Some of us, by nature, organize and get tasks out of the way before we relax, while others of us play first and work later. It is important to first recognize which type you are and whether your style is allowing you to have the life you really want. Maybe you are super-organized at work, but burned out because you don’t know how to make time for yourself. Maybe you are naturally a less organized person who knows how to relax, but you are dissatisfied because you aren’t fulfilling your goals and dreams.

Rather than labeling yourself or beating yourself up, realize that time management is an area of your life that you can strengthen. Like a new muscle, it takes practice and repetition to make it stronger. To help you get started, here are some steps to streamline your days at work and at home. Try the first one or two that jump out at you:

Procrastinating and lacking purpose are the two biggest hindrances to using time effectively. We usually procrastinate when a task seems too daunting, too large, too complex, or when we feel we won’t be able to handle it. When you get that “deer in the headlights” feeling, try “chunking”,break the large task into smaller, manageable action steps, and start with the first one. We also often drag our heels or use our time inefficiently because we are bored, unengaged, and uninspired. The most effective people will tell you that they love what they do and are aligned with a greater purpose. When it comes to managing your time, you may need to ask the larger questions, “Am I doing what I love to do? Am I doing something meaningful to me?”

As you strengthen your new time management muscle, keep your focus on getting organized so that you can live the life you came here for. Instead of being a chore, good time management can be your ticket to bigger fun, greater satisfaction, and a vibrant, exciting life.

Fall marks a unique point in the year when daylight and nighttime become equal again in length after the long, light-filled evenings and early mornings of summer. The day then becomes shorter than night, and in anticipation of this change, the plant world starts to move inward during the fall. Grasses turn from green to brown, with their energy moving downward and inward toward their roots. Fruits, leaves, and seeds start to fall from trees and bushes as these plants start to close up and prepare for the drop in temperature. The expansive green leaves of lettuce give way to the final maturing of the root vegetables and their much more densely-packed sugars and starches.

Autumn is also a season marked by increased cooling and drying. The extremely watery fruits of summer give way to the drier carrots, and potatoes, and seeds of all kinds. And the cooler temperatures give an edge to foods that stand little risk of freezing in comparison to the water-rich fruits and vegetables.

All of these natural changes in the world around us give us clues about the best foods to eat during the fall. We too will need more concentrated energy in the cooler autumn weather, and the denser foods of the autumn harvest - the root vegetables (including garlic, onion, carrot, potato, sweet potato, yam, and burdock), as well as the dense above-ground squashes and gourds (including winter squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin); and the dry, energy-rich nuts and seeds (including walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds) are all part of the fall's best food choices.

Root vegetables are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates, providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they steady them. Since they absorb,assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts.

Long roots include carrots, parsnips, burdock and daikon radish. Round roots include turnips, radishes, beets and rutabagas. Long roots like burdock and daikon are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body and increase mental clarity. Round roots are nourishing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and can help regulate blood sugar, moods and alleviate cravings.

Pumpkins and squash, members of the gourd family, are readily available in the fall and can be found not only at your supermarket, but also at many farmstands.

Both pumpkins and squash are very high in potassium and have a moderately low carbohydrate content. They are alkaline in reaction and are a good source of Vitamin A.

Halloween pumpkins have one of the most nutritious and flavorful seeds around. Pumpkin seeds are available year around, however, they are the freshest in the fall when pumpkins are in season.

While most stores sell pumpkin seeds, it is fun and easy to make your own. To do so, first remove the seeds from the pumpkin's inner cavity and wipe them off with a paper towel, if needed, to remove excess pulp that may have stuck to them. Spread them out evenly on a paper bag and let them dry out overnight.

Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and light roast them in a 160-170ºF (about 75ºC) oven for 15-20 minutes. By roasting them for a short time at a low temperature you can help to preserve their healthy oils.

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes