Change Your Lifestyle & Combat Fatigue!

In my article Give Up Control To Get Control, I talk about ways to get out from under the lengthening to do list and the stress of every day life. So, imagine my surprise when I saw a commercial the other day for a new drug on the market to help you combat "fatigue" - once called exhaustion. They actually go on to say that this product is a "natural" alternative to caffeine and sugar to help you stay alert and energized in the wake of fatigue. First of all, caffeine and sugar are not synthetic. They too are natural products, and we already know they are not good for you. In this day and age, people are too ready to pop pills or drink beverages that claim to be "all natural" when the reality is that natural products can be just as dangerous or more so than chemicals. After all, there are varieties of mushrooms that can kill you if eaten.

The commercial goes on to list the causes of fatigue as too much to do, a busy day and stress. In today's society we are too ready to take a quick fix pill to combat a problem that is not caused by a bacteria or virus but rather by our own actions.

I offer you this alternative. Take stock of your life and make healthy choices and changes. The exhaustion will go away and there won't be a need to down pills to get you up.

If you are feeling like life is overwhelming then you need to follow some simple rules, because afterall, none of us was issued a Superman cape upon entering adulthood.

1. Make a list of all of the activities and chores you do each week.
2. Be honest about what is necessary and which you are doing out of sense of obligation.
3. If you have children, now is a good time to evaluate their activities too. It is sad to say, but it is possible that your children are in the same state of exhaustion that you are.
4. From this list, mark the ones that are the most important to you and your family.
5. Discard the rest. Yes, you read that correctly. Find a way to get rid of them. It is sort of like donating your unwanted goods. Just give them away. If it is a social activity then put an end to it. If it is a chore, higher a professional to finish the project and move on.

It is very important that you do not feel guilty about giving up activities or projects. That only adds stress. Remember that if you have gotten to the point of sheer exhaustion, then it is time to take back your life. Get in control again. If you are saying to yourself, it is all important and that is why I am doing it, then you probably need to hire a life management specialist to help you really find the true priorities in your life. Nothing is more important than the health and well being of you and your family.

Do You Need a Designer?
By ON THE GO 4 U Design Consultant Suzanne Copenhaver

All of us want our homes to be places of comfort and beauty. How do we decide if we need an interior designer or not?

If you know what you want, but you just don’t have the time or the expertise to find it, it is possible that what you really need is a professional shopper.

If you enjoy the shopping experience and just need an item or two you can probably find the help you need right at the furniture store. Better furniture stores usually have trained staff on hand to help you choose a style and a fabric.

When do you absolutely need a design team?

1. You have a difficult room; oddly shaped, too many focal points, architectural details that are in the wrong places.
2. You have ideas, but don’t know how to implement them or where to start changing things.
3. You just don’t have the time, energy, or desire to do designing.
4. You need a major makeover, but you are on a budget. This sounds contradictory, but decorating mistakes are expensive, and a good designer will make sure they don’t happen.
5. You have major work to be done, but it needs to be done in stages due to budget considerations or a growing family. A designer can set you up with a list of things to do and buy which is prioritized, and on a time line.
6. You think you know what you want, but are insecure about whether or not your ideas will work.
7. You want to update a room without throwing everything out and starting over. This generally requires quite a high level of skill and experience. If you don’t have a talent for this, get someone who does.
8. You have a piece of furniture, paintings, or accessories which don’t seem to fit your rooms or style, but which you can’t eliminate, because they are family heirlooms or simply because you can’t afford to replace them.
9. You are trying to achieve a specific style or period such as French Country, Scandinavian,18th century, 50's Retro etc.
10. You are unsure about color combinations, proportions, mixing patterns, composition and styles.

If you fall into any of these categories, an interior designer is probably the solution to your problems. Your home is too important to your happiness and lifestyle not to have the comfort you desire. If you don’t love decorating or you have a decorating challenge, then you need to hire an expert.

However, use caution when selecting a designer. Make sure you are getting someone who understands your styles and tastes; someone who will listen to you. Also, look at what you are getting for your money. We hate to have to say it, but there are designers out there who give you a whole lot of fluff and not a lot of substance.

Suzanne Copenhaver has years of experience working in less than ideal spaces, has traveled abroad, done extensive study of historic homes and has 10 years of experience in the furniture industry. She is available to help you with your deisgn dilemnas through ON THE GO 4 U providing anything from a consultation to fully illustrated floor plans.

Cooking? When do I have time to do that?

I can't tell you the number of times people have commented to me that they don't have time to cook so eating out is easier. Well, eating out is more expensive and is not always as healthy as preparing meals in your own home. If you are truly at a loss, then we recommend you consider hiring a personal chef. This solution is actually cheaper than eating out several meals a week and the personal chef will cater to your dietary needs.

However, if you are not quite ready to take that leap here are some ways around the cooking dilemna. There are lots of healthy meals that take no time at all. You don't have to go buy one of those cookbooks on quick and easy meals to do it. You just have to buy staple ingredients at the store each week and be a little creative. To save even more time, order your groceries online through peapod or a similar service and have them delivered right to your door.

Things to always have on hand:

1. Chicken that is single piece frozen (skinless, boneless chicken breasts work best). If you cook the chicken ahead of time when you have more time than in the evenings, you will have it for many different dishes.
2. An assortment of fresh veggies (peppers, salad greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc).
3. Cheese (shredded makes things easiest)
4. Tortillas, English muffins, Bagels, Tortilla Chips etc. They give you more options than regular hamburger rolls or bread.
5. Tomato sauce and pasta/rice
6. Eggs
7. Tuna
8. Soups such as tomato that you can add things to enhance
9. Frozen veggies (peas, mixed veggies etc)

Now if anybody is "on the go" it is the BusyB Herself but she manages to cook meals on a regular basis without buying processed, chemical laden foods. Using the staple ingredients above, here are some of her quick and easy suggestions:

• omelette with a side salad
• quesadillas with grilled chicken, veggies and cheese
• tomato soup with shredded cheese and tortilla chips or chicken broth with veggies and noodles
• grilled chicken and veggies on the grill
• tuna melt on english muffin
• homemade spaghetti sauce (yes you read that correctly) using tomato sauce and those fresh veggies and pasta of choice
• nachos w/ cheese and fresh veggies
• caesar salad with chicken
• stir fry with chicken, veggies and rice

None of this is "fancy" but it will allow you to prepare a nutritious meal in about 20 minutes and spend quality time with your family at home instead of wasting two hours at a restaurant. Cooking with the children is also a great way to involve them in good dietary practices.

Reviews

Books:
Here is our challenge to you this month. Recently we have all been reading the books on the book club lists and to be quite honest with you, all of us have been underwhelmed. So this month we challenge you to go to your local library, peruse the shelves, and pick a book that is not on the latest "must read" lists. After you find a great book, tell all of your friends and get their opinions as well. Who knows? You might end up creating your own book club and starting your own book club list. Did you know you could post list favorites on many book sale websites such as Amazon? Give it a whirl and let us know if you find any real keepers.

Music:
People come into my house and they are not sure what to make of the musical selection. I have what I call mood music. When I am cooking, I like to throw on some lively Latin music. If I need a jolt of energy, I put on some kind of ethnic music with a strong beat. Recently it has been Gigi who is Ethiopian. When I am relaxing in the evening with candles and a good book, I tend to put on something a bit more soothing. I encourage you to try the same this month. Get out of the rut of listening to the same Top 40 music and play your own mood music.

Food:
Summer is the perfect time to try out new recipes because you have a kaleidoscope of colors and varieties of foods available. Again, we encourage you to fold back the flaps of that box we all get stuck in and expand your horizons. I had a dish with scallops and strawberries the other day that I would never have dreamed of doing on my own but it was sensational and I recommend that you throw together new combinations in your kitchen as well.

Have you read a book or been to a restaurant that you think ON THE GO 4 U readers would enjoy? Send us an email. No time to read a book? Call us now!