Practical Tools
In her unique vision, individuals and their spaces are equal partners in the process of change. Christine is a mediator or translator, not a white-gloved magician with promises of instant makeovers. Instead she offers know-how and a new approach to living in an increasingly demanding world.
In Lifestyle Design the emphasis is on using practical tools to create Campfires, centers of positive energy that encourage meaningful experiences. By looking inward and translating inner priorities into exterior surroundings, creating living spaces that counterbalance the challenges of everyday life will be uncomplicated — and lasting.
People, Place & Thing Tool -
What They Are and How You Use Them
With the pace of life cycling faster and faster, it is easy to see how the stress of modern living can take its toll. In fact, 46 million people in the United States are either diagonsed with hypertension (stress) or are taking medications for hypertension.
Though there aren’t any magic potions to make these tasks disappear, easy access to practical tools can make a real difference. A tool is anything that can be used intentionally to achieve a positive outcome. Practical Tools for Balanced Living can be people, places or things when they become part of routines and habits that bring about positive change.
1. People Tools:
People are invaluable resources - and they make good company, too. People Tools run the gamut and can range from professional organizers who clear out clutter, to handymen (or women) who can resolve maintenance issues, to friends who can lend a truck, a hand or a soft shoulder. The key is to make it easy to reach them. Their numbers and e-mails should be readily available and even on speed dial (see #3 below). I put in calls to people who can help me when the need arises instead of letting things build up.
2. Place Tools:
Going through paperwork at a well-ordered desk can make the job much smoother (add music from your favorite play list, and it becomes enjoyable). Buying fresh flowers or cutting them from an outdoor planter or garden is a whole new dimension of using outdoor places. When you bring them inside, you energize your indoor spaces as well. On a different level, grocery stores, shoemakers, drug stores and frequently used websites should become part of your routine. I try to avoid last minute rush trips which eat up precious time. By frequenting neighborhood businesses and taking time to connect with the people who work there, errands can become almost as comforting as that trip for your daily dose of coffee.
3. Thing Tools:
Like people and places, objects are only as effective as the way they are put to use. For example, one of my favorite Thing Tools is a light timer. I set timers to turn on a few key lights every night (loaded with compact fluorescent bulbs). That way I don’t have to come home to a dark and empty house. Placemats, flatware and napkins are another set of great tools - when they are set out early so that the table is dinner-ready when it needs to be. Finally, cell phones are key. Where they really count, at least for me, is in speed dialing. That way I can be in touch easily with loved ones or make a series of quick calls to contractors, colleagues or other service providers.
Even though many of today’s tasks might get crossed off The List, tomorrow will inevitably bring in a new round, but that’s life. The important thing is to make the journey more enjoyable.
For the big picture, check out the Campfires and Four Basics pages. Below are some tools put into action.
Christine Eisner
One of the most important ways to regain balance in our high-tech lives is by emphasizing nature. It may seem trivial to talk about the benefits of flowers on an entry table or open windows to let in fresh air. Actually they can have a tremendous impact on wellness and quality of life. “Stop and smell the roses” is such a simplistic phrase, but it is a key tool to a more balanced lifestyle.
A couple of weeks ago I attended a workshop given by Laura Iarocci, who will be joining me on my Balance Through Nature field trip. I let myself be surrounded by her world of plants, flowers and the concept of creating beauty through nature and left feeling fully rejuvenated.
I hope you will consider joining me for my field trip later this month, but meanwhile, here is a link to the work of Ansel Adams. His celebration of the drama and subtleties of nature was groundbreaking. Take a minute to enjoy… and then see if you can join us on April 23rd!
Leave a Comment
A “Campfire for Reentry” to Ease the End of a Hectic Day
Lifestyle Design is the process of setting up your life so that it is easier (and more enjoyable) to live. What I call “campfires” can make a real difference in life experiences. Just like the real ones, these campfires bring people together naturally and meaningfully. Picture this: You arrive home after a crazy day and find a light on, welcoming you inside, the table set for dinner, candles ready to light and just a few steps left to serve a sit down dinner… Impossible? Of course not.
To me, practical tools go beyond the objects themselves. Actually, what is more important is how they are put to use. Here are 5 tools for your own “campfire for reentry.” With these tools, the key is advanced planning so things are ready when you are.
1. A Home That Glows:
With a light timer on a lamp, set to turn on at sunset, your home welcomes you inside.
2. A Ready Dinner Table:
With placemats, napkins and flatware ready when you are, sitting down to dinner is almost inevitable.
3. Dishes On Stand-by:
With dinner plates and glasses set out on the counter, even takeout meals have integrity.
4. Candles-and-Matches, Together:
Keeping candles and matches on your table, encourages their use at mealtimes.
5. A 5-Minute Meal:
Having a plan for a meal that can be prepared in a few minutes, like stir fry with chicken and leftover rice, allows the process to flow smoothly.
Believe it or not, routines this simple encourage positive experiences when they are needed most, at the end of the day.
Removing the “noise” of unnecessary distractions is a sure-fire way to reduce stress. Noise can mean clutter, TV’s that are always on, and even technology. Last month, I streamlined my computer desktop. What was once a screen totally filled with folders and documents is now two rows of logically-sequenced folders. I would have never thought that such a minor change would yield such major results! Just as with material objects, technology can overwhelm just as easily. Whether it is a chaotic computer desktop, an overstuffed e-mail inbox or tangle of electronic wires and remotes, taking stock of technology can be a big step to making “home” a positive experience for all who live there.
To learn more about creating home environments that reduce stress and promote a balanced lifestyle, register for my workshop this month, and Discover the Eight Basics for yourself!
So, “are you ready for the holidays?” When you think about it, this is a crazy question, yet it is so easy to fall victim to focusing on the future instead of appreciating the moments that lead there. Especially during the month of December, this far-sighted vision is almost inevitable — inevitably stressful. The solution is to stay grounded in the present to make the most of the journey so you can stop and smell the roses (or the holly, perhaps?). This is one of the basics of Lifestyle Design and a key part of balanced living.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a wonderful carol that conjures up images of golden rings, lords a-leaping and partridges in pear trees. Day by day, increasingly elaborate gifts are given - and appreciated. Similarly, the lighting of the Hanukkah candles has a day-by-day sequence. Each day, the glow from the menorah becomes a stronger and brighter symbol of the miracle of Hanukkah. For me, both of these serve as reminders to live in the moment.
Of course, this applies to living spaces as well. In our task-oriented society, the tendency is to want to be “done” with our homes. When you think of it though, how can a home ever be done, if we are continually growing and changing? In Lifestyle Design, the goal is not to “be done,” but rather, to allow your surroundings to evolve.
For much more on this please join me next month for my workshop Discovering the 8 Basics. Meanwhile, here are 6 Practical Tools for a balanced holiday season. Hopefully they will allow you to enjoy these coming weeks more for what they are - a season, as opposed to a single day. The tools are listed here. For more on each click here.
1. Keep the Joy in Gift Giving
2. Tame Your Social Calendar
3. Know Your Limits and Get Others Involved
4. Enlist Technology to Celebrate the Season
5. Enjoy Family Time
6. Honor Traditions, While Being Open to Change
… and most important of all, just have fun!
Create Experiences, not Obstacles, for the Holiday Season
A bit of advance planning - and action - can work wonders for living in balance, especially during the holidays. With Thanksgiving just weeks away, now is the time to be intentional about planning some experiences that can balance out the frenzy of the holiday season. Take a look at your calendar for December, make some calls to plan a dinner party, a girls’ lunch, or an outing to see The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, or something else that sounds like fun. A bit of planning can go a long way, as those who joined my “No More Excuses for Entertaining” Field Trip learned last month. The same holds true for virtually every other aspect of life, whether it’s home maintenance or holiday preparation.
As you are checking the calendar, why not block out some time for your holiday shopping and plan to have someone join you, whether it is your spouse or a good friend? Gift giving should be a joy for the givers as well as the receivers, and it needn’t be a solo effort in the chaos of crowded stores and backed-up traffic. I assure you, the holiday spirit is alive and well in November, with a chill in the air and early-bird retailers all decked out for the holidays. Here in Atlanta, there is the added bonus of the Partners Card, which gets you a 20% discount for 10 days, between November 3rd and 11th, while benefiting Camp Twin Lakes at the same time (see What’s News for details). For the past 15 years or so, my husband and I have made a date out of gift shopping. We book a sitter and spend the day together doing our shopping with a nice lunch to break the day up, and often a movie in the evening to celebrate our efforts. A week or two later, we make a point of wrapping the gifts together, which makes the task so much nicer than doing it solo!