Category: Productivity

Getting Started, Lifestyle, Productivity

Basic Home Cleaning Schedule

Corie Muldoon
Basic Home Cleaning Schedule

A clean home is a happy home. A clutter free home = a clutter free mind. When we deep clean our homes, we’re quite literally deep cleaning our minds too. Our outer world reflects our inner world.

I love cleaning! There I said it! Something about the process, and completing a task that helps the hive as a whole. Cleaning is a great deposit for your home life, positively affecting you and everyone you live with.

That just cleaned feeling, when you finally sit down, light a candle, maybe hit a joint, and soak it all in. Just being. Quiet, clean, happy, at peace.

Below is a basic home cleaning schedule I’ve been using with success. Remember a little bit everyday adds up. If you can commit 10 minutes a day to cleaning, it’ll go a long way.


Daily

Make bed as soon as you get up

Wipe down kitchen counters and sink after meals

Quick pick-up of toys and clutter

Vacuum or sweep high-traffic areas


Weekly

Monday: Dust living areas, dining room, and hallways

Tuesday: Bathrooms (sinks, toilets, showers, bathtubs)

Wednesday: Mop kitchen and bathroom floors

Thursday: Vacuum or mop other floors

Friday: Clean kitchen (counters, sink, stove, refrigerator)

Saturday: Wash bed sheets, blankets, and towels

Sunday: Wipe down door handles, light switches, and windowsills


Monthly

Deep clean bathrooms (scrub sink, toilet, shower, bathtub)

Deep clean kitchen (oven, microwave, cabinets)

Wipe down windows, blinds, walls, and doors

Vacuum or steam clean furniture


Seasonally

Spring: Clean out closets and donate unwanted items

Summer: Clean out garage or storage areas

Fall: Clean out gutters and downspouts

Winter: winterize home (pipes, hoses, etc)

Check and replace air filters once per quarter


Remember this is just a basic schedule and you may need to adjust it based on your personal preferences, lifestyle, and the size of your home.

Happy cleaning!

Lifestyle, Productivity, Technology

Capture Your Aha Moments: The Dual Notebook System

Corie Muldoon

Your best insights are worthless if you forget them by Tuesday.

Keep a paper AND digital notebook, and watch how quickly your life improves.

As a student of life, I’ve learned that brilliant ideas and necessary fixes hit at random moments. The dual notebook system ensures nothing gets lost.

Your Simple Setup:

  • Paper notebook: Keep one everywhere—bedside, gym bag, kitchen counter. Perfect for quick captures when inspiration strikes. Even a scrape of paper counts
  • Digital notes app: Use your phone’s notes app or Google Keep to get more organized, with searchable pinning options it’s easy to review ideas
  • Weekly reflection sheet: Every Sunday, review both notebooks and transfer action items to your written plans and calendar

Why This Works: Paper captures the raw moment without tech friction. Digital organizes and makes it searchable. The weekly review transforms scattered thoughts into actual change.

You’ll stop repeating the same mistakes. You’ll actually implement that workout tweak or nutrition adjustment you thought of mid-run. You become someone who learns and evolves, quickly.

Try this today: Buy a small notebook you love and write down one thing you’ve been meaning to fix about your routine.

Share your thoughts below!

Getting Started, Mindfulness, Productivity

School of Life: Quarterly Curriculum

Corie Muldoon

The quarterly curriculum method breaks your year into focused 12-week learning sprints across different areas in life.

Instead of setting a huge goal trying to improve everything at once… the quarterly curriculum has you rotate through 4-6 “subjects” each quarter, making progress super doable

Here’s how to build yours:

1. Choose 4-6 life categories (Health & Safety, Technology, Language, Creative Arts, Finance, etc)

2. Assign one specific skill per category each quarter (not “get healthy” but “learn CPR”)

3. Keep it realistic—these run parallel to your actual life

4. Plan quarters in advance but stay flexible

Example Quarter 1:

Here’s my First Quarter for 2026:

  • Health & Safety: Learn first response / CPR
  • Technology: Learn AI best practices and environmental impact
  • Language: Learn 10 new words/sayings in Spanish
  • Creative Arts: Learn how to create blog graphics for Pinterest
  • Extra Curricular: Learn how to file joint taxes

The beauty? In one year, we’ll have learned 16-24 new skills instead of abandoning one overwhelming goal by February. You’re not spreading yourself thin—you’re building a well-rounded life systematically.

Try this today: Take 10 minutes to map your four quarters. What skills would make you feel accomplished by next December?

Share your thoughts below!

7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Books, Lifestyle, Productivity

Boost Productivity with Quadrant II Activities

Corie Muldoon
Time Management Matrix from 7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey’s time management matrix

  • Quadrant I: Urgent and Important

Encompasses tasks that require immediate attention, such as crises, emergencies, and pressing deadlines

  • Quadrant II: Not Urgent but Important

Includes activities that contribute to long-term goals and personal development, such as planning, relationship building, and preventative measures

  • Quadrant III: Urgent but Not Important

Involves tasks that demand immediate attention but don’t contribute to significant goals, like interruptions, some meetings, and some emails. Some productivity resources suggest focusing on minimizing or delegating these to free up time for more important tasks

  • Quadrant IV: Not Urgent and Not Important

Contains time-wasting activities and distractions, like excessive social media or aimless browsing. Resource sites suggest it’s beneficial to minimize or eliminate these activities

By understanding and prioritizing tasks within these four quadrants…

…we can improve our time management, focus on what truly matters, and achieve greater productivity and well-being

Why Focus on Quadrant II?

  • Long-Term Success: By focusing on important, non-urgent tasks, you build a solid foundation for future achievements
  • Reduced Stress: Proactive planning and prevention can help you avoid the stress and chaos of constant fire-fighting
  • Improved Quality of Life: Quad II activities contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life by addressing your needs and goals
  • Increased Effectiveness: By spending more time in Quad II, you can become more productive and efficient in all areas of your life

Key Characteristics of Quadrant II Activities

  • Important: They contribute significantly to your goals and values
  • Not Urgent: They don’t demand immediate attention but have long-term consequences if neglected
  • Focus on Prevention: They help you avoid crises and maintain a proactive approach to life

Examples of Quadrant II Activities

Strategic Planning: Setting goals, developing action plans, and thinking ahead to anticipate future needs

Relationship Building: Nurturing personal and professional relationships through quality time and communication

Personal Development: Learning new skills, improving your knowledge, and working on self-improvement

Health and Wellness: Exercising, eating healthy, and managing stress to maintain well-being

Creative Renewal: Taking time for hobbies, reflection, and activities that inspire you

Proactive Prevention: Addressing potential problems before they escalate into crises

How to Spend More Time in Quadrant II

1. Identify Roles and Goals: Define your key roles (spouse, professional, friend etc) and set goals for each

2. Schedule Quadrant II Activities: Treat important, non-urgent tasks as high-priority appointments and schedule them into your week. 

3. Learn to Say No: Be willing to say no to less important tasks, especially those in Quadrants III and IV, to create more time for Quadrant II. 

4. Utilize Tools: Use a planner or calendar to schedule and track your Quadrant II activities. 

5. Prioritize What Matters Most: Focus on activities that align with your values and contribute to your long-term goals

Share your thoughts below!

Goals, Productivity

Q1 Wrap-Up: The 15-Minute Reset for Q2 Success

Corie Muldoon

As we close out Q1 2025, it’s time for our “15-Minute Reset” – a quick but powerful process to reflect on our progress and set ourselves up for an even stronger Q2.

Looking Back: The Quick Q1 Review

Take 5 minutes to celebrate what worked. What goals did we hit? What unexpected wins came our way? Acknowledging these successes builds momentum and reinforces what’s working.

Now for the reality check – what didn’t go as planned? No need to dwell here; just identify the key lessons to carry forward.

The Three-Question Compass

Spend the next 5 minutes with these three essential questions:

  1. What one achievement from Q1 created the most impact? (This highlights where your true value lies)

  2. Which activity consumed time but delivered minimal results? (Your opportunity to eliminate or delegate)

  3. What single focus, if prioritized in Q2, would create the greatest advancement? (Your North Star for the next 90 days)

The 5-Minute Action Plan

For your final 5 minutes, create just three priorities for Q2. Not ten. Not seven. Three. This constraint forces clarity and prevents the scattered approach that kills progress.

For each priority:

  • Define what “done” looks like
  • Identify the first tangible step
  • Schedule that first step in your calendar this week

Remember

The power of the 15-Minute Reset isn’t in elaborate planning – it’s in the ruthless clarity that comes from asking the right questions and committing to focused action.

Here’s to your Q2 success!

Featured Series, Productivity, Relationships

Couple Goals: How to Set and Achieve Dreams Together

Corie Muldoon

Want to know the secret to making dreams come true as a couple? It’s not just about having shared goals – it’s about having a system to achieve them together. Let me share the framework my partner and I use to turn our biggest dreams into daily actions.

Start with the Dream Session

First, grab your partner and some paper. Set aside 30 minutes of uninterrupted time (we do this over coffee on weekend mornings). Each of you writes down your big dreams. Everything from traveling the world to buying a house to starting a family.

Share your lists with each other. Look for:

  • Dreams you both share
  • Ways your individual dreams could support each other
  • Any conflicts that need discussion

Turn Dreams into Goals

Pick one shared dream to focus on first. Using the Goal-Strategy-Tactics framework, break it down together:

The Goal: Make it specific and measurable. Instead of “travel more,” try “take a 3-week road trip in 2025.”

The Strategy: What are the main approaches you’ll take? For that road trip:

  • Save $5000 for the trip
  • Research and plan the itinerary
  • Book camping spot at state park 14 nights

Daily Tactics: Here’s where partnership really shines. Divide specific daily actions between you based on your strengths:

Partner 1:

  • Put $200-500 into travel fund monthly
  • Research and plan itinerary
  • Plan to buy any gear needed
  • Get car serviced at mechanic

Partner 2:

  • Review itinerary, add notes
  • Create camping checklist
  • Track travel fund progress
  • Clean car out / prep car

Make It Stick

The key to achieving couple goals is building them into your daily life together:

  1. Weekly Check-ins: Schedule a regular time to review progress
  2. Celebrate Small Wins: Halfway to our savings goal? High-five! First draft of itinerary done? Yay!
  3. Adjust Together: If something’s not working, brainstorm new tactics as a team

Beyond Travel: This Works for Any Goal

This framework works for all kinds of couple goals:

  • Fitness: Train for a 5K together
  • Financial: Save for a house down payment
  • Personal Growth: Start a side business
  • Lifestyle: Create a healthier home

The magic happens when you combine clear goals, shared strategies, and individual daily actions that play to each person’s strengths.

Your Turn

Ready to start? Grab your partner and try this:

  1. Schedule your dream session
  2. Pick one goal to focus on first
  3. Break it down into strategies
  4. Assign daily tactics that excite each of you
  5. Set your first weekly check-in

Remember, the journey toward your goals is just as important as reaching them. It’s about growing together and supporting each other’s dreams along the way.

What goal will you and your partner tackle first!?