My foray as a backup hand model got me to thinking…ok, that sounds much more glamorous than it really is…But anyway, knowing that I could be called upon to put my digits on display, I keep a nail file, cuticle pusher and bottle of lotion within reach at my desk. Usually this is one of the first areas of my body to get neglected when time is at a premium. But this little modeling gig gives me a great excuse to keep those extremeties in presentable shape.

This got me to thinking of good excuses to get anything done. Lose 12 lbs, pen a fashion article, increase the amount in your emergency stash or teach your baby the ABC’s. A great way to get any of this done is to think ahead to an event or deadline that you want to make. Plan a vacation and think about what you want to wear on that vacation. Then, keep that mental wardrobe in mind every time your butt plants itself on the couch. Reunions, vacations, momentous birthdays, and style trends you’re dying to try make wonderful excuses to get off the couch. Writing contests or publishing calendars make wonderful motivators to sit down and finally polish off that manuscript. Milestone calendars provide a great push to help get your child to learn his alphabet. A hosted party is enough to get anyone’s home in tip-top shape (or at least the debris out of sight).

These clean fingernails sure are inspiring!