I always have high hopes for getting a lot done in the summer because of the time saved driving my girls to and from school.  During the school year, this adds up to be about ten hours per week, so it’s like getting a whole work day added in.  While I have gotten a lot done this summer, we also took two weeks off for a vacation to Europe, which put me a little behind.

This month I am feeling a little stressed out because I have a lot on my plate. Work/life balance is going to be a challenge during the month of August while I try to prepare myself for September.  My kids are going to an away camp for a week at the end of the month, so I’m hoping that will be a huge block of uninterrupted time to tie up all the loose ends.

Here  is a great strategy for problem solving which is becoming very popular in corporate settings.  It’s called “mind mapping”.   Basically, it’s a way of starting at the beginning with a problem, and then mapping out all the smaller problems and ways to solve the issues.   I started a mind map as a way to keep my projects sorted out.  I will now add circles to create “to do” lists, deadlines, etc to keep myself on target.  Here is a great website for a FREE mind mapping program.

Try it yourself and see if mind mapping helps with your challenges, time management, and stress levels!