One of my colleagues has started a blog. So far, it’s a personal blog and she’s starting to develop her niche; to find her audience. I knew when I started this blog my primary audience would be other working moms; it seemed that most of what I have to say is to them. Since it’s a personal blog too, family and friends keep up with what’s going on with us through various posts.

I think these tips are good for bloggers who are just starting out or beginning to focus on a specific niche audience.

One of my blogfriends, Self Made Mom, has a new site to review products of interest to moms. I’ve already loaded it into my aggregator so I can follow along and send her ideas when I find great stuff to share. Check it out!

About a week ago, a friend posted to a Charlottesville Working Moms network to which I belong, a request. She wanted some advice about where in town to buy a suit for her husband, something that didn’t break the bank but that he could get some wear out of for fancy occasions down the road. Interestingly, her husband was bound for Grisham’s house in his new duds and starwatcher that I am, I couldn’t resist chiming in with my recommendation: Men’s Wearhouse.

My friend reported back after the shopping trip, quite pleased with her husband’s new suit, shirt and tie, a combo I believe they described as “relaxed power.”

Much to my surprise, my husband decided this morning that he needed a new suit. Off to the Wearhouse we went (I actually invited myself along to thwart any tendencies to go Tom Wolfe).

While my husband hates to shop, in fact, dreads the process of selecting new clothes, particularly dress clothes, I consider shopping my second third fourth favorite sport. I’m so delighted by the attention paid to men purchasing suits and sportcoats. The vast presentation of shirt and tie combinations was better than any selection options ever presented me by any sales associate when I’ve been shopping. Obviously, this is because I’m not using the personal shopper service at Nordstrom. Shame on me.

So if you’re in the market for a suit, tux, sport jacket, shirts or ties, head to Men’s Wearhouse in Charlottesville and ask for Don. Heck, ask for Don at any location, wherever you live. Tell them George Zimmer sent ya.

I’ve written about Harris Teeter before — for the uninitiated, HT is our local hoity toity grocery store. If you’re part of the St. Louis readership (50 percent of you are, btw) think Dierbergs on steroids. I like to wheel my cart down the wine and beer aisle just to run a wet, squeaky cart on a hardwood floor ’cause you could never do that at home.

I shop there, and not at the less expensive Kroger because of the selection and oh, lordy, the service. This, by way of example, is the drill at checkout:

• Do you have your VIC card? (this is the very important customer card, entitling you to discounts and loyalty bonuses like the fantastic gardening set I got this fall)
• Did you find everything you were looking for?
• Are plastic bags OK?
• Did you check your eggs? (This one slays me. They care! They really do!)

At the close of the sale they inform me I’ve saved $26.35, or whatever whopping amount I’ve shaved off the bill, just by using my VIC card. At this point, no less than two associates will offer to help me to the car with my cart. I’ve never taken advantage of this nicety without being nine and a half months pregnant. It’s just not my nature. I do appreciate being asked, though.

So today at HT I saw a woman I know. About half the time I see this woman, she pretends as if she hasn’t seen me. Sometimes, if I’m in the mood, I will yell her name and wave obnoxiously, determined to shock her out of her shopping cloud. Today I let it slide.

Everybody knows people like this; they want to be in their own little dream while they’re cruising the aisles. Maybe they didn’t brush their hair or throw on a clean t-shirt before they came to the store. Maybe they don’t want anyone they know to see what’s in their cart. I don’t know, but part of the joy of living in a town this size is kibbitzing with neighbors amid the frozen foods. I want to say hi. I want to be said hello to. That’s just me. So if I see you and am in the right frame of mind, you’re going to be called out, yeah, you loading your cart with Oreos and potato salad, you who looks like you were gardening and had the sudden need to pop to the store for some two for one gallons of ice cream. I don’t care what’s in your cart, I just want to say hi.

I’ve been spouting this theory all over town; to clients, friends and colleagues. I’m convinced that anyone who says there “just isn’t enough time” to do any of a list of things they’ve been meaning to get to, has it, they just don’t know where it is.

There are a couple factors, of course. The people who claim they don’t have time may, in fact, not want to spend time doing what they say they have no time for. That’s fine, and another issue entirely. Finding time is for those who have something they really want to do — but can’t manage to fit in.

I keep saying that everyone has fifteen minutes . . . that everyone can find fifteen minutes a day to do something they want to do. If that means getting up fifteen minutes earlier, so be it, but before you take that drastic measure, account for the way you’re spending the 24 you get right off the bat.

Take three random sample days; a weekend day, a midweek day and whichever weekday is usually your busiest (Mondays are favorites for this.) Track the time you spend these days. That’s right; write it down. Here’s what a day might look like:

• Sleeping–8 hours
• Meals –2 hours
• Working – 9.5 hours
• Housekeeping (including cooking, cleaning, laundry) – 1.5 hours
• Exercise — .5 hours
• Leisure time (reading, family, movies) — 2.5

When I look at this sample day, I can easily see where I can save time. I need my eight hours of sleep so that’s non-negotiable, but I’m sure I can get my work day down to nine, if not eight hours. Maybe 8.5 is a good goal to shoot for. An hour and a half of housekeeping is a lot in one day, if that’s every day. I could probably delegate some of that to save time.

When you’ve tracked your time for three days, evaluate how you’re spending it — what percentage of the time is spent engaged in rewarding activity? What part is sheer drudgery? How do you find better balance? Start to think of ways to reduce the high count time alotments and identifying where you might be able to ask for — and receive — some help.

Remember, sleep is non-negotiable. You might not need eight hours like I do, but don’t subtract from the time you need to stay healthy and well rested.

There are little tactics I’m employing to get time back in the “how I want to spend it” category. Recently, I started bypassing reception on the phone system at the office. While I enjoy talking to admin staff, over the course of a day those chats add up — to maybe 10 minutes or more. I want that time for other things (sorry G. and J., nothing personal).

I’m streamlining other tasks, too but more importantly, I’m jealously guarding the short amount of time I get with family and friends. There are times when it’s entirely appropriate to give up sleep (or certainly the dreaded housekeeping!) to spend time with people you love.

Where will you find your fifteen minutes?