Arise and face the day,
beautifully

In my booklet "How to be the Organized Woman of Proverbs 31," an A-to-Z guide to getting organized, the "B" is for "Beautify" yourself in the morning.

On work days, it's a routine to get dressed and groomed for work, but what about on holidays and days off? Or for those who are retired? I encourage readers to make it a point to get dressed and groomed early in the morning whether they have to go to work or not.

I am writing this on Memorial Day. It's 9:30 a.m. I'm dressed in a comfortable tank top and shorts, have had a leisurely breakfast, and am ready to do some work. My first task is to write the rough draft of this column. Realizing that my topic is beautifying oneself early (which I hadn't done), I take about 5 minutes to put on make-up and comb my hair. That makes a difference in how I look, but more so in how I feel.

I now look and feel alert and "together," good about myself, and ready for action. As I return to writing this column, I do so in a different, more action-oriented, mode. It's a good feeling, almost like being a different person!

I BELIEVE the way we look affects the way we feel, and the way we feel affects the amount and quality of work we get done.

Years ago, I would laze around in my nightgown until noon or later, then when I realized I had wasted the day, I didn't feel good about myself. With my appearance was in the "laze" mode, so was my brain!

I'm not advocating super productivity on days off, but the opposite, not getting anything done, is not desirable either.

Another benefit of beautifying yourself is that you're always ready for the unexpected. Have you ever postponed getting groomed only to have someone come to your door?

I encourage you to make it a habit to get dressed and groomed early in the day, and see how much more productive you feel. See you in two weeks!