The leaves are changing colors and the days are getting shorter! There's a crisp cool breeze that's cooling off the hotness of summer and that means one thing: pumpkin spice lattes, comfy sweaters, football, and boots! (Okay, so that was more than one thing!)

Fall Bucket List

Fall is quickly approaching, lucky for me it's my favorite season! Fall weather brings fall activities and lots of fall festivities to write in my planner!

I have 3 kids and we love doing outdoor activities in fall. Some as simple as walking or going and visiting new parks. Others include October festivals for Halloween and, of course, the apple orchard and the zoo. Here's my list of things that are a must for fall:

20 Things To Do in the Fall

1. Apple Orchard
2. Pumpkin Farm (we like to check out two different ones, we do the big one and find usually a small town one to support as well.)
3. Farmers Market
4. You Pick Farmers Market is always fun as well - make sure to wear boots (gets muddy) and nothing too fancy! You will definitely be getting a little dirt under your nails.
5. Make crockpot applesauce with the apples you picked at the apple orchard. Here's a great, easy recipe to follow.
6. Make apple cider. Here's one of my favorite recipes.
7. Make caramel apples, my personal favorite! We like to use Reese's pieces, M&M's, crushed candy bars and sprinkles. The  toppings list can go on, there are endless possibilities!
8. Attend a fall festival - one of our favorites is at a local amusement park. They have a dress up for Halloween and go trick or treating the whole month of October.
9. Family Photos!! If you want the most beautiful shots you can dream of, the October sun and backdrop is unimaginably perfect! Book now most photographers fill up early.
10. Go hiking! Some of the most amazing things you can do in fall are free and beautiful! We have a beautiful state park that is a couple of hours away from us in Illinois! Starved Rock State Park is beautiful, full of waterfalls and in the fall, the colors of all the trees are just perfect!
11. Make a scarecrow! I'm all about DIY! Go to the thrift store, get a flannel, some overalls, a hat, and grab some hay (most craft stores, Home Depot and Menards have this in stock during the fall). Get to stuffing! Put him (or her) on the porch or in the yard!
12. Make it a night in of SCARY MOVIES (or kid-friendly scary movies!) Some of our favorites are : Hotel Transylvania, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Coraline, The Legends of Sleepy Hallow, Beetle Juice, Corpse Bride and Harry Potter to name a few! For the adults, definitely Halloween movies and Saw, throw in some Freddy with that too! FREAKY!!
13. Rake leaves and jump in them! Collect some different colorful ones for an art project!

14. Make a colorful art project and frame it! For kids, something simple as a leaf wreath or a hand tree with leaves is an adorable keepsake. Here are some great ideas. 
15. Go to a haunted house!!!
16. Make an apple pie or pumpkin pie! (YUMMM) Here's a classic recipe for an apple pie.
17. Go to a football game! Whether it be a high school team, college game or NFL! Go out for a fun day of tailgating with some family or friends! GO TEAM GO! 🏉
18. Roast s'mores, grab some blankets and sit out and enjoy the chill of the fall with a good roasting.
19. My personal favorite is to carve or decorate pumpkins! I like to decorate the whole house in pumpkins - real and fake!
20. Go trick or treating. If your kids are grown, go with grandkids, neighbor kids, whoever! Whether it's cold, soggy, wet or even snowing. Bundle up, grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte and get to walking! Have fun!

Happy Fall Y'all!

This guest blog post was written by Jamie Lee, mother, entrepreneur and photographer at Reveal Photography. Please share and repost this blog entry with your friends! All we ask is that you give credit to Limelife Planners and the post author.

You know those days when it seems like the to-do list will never end? Those are the days when the things don’t all fit in the planner and you definitely won’t need any help filling in the blank space.

Sometimes it is hard to focus when you’re faced with a daunting list of things to do. I know I have trouble staying on task when I know there’s just a slew of other things to do when I finish.

Here are some tips to help cope with that long to-do list. When I'm feeling stuck or like I'm just spinning my wheels, I try to make sure I've covered some of the things here to help me focus. 

TIPS FOR MANAGING A LONG TO-DO LIST

Get dressed

I know the sweatpants are comfy. Trust me, mine are my uniform when I'm not leaving the house (and even sometimes when I do leave #sorrynotsorry). But there's something about changing into fresh clothes (and a pair of real shoes!) that signifies to my brain that it's time to get things done.

Take care of yourself

When we're busy, it's easy to put ourselves last. The problem is that we're always busy! You cannot keep putting yourself last, or else you won't be able to operate productively. Take a walk, do some yoga, or read something for pleasure. Heck, even just take a shower!

Drink water

Water is so important, y'all. I know you hear it often, but that's because it's true! Staying hydrated will keep your head clear so you can focus on your list.

Slow down

Sure, going full speed ahead will help you get that list tackled ASAP. But you're not a machine! All work, all the time will only lead to burnout. Give yourself some grace and take some breaks.

Stop multitasking

I am a recovering multitasker. I have been training by brain to work on as many things as possible since middle school, so I will be the first to tell you that it's a hard habit to break. But I've noticed I can get more done (and done RIGHT!) When I concentrate on one thing at a time.

Change scenery if possible

This is totally dependent on your specific tasks. Sometimes a move to another location can help you focus on the things you need to do. For instance, at this very moment I am sitting at Panera Bread to type this up. I had 30 minutes between errands so I popped in, ordered a cup of tea, and got to work.

List top 3 priorities

The best way to feel productive with your long to-do list is to know your priorities. If you spend most of your time plugging away at tasks that aren’t as important then you may run out of time to tackle the big things. Get the important stuff done first and feel accomplished no matter how many other menial tasks you cross off for the rest of the day.

Remove distractions

Turn off the TV, and logout of social media. You’d be surprised how much time you spend scrolling Instagram when you have a minute free. Spoiler alert - it’s probably way more than a minute! If you have small children, this one could be difficult. You may have to work in 5-10 minute spurts while they are otherwise entertained with something else.

Set a timer

Decide how long you can dedicate to a task then set a timer and get to it. Work nonstop the entire time until the timer goes off, then take a short break. This method is often referred to as the Pomodoro Technique.

Connect with accountability partners

Finally, one way to stay focused is to connect with others that are also trying to work through their to-do list. Text your friend or sister and ask her to check in on you in a few hours. I’m sure she’ll be happy to oblige if you return the favor!

A long to-do list can seem extra daunting without a plan, but using some of these strategies can help you whip it into shape.

This post was written by Kristan Kremer for the Limelife Planners Media & Creative Team. For more information about Kristan visit her on Instagram @kristankremer. Don't forget to share this blog entry with your friends!