Summarize the following:
Spend a couple days keeping a journal or log of your daily activities. This will help you see exactly what you do that you might not even realize, and it will provide an initial glimpse into organizational and productivity gaps. This exercise should also be done with your big-picture goals in mind. Through the activity log, you can see what activities might be time-wasters and which activities might actually further your goals. Some of us are morning people, and some of us cringe at the idea of mornings. You might already have a sense of what times of day you’re most productive. Whether you prefer evenings, mornings, lunchtime, or right before or after workday rush hours, take advantage of those times to maximize your productivity. your tasks. We all know that some tasks are more important than others, but we don’t always prioritize them accordingly. So develop a ranking system by flagging or starring important tasks, for example, and be honest and flexible. Use reminders, either through a digital calendar or through sticky notes on your computer or desk. Devote more of your time and energy to top-priority items on your list. Examples include time-sensitive tasks such as things due by end of business or tomorrow. You might also prioritize responding to clients, bosses, or anyone else who pays the bills. And if you’re not sure about the sensitivity or importance of a task, it’s always good to ask. Not all tasks need to be prioritized and scheduled for a future completion time. Some tasks take nearly as much time to plan for or schedule as they take to accomplish. If that’s the case and you can bang out those tasks right away, by all means do it! Handling quick tasks immediately also helps prevent procrastination. Our desks easily go from cluttered to tornado sites, obviously hampering organization. Some people even operate on a clean-desk-only policy. While that’s not absolutely necessary, take steps to clear your workspace.   Declutter. Toss your junk in the garbage and file your needed materials systematically. Clear clutter whenever possible: during lulls in the workday, breaks, or in between tasks. Clean up after yourself immediately. That way it’s on the top of your mind. Plus, you avoid the inevitable agitation of having current clutter become part of your future clutter. Keep necessary supplies handy. Not everything around you is clutter, of course. Having needed tools available saves you time and makes good use of your precious space. . Some people schedule only meetings, but not activities on their to-do list. Scheduling the most important tasks as well as appointments can be helpful. You might also “batch” your days by having meetings only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for example. Keep some holes in your schedule as well for creative time to yourself or to accommodate the unexpected.  Use an organizer and calendar. These can be pen-and-paper organizers, or they could be software-based calendars and personal assistant apps, such as iCalendar or Google Now. Categorize your activities. Categorizing or color-coding activities can give you a quick visual reminder of what’s important where. For example, categories might include correspondence, projects, events, meetings, brainstorms, and even breaks or exercise and gym time. Streamline your technology. Online organizers and email platforms such as Outlook, for example, can combine your to-do lists, calendars, and addresses. This not only boosts your efficiency but helps streamline your thinking.   Delegate wherever possible. In the madness of the workday, it’s easy to forget that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Delegate to an assistant or, if you’re particularly swamped, ask a colleague to do you a solid and help you with a particular task. You can always repay them later when things slow down.

summary: Monitor your activities. Determine your productivity times. Prioritize Knock out quick tasks right away. Manage clutter and work materials. Schedule activities and appointments


Summarize the following:
Reupholstering a piece of furniture is an extensive and time-intensive process. If you attempt to do so on a piece of furniture that is poor quality, you'll experience two things: increased difficulty with the process, and an increased likelihood that the furniture won't last long (making your time/money investment pointless). Start out on the right foot by selecting furniture that is high quality with an ugly 'skin'.  Look for furniture that is made of solid wood, not veneer or plywood. Solid wood will maintain its value and last a very long time, while veneers and plywood furniture aren't quality enough to last very long. Check the furniture for any squeaks, noises, or imbalances. Move the furniture around a bit - if it wobbles or makes noises when you do, it's not in fantastic shape and probably isn't worth reupholstering. Look at the overall construction to determine if there is any major damage or problem areas. Nails/screws that are sticking out or missing, broken boards/pieces, or sagging areas may be a sign that the furniture will require more work to fix up than you want to put into it. Although you can technically reupholster furniture with any kind of fabric, most fabrics won't be thick and sturdy enough to last for many years. Look for special upholstering fabric, which is thicker and made to stand against wear-and-tear better than other types of fabric. Keep in mind that the type of furniture you use will depend on the placement of the piece; you can get away with using regular fabric on a piece of furniture that won't be frequently used, but you'll definitely need upholstering fabric for pieces that are used often (like a couch).  Because reupholstering is such a time-consuming process, try to select a fabric that is relatively neutral and will stand the test of time in terms of style. That way, it will fit with your interior design preferences for more time than a bold or trendy fabric choice would. If you get a patterned fabric, try to choose one that won't require you to match specific sections of the pattern (like wallpaper) when you cut it into sections. You can still use a cut-specific pattern like this, but it will take much more time trying to lay the pattern out so that each piece is going the same direction as all the other pieces. There aren't any special tools required in reupholstering furniture, but you will need some for the job. Get these in advance to make work easier. You will need:  A flat-head screwdriver (or a butter knife - this will be for prying) Pliers A hammer A staple gun with staples (the length of the necessary staples will depend on how thick the fabric you're using is) Sewing machine with associated supplies. You may not need the following supplies depending on your specific project, but they may come in handy for certain reupholstering projects. Scan through the list and see if any might be applicable for the piece of furniture you're working on:  Cleaning supplies (specifically for old couches) Fabric piping for seams/edges Cotton batting for added padding Buttons (with upholstery needle and thread) Cushion zippers Replacement feet/legs
summary: Choose a quality piece of furniture. Get plenty of quality upholstering fabric. Get all your tools ready. Prepare extra/optional supplies.