arrival of our daughter.  it was also the time when I decided it was time to move into a stand alone home.  My goal when I began the process of planning our move, was that I wanted to make sure that my husband and family would know where I wanted things to go and what was in which box in case I was not able to be there. I knew that I wouldn\'t be able to move around as quickly as I wanted carrying this extra load (my daughter) and I also couldn\'t be at the condo, new house and storage shelter all at the same time. So knowing the goal I set out to find a way to organize the move so anyone could jump in and help.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img class=\" wp-image-636 alignleft\" src=\"https://thehappinessbucket.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/20120305-192257.jpg\" alt=\"20120305-192257.jpg\" width=\"138\" height=\"138\" /></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">I want to share with you some of the following key tips on how to plan a move, and don\'t worry...being pregnant isn\'t a prerequisite:</p>\r\n\r\n<ol style=\"text-align: justify;\">\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Create a move binder</h6>\r\nThis is your master binder that will help keep you sane.  You will have one place to reference everything related to your move.  We will have a future blog post to cover what should go in your binder.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Establish Responsibilities</h6>\r\nIf you and your spouse/helper are available on move day, delegate move day responsibilities. In our scenario, my hubby was responsible for getting the truck loaded/moving the heavy stuff and I was responsible for the little things, last minute packing and new space coordination.  This helped eliminate the need for everyone to contact me for every decision. If delegation isn\'t possible, you definitely want #3, #4 and #5.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Create a floor plan map</h6>\r\nThis is invaluable in helping to plan out where everything needs to go in your new space.  I learned this trick from our many many office moves at the law firm.  It was standard practice that you would draw out how you want your office set up with your desk, filing cabinets, computer, etc.  That way the people moving you would know where to place your items and wouldn\'t need you there to show them.  You tape the floor plan on the wall outside the space and/or place it in the space so they can see where to place your large items.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Create a kitchen map</h6>\r\nThis is also an invaluable tool if you are able to create one.  I will have a future blog post detailing the specifics of how you create one coming soon.  The kitchen is usually the first one you organize and the one that you can easily delegate to someone else to arrange, if you have a map.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Have a move meeting</h6>\r\nYes, a meeting...one with everyone involved in the move.  When you have four or five people involved moving and packing items it can get chaotic really quickly.  It is helpful to have everyone in one space so you can ensure they are all on the same page.  Use this time to explain the space colors, floor plan maps, responsibility delegation, timing, and any other instructions that are needed.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Declutter</h6>\r\nNow you knew this one was going to be on here!  Just think about it, moving is costly so why would you want to waste time and money moving items you don\'t need or want?  For those with short notice it may be more difficult, but you can still do it.  If you pick up an item to pack, you should think to yourself - what is this or why do I still have this?  Then don\'t pack it, put it in a predetermined give away/throw away box or bag.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Pack based on your new space</h6>\r\nI think this is one of the most important tips (other than #6) that I can give you.  Think about your new space and how it will be arranged.  Pack your boxes based on the new space not the old.  This will definitely come in handy if you are used to keeping non-room related items in a space just because you didn\'t have room for it anywhere else.  For us, we were moving from a 1355 sq ft home to a 3000 sq ft home.  My guestroom, Guest bathroom, overflow closet, baby room and office didn\'t have to share space any longer.  If I had packed all the items together as they were in the old space, I would have had to travel up and down the stairs just to put items away.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Color code your rooms</h6>\r\nThis will be helpful for you and for your movers.  We will get more into this in a future post, but you want to assign a dot color to each room.  We got our dots at an office supply store, but most big box stores have them in the office supply section.  We used one package that had all the primary colors and one that had pastel colors.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>create a box inventory</h6>\r\nFor those going on long moves across country this can be extremely important to prove you had an item in case of loss or damage.  This is also helpful when you are trying to find something, in your new space, before you get completely unpacked.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Pack a bag...or Two</h6>\r\nReally, each person in your home should probably pack as though they were going on a week  or weekend long trip.  You are going to be exhausted when you finish moving everything and all you will want to see is your bed and MAYBE a shower before you go to sleep.  So when you wake, you will need to be able to locate your toiletries and a change of clothes.  Now, devils advocate, what are you going to spend the day doing on day two?  Are you going to unpack everything?  Well, okay in my case, yes...but it was very helpful to not HAVE to do this.  Make sure to put your valuables in this bag as well or include it with #11.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Pack a Box...OR Two</h6>\r\nUsing the same premise above,  you need to be able to quickly find your sheets, coffee, snacks, hand-towel/towels, etc.  Yes, some of this you could pack in your suitcases, but I would suggest you have a separate box for the more bulkier items and that you carry them in your vehicle to ensure it arrives safely and you know where it is.  The thought is to pack items in this box that you will need right away...again think a week long trip where you have to bring everything, what would you need?</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Cleaning Supplies</h6>\r\nThis is another set of items you want to have set aside for easy access.  You will need to clean your old space once everything is out and clean your new space before you put everything in.  If nothing else make sure these items are the last thing loaded on your moving truck, unless you are moving cross country then you may consider putting them in your vehicle as you may arrive before your stuff.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Schedule your utilities start and end times</h6>\r\nYou need to ensure  you have your utilities (water, electric and gas) turned on at your new location as well as shut off at the old space.  It will be hard to clean your new home if you don\'t have water or electricity.  You also want to verify how they will calculate your new and old bill, so you don\'t get overcharged.</li>\r\n 	<li>\r\n<h6>Eat a healthy breakfast</h6>\r\nThis seems so simple, but so many people forget about this step.  You will be really active on move day and you don\'t want to run out of energy or worse have a medical issue due to your blood sugar dropping.  Eat something substantial, but leave cracker barrel for another day.  You don\'t want to be too satisfied that you are sluggish most of the day.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other articles you may find helpful:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organize-move-floor-plan-map/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Organize Your Move with a Floor Plan Map</a></p>\r\n<a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/move-binder/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Increase Your Chances of a Successful Move with a Move Binder</a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">  Happy Moving!!!</p>\r\n&nbsp;','14 Tips When Organizing and Planning A Move','','inherit','closed','closed','','2982-revision-v1','','','2017-09-22 21:55:00','2017-09-22 21:55:00','',2982,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/2982-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5828,1,'2017-09-22 21:56:00','2017-09-22 21:56:00','So this pin was something I actually did but didn\'t really get to use. The idea is to pre-plan your move by determining where everything will go before your actual move in day. You could do this on a large or small scale...it just depends on you. Just to give full disclosure, I expanded on the idea in this post and took some ideas from my office moves as well. See we were going through a major renovation at work which required people to be moved from one floor temporarily to a \"swing\" space and then back post renovation...and anyone who has experienced this knows it can be a huge undertaking in a 400 Employee company.\r\n\r\nSo to start, I took photos of the house we had planned to purchase (I got these from the real estate posting by right clicking and saving them down. Some won\'t allow this save function so you may have to use the print screen option of shift + print screen button and then shift + insert button into a clean document). If your house doesn\'t have photos available take your own. Once I had all the photos I went through and numbered all the cabinets and closets. I also added letters for where furniture would be placed in each room.\r\n\r\nThen, you want to assign each of those letters a piece of furniture (pretty much all your heavy furniture) and your numbers, which are pretty much in the kitchens, bathroom and possibly closets, you want to assign items [i.e., 1. drink pitchers, 2. pots and pans 3. Silverware, etc.]. I did this in powerpoint so I could layer the numbers/letters on top of the photo and so I could use the notes section to write the letter/number and their assignment.\r\n\r\nNow, for those who are wondering, my main reason for doing this is because at the time we anticipated moving while I was in the last weeks of my pregnancy so I couldn\'t help lift anything, may have been at the old space and not the new, might have been in one room and not available in another or (as probably would have been the case) my husband and I would be at the hospital having a baby lol. I wanted to put my brain on paper because I know my family and they would have attempted to help by handling the move and unpacking some items so I wouldn\'t have to. So, by doing this I was covered no matter what happened and I could stop stressing about it...blame it on the project manager and nesting mother in me, I wanted to have plan A, B and C in my pocket lol.\r\n\r\nWell, we ended up not needing this plan after all because the deal on our house at the time fell through (can we say stress for a pregnant woman!!!!) and we ultimately chose another house...which was too fast for me to redo the plan with the new house...I also ended up having the baby before we moved and lastly we had to move everything into the garage of the new home due to issues with the closing. Again can we say stress???? The one saving grace is the way we packed (teaser to another T&amp;E challenge.\r\n\r\nSo as you can see, I was not able to see this pin all the way through, but I will say that I know it can work. For anyone planning to do this I would suggest that you tape or pin the floor plan (numbered/lettered photo) on the frame of the door and that way as your movers are bringing in the large pieces of furniture they can see where to put it. This negates the normal process which is for them to call your name over and over until you come exhasberated because you were in another room doing the same thing...or they just put the furniture down in the middle of the floor and you have to either get them to come and move it or you put your back out trying to move it yourself (am I being a little dramatic here...ummmm I don\'t know lol). You should also have a \"move meeting\" before they start taking things off trucks and out of cars so everyone is on the same page.\r\n\r\nSo what is the verdict? I still believe this is a keeper, although some may look at you as obsessive deep down inside they are just amazed that you are that organized!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.pinterest.com/pin/86272149084510934/\">Where Does it Go?</a>','Pinterest Trial and Error - (10) Move Room Plans','','inherit','closed','closed','','2984-revision-v1','','','2017-09-22 21:56:00','2017-09-22 21:56:00','',2984,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/2984-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5829,560,'2018-01-06 07:00:43','2018-01-06 07:00:43','The never ending purging cycle...where does all the clutter come from?  Do you feel like you are having to purge stuff every few months because there is just too much???  Well, I have good news...I have a solution to help you eliminate clutter, but if I\'m honest...it never goes completely away, but it is definitely something that is manageable with the right systems in place.\r\n\r\nNow, if you have followed me for a while you have heard me refer to the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">organizational roadmap stages</a>, but I want to specifically break down one important area - how to apply the key questions to help you eliminate the clutter coming into your space.\r\n<h1>Observation of Clutter Causes</h1>\r\nThere is usually a specific area that plagues you and your family on a regular basis and it is important that you observe and/or discuss how these items come into your home and/or how they become a problem.  This is really the first step in identifying the problem for you.  You see until you review what got you there in the first place you can\'t really address it.  Instead you will be placing temporary solutions (actually more clutter) in the space, creating sometimes more problems instead of solutions.\r\n<h1>Ask the Key Questions to Eliminate Clutter</h1>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6218\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/KeyQuestions-200x300.png\" alt=\"Eliminate Clutter - Ask these key questions | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />To begin this process you need to ask yourself the key questions - who, what, when, where and why.  These questions help to remove the opinions and the guesswork and get to the facts of what needs to be done to eliminate clutter from your space. I also encourage you to ask the questions until you can\'t ask anymore...sometimes that may mean going four or five levels deep.\r\n\r\nFor example, if paper is an issue for you and those around you, I\'d find out what all the sources are of the paper entering the space.  Where does it come from? How does it enter the space?  What type of paper is it?  Why are you keeping it?  Who needs it? How often do they need it?  Who normally brings it in?  When does it seem to be at it\'s worst? etc. etc.  The answers to these questions give you a foundational view into the problem at hand.  It also lets you know where you can consolidate or eliminate issues. Keep asking questions until you can\'t ask any more.\r\n\r\nI used paper as the example here because this was one of the main areas of frustration when we moved into our home.  It seemed to always multiply and congregate on our dining room table and kitchen cabinets (ha like it\'s a person) and only got worse once our daughter started school.  We were able to identify and isolate the main problem, create a system that worked for our family and identify a purging plan.  We also identified ways we could reduce the paper coming into the house.  The key questions were especially helpful in identifying what paper clutter we could eliminate, where we stored each type of paper and how long we stored it.\r\n\r\nI encourage you to evaluate your situation today and apply my <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">organizational roadmap concepts</a> to determine where you can reduce or eliminate clutter from your life.  If you would like more detailed direction as to how to eliminate clutter and organize your space, I encourage you to signup for my <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/GettingOrganized\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Organize Like a Pro Course</a>.','How to Eliminate Clutter by Asking Key Questions','','publish','open','open','','eliminate-clutter-2','','','2019-07-27 05:16:32','2019-07-27 05:16:32','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5829',0,'post','',0),(5830,1,'2017-09-25 21:25:13','2017-09-25 21:25:13','The never ending purging cycle...where does all the clutter come from?  Do you feel like you are having to purge stuff every few months because there is just too much???  Well, I have good news for you...I do have a solution for you, but the honest news for ya is that it never goes completely away, but it is definitely something you can slow down and get a handle on.\r\n\r\nNow, if you have followed me a while you have heard me refer to the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap-workshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap stages</a>, but I want to specifically break down one area of focus and that how to apply the key questions to help you eliminate the clutter coming into your space.\r\n\r\nThere is usually a specific area that plagues you and your family on a regular basis and I feel it is important for you to observe and/or discuss how these items come into your home and/or how they become a problem.  This is really the first step in identifying the problem for you.  You see until you review what got you there in the first place you can\'t really address it.\r\n\r\nThe first thing I always suggest is begin by asking yourself the key questions - who, what, when, where and why.  These questions help to eliminate the opinions and the guesses and get to the facts of the matter. I also encourage you to ask the questions until you can\'t ask anymore...sometimes that may mean going four or five levels deep.\r\n\r\nFor example, if paper is an issue for you and those around you, I\'d find out what all the sources are of the paper entering the space.  Where does it come from? How does it enter the space?  What type of paper is it?  Why are you keeping it?  Who needs it? How often do they need it?  Who normally brings it in?  When does it seem to be at it\'s worst? etc. etc.  The answers to these questions give you a foundational view into the problem at hand.  It also lets you know where you can consolidate or eliminate issues.\r\n\r\nI used paper as the example because this was one of the main areas of frustration when we moved into our home four years ago.  It seemed to always multiple and congregate on our dining room table and kitchen cabinets (ha like it\'s a person).  We were able to identify and isolate the main problem, create a system that worked for our family and identify a purging plan.  We also identified ways we could reduce the paper coming into the house.  The key questions were especially helpful in identifying what paper clutter we could eliminate, where we stored each type of paper and how long we stored it.\r\n\r\nI encourage you to evaluate your situation today and apply my <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap concepts</a> to determine where you can reduce or eliminate clutter from your life.  If you would like more detailed direction as to how to eliminate clutter and organize your space, I encourage you to signup for my Organize Like a Pro Course.','How to Eliminate Clutter by Asking Key Questions','','inherit','closed','closed','','5829-revision-v1','','','2017-09-25 21:25:13','2017-09-25 21:25:13','',5829,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5829-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5840,1,'2017-09-27 21:21:10','2017-09-27 21:21:10','<div id=\"pl-5840\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-5840-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\"  data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-5840-0\" ><div id=\"pgc-5840-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-5840-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"><h3 class=\"widget-title\">Getting Control of the Physical Stuff</h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>The Happiness Bucket has a very defined method for helping you clear the noise and find your life’s purpose.  I believe your happiness journey is personal, it’s uniquely yours and requires that you make regular deposits to truly live your happiest life.  You must regularly invest in yourself and your own happiness to get a return.  I help you develop a unique system in a very compassionate and economical way.  I also teach you how to maintain your systems so you no longer have the sense of overwhelm.  </p></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-5840-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"1\" data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;25px 25px 25px 25px&quot;,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-5840-0-0-1\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Complete your free space consultation today, so w</b><strong>e can discuss your specific needs and get you started on your journey!</strong></p></div>\n</div></div></div><div id=\"panel-5840-0-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-button panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-button so-widget-sow-button-atom-54604c00945c\"><div class=\"ow-button-base ow-button-align-center\">\n	<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/SpaceAssessment\" class=\" ow-button-hover\" target=\"_blank\" >\n		<span>\n			<span class=\"sow-icon-fontawesome\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf073;\" style=\"color: #000000\"></span>\n			Complete Free Space Assessment		</span>\n	</a>\n</div>\n</div></div></div></div></div><div id=\"pg-5840-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-5840-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-5840-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"3\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>What is the cause of your frustration?  Are you experiencing a life transition (Engagement/Marriage/Divorce, Birth/Death, Selling or purchasing a home, obtained or lost a job, right-sizing into a smaller home or assisted living facility, physical changes or illness, etc.) or just because of life in general?  The Happiness Bucket is here to help you through this period in your life with compassion and efficiency.  I encourage you to schedule your free 30 minute session today to see how I can help you regain peace in your life.</p></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-5840-1-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><br />Coaching Specialty Areas</strong></h4><h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img class=\"alignright wp-image-3283 \" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/laundryb-and-a.png\" alt=\"LaundryB and A\" width=\"485\" height=\"273\" /></strong></h4><ul><li>Bedrooms</li><li>Closets</li><li>Children Rooms</li><li>Pantries</li><li>Linen Closets</li><li>Home Offices</li><li>Laundry Rooms</li><li>Digital Files</li><li>Electronic Photos</li><li>Paper, etc.</li></ul></div>\n</div></div></div></div></div>','Space Organization','','inherit','closed','closed','','5359-revision-v1','','','2017-09-27 21:21:10','2017-09-27 21:21:10','',5359,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5359-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5841,1,'2017-09-27 21:21:10','2017-09-27 21:21:10','<div id=\"pl-5359\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-5359-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\"  data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-5359-0\" ><div id=\"pgc-5359-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-5359-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"><h3 class=\"widget-title\">Getting Control of the Physical Stuff</h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>The Happiness Bucket has a very defined method for helping you clear the noise and find your life’s purpose.  I believe your happiness journey is personal, it’s uniquely yours and requires that you make regular deposits to truly live your happiest life.  You must regularly invest in yourself and your own happiness to get a return.  I help you develop a unique system in a very compassionate and economical way.  I also teach you how to maintain your systems so you no longer have the sense of overwhelm.  </p></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-5359-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"1\" data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;25px 25px 25px 25px&quot;,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-5359-0-0-1\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Complete your free space consultation today, so w</b><strong>e can discuss your specific needs and get you started on your journey!</strong></p></div>\n</div></div></div><div id=\"panel-5359-0-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-button panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-button so-widget-sow-button-atom-54604c00945c\"><div class=\"ow-button-base ow-button-align-center\">\n	<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/SpaceAssessment\" class=\" ow-button-hover\" target=\"_blank\" >\n		<span>\n			<span class=\"sow-icon-fontawesome\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf073;\" style=\"color: #000000\"></span>\n			Complete Free Space Assessment		</span>\n	</a>\n</div>\n</div></div></div></div></div><div id=\"pg-5359-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-5359-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-5359-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"3\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>What is the cause of your frustration?  Are you experiencing a life transition (Engagement/Marriage/Divorce, Birth/Death, Selling or purchasing a home, obtained or lost a job, right-sizing into a smaller home or assisted living facility, physical changes or illness, etc.) or just because of life in general?  The Happiness Bucket is here to help you through this period in your life with compassion and efficiency.  I encourage you to schedule your free 30 minute session today to see how I can help you regain peace in your life.</p></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-5359-1-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><br />Coaching Specialty Areas</strong></h4><h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img class=\"alignright wp-image-3283 \" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/laundryb-and-a.png\" alt=\"LaundryB and A\" width=\"485\" height=\"273\" /></strong></h4><ul><li>Bedrooms</li><li>Closets</li><li>Children Rooms</li><li>Pantries</li><li>Linen Closets</li><li>Home Offices</li><li>Laundry Rooms</li><li>Digital Files</li><li>Electronic Photos</li><li>Paper, etc.</li></ul></div>\n</div></div></div></div></div>','Space Organization','','inherit','closed','closed','','5359-revision-v1','','','2017-09-27 21:21:10','2017-09-27 21:21:10','',5359,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5359-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5845,1,'2017-09-27 21:30:55','2017-09-27 21:30:55','','Home','','inherit','closed','closed','','4-revision-v1','','','2017-09-27 21:30:55','2017-09-27 21:30:55','',4,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/4-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5858,1,'2017-09-27 21:54:54','2017-09-27 21:54:54','<h2>How It All Started</h2>\r\nThe Happiness Bucket has been an idea of mine I developed when I was in college interning as a Sentencing Advocate.  I realized that there were many life circumstances that make us who we are today.  Regardless of if your turn is a good one or a bad one, it can affect your life in many ways...but nothing is permanent.  You can always change your circumstances if you have determination, the right circle around you and you are willing to make the necessary changes in and around yourself. My idea of the C.H.A.N.G.E Center, which is what it was called at the time, was centered around reusing an old school building that would house a number of service agencies (social security, police, fire stations) trade schools and a community center.  It would also have a restaurant that would train non-violent offenders in the restaurant industry.  The entire idea was to have a central place where you could get your problems addressed, grow as a person and feel safe.  It would be the center safe place of the community where you were honoring excellence in one another.  Although this idea has never completely gone away, it was never completely born either.\r\n\r\nFast forward to 2008, when I had the opportunity to talk with a group of women who were going through a lot of personal issues.  In listening to their stories I knew I could help on a different scale.  In that mini-mastermind session, I began to dig deeper with the ladies by working to discover the center of their happiness.  You see, they truly didn\'t know what would make them happy and that was part of the root cause of their problems.  By the end of our visit, each woman had a plan of action and were reassured that they would make it through and past their situations to become a happier version of themselves. I\'m happy to say they all began working towards their goals and were successful in accomplishing many of them.  This session reignited that original dream of a community of excellence.\r\n<h2>The <span style=\"color: #e100b1;\">C.H.A.N.G.E</span> ACADEMY</h2>\r\nOut of that session in 2008, a Community Honoring A New Goal of Excellence, the C.H.A.N.G.E Academy was born.  It was developed specifically to help provide guidance, workshops and encouragement in reaching your individual goals.  It is a place where we want you to feel safe sharing your most intimate dreams and fears and know you will receive genuine support.  This is a safe place to ask questions and a place where it is okay to laugh and cry.\r\n\r\nThe C.H.A.N.G.E Academy is a holistic learning portal.  Here at the Happiness Bucket, I believe we have to deal with our lives in totality.  You are one person with many different hats on, why then would we only address a hat and not the person?  Your family is made of of many different people with many different hats, why then would we not deal with the individuals and then the family unit? As Michael Jackson said, \"Start with the [wo]man in the mirror\".\r\n\r\nThere are two ways in which you can be a part of the Academy:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Join our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChangeAcademy/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Facebook Group</a> - this is our community of support, where THB Family Members gather to share all types of information, provide support and learn.</li>\r\n 	<li>Visit our <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Portal</a> - this is where the official education takes place.  You can find both free and paid courses and resources in the Academy Portal.  All of the educational resources are centered around the organization of your space, life, soul and business.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTake whichever route makes the most sense for you today, just take action and do something.  I look forward to working with you on a deeper level as you begin your C.H.A.N.G.E Journey today!\r\n<h2>What is The Happiness Bucket About?</h2>\r\nAs you look at the Happiness Bucket\'s theme I know some of you are wondering what it represents, what it is about.  You see our company represents change, growth and beauty.  It represents the flourishing life you were meant to have.  You are a seed that needs to be watered and nourished to grow into what God has made you to be and that is what The Happiness Bucket tries to bring to your life...that water and food you need to grow.\r\n<div id=\"page\" class=\"site\">\r\n<div class=\"site-content-contain\">\r\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"site-content\">\r\n<div class=\"wrap\">\r\n<div id=\"primary\" class=\"content-area\"><article id=\"post-3499\" class=\"post-3499 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-soulorg tag-goals tag-god tag-happiness tag-happiness-bucket tag-happinessbucket tag-jesus tag-journey tag-legalmane tag-life tag-planning tag-preparation tag-take-the-wheel tag-thb tag-thbchange tag-the-c-h-a-n-g-e-center tag-the-happiness-bucket tag-thehappinessbucket tag-transitioning tag-trust\">\r\n<div class=\"entry-content jpibfi_container\">\r\n\r\nSo how do you grow?  By letting go…letting go of that barrier that is keeping you from reaching your dreams and goals.  I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Let go and let God”, and that is what you need to do.  Make the decision to take the back seat in your life, behind Jesus, and begin doing the work so you can do what you were made to do.  You see He drives me and guides me down the path that I need to go.  When I try to take the wheel, I always end up on the wrong path and I don’t get back on the right path until I let Him take the wheel again.  The same, I’m sure is true for you.  So…my message to you today is to let go, and let God take the wheel in your life and you will be amazed at where you can go.  Trust Him, even when you don’t really understand or want to, because when the time is right He will make the path and purpose clear to you.\r\n<h2>Rooted in Organization</h2>\r\nSo what does this have to do with Organization?  Well, organization is the root of all things...you are either organized or disorganized.  In most cases, you feel the effects pretty quickly in either direction.  By using project management principles, The Happiness Bucket can help you organize your space, life, soul and business ultimately allowing you to live your happiest life.  You see, if you are struggling in any of those areas, you more than likely are experiencing some level of disorganization in all areas.  Conquering that problem at the root will help you build on a solid foundation, and trust...once you start you won\'t want to stop!\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</article></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','About THB','','inherit','closed','closed','','4669-revision-v1','','','2017-09-27 21:54:54','2017-09-27 21:54:54','',4669,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/4669-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5865,560,'2017-10-07 08:00:37','2017-10-07 08:00:37','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to unique information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6397 size-full\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fix-Broken-Processes.png\" alt=\"Fix Broken Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems in a much faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current processes, you will need to identify areas for improvement. Determine how can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform. You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"wp-image-6399 size-medium alignleft\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Fix-Broken-Processes-Pin-200x300.png\" alt=\"Fix Broken Processes Pin | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop-offs (they don\'t have a path to you or your product), then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leaks in your </a><a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">business</a> and once identified, you always want to fill these as quickly as possible.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/courses/organizational-roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods than the person who rarely has changes.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','publish','open','open','','broken-processes','','','2019-07-27 05:16:33','2019-07-27 05:16:33','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5865',0,'post','',0),(5866,1,'2017-09-28 18:55:50','2017-09-28 18:55:50','Identifying Broken Processes in Your Business | The Happiness Bucket','Identifying Broken Processes in Your Business | The Happiness Bucket','Identifying Broken Processes in Your Business | The Happiness Bucket','inherit','open','closed','','business-leaks-2','','','2017-09-28 19:53:39','2017-09-28 19:53:39','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3',0,'attachment','audio/mpeg',0),(5868,1,'2017-09-28 19:08:46','2017-09-28 19:08:46','','How to fix broken business processes |  The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','broken-processes-2','','','2017-09-28 19:09:21','2017-09-28 19:09:21','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Broken-Processes.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5869,1,'2017-09-28 19:29:19','2017-09-28 19:29:19','How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket','How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','fix-business-leaks','','','2017-09-28 19:30:05','2017-09-28 19:30:05','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5870,1,'2017-09-28 19:30:16','2017-09-28 19:30:16','Think about all the entry points to your business, from your social media sites.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information?  Do they click on a get to know me button on this site and a Join our club button on another to get to your email list, etc.  I recommend that you take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Don\'t think any connection is too small.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much easier.\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:30:16','2017-09-28 19:30:16','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5872,1,'2017-09-28 19:47:04','2017-09-28 19:47:04','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Processes-Audio.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img class=\"wp-image-5871 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Processes-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:47:04','2017-09-28 19:47:04','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5873,1,'2017-09-28 19:48:33','2017-09-28 19:48:33','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5871 size-full\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Processes-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:48:33','2017-09-28 19:48:33','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5874,1,'2017-09-28 19:49:13','2017-09-28 19:49:13','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5871 size-full\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Processes-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:49:13','2017-09-28 19:49:13','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5875,1,'2017-09-28 19:50:14','2017-09-28 19:50:14','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5871 size-full\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Processes-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:50:14','2017-09-28 19:50:14','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5876,1,'2017-09-28 19:52:24','2017-09-28 19:52:24','Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket','Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','fix-business-leaks-audio','','','2017-09-28 19:52:57','2017-09-28 19:52:57','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(5877,1,'2017-09-28 19:54:41','2017-09-28 19:54:41','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-5876\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:54:41','2017-09-28 19:54:41','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5878,1,'2017-09-28 19:55:54','2017-09-28 19:55:54','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5876 aligncenter\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:55:54','2017-09-28 19:55:54','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5879,1,'2017-09-28 19:56:49','2017-09-28 19:56:49','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5876 aligncenter\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:56:49','2017-09-28 19:56:49','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5880,1,'2017-09-28 19:57:18','2017-09-28 19:57:18','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5876 aligncenter\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a> [audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:57:18','2017-09-28 19:57:18','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5881,1,'2017-09-28 19:58:04','2017-09-28 19:58:04','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to specific information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5876 aligncenter\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems much in a faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current process, you will need to identify areas for improvement.  How can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform.  You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs, they don\'t have a path to you or your product, then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> leaks in your </a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and you always want to fill these as quickly as possible whenever they are identified.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 19:58:04','2017-09-28 19:58:04','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5882,1,'2017-09-28 20:05:59','2017-09-28 20:05:59','Think about all the entry points to your business - Your website, in person events, all your social media sites, etc.  Do you know the steps individuals are taking to connect with you?  Do they need to connect to specific sites to get to unique information and is their experience on each different? Unless you are intentionally marketing in different ways (i.e., you are appealing to the visual learner on one site and the auditory learner on another) you should ask yourself if your voice is unified. And just to note, even if you are appealing to different types of learners...you still need a unified brand voice when you are doing it.  For example, I may post two different visual representations of a single blog post on pinterest.  The pictures are different and the text written on each is different, but the colors, font and style are all similar.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5876 aligncenter\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-Audio.jpg\" alt=\"Fix Business Processes Audio | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Business-Leaks.mp3\"][/audio]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h1>Mapping Out Your Process Flow</h1>\r\nThe first thing I recommend you do, is take some time and map out the flow that your customers are taking when they encounter your business.  Think through all the different types of customers you have as well as all the methods by which they can access you or your business. Don\'t belittle any connection or path because they all count in this process.  By doing this, you get a birds eye view of your business, which helps you see problems in a much faster way.  You can quickly pick up on processes that don\'t make sense or processes that are old.  You may even decide you don\'t want a particular process based on where your business is now.\r\n<h1>Identifying Your Leaks</h1>\r\nOnce you have fully mapped out your current processes, you will need to identify areas for improvement. Determine how can you unify the routes you have so they are all similar no matter the platform. You want to identify routes that should be eliminated and those that should be added.\r\n\r\nIf I click on the get to know me button on your facebook page, does it have the same or similar wording, coloring, branding as the one on your website or on instagram?  These are just a few of the things I call leaks in your business.  They are process flows or lack there of that cause customers to have to stop the forward process of getting to you or your product.\r\n<h1>Unifying Process Routes</h1>\r\nOnce you have identified the leaks, you will want to resolve the process route problems.  Ultimately <img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5869\" src=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Fix-Business-Leaks-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Fix Business Leaks | The Happiness Bucket\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />the goal is to ensure that no matter how people are trying to join your newsletter, their experience/route will be the same or similar.  Each platform is a little different, but the actual route they take should be the same and should be the fastest route possible for what they are trying to do.\r\n\r\nIf you identify routes with drop offs (they don\'t have a path to you or your product), then you will need to rectify that or make a plan to rectify it.  These of course are pretty serious <a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leaks in your </a><a href=\"http://.thehappinessbucket.com/business-leaks-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">business</a> and once identified, you always want to fill these as quickly as possible.\r\n<h1>Schedule Regular Process Reviews</h1>\r\nNow, leak filling is never a hit and quit type of action.  Just like I teach in the <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/roadmap-checklist/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap</a>, there is always a maintenance stage that needs to be completed.  The amount of time between maintenance sessions depends on your developed systems and the number of changes you have had in your business since the last one.  A person who adds a new service, opt-in or product on a regular basis would need much more frequent review periods than the person who rarely has changes.  If you notice a software update or change in your provider(s) platform, this should also trigger a maintenance review.  My standard recommendation is for a monthly review for those who add regularly and a quarterly review for those who change things less often.\r\n\r\nThis will ensure everything is working and flowing as expected.','How to Fix Broken Processes in Your Business','','inherit','closed','closed','','5865-revision-v1','','','2017-09-28 20:05:59','2017-09-28 20:05:59','',5865,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5865-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5905,1,'2017-10-02 15:36:38','2017-10-02 15:36:38','Organizational Roadmap Beautification Stage | The Happiness Bucket','Organizational Roadmap Beautification Stage | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','beautification','','','2017-10-02 15:40:29','2017-10-02 15:40:29','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Beautification.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5906,1,'2017-10-02 15:36:53','2017-10-02 15:36:53','Organizational Roadmap Declutter Stage | The Happiness Bucket','Organizational Roadmap Declutter Stage | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','declutter','','','2017-10-02 15:40:03','2017-10-02 15:40:03','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Declutter.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5907,1,'2017-10-02 15:37:00','2017-10-02 15:37:00','Organizational Roadmap Maintenance Stage | The Happiness Bucket','Organizational Roadmap Maintenance Stage | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','maintenance','','','2017-10-02 15:39:38','2017-10-02 15:39:38','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Maintenance.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5908,1,'2017-10-02 15:37:01','2017-10-02 15:37:01','Organizational Roadmap Mindset Stage | The Happiness Bucket','Organizational Roadmap Mindset Stage | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','mindset','','','2017-10-02 15:39:05','2017-10-02 15:39:05','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Mindset.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5909,1,'2017-10-02 15:37:03','2017-10-02 15:37:03','Organizational Roadmap Workshop | The Happiness Bucket','Organizational Roadmap Workshop | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','organizational-roadmap-2','','','2017-10-02 15:38:39','2017-10-02 15:38:39','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Organizational-Roadmap.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5910,1,'2017-10-02 15:37:04','2017-10-02 15:37:04','Organizational Roadmap System Development Stage | The Happiness Bucket','Organizational Roadmap System Development Stage | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','system-development','','','2017-10-02 15:37:55','2017-10-02 15:37:55','',0,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/System-Development.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5918,1,'2018-05-22 17:00:04','2018-05-22 17:00:04','<div id=\"pl-5918\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-5918-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\"  data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;,&quot;cell_alignment&quot;:&quot;flex-start&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-5918-0\" ><div id=\"pgc-5918-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-5918-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"><h3 class=\"widget-title\">Organize Your Soul From the Inside Out</h3>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\"><p>The Happiness Bucket has a very defined method for helping you clear the noise and find your life’s purpose.&nbsp; I help you organize your soul from the inside out. I believe your happiness journey is personal, it’s uniquely yours and requires that you make regular deposits to truly live your happiest life.&nbsp; You must regularly invest in yourself and your own happiness to get a return. &nbsp;I help you&nbsp;develop a unique system in a very compassionate and economical way. &nbsp;I also teach you&nbsp;how to maintain your&nbsp;systems so you&nbsp;no longer have the sense of overwhelm.</p></div></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-5918-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"1\" data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;25px 25px 25px 25px&quot;,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-5918-0-0-1\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Complete this short questionnaire, <br /></strong><strong>so we can s</strong><strong>chedule your free 30-minute consultation today.</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>We can discuss your specific needs and get you started on your journey!</strong></p></div>\n</div></div></div><div id=\"panel-5918-0-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-button panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" >[siteorigin_widget class=\"SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget\"]<input type=\"hidden\" value=\"{&quot;instance&quot;:{&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Tell Me About Yourself&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\\/\\/thehappinessbucket.com\\/PersonalAssessment&quot;,&quot;new_window&quot;:true,&quot;button_icon&quot;:{&quot;icon_selected&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;icon_color&quot;:false,&quot;icon&quot;:0,&quot;icon_placement&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;so_field_container_state&quot;:&quot;open&quot;},&quot;design&quot;:{&quot;width&quot;:false,&quot;width_unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;align&quot;:&quot;center&quot;,&quot;theme&quot;:&quot;atom&quot;,&quot;button_color&quot;:&quot;#e100b1&quot;,&quot;text_color&quot;:&quot;#fbd507&quot;,&quot;hover&quot;:true,&quot;font&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;font_size&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;rounding&quot;:&quot;0.25&quot;,&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;so_field_container_state&quot;:&quot;open&quot;},&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;classes&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;onclick&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;rel&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;so_field_container_state&quot;:&quot;closed&quot;},&quot;_sow_form_id&quot;:&quot;5b044a387297e&quot;,&quot;_sow_form_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1527007862917&quot;},&quot;args&quot;:{&quot;before_widget&quot;:&quot;&lt;div id=\\&quot;panel-5918-0-0-2\\&quot; class=\\&quot;so-panel widget widget_sow-button panel-last-child\\&quot; data-index=\\&quot;2\\&quot; data-style=\\&quot;{&amp;quot;background_display&amp;quot;:&amp;quot;tile&amp;quot;}\\&quot; &gt;&quot;,&quot;after_widget&quot;:&quot;&lt;\\/div&gt;&quot;,&quot;before_title&quot;:&quot;&lt;h3 class=\\&quot;widget-title\\&quot;&gt;&quot;,&quot;after_title&quot;:&quot;&lt;\\/h3&gt;&quot;,&quot;widget_id&quot;:&quot;widget-0-0-2&quot;}}\" />[/siteorigin_widget]</div></div></div></div><div id=\"pg-5918-1\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-5918-1-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\"  data-weight=\"1\" ><div id=\"panel-5918-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"3\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<p>What is the cause of your frustration?  Are you experiencing confusion as to where you should go from here?  Are you unfulfilled with where you are in your life today be that physically, mentally or financially? The Happiness Bucket is here to help you through this period in your life, because you have to be at peace with yourself before you can be at peace with anyone else.  I encourage you to complete the questionnaire above, so we can schedule your free 30-minute session today to see how I can help you regain your internal peace.</p></div>\n</div></div><div id=\"panel-5918-1-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\" ><div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n	<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><br>Specialty Areas</strong></h4><ul><li>Life mapping sessions</li><li>Goal setting sessions</li><li>Soul Cleansing</li><li>Happiness plan development</li></ul></div>\n</div></div></div></div></div>','Soul Organization','','inherit','closed','closed','','5361-autosave-v1','','','2018-05-22 17:00:04','2018-05-22 17:00:04','',5361,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5361-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5919,1,'2017-10-02 21:53:51','2017-10-02 21:53:51','<div id=\"pl-5361\" class=\"panel-layout\">\r\n<div id=\"pg-5361-0\" class=\"panel-grid panel-has-style\" data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;10px&quot;,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;,&quot;cell_alignment&quot;:&quot;flex-start&quot;}\">\r\n<div class=\"panel-row-style panel-row-style-for-5361-0\">\r\n<div id=\"pgc-5361-0-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\" data-weight=\"1\">\r\n<div id=\"panel-5361-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\">\r\n<div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\r\n<h2 class=\"widget-title\">Organize Your Soul From the Inside Out</h2>\r\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\r\n\r\nThe Happiness Bucket has a very defined method for helping you clear the noise and find your life’s purpose.  I help you organize your soul from the inside out. I believe your happiness journey is personal, it’s uniquely yours and requires that you make regular deposits to truly live your happiest life.  You must regularly invest in yourself and your own happiness to get a return.  I help you develop a unique system in a very compassionate and economical way.  I also teach you how to maintain your systems so you no longer have the sense of overwhelm.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"panel-5361-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor\" data-index=\"1\" data-style=\"{&quot;padding&quot;:&quot;25px 25px 25px 25px&quot;,&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\">\r\n<div class=\"panel-widget-style panel-widget-style-for-5361-0-0-1\">\r\n<div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\r\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Schedule your free 30 minute consultation today.</strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>We can discuss your specific needs and get you started on your journey!</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"panel-5361-0-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-button panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\">\r\n<div class=\"so-widget-sow-button so-widget-sow-button-atom-54604c00945c\">\r\n<div class=\"ow-button-base ow-button-align-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\" ow-button-hover\" href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/PersonalAssessment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Complete Free Personal Assessment </a></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"pg-5361-1\" class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\">\r\n<div id=\"pgc-5361-1-0\" class=\"panel-grid-cell\" data-weight=\"1\">\r\n<div id=\"panel-5361-1-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"3\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\">\r\n<div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\r\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\r\n\r\nWhat is the cause of your frustration?  Are you experiencing confusion as to where you should go from here?  Are you unfulfilled with where you are in your life today be that physically, mentally or financially? The Happiness Bucket is here to help you through this period in your life, because you have to be at peace with yourself before you can be at peace with anyone else.  I encourage you to schedule your free 30 minute session today to see how I can help you regain your internal peace.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"panel-5361-1-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"4\" data-style=\"{&quot;background_image_attachment&quot;:false,&quot;background_display&quot;:&quot;tile&quot;}\">\r\n<div class=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\">\r\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\r\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>\r\nSpecialty Areas</strong></h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Life mapping sessions</li>\r\n 	<li>Goal setting sessions</li>\r\n 	<li>Soul Cleansing</li>\r\n 	<li>Happiness plan development</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','Soul Organization','','inherit','closed','closed','','5361-revision-v1','','','2017-10-02 21:53:51','2017-10-02 21:53:51','',5361,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5361-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5920,1,'2017-10-02 21:56:31','2017-10-02 21:56:31','Hello, my name is Dana LaRieal Morales and I\'m so glad you\'re here and entrusting me with your needs.  I am all about helping people be the best version of themselves.  How do i do it?, well I do that using my knowledge as a Project Manager, an organization enthusiast and someone who loves helping people.\r\n\r\nIt is my belief, that everyone should have a good family, work and life balance, because at the end of the day that is what makes you a well-rounded individual and a great business person.\r\n\r\nI am an Alum of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, where I studied sociology with a concentration in criminal justice, so you will probably see the criminal justice influence by my strange references to Perry Mason or other common crime shows.  I also love solving puzzles which lends greatly to solving problems, organization, project management and process improvement.  Oh and I must not forget to mention I am also an Alum of the illustrious Tennessee State University, where I obtained my Masters in Public Administration.\r\n<h2>Why Should You Listen to Dana LaRieal Morales?</h2>\r\nFor over 24 years, I have been in the service field assisting people with their problems .  I am also a Certified Project Manager and have worked on a number of implementation, development and process improvement projects during that time.  My unique take on the area of process improvement lends well to small and medium sized business owners and implementation teams.  I believe with the right process, you can simplify your workload and increase your overall productivity.\r\n\r\nSo, now that you know a little about me, I hope you will tell me a little about you.  Please jump on over to our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChangeAcademy/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Facebook Group</a> and introduce yourself to everyone.  Whether you are new to process improvement and <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/projectmanagement/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">project management</a> or not I want to interact with you.\r\n\r\nIf you aren\'t a Facebook person or you just like to connect in various ways, I suggest you join our our newsletter and THB Network.[convertkit form=5059620] Now wait! Before you start rolling your eyes, I promise not to spam you because I can not stand that myself. I promise to use your email responsibly and only send information that provides value. Once you become a member of the network, you will have the opportunity to choose a few different options based on your interests, this will help me determine what emails you would consider valuable and which ones you might consider junk.  Either way, I\'m just glad you have decided to join me on this journey!\r\n\r\nUntil we talk again, have a great night and stay happy!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Who is Dana','','inherit','closed','closed','','5085-revision-v1','','','2017-10-02 21:56:31','2017-10-02 21:56:31','',5085,'http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/5085-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5924,560,'2017-10-03 16:57:30','2017-10-03 16:57:30','If you have been with me for a while you know that I am all about brainstorming and getting your thoughts onto paper.  I love this concept because it gives your thoughts life...it allows them to stop swimming around in your head and gets them in front of you.  At that point, those ideas/thoughts can take shape and become real concepts and plans can begin to develop around those ideas.\r\n\r\nThere is no better time to do this than at the beginning or end of a quarter.\r\n<h2>Planning Season</h2>\r\nI believe that in every person\'s life and business there is a natural planning season.  They vary for each person, but it is a natural break when it makes sense to review and readjust your life or business plan.  I think of this planning on both a mini and major level.  let me break this down so you understand the difference in the two planning types.\r\n<h2>Micro Planning Season</h2>\r\nSo the micro season is the time through the year that you just do maintenance on your plan.  Think about it as your review and evaluation of a plan that is being worked.  So for example, lets say your family decides they want to move to a new house next year before your child enters high school.  So, theoretically you have twelve months to get all of this planned and done.  Well, there is no way you can do all of that in one sitting.  You are going to need a lot of that year to handle all of the things you need to handle.  Now, this would get more complicated if you were changing cities or states.  So during that year, you would need to build in some micro planning/maintenance sessions that allows you to review and adapt.\r\n\r\nIn my life, I build micro planning seasons in each quarter.  The quarter is a great break for me as that means I have worked for 90 days at something and by the end of the quarter I will know if I\'m on track or not.  I will also know if I can build upon that momentum or need to regroup.\r\n<h2>Macro Planning Season</h2>\r\nThe macro planning season is the one time of the year when you do what is known as master planning.  You are thinking about what you want to accomplish for the year and how you anticipate accomplishing it.  I consider this to be high level ideas and goals that you want to meet.  I encourage people to not get too granular during this planning session because there are many unknowns that exist at this level.  There is no way for you to know what is going to affect the success of a third quarter event.  You can plan the fact that you want an event and what you need to have accomplished prior to the third quarter, but the heavy duty planning for each of those pieces will fall during the micro planning prior to each of those quarters.  This is more of an incremental or agile type of approach to planning.\r\n<h2>The Timing of Your Planning Season</h2>\r\nI always get the question of how to time all of these planning sessions.  Again, the timing is more of a personal choice, but I typically recommend basing it on the natural ebbs and flows of your life or business.  For example, if you have school aged children, you have a natural flow to your life.  April is a good time to start planning for the summer; May - June is deep summer stuff.  Kids are out of school and this is often when vacations or special camps and things take place.  Your routine is completely different.  [note this varies depending on where you are in the country and whether your kids go year round or not].  You then have July which would be a natural time for you to begin planning/prepping for returning to school. Aug - Sept you and your kids are getting into the swing of things with your new schedule and school.  October is a great time to start planning for the holidays.  Nov - Dec is of course heavy duty holiday season not only for your family but with kids you have teacher gifts and friend gifts and parties, etc.\r\n<h2>Personal vs. Life vs. Business Planning Cycle</h2>\r\nNow, sometimes it is hard to navigate all of the demands on your life.  You have your personal goals and wants, you have your family needs, goals and wants and then you have the needs and goals of your business.  It is a lot to negotiate, but it is something we all must do.  I encourage you to resist sacrificing your personal wants, needs and goals for the other two areas.  We don\'t think twice about doing that, but it isn\'t a healthy balance.  It\'s not a good thing to do.  You see self-care is very important and I believe you need to build that into your planning season too.  I encourage you to plan at least one self-care day into each quarter.  I also encourage you to build in one couple self-care day into each quarter as well.  Oh and heck, go ahead and build one \"self-care\" day for each child into each quarter and one for your business as well.  When you take the time to schedule and plan these days, you are saying it is important.  You are saying, I\'m important or You are important, this is important.  When building your planning calendar, you need to start with those days or at least those rules.  You could go as far as to say the fourth Saturday of every month is our family Saturday.  It is reserved for family focused activities.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to Develop your Life and Business Planning Calendar','','draft','open','open','','how-to-develop-your-planning-calendar','','','2019-07-27 05:16:33','2019-07-27 05:16:33','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/?p=5924',0,'post','',0),(5925,1,'2017-10-03 14:28:03','2017-10-03 14:28:03','If you have been with me for a while you know that I am all about brainstorming and getting your thoughts onto paper.  I love this concept because it gives your thoughts life...it allows them to stop swimming around in your head and gets them in front of you.  At that point, those ideas/thoughts can take shape and become real concepts and plans can begin to develop around those ideas.\r\n\r\nThere is no better time to do this than at the beginning or end of a quarter.\r\n<h2>Planning Season</h2>\r\nI believe that in every person\'s life and business there is a natural planning season.  They vary for each person, but it is a natural break when it makes sense to review and readjust your life or business plan.  I think of this planning on both a mini and major level.  let me break this down so you understand the difference in the two planning types.\r\n<h2>Micro Planning Season</h2>\r\nSo the micro season is the time through the year that you just do maintenance on your plan.  Think about it as your review and evaluation of a plan that is being worked.  So for example, lets say your family decides they want to move to a new house next year before your child enters high school.  So, theoretically you have twelve months to get all of this planned and done.  Well, there is no way you can do all of that in one sitting.  You are going to need a lot of that year to handle all of the things you need to handle.  Now, this would get more complicated if you were changing cities or states.  So during that year, you would need to build in some micro planning/maintenance sessions that allows you to review and adapt.\r\n\r\nIn my life, I build micro planning seasons in each quarter.  The quarter is a great break for me as that means I have worked for 90 days at something and by the end of the quarter I will know if I\'m on track or not.  I will also know if I can build upon that momentum or need to regroup.\r\n<h2>Macro Planning Season</h2>\r\nThe macro planning season is the one time of the year when you do what is known as master planning.  You are thinking about what you want to accomplish for the year and how you anticipate accomplishing it.  I consider this to be high level ideas and goals that you want to meet.  I encourage people to not get too granular during this planning session because there are many unknowns that exist at this level.  There is no way for you to know what is going to affect the success of a third quarter event.  You can plan the fact that you want an event and what you need to have accomplished prior to the third quarter, but the heavy duty planning for each of those pieces will fall during the micro planning prior to each of those quarters.  This is more of an incremental or agile type of approach to planning.\r\n<h2>The Timing of Your Planning Season</h2>\r\nI always get the question of how to time all of these planning sessions.  Again, the timing is more of a personal choice, but I typically recommend basing it on the natural ebbs and flows of your life or business.  For example, if you have school aged children, you have a natural flow to your life.  April is a good time to start planning for the summer; May - June is deep summer stuff.  Kids are out of school and this is often when vacations or special camps and things take place.  Your routine is completely different.  [note this varies depending on where you are in the country and whether your kids go year round or not].  You then have July which would be a natural time for you to begin planning/prepping for returning to school. Aug - Sept you and your kids are getting into the swing of things with your new schedule and school.  October is a great time to start planning for the holidays.  Nov - Dec is of course heavy duty holiday season not only for your family but with kids you have teacher gifts and friend gifts and parties, etc.\r\n<h2>Personal vs. Life vs. Business Planning Cycle</h2>\r\nNow, sometimes it is hard to navigate all of the demands on your life.  You have your personal goals and wants, you have your family needs, goals and wants and then you have the needs and goals of your business.  It is a lot to negotiate, but it is something we all must do.  I encourage you to resist sacrificing your personal wants, needs and goals for the other two areas.  We don\'t think twice about doing that, but it isn\'t a healthy balance.  It\'s not a good thing to do.  You see self-care is very important and I believe you need to build that into your planning season too.  I encourage you to plan at least one self-care day into each quarter.  I also encourage you to build in one couple self-care day into each quarter as well.  Oh and heck, go ahead and build one \"self-care\" day for each child into each quarter and one for your business as well.  When you take the time to schedule and plan these days, you are saying it is important.  You are saying, I\'m important or You are important, this is important.  When building your planning calendar, you need to start with those days or at least those rules.  You could go as far as to say the fourth Saturday of every month is our family Saturday.  It is reserved for family focused activities.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','','','inherit','closed','closed','','5924-revision-v1','','','2017-10-03 14:28:03','2017-10-03 14:28:03','',5924,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5924-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5926,1,'2017-10-03 14:29:47','2017-10-03 14:29:47','If you have been with me for a while you know that I am all about brainstorming and getting your thoughts onto paper.  I love this concept because it gives your thoughts life...it allows them to stop swimming around in your head and gets them in front of you.  At that point, those ideas/thoughts can take shape and become real concepts and plans can begin to develop around those ideas.\r\n\r\nThere is no better time to do this than at the beginning or end of a quarter.\r\n<h2>Planning Season</h2>\r\nI believe that in every person\'s life and business there is a natural planning season.  They vary for each person, but it is a natural break when it makes sense to review and readjust your life or business plan.  I think of this planning on both a mini and major level.  let me break this down so you understand the difference in the two planning types.\r\n<h2>Micro Planning Season</h2>\r\nSo the micro season is the time through the year that you just do maintenance on your plan.  Think about it as your review and evaluation of a plan that is being worked.  So for example, lets say your family decides they want to move to a new house next year before your child enters high school.  So, theoretically you have twelve months to get all of this planned and done.  Well, there is no way you can do all of that in one sitting.  You are going to need a lot of that year to handle all of the things you need to handle.  Now, this would get more complicated if you were changing cities or states.  So during that year, you would need to build in some micro planning/maintenance sessions that allows you to review and adapt.\r\n\r\nIn my life, I build micro planning seasons in each quarter.  The quarter is a great break for me as that means I have worked for 90 days at something and by the end of the quarter I will know if I\'m on track or not.  I will also know if I can build upon that momentum or need to regroup.\r\n<h2>Macro Planning Season</h2>\r\nThe macro planning season is the one time of the year when you do what is known as master planning.  You are thinking about what you want to accomplish for the year and how you anticipate accomplishing it.  I consider this to be high level ideas and goals that you want to meet.  I encourage people to not get too granular during this planning session because there are many unknowns that exist at this level.  There is no way for you to know what is going to affect the success of a third quarter event.  You can plan the fact that you want an event and what you need to have accomplished prior to the third quarter, but the heavy duty planning for each of those pieces will fall during the micro planning prior to each of those quarters.  This is more of an incremental or agile type of approach to planning.\r\n<h2>The Timing of Your Planning Season</h2>\r\nI always get the question of how to time all of these planning sessions.  Again, the timing is more of a personal choice, but I typically recommend basing it on the natural ebbs and flows of your life or business.  For example, if you have school aged children, you have a natural flow to your life.  April is a good time to start planning for the summer; May - June is deep summer stuff.  Kids are out of school and this is often when vacations or special camps and things take place.  Your routine is completely different.  [note this varies depending on where you are in the country and whether your kids go year round or not].  You then have July which would be a natural time for you to begin planning/prepping for returning to school. Aug - Sept you and your kids are getting into the swing of things with your new schedule and school.  October is a great time to start planning for the holidays.  Nov - Dec is of course heavy duty holiday season not only for your family but with kids you have teacher gifts and friend gifts and parties, etc.\r\n<h2>Personal vs. Life vs. Business Planning Cycle</h2>\r\nNow, sometimes it is hard to navigate all of the demands on your life.  You have your personal goals and wants, you have your family needs, goals and wants and then you have the needs and goals of your business.  It is a lot to negotiate, but it is something we all must do.  I encourage you to resist sacrificing your personal wants, needs and goals for the other two areas.  We don\'t think twice about doing that, but it isn\'t a healthy balance.  It\'s not a good thing to do.  You see self-care is very important and I believe you need to build that into your planning season too.  I encourage you to plan at least one self-care day into each quarter.  I also encourage you to build in one couple self-care day into each quarter as well.  Oh and heck, go ahead and build one \"self-care\" day for each child into each quarter and one for your business as well.  When you take the time to schedule and plan these days, you are saying it is important.  You are saying, I\'m important or You are important, this is important.  When building your planning calendar, you need to start with those days or at least those rules.  You could go as far as to say the fourth Saturday of every month is our family Saturday.  It is reserved for family focused activities.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','How to Develop your Life and Business Planning Calendar','','inherit','closed','closed','','5924-revision-v1','','','2017-10-03 14:29:47','2017-10-03 14:29:47','',5924,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5924-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(5944,1,'2017-10-05 21:31:50','2017-10-05 21:31:50','','Organize Like a Pro Workshop Pt. 2 | The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','organize-like-a-pro-workshop-pt-2','','','2017-10-05 21:32:37','2017-10-05 21:32:37','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Organize-Like-a-Pro-Workshop-Pt.-2.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(5947,1,'2017-10-05 21:36:21','2017-10-05 21:36:21','','Organize Like a Pro Workshop Pt. 1  The Happiness Bucket','','inherit','open','closed','','organize-like-a-pro-workshop-pt-1','','','2017-10-05 21:36:32','2017-10-05 21:36:32','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Organize-Like-a-Pro-Workshop-Pt.-1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(6040,1,'2017-10-18 15:12:07','2017-10-18 15:12:07','Join me for my free organizational roadmap workshop.  This workshop teaches you about the five foundational stages of the organizational roadmap.  It is important to understand the proper order for organization to ensure you have a strong foundation to build upon.','Promotions and Product Launches','','inherit','closed','closed','','66-revision-v1','','','2017-10-18 15:12:07','2017-10-18 15:12:07','',66,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/66-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(6049,1,'2017-10-18 16:01:54','2017-10-18 16:01:54','<header class=\"page-header\">Have you ever looked at a space and felt totally frozen in your tracks?  I mean you can\'t think...you can\'t take action, you just keep looking at that same pile of clothes, papers, closet, etc. knowing you need to do something, but not knowing what that something is.  Well, I encourage you to use the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap-workshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap stages</a> to help you regain clarity.  You see these stages were designed to help you systematically walk through your road blocks with little to no emotional attachment.  </header>I recommend starting with a small space like your bathroom counter top, in fact, that is where I started.  I was having a hard time keeping it clean and it frustrated me because there always seemed to be a mountain of stuff on it.  One day I looked at the contents of the counter and realized half the stuff didn’t belong there or I rarely used it.  That day I decided to do an experiment to see what I really used.  The steps that developed during this experiment are the steps that I am now sharing with you.  This experiment helped me realize that I was shifting the unused things around to get to items I needed. Ultimately, it wasn’t giving me the feeling I wanted when I entered my beautiful bathroom.  These steps provided an easy way to determine what I really needed without feeling overwhelmed.  Now, let me show you the steps I used so you can regain clarity in your space too:\r\n\r\n<header></header><section id=\"post-4041\" class=\"post-4041 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\"><article id=\"post-4041\" class=\"post-4041 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\">\r\n<div class=\"entry-content clearfix\">\r\n<h2>Step 1 - Identify the space you want to address</h2>\r\nIn this exercise, I want you to make sure the space is small...especially if this is your first time.  We have to crawl before we walk, so I don\'t want you to bite off too much right out the gate. It should be a space that can be handled pretty quickly (i.e., a desk, your bathroom countertop/drawers, your kitchen countertop, etc.)\r\n<h2>Step 2 - Identify your goal and purpose for the space</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5649\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Regain-Clarity-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Regain Clarity\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Think about how you currently use the space, what is working and what isn\'t.  Don\'t overthink this process, you can consider this your first round of decluttering.  You see many people get so overwhelmed with the state of their space that they overthink the process.  Start small then build momentum as you go.  You can always revisit the area once you are full steam ahead to see if you want to make any additional tweaks.\r\n<h2>Step 3 - Clear your space of everything</h2>\r\nThis is the easiest and honestly most stress relieving action (well to me it is).  Think of it as starting fresh, having a clean slate and being able to make the rules up as you go.  Just remove everything from the space as if you were moving.  I recommend using an empty box to help you clear the space (you guys know how I feel about my paper boxes)!  That being said, if you don\'t have a box the floor or a nearby table will do just fine.\r\n<h2>Step 4 - Process and Return Necessary Items</h2>\r\nNow this is where a lot of people get into trouble LOL.  Seriously, think very carefully here...I want you to think through how you use the space and what you need to do whatever it is that you do. As you think about that process, return only the things that enable you to complete it.  For example, a bathroom sink you need your eyeglasses and contact solution near.  The question is do you need them on top of the cabinet or in the top drawer where they are easily accessible?  Go with your first instinct, it is usually right.\r\n<h2>Step 5 - System Development and Test</h2>\r\nNow that you have made your decisions in step 4, you probably have a number of items left in your box.  All remaining items should remain in this box and be placed out of the way.  It should be close enough so you can access it if you are looking for or needing something, but far enough away so that it is out of your immediate sight.  The purpose of this step is to identify items that you REALLY need versus those that you THINK you need.  You should live with this setup for 7 - 14 days.\r\n<h2>Step 6 - Evaluate</h2>\r\nAt the end of your 7 - 14 day period you will have an understanding as to what you really use and what you don\'t.  You will have pulled out items that you needed out of the box...is there anything in the space that you originally placed there that you really didn\'t need?  Now, there may be some items that are seasonal or are things that make you happy when you see them...this is a personal choice that you will need to think through.  The key is to get yourself to a point where you feel better about your space.  A place where your happiness levels are higher.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</article></section>','How to Regain Clarity with 6 Easy Declutter Steps','','inherit','closed','closed','','5470-autosave-v1','','','2017-10-18 16:01:54','2017-10-18 16:01:54','',5470,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5470-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(6050,1,'2017-10-18 16:02:38','2017-10-18 16:02:38','<header class=\"page-header\">Have you ever looked at a space and felt totally frozen in your tracks?  I mean you can\'t think...you can\'t take action, you just keep looking at that same pile of clothes, papers, closet, etc. knowing you need to do something, but not knowing what that something is.  Well, I encourage you to use the <a href=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/organizational-roadmap-workshop/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational roadmap stages</a> to help you regain clarity.  You see these stages were designed to help you systematically walk through your road blocks with little to no emotional attachment.  </header>I recommend starting with a small space like your bathroom counter top, in fact, that is where I started.  I was having a hard time keeping it clean and it frustrated me because there always seemed to be a mountain of stuff on it.  One day I looked at the contents of the counter and realized half the stuff didn’t belong there or I rarely used it.  That day I decided to do an experiment to see what I really used.  The steps that developed during this experiment are the steps that I am now sharing with you.  This experiment helped me realize that I was shifting the unused things around to get to items I needed. Ultimately, it wasn’t giving me the feeling I wanted when I entered my beautiful bathroom.  These steps provided an easy way to determine what I really needed without feeling overwhelmed.  Now, let me show you the steps I used so you can regain clarity in your space too:\r\n\r\n<header></header><section id=\"post-4041\" class=\"post-4041 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\"><article id=\"post-4041\" class=\"post-4041 page type-page status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry\">\r\n<div class=\"entry-content clearfix\">\r\n<h2>Step 1 - Identify the space you want to address</h2>\r\nIn this exercise, I want you to make sure the space is small...especially if this is your first time.  We have to crawl before we walk, so I don\'t want you to bite off too much right out the gate. It should be a space that can be handled pretty quickly (i.e., a desk, your bathroom countertop/drawers, your kitchen countertop, etc.)\r\n<h2>Step 2 - Identify your goal and purpose for the space</h2>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-5649\" src=\"http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Regain-Clarity-200x300.png\" alt=\"How to Regain Clarity\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" />Think about how you currently use the space, what is working and what isn\'t.  Don\'t overthink this process, you can consider this your first round of decluttering.  You see many people get so overwhelmed with the state of their space that they overthink the process.  Start small then build momentum as you go.  You can always revisit the area once you are full steam ahead to see if you want to make any additional tweaks.\r\n<h2>Step 3 - Clear your space of everything</h2>\r\nThis is the easiest and honestly most stress relieving action (well to me it is).  Think of it as starting fresh, having a clean slate and being able to make the rules up as you go.  Just remove everything from the space as if you were moving.  I recommend using an empty box to help you clear the space (you guys know how I feel about my paper boxes)!  That being said, if you don\'t have a box the floor or a nearby table will do just fine.\r\n<h2>Step 4 - Process and Return Necessary Items</h2>\r\nNow this is where a lot of people get into trouble LOL.  Seriously, think very carefully here...I want you to think through how you use the space and what you need to do whatever it is that you do. As you think about that process, return only the things that enable you to complete it.  For example, a bathroom sink you need your eyeglasses and contact solution near.  The question is do you need them on top of the cabinet or in the top drawer where they are easily accessible?  Go with your first instinct, it is usually right.\r\n<h2>Step 5 - System Development and Test</h2>\r\nNow that you have made your decisions in step 4, you probably have a number of items left in your box.  All remaining items should remain in this box and be placed out of the way.  It should be close enough so you can access it if you are looking for or needing something, but far enough away so that it is out of your immediate sight.  The purpose of this step is to identify items that you REALLY need versus those that you THINK you need.  You should live with this setup for 7 - 14 days.\r\n<h2>Step 6 - Evaluate</h2>\r\nAt the end of your 7 - 14 day period you will have an understanding as to what you really use and what you don\'t.  You will have pulled out items that you needed out of the box...is there anything in the space that you originally placed there that you really didn\'t need?  Now, there may be some items that are seasonal or are things that make you happy when you see them...this is a personal choice that you will need to think through.  The key is to get yourself to a point where you feel better about your space.  A place where your happiness levels are higher.\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</article></section>','How to Regain Clarity with 6 Easy Declutter Steps','','inherit','closed','closed','','5470-revision-v1','','','2017-10-18 16:02:38','2017-10-18 16:02:38','',5470,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5470-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(6052,1,'2017-10-18 16:42:46','2017-10-18 16:42:46','','Free 6 Video Workshop','','inherit','open','closed','','free-6-video-workshop','','','2017-10-18 16:43:59','2017-10-18 16:43:59','',0,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Free-6-Video-Workshop.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(6054,1,'2017-10-18 21:24:40','2017-10-18 21:24:40','<h2>How It All Started</h2>\r\nThe Happiness Bucket has been an idea of mine I developed when I was in college interning as a Sentencing Advocate.&nbsp; I realized that there were many life circumstances that make us who we are today.&nbsp; Regardless of if your turn is a good one or a bad one, it can affect your life in many ways...but nothing is permanent.&nbsp; You can always change your circumstances if you have determination, the right circle around you and you are willing to make the necessary changes in and around yourself. My idea of the C.H.A.N.G.E Center, which is what it was called at the time, was centered around reusing an old school building that would house a number of service agencies (social security, police, fire stations) trade schools and a community center.&nbsp; It would also have a restaurant that would train non-violent offenders in the restaurant industry.&nbsp; The entire idea was to have a central place where you could get your problems addressed, grow as a person and feel safe.&nbsp; It would be the center safe place of the community where you were honoring excellence in one another.&nbsp; Although this idea has never completely gone away, it was never completely born either.\r\n\r\nFast forward to 2008, when I had the opportunity to talk with a group of women who were going through a lot of personal issues.&nbsp; In listening to their stories I knew I could help on a different scale.&nbsp; In that mini-mastermind session, I began to dig deeper with the ladies by working to discover the center of their happiness.&nbsp; You see, they truly didn\'t know what would make them happy and that was part of the root cause of their problems.&nbsp; By the end of our visit, each woman had a plan of action and were reassured that they would make it through and past their situations to become a happier version of themselves. I\'m happy to say they all began working towards their goals and were successful in accomplishing many of them.&nbsp; This session reignited that original dream of a community of excellence.\r\n<h2>The <span style=\"color: #e100b1;\">C.H.A.N.G.E</span> ACADEMY</h2>\r\nOut of that session in 2008, a Community Honoring A New Goal of Excellence, the C.H.A.N.G.E Academy was born.&nbsp; It was developed specifically to help provide guidance, workshops and encouragement in reaching your&nbsp;individual goals. &nbsp;It is a place where we want you to&nbsp;feel safe sharing your&nbsp;most intimate dreams and fears and know you&nbsp;will receive genuine support. &nbsp;This is a safe place to ask questions and a place where it is okay to laugh and cry.\r\n\r\nThe C.H.A.N.G.E Academy is a holistic learning portal.&nbsp; Here at the Happiness Bucket, I believe we have to deal with our lives in totality.&nbsp; You are one person with many different hats on, why then would we only address a hat and not the person?&nbsp; Your family is made of of many different people with many different hats, why then would we not deal with the individuals and then the family unit? As Michael Jackson said, \"Start with the [wo]man in the mirror\".\r\n\r\nThere are two ways in which you can be a part of the Academy:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Join our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChangeAcademy/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Facebook Group</a> - this is our community of support, where THB Family Members gather to share all types of information, provide support and learn.</li>\r\n 	<li>Visit our <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Portal</a> - this is where the official education takes place. &nbsp;You can find both free and paid courses and resources in the Academy Portal.&nbsp; All of the educational resources are centered around the organization of your space, life, soul and business.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTake whichever route makes the most sense for you today, just take action and do something. &nbsp;I look forward to working with you on a deeper level as you begin your C.H.A.N.G.E Journey today!\r\n<h2>What is The Happiness Bucket About?</h2>\r\nAs you look at the Happiness Bucket\'s theme I know some of you are wondering what it represents, what it is about.&nbsp; You see our company represents change, growth and beauty.&nbsp; It represents the flourishing life you were meant to have.&nbsp; You are a seed that needs to be watered and nourished to grow into what God has made you to be and that is what The Happiness Bucket tries to bring to your life...that water and food you need to grow.\r\n\r\nSo how do you grow? &nbsp;By letting go…letting go of that barrier that is keeping you from reaching your dreams and goals. &nbsp;I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Let go and let God”, and that is what you need to do. &nbsp;Make the decision to take&nbsp;the back&nbsp;seat in your&nbsp;life, behind&nbsp;Jesus, and begin doing the work so you&nbsp;can do what you were made to do. &nbsp;You see He drives me and guides me down the path that I need to go. &nbsp;When I try to take the wheel, I always end up on the wrong path and I don’t get back on the right path until I let Him take the wheel again. &nbsp;The same, I’m sure is true for you. &nbsp;So…my message to you today is to let go, and let God take the wheel in your life and you will be amazed at where you can go. Trust Him, even when you don’t really understand or want to, because when the time is right He will make the path and purpose clear to you.\r\n<h2>Rooted in Organization</h2>\r\nSo what does this have to do with Organization?&nbsp; Well, organization is the root of all things...you are either organized or disorganized.&nbsp; In most cases, you feel the effects pretty quickly in either direction.&nbsp; By using project management principles, The Happiness Bucket can help you organize your space, life, soul and business ultimately allowing you to live your happiest life.&nbsp; You see, if you are struggling in any of those areas, you more than likely are experiencing some level of disorganization in all areas.&nbsp; Conquering that problem at the root will help you build on a solid foundation, and trust...once you start you won\'t want to stop!\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n</article></div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>\r\n</div>','About THB','','inherit','closed','closed','','4669-revision-v1','','','2017-10-18 21:24:40','2017-10-18 21:24:40','',4669,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/4669-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(6055,1,'2017-10-18 21:45:21','2017-10-18 21:45:21','<h2>How It All Started</h2>\r\nThe Happiness Bucket has been an idea of mine I developed when I was in college interning as a Sentencing Advocate.&nbsp; I realized that there were many life circumstances that make us who we are today.&nbsp; Regardless of if your turn is a good one or a bad one, it can affect your life in many ways...but nothing is permanent.&nbsp; You can always change your circumstances if you have determination, the right circle around you and you are willing to make the necessary changes in and around yourself. My idea of the C.H.A.N.G.E Center, which is what it was called at the time, was centered around reusing an old school building that would house a number of service agencies (social security, police, fire stations) trade schools and a community center.&nbsp; It would also have a restaurant that would train non-violent offenders in the restaurant industry.&nbsp; The entire idea was to have a central place where you could get your problems addressed, grow as a person and feel safe.&nbsp; It would be the center safe place of the community where you were honoring excellence in one another.&nbsp; Although this idea has never completely gone away, it was never completely born either.\r\n\r\nFast forward to 2008, when I had the opportunity to talk with a group of women who were going through a lot of personal issues.&nbsp; In listening to their stories I knew I could help on a different scale.&nbsp; In that mini-mastermind session, I began to dig deeper with the ladies by working to discover the center of their happiness.&nbsp; You see, they truly didn\'t know what would make them happy and that was part of the root cause of their problems.&nbsp; By the end of our visit, each woman had a plan of action and were reassured that they would make it through and past their situations to become a happier version of themselves. I\'m happy to say they all began working towards their goals and were successful in accomplishing many of them.&nbsp; This session reignited that original dream of a community of excellence.\r\n<h2>The <span style=\"color: #e100b1;\">C.H.A.N.G.E</span> ACADEMY</h2>\r\nOut of that session in 2008, a Community Honoring A New Goal of Excellence, the C.H.A.N.G.E Academy was born.&nbsp; It was developed specifically to help provide guidance, workshops and encouragement in reaching your&nbsp;individual goals. &nbsp;It is a place where we want you to&nbsp;feel safe sharing your&nbsp;most intimate dreams and fears and know you&nbsp;will receive genuine support. &nbsp;This is a safe place to ask questions and a place where it is okay to laugh and cry.\r\n\r\nThe C.H.A.N.G.E Academy is a holistic learning portal.&nbsp; Here at the Happiness Bucket, I believe we have to deal with our lives in totality.&nbsp; You are one person with many different hats on, why then would we only address a hat and not the person?&nbsp; Your family is made of of many different people with many different hats, why then would we not deal with the individuals and then the family unit? As Michael Jackson said, \"Start with the [wo]man in the mirror\".\r\n\r\nThere are two ways in which you can be a part of the Academy:\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Join our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChangeAcademy/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Facebook Group</a> - this is our community of support, where THB Family Members gather to share all types of information, provide support and learn.</li>\r\n 	<li>Visit our <a href=\"https://thechangeacademy.thinkific.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Portal</a> - this is where the official education takes place. &nbsp;You can find both free and paid courses and resources in the Academy Portal.&nbsp; All of the educational resources are centered around the organization of your space, life, soul and business.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nTake whichever route makes the most sense for you today, just take action and do something. &nbsp;I look forward to working with you on a deeper level as you begin your C.H.A.N.G.E Journey today!\r\n\r\n<h2>What is The Happiness Bucket About?</h2>\r\nAs you look at the Happiness Bucket\'s theme I know some of you are wondering what it represents, what it is about.&nbsp; You see our company represents change, growth and beauty.&nbsp; It represents the flourishing life you were meant to have.&nbsp; You are a seed that needs to be watered and nourished to grow into what God has made you to be and that is what The Happiness Bucket tries to bring to your life...that water and food you need to grow.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So how do you grow? &nbsp;By letting go…letting go of that barrier that is keeping you from reaching your dreams and goals. &nbsp;I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Let go and let God”, and that is what you need to do. &nbsp;Make the decision to take&nbsp;the back&nbsp;seat in your&nbsp;life, behind&nbsp;Jesus, and begin doing the work so you&nbsp;can do what you were made to do. &nbsp;You see He drives me and guides me down the path that I need to go. &nbsp;When I try to take the wheel, I always end up on the wrong path and I don’t get back on the right path until I let Him take the wheel again. &nbsp;The same, I’m sure is true for you. &nbsp;So…my message to you today is to let go, and let God take the wheel in your life and you will be amazed at where you can go. Trust Him, even when you don’t really understand or want to, because when the time is right He will make the path and purpose clear to you.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Rooted in Organization</h2>\r\nSo what does this have to do with Organization?&nbsp; Well, organization is the root of all things...you are either organized or disorganized.&nbsp; In most cases, you feel the effects pretty quickly in either direction.&nbsp; By using project management principles, The Happiness Bucket can help you organize your space, life, soul and business ultimately allowing you to live your happiest life.&nbsp; You see, if you are struggling in any of those areas, you more than likely are experiencing some level of disorganization in all areas.&nbsp; Conquering that problem at the root will help you build on a solid foundation, and trust...once you start you won\'t want to stop!','About THB','','inherit','closed','closed','','4669-revision-v1','','','2017-10-18 21:45:21','2017-10-18 21:45:21','',4669,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/4669-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(6056,1,'2017-10-18 21:47:16','2017-10-18 21:47:16','Hello, my name is Dana LaRieal Morales and I\'m so glad you\'re here and entrusting me with your needs. &nbsp;I am all about helping people be the best version of themselves. &nbsp;How do i do it?, well I do that using my knowledge as a Project Manager, an organization enthusiast and someone&nbsp;who loves helping people.\r\n\r\nIt is my belief, that everyone should have a good family, work and life balance, because at the end of the day that is what makes you a well-rounded individual and a great business person.\r\n\r\nI am an Alum of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, where I studied sociology with a concentration in criminal justice, so you&nbsp;will probably see the criminal justice influence by my strange references to Perry Mason or other common crime shows. &nbsp;I also love solving puzzles which lends greatly to solving problems, organization, project management and process improvement. &nbsp;Oh and I must not forget to mention I am also an Alum of the illustrious Tennessee State University, where I obtained my Masters in Public Administration.\r\n<h2>Why Should You Listen to Dana LaRieal Morales?</h2>\r\nFor over 24 years, I have been in the service field assisting&nbsp;people with their problems . &nbsp;I am&nbsp;also a Certified Project Manager and have worked on a number of implementation, development and process improvement projects during that time. &nbsp;My unique take on the area of process improvement lends well to small and medium sized business owners and implementation teams. &nbsp;I believe with the right process, you can simplify your workload and increase your overall productivity.\r\n\r\nSo, now that you know a little about me, I hope you will tell me a little about you. &nbsp;Please jump on over to our <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChangeAcademy/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change Academy Facebook Group</a> and introduce yourself to everyone. &nbsp;Whether you are new to process improvement and <a href=\"http://development.thehappinessbucket.com/projectmanagement/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">project management</a> or not I want to interact with you.\r\n\r\nIf you aren\'t a Facebook person or you just like to connect in various ways, I suggest you join our THB Family.[convertkit form=5059620] Now wait! Before you start rolling your eyes, I promise not to spam you because I can not stand that myself. I promise to use your email responsibly and only send information that provides value. Once you become a member of the THB Family, you will have the opportunity to choose a few different options based on your interests, this will help me determine what emails you would consider valuable and which ones you might consider junk. &nbsp;Either way, I\'m just glad you have decided to join me on this journey!\r\n\r\nUntil we talk again, have a great night and stay happy!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Who is Dana','','inherit','closed','closed','','5085-revision-v1','','','2017-10-18 21:47:16','2017-10-18 21:47:16','',5085,'http://thehappinessbucket.com/5085-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),