Organize And Get Things Done

Do you feel like you’re always working to keep up, but don’t really get anything done, especially around holidays? In his best-selling book Getting Things Done, David Allen gives you an effective time management system to help you organize your stuff, your work activities and your personal life. Allen’s key idea is to start with a “mind sweep” ─ get everything out of your head and down on paper (or other written form). Once your mind is cleared, your productivity goes up and you can focus on creative action. His five basic stages of mastering your personal or professional “workflow” are: 1) Collect. Capture anything and everything that is on your mind. 2) Process. Decide what each thing means. Is it something you should do? Do it now or later? Can you delegate it (and track on a “Waiting For” list)? 3) Organize. Place the items in categories, such as Projects, Calendar, Next Actions and Waiting For, and sub-categories of your choice. (To help you visualize this, he includes a diagram for navigating through the processing and organizing phases of your workflow.) 4) Review. Go over Calendar and Action lists daily and do a weekly customized review to get clean and current. 5) Do. Make choices about your actions based on what you can do, how much time and energy you have and your priorities. Another one of his most popular methods is the “two minute rule.” If any task can be completed in less than two minutes (for example, a quick email response), do it immediately. Stop putting those little things off. Allen says Getting Things Done is “just advanced common sense.” But once you learn how to get everything under control, real change begins. Millions of people around the world have found that his methods work. To order the book, search for “Getting Things Done” at www.amazon.com.

Pet Insurance

As the cost of healthcare for pets continues to go up, having pet insurance might seem more necessity than luxury. Choosing the right pet insurance can be tricky, though, given the usual insurance fine print. Here are three of the main things to keep in mind when shopping around: • Pet insurance typically does not cover preventative medicine. It’s designed to help offset the costs of treating a serious injury and/or illness, not your pet’s annual wellness exams. Some plans do cover routine care, but they’re more expensive. • Pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. You can still get insurance for a pet with a pre-existing condition, it will just be stipulated in your policy that it isn’t covered. Insurance companies get records from your vet to check on this. • Pet insurance is a reimbursement system. You’ll need to pay the full veterinary bill at the time of service and get reimbursed from the insurance company based on your plan. Ask your vet’s office for insurance recommendations. They don’t work directly with pet insurance providers, but they’ve no doubt heard positive (and negative) reviews from other customers about different providers.

Enjoy Your Own Company

Although the idea of “me time” has become more popular, there are people who equate being alone with loneliness—and no one wants that. Solitude can seem hard to find if you live in a busy city or a crowded house, but intentionally carving out time for yourself can have positive mental and physical health benefits. If, that is, you embrace being alone. Experts say that if being alone is your choice, you’re much more likely to enjoy the solitude and less likely to succumb to loneliness. But this doesn’t mean you have to become a hermit to be happy alone. It means you’re able to find happiness in solo pursuits of your choosing— exercising, birdwatching, creating art, or even working. If you struggle to do something you love when you’re alone, you may want to try an activity that boosts endorphin levels. After all, if you’re getting a happiness high from the activity, you’re more apt to do it again. Physical activity like gardening or beachcombing can work here (you don’t have to go to the gym to be physical), but you can also do volunteer work. Studies show volunteering makes people feel more fulfilled, and solo volunteer work may even be something you can do from home—think preparing meals for houseless people or making hats for preemie babies. The Japanese practice of “forest bathing” is a poetic term for something research has shown time and again: Spending time in nature is very good for us. Taking a solo hike in the woods is great, but movement isn’t necessary. You could knit in the park on your lunch break or watch flickers dig for ants in the backyard. It can also be a meditative experience, immersing yourself in the natural environment to allow you to take it in with all of your senses. Treat yourself to something special that you usually need company to justify, like dinner at a fancy restaurant or a ticket to the opera. And this doesn’t need to be expensive or even outside the home. You could cook a favorite meal, for instance, served on your good dishes. You don’t have to skimp on things you’d enjoy just because you’re flying solo.

Seattle Kraken Community Iceplex @ Northgate Station

If you’re looking for ideas this winter come skate where your Seattle Kraken skate! All ages and levels are welcome for daily public skate sessions. They offer learn to skate classes, learn to play classes, youth hockey leagues, and adult hockey leagues. Shop the Kraken Team Store or meet friends at the 32 Bar & Grill. Go Kraken!

Iconic Kerry Park

The 1.26 acre park on the south slope of Queen Anne was donated to the city in 1927 “so that all who stop here may enjoy this view” Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Kerry! On a nice day Downtown Seattle, Puget Sound and Mt. Rainier come to life right before your eyes!

What should we look for in a qualified, competent agent?

A. Just because someone passed a state licensing examination doesn’t mean they are qualified to handle your needs. All agents are not the same. Here are a few things you should look for in a qualified agent. 1. First, determine if they specialize in your area or type of home. 2. Ask them how they helped clients overcome specific problems they encountered in a past transaction. 3. Ask them specifically what they will do for you if they represent you. They should have a step-by-step plan of action. 4. Ask them how long they’ve practiced real estate, and how many transactions they have under their belt. 5. Ask them about their marketing skills. Most agents are trained to handle transactions and understand the law, but not all of them are trained in effective marketing. Coldwell Banker Danforth agents are all members of the National Association of Realtors. We are held to a higher standard and adhere to a strict code of ethics. We always put our client’s wants and needs before our own. I am ready to go to work for you today.

Save for a Home

Owning a home may still be part of the traditional American dream, but saving up to buy a home sometimes feels impossible. There are ways, though, that you can save money for a down payment regardless of your income and budget. Here are some tips to get you started. • Work On Your Credit Score. With a lower credit score, you’re likely to pay a higher interest rate on a home loan. Having a higher credit score usually means a lower interest rate, so you’d be paying less overall for the same house. Your credit score can also impact the down payment that’s required. • Concentrate on Reducing Your Debts. Banks look at your debt-to-income ratio with any home loan application, and one of the best ways to improve your credit score is to pay down your debts. This doesn’t mean you must have zero debts, of course, it just means your debt-to-income ratio may determine how big your down payment will need to be. • Cut Expenses. Do a careful audit of your monthly expenses and make a list of what might be unnecessary, like a streaming service you don’t really watch very often or a subscription or membership you forgot you signed up for. Look into refinancing things like student or auto loans. Think about a less expensive rental home to put that extra money away, too. • Automate Savings. Set up automatic transfers to an investment or savings account every time you get a paycheck. Have tax refunds automatically deposited into your savings, not checking, account. As you work on building up your savings, remember that this doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of anything fun—that would just lead to resentment. Refocus the idea of treating yourself to your new budget. Instead of a fancy dinner out or an international trip, for instance, opt for a less expensive happy hour date or a weekend getaway.

World Cup 2026

FIFA has announced Seattle is one of the host cities for the World Cup in four years’ time. The 2026 tournament is the first-ever combined bid to feature three nations hosting the event and is the first World Cup to have a field of 48 international teams. This will be the biggest soccer event in the history of Seattle. The Emerald City’s soccer love affair is well-documented going back to 1974 Sounders who played in Memorial Stadium. We have lead in MLS league attendance eight years in a row and have never missed the playoffs. Seattle will have a bright spotlight shinned on us and this event is guaranteed to bring even more tourism and of course tax revenue to our region.

2022 King County First Citizens Award

Mary’s Place has won the 84th Seattle King County Realtor award in recognition of the innovative work they do in addressing family homelessness. Mary’s Place began as a drop in center for women experiencing homelessness in 1999 and now operate 5- 24X7 family shelters. Last year they provided 141,412 overnight stays and helped 549 families find permanent safe and stable homes. Mary’s Place goal is “no child sleeps outside”. Congratulations and Thank You Mary’s Place! www.marysplaceseattle.org

Find More Free Time

Where does the time go? Even if you work a normal schedule and get a full night’s sleep, you still have about 50 free hours during the week – but most people say they still can’t find free time for hobbies and passions. Take these steps to find more time for YOU this winter: 1. Map your current time use. First track how you use your time. Keep a log for a week or two to get a good representation of how you spend your time now. Try the app Chronos for Android and iPhone for an easy-to-use and comprehensive time log. 2. Create a list of things you really want to do. Try to come up with a list of 50-75 things. Make some of them easy one-day things (visit a museum) that you can quickly accomplish and others things you tend to put off (practicing guitar). 3. Cut out unnecessary time-wasters and replace with something from your list. Cut out the time spent watching TV, surfing the internet, or attending too many functions. Start a new schedule and prioritize things that make you happy instead of time-wasters.

Help Young Adults With Finances

Keeping track of budgets, money spent, and money saved is a terrific way to start out on the road to a healthy financial future. Share these smartphone apps with the young adults in your life to easily track finances. Mint is a terrific way to track the 50/30/20 rule: 50% of income for essentials (e.g. rent, food), 30% for wants (e.g. shopping, eating out), and 20% for savings (e.g. paying down debt, “pay yourself first” emergency fund). YNAB, another budgeting app recommended by NerdWallet and free for college students for one year, encourages users to be more intentional with their spending, accounting for every dollar earned. NerdWallet also has its own free app that allows users to track spending, debt, and credit score, which follows us throughout adulthood. Consulting a financial adviser is another terrific piece of advice for the young adults in your life – it’s never too early to get advice on ways to achieve financial goals.

Color Scheme Websites

Whether you’re redecorating a room, designing a website, or just looking for inspiration to add pop to your wardrobe, there are several websites that help you create beautiful color schemes. Coolers: coolors.co/ The Coolers site (also available as an app and a Chrome extension) creates color palettes based on images you can upload, or you can simply browse their endless array of popular color schemes. Muzli: colors.muz.li/ With Muzli’s color palette generator, you start with one color and Muzli offers options for other colors that coordinate well with it. Colormind: colormind.io/ Like many similar websites, Colormind will produce color palettes based on images you choose or offer random color schemes for inspiration—but Colormind lets you save the colors/lock them until you land on a palette you love.