5 Easy Tips to Maintain Your Organized Spaces

May 21st, 2013 by Sue Becker 2 comments »

No matter whether you’re organizing your closet or your office, time management issues underlie most disorganization challenges. While there certainly needs to be a place in the closet for each item of clothing, and a place to file the papers that inundate most offices, establishing those places is only part of the solution. Once you find a place where everything belongs, you still need to create time in your day to maintain the organizing system. Here are 5 easy tips to help you keep things under control:

  1.  1. Block out time on your calendar for daily clean-up. Don’t skip a day; once you allow a little bit of mess to accumulate, it’s easy for things to drift out of control. I call this phenomenon clutter creep; one day you have a small pile, and before you know it, you’re back to the same chaos you had before. The only exception I might make to the daily clean-up rule is for filing – if you are diligent about honoring a once-a-week filing schedule, you can accumulate things to be filed in a single container, confident that within the next 7 days they’ll be where they belong. If you’re likely to shun the weekly ritual, file things daily and save yourself the anguish of not being able to find a document when you need it.

2. Take a photo of your organized spaces to remind yourself of what they should look like. Refer to these photos when you do your daily cleanup to make sure you’re getting everything put away. I know this may sound a bit excessive, but you’re less likely to overlook out-of-place items when you have a picture of what your space should look like. Don’t believe me? Just give it a try.

3. Get help maintaining your systems. Enlist a partner to encourage and remind you to maintain your daily clean-up routine until it becomes a habit. Your partner can be your spouse, a friend, a coach, a co-worker – anyone who will gently, non-judgmentally support you as you develop the habit of daily clean-up. I participate in a free service called Buddy Hive that helps people get things done – maybe you can request a buddy to keep you on track.

4. Make it fun. Cleaning and organizing doesn’t have to be drudgery – play some upbeat music, set a timer to play beat the clock, or do whatever makes the clean-up process energizing for you. 

5.  Reward yourself. Although enjoying the freedom of being organized can be its own incentive, reward yourself for sticking to your maintenance routine. After you’ve maintained your organized space for a few weeks, take a moment to pat yourself on the back, at least figuratively. I find ice cream is always a welcome reward. And if you have trouble maintaining your organized spaces, don’t give up. Revisit the steps I’ve laid out here and take it one day at a time.

I’d love to hear what helps you maintain your organized spaces.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Organizing Process, Time Management

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Organize Your Passwords

May 1st, 2013 by Sue Becker 3 comments »

Happy Spring – I can finally say it and actually feel like I mean it! Although it’s great to have the snow behind us, we in the Midwest have suffered through a lot of rain and flooding recently. Many people in my community have had to throw away a lot of their belongings, and some have lost their homes. While I’m reminded every day as I help people pare down their belongings that money can’t buy happiness, I certainly feel sorry for those who’ve lost items that were meaningful to them in the flooding.

While it can be devastating to lose possessions, it can also be distressing to forget a password. Yes, we can typically have them reset, but that can be a time-consuming annoyance. There are several options for organizing your passwords so you can always retrieve them if you can’t remember them.

On Paper: Keep the paper in a safe place, preferably in a locked cabinet or drawer – under the keyboard or sticky notes on the monitor are not safe places. You might also want to keep a written copy with your estate documents or in a place where the executor of your will can find them.

In a Word document or a spreadsheet: Use a Word or Excel password to protect the file. Even better security is gained by using file encryption software to encrypt the file after saving:

AxCrypt (free): http://www.axantum.com/axcrypt/

Sophos(free): http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-free-encryption.aspx

Note of Caution: be sure to use a password you will NEVER forget, or the file cannot be decrypted!

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about how to organize your passwords.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

 

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Posted in Computer Organizing

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The Benefits of Striving for Order

April 16th, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

In a prior post I wrote about how getting organized can help you live a more fulfilling life. The book that inspired that post, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance by Edwene Gaines, has some other organizing-related concepts that I think are worth sharing.

Order is heaven’s first law. Poet Alexander Pope first acknowledged this wisdom over 300 years ago, but it’s still meaningful today. Although it may sound insignificant, an orderly desk or an organized closet can have a huge impact on your disposition. We can never feel our best when surrounded by a mess. When your environment is orderly, it’s easier to feel calm, energetic and in control, and what’s more heavenly than feeling in control?

When we de-clutter our lives, we signal to the universe that we’re ready to handle more good. When our lives are cluttered and disorganized, it’s hard to dream of anything bigger than our current situation. Many of my clients contact me when they make this realization and decide they’re ready to make a significant, positive change in their life. Whether it’s finding a new job, inviting people over for the first time in years, or starting an exercise routine, they know that clearing the clutter will free up the physical and emotional space needed to begin their journey towards a new life.

We can achieve order in our lives with a habit of neatness. Although I’ve previously cautioned that neatening isn’t organizing, there is certainly something to be said for the power of neat surroundings. Whether it’s your closet, your workspace or even your car, a tidy environment frees up space in your brain and affords the serenity that a messy atmosphere doesn’t usually offer. Although I don’t believe the goal of organizing should focus on appearance, getting organized sure makes neatness a lot more achievable.

There are simple things you can do to start organizing your life today. Getting organized doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing endeavor. Take steps day by day towards cleaning out all the clutter in your life, and you’ll eventually reach your goal. Some ideas offered by Gaines include: tidy your house; balance your checkbook; file your paperwork; clean out your closet; and get your car washed. If those tasks sound too daunting, break them down into smaller steps and chip away at them, one item at a time.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom as you strive for order in your life,

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Posted in Goals, Simplicity

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The Surprising Costs of Disorganization and 3 Simple Steps to Overcome Them

April 1st, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

The weather has been quite a topic of conversation here in the Midwest these last few weeks. Just when we thought Spring was on its way, Ol’ Man Winter reminded us that it wasn’t too late for a snowstorm. Although we can’t do much about the weather (other than complain), we do have control over our own environment. If you have a
particular area in your home or office that’s in disarray, or a difficult situation to overcome (like paying bills on time), then you can start today to take control.

One day, as I helped a client organize his home office, we came across an envelope with $3,500 in cash! He had completely forgotten about this money, which could easily have been thrown away and lost forever.

You may not have envelopes bulging with cash lying around, but being disorganized does have a cost … in terms of time, stress, worry, late fees, and more.

Disorganization takes a toll on your life – and your wallet

Emotional costs of disorganization include:

  • Medical costs due to stress and worry (80% of our medical
    expenditures are stress related, according to the Centers for Disease  Control and Prevention)
  • Strain on household relationships due to clutter or always  being late for things
  • Strain on outside relationships because you’re too  embarrassed to have visitors
  • Strain on workplace relationships because disorganization and  poor time management make you unproductive

Financial costs include:

  • Losing gift cards, checks, and savings bonds
  • Missing errors on bank or credit card statements
  • Paying bills late, which incurs late fees
  • Continuously paying bills late, which impacts your credit  rating (this has expensive ramifications when purchasing homes and other big-ticket items)
  • Overlooking errors on medical bills

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about the costs of disorganization and how to overcome them.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Organizing Challenges, Organizing Process

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Get Organized and Find Fulfillment

March 18th, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

I’ve previously written about how clearing the clutter from your life can help you be more prosperous. I’ve just finished reading another book that supports the same concept: The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance by Edwene Gaines. Ms. Gaines describes her own journey from poverty to prosperity and gives those of us who may feel guilty about doing so permission to live a life of abundance. While that abundant life may be rich in physical possessions, she indicates that it should also include fully using our talents and letting the light of our abilities shine for the world to see and benefit from.

One concept from the book in particular resonated with me is be who you really are. I spent 20 years in a variety of accounting and finance jobs before I realized that I wasn’t being who I really was. I was going through the motions of going to work every day with the knowledge that in the big scheme of things, my job was insignificant. My lack of fulfillment led me to do some soul-searching and I was lucky enough to discover a great outlet for my skills. My job as an organizing and productivity coach not only allows me to fully use my talents, but the fact that I get to help other people live a better life give me the fulfillment I was missing in my corporate jobs.

Many of my clients, especially those with ADHD, struggle to fit into the square hole that the world seems to offer them. They spend time and money building a life that reflects what they think the world wants them to be, rather than being who they really are. They may have a job that they don’t find fulfilling; or live in a home that doesn’t bring them joy or reflect who they are; or go to social events that make them feel like an actor in someone else’s play. As I help them with the process of de-cluttering and organizing their life, they often discover their authentic self and that allows us to create an environment that brings them joy.

For example, I recently coached a client on how to develop and practice time management skills in her workplace. We talked about how she was spending her time versus how she wanted to spend her time; what she was getting done versus what she wanted to get done; what she always seemed to make time for versus what she never seemed to have time for. As we sketched out how her work week would look, she realized that none of it would bring her joy. Even if she worked more efficiently, she wouldn’t find her job fulfilling. She eventually left that job and started her own business in a completely different field. When she thanked me for helping her make the most of her skills, she also expressed her desire to “encourage other adults like me that following passion and being happy is SO liberating.”

Does your life allow you to follow your true passion? Is your environment cluttered with possessions that don’t reflect who you are and who you want to become? Is your home or workplace filled with clutter that prevents you from moving forward on your journey to discover your true self? Are your days filled with activities that prevent you from achieving your greatest possibilities? These can be scary questions to ponder, but you can go through the process of getting organized at a pace that’s comfortable for you as you find the answers. As you work through your organizing challenges, you’ll move along the path towards living a fulfilling life that will let your light shine before the world. Good luck on your journey, and feel free to contact me if you’d like help along the way.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Goals, Simplicity

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Overcome Procrastination

March 1st, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

I confess: I’m a procrastinator! As a productivity expert, I’m “supposed” to have all areas of my life in order. But, like many people, I procrastinate on certain types of projects, especially writing projects like this. Besides making me feel guilty, my procrastination on one project usually prevents me from starting anything else either because I feel weighed down by the task I’m trying to avoid.

Why admit this to you? I hope the fact that a time management expert procrastinates will liberate you from any guilt you may feel about procrastinating. With National Procrastination Week coming up March 3 – 9, let’s journey together toward overcoming procrastination, especially on important tasks. Less procrastination in our lives means less guilt, fewer burdens, and more freedom – here’s to getting more done!

We all put some things off until tomorrow (or next week), but sometimes this behavior can cause problems: bills don’t get paid on time; tax forms are submitted late; projects are postponed for a last-minute scramble. Procrastination can cause us to feel guilty, burdened, and exhausted. Plus, it can cost us in financial penalties and relationship problems – not to mention lost sleep!

Ready to conquer your procrastination? Follow these simple tips:

Do it first thing in the morning. If you aren’t mustering the energy for an unpleasant or difficult task, try tackling it first thing in the morning – before your other tasks take over your day. Then you can spend the rest of your day on more enjoyable projects.

Think about the project’s steps. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer size of a project, break it down into smaller steps. It may help to think of the steps backward, from completion to beginning. Write each step on your calendar and stick to these deadlines, just as you would if they were appointments with your boss or a friend. Step by step, you’ll make progress.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about the how to plan your job hunt. I’d love to hear what additional  tips you have.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Causes of Disorganization, Time Management, Uncategorized

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Is Technology Ruining Our Lives?

February 18th, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

I know that’s a fairly provocative question, but now that I have your attention, please hear me out. Technology certainly has many, many benefits. As a former corporate accountant, I sure wish the personal computer had been available back in the day to save me the frustration of adding and re-adding numbers on multiple-column spreadsheets. Today’s workplace and workers certainly benefit from the improved productivity and efficient communication that technology makes available. However, I wonder if we’ve gone too far. 

I make a living at helping people make the most of their time, and it seems that technology has now crossed the boundary of making us productive and has moved into the realm of being an obstacle to productivity. Take email for instance: It used to be that it was a tool that allowed senders to communicate with numerous people at the same time and allowed recipients to respond when it was convenient for them. But no more – in many workplaces, there is an expectation that employees will respond instantaneously every time they get a new email. It boggles my mind that anyone can be expected to get anything accomplished when they’re constantly being interrupted with other people’s demands. 

I think email and texting often stealthily cross the boundary of making communication more efficient – how often have you been engaged in back-and-forth email or texting communication that, as it turns out, could have been handled more efficiently via a phone call? It may start off as a simple question posed via email or text, but soon turns into back-and-forth banter that takes up more time than a phone call would. Know when to say when and stop the email and texting madness and dial the phone.

Speaking of phones, I see many people who have become slaves to a tool that is supposed to set them free. There are many great conveniences that smartphones offer, but like email, I think they’ve actually made people less productive in many cases. They can be a constant source of distraction and interruption – so much so that some (smart) companies have banned cell phones (and all technology, for that matter) from meetings so people will actually pay attention to the meeting.

One of my colleagues offered this observation about the smartphone: “While it’s a great tool, it’s quickly getting more complicated to run the business, between the phone calls, texting, and emails on various platforms (phone calls via the office land line and smartphone, email via the computer and smartphone, etc.). In fact, I have a younger client (a busy mom, author, and speaker) who runs her entire business off her smartphone — while she’s on the go. Naturally, her emails are cryptic, at best. Often she answers only 1 out of 3 questions in an email. Another client only hits the ‘reply’ button for emails from her smartphone instead of ‘reply all’ (these are important emails in which the entire team needs to be in the loop). I’m also finding that people who use smartphones will send text messages to my business line, assuming that it’s a smartphone … it’s a land line! Plus, smartphone users don’t take the time to type a relevant, current subject line in an email … they just go find an old email message, hit Forward, and type in the content — the recipients receive an email with a confusing, out-of-date Subject line.”

Smartphones can also take away from opportunities to interact with our fellow human beings. I’m constantly amazed when I go to restaurants and see tables where everyone has their face glued to their phone – they’re either talking, texting, or doing something or other online – anything but talking to the people they’re with. Seems to me they could have just ordered carryout and stayed home with their technology. And I could say something similar about many of the fans who sit near me at Chicago Blackhawks hockey games – they’ve paid good money (or if they haven’t I want to know how they got their tickets!) to attend a professional sporting event, yet they spend seemingly at least half the game texting and checking Facebook. I don’t get it!

I laughed out loud when I learned there’s a smartphone app that offers users a transparent view of what’s in front of them so they won’t walk into a tree or light pole while they’re texting and walking. People are risking their physical and mental health in order to instantaneously communicate, yet are missing out on so many opportunities to relax, be present, let their minds be still for a moment, appreciate their surroundings, or personally connect with their fellow human beings. It’s not clear to me how all this connectedness and instantaneous communication is making lives better when it seems like so many people are totally stressed out!

Call me old fashioned, a Luddite, or behind the times – I can take it. I certainly have no issue with using technology to enhance our lives, but I think we’re at a tipping point that is making us less engaged with our fellow human beings, and certainly less productive and more stressed.

How much more productive and fulfilled could you be if you put down your phone for a few hours and were fully present in the moment?

 Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Causes of Disorganization, Life Lessons, Simplicity, Time Management

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7 Simple Steps to Tame the Job-Hunting Jungle

February 1st, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

As we inch closer towards spring here in the Midwest, I’m looking forward to the budding trees and blooming flowers that are only a few months away. As I enjoy the longer days and increased activity at my bird feeder, I’m also a bit saddened that two of my friends have lost their jobs in the past month. However, their cheerful dispositions and confident attitudes can serve as a wonderful example to anyone who’s involuntarily unemployed. Their positive spirit inspired me to write some tips about organizing a job search. Whether you’re currently employed and looking for a new opportunity or unemployed and searching for work, you’ll want to get the most out of your job-hunting time and effort. To overcome feeling overwhelmed, I recommend creating a plan and getting organized – this will help you focus your efforts, stay motivated, and accelerate your success.

Think about your ideal job. Take time to identify your skills and interests and write down attributes of your ideal job. (You may ask a career counselor to help with this step.) Also, think about the type of business you’d like to work for, including aspects such as company size and location. Be sure to consider any transportation and time restrictions you may have.

Set goals. Next, clearly define your job search goals. For example, how much time will you devote each week to job hunting? What specific steps must you accomplish to make your ideal job a reality? Write down the specific tasks you need to accomplish each week. For example: “Research and review 30 company websites, make 20 phone calls, attend 1 networking event, update my resume, practice my interviewing skills, and review classified ads.”

Create an action plan. Now it’s time to schedule your tasks. If you work full-time, you’ll need to squeeze a few tasks into a full day. Having a written plan of action – such as a specific list of people to call during your lunch hour – will ensure you make the most of your limited time. If you’re not working, don’t fall into the “I’ve got all day” trap! Create appointments with yourself to accomplish tasks that will lead to achieving your job-finding goals.

Invest your time wisely. Be sure to allocate your time to each job-hunting activity according to how potentially effective it will be. For example, for your field, spending time networking may be much more effective than responding to classified ads. Also, schedule and tackle difficult or unpleasant activities during the time of day when you have the most mental energy – for most people, that’s first thing in the morning.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about the how to plan your job hunt. I’d love to hear what additional  tips you have.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Routines Can Help You Simplify Your Life

January 15th, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

I always brush my teeth before I go to bed, exercise first thing in the morning, and wash the household towels on Fridays. These  routines help minimize my trips to the dentist, allow me to do some guilt- free snacking, and make sure my family’s towels are actually helping us stay clean rather than being a breeding ground for bacteria. Rather than wanting you to pity my boring life, I want to help you see that habits and routines, no matter how unexciting, can be the key to a stress-free life.

Charles Duhigg shares my passion for the mundane because he wrote a whole book on the subject of habits: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. According to Duhigg, habits, by their very definition, allow us to do things without thinking about them. That frees up our brains to work on the more complex problems in life. Unfortunately, habits can be good as well as bad (those that aren’t aligned with our current goals). For many of my clients, bad habits (or lack of any habit or routine) are the cause (at least in part) of their disorganization. I suggest you read Mr. Duhigg’s book to learn more about how you might be able to break your bad habits, but here are some habits or routines you might want to develop in order to create a more organized and stress-free life.

Don’t put things down, put them away. Yes, it’s often easier to just drop something near where it belongs rather than completely put it away. Often times it’s because we have a false impression of how much longer it will take to go the distance. Rather than lift the lid to put the dirty socks in the hamper, it’s easier to just plop them on top; instead of hanging up the jacket, it’s quicker to just drop it on the couch. But really, does it take more than five or 10 extra seconds to finish the job? Put mind over matter and put things where they belong. Make it as easy for yourself as possible – for example, maybe you can just remove the lid on the hamper. If the problem is that things don’t have a place where they belong, block out time to create an organizing plan for your problem areas. Of course you’re welcome to contact me if you’d like some help.

Always do something purposeful with every piece of information you encounter.  Whether it’s a piece of paper or an e-mail, make a decision about what next action you need to take and either take that action, or put the information in designated place until you’re able to act purposefully on it. Make a point of doing something to move it along on its journey.

De-clutter regularly. In your workplace, spending time at the end of each day cleaning off your desk and tidying up loose ends can be highly beneficial. Not only is there a psychic benefit of starting the next workday with a clean desk, but you’re also more likely to begin working on what you want to be working on rather than gravitating to whatever piece of paper happened to catch your eye. At home, spending five or 10 minutes in each room each evening putting things away will prevent things from getting out of control. Of course if your family helped create the clutter, it sure would be nice if they helped with the de-cluttering, too.

Before purchasing something, make sure you know where it will go. Otherwise it will become clutter. You’ll typically want to store things near where you use them and store similar things together. Store things that you use most frequently in easily-accessible places.

What habits or routines will you work on developing for your simpler, more stress-free life?

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Home Organizing, Organizing Process, Paper Organizing, Simplicity, Workplace Organizing

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Use Your Planner to Simplify Your Life

January 1st, 2013 by Sue Becker No comments »

Happy New Year! I hope the year is off to a great start for you. Are you among the approximately 45% of Americans who make at least one New Year’s resolution? Getting organized was the second most popular New Year’s resolution in 2012, and I’m guessing it’s near the top again this year. Unfortunately, only about 8% of people who make resolutions actually achieve them. What will you do differently this year to help you be successful? To help you get started on achieving your organizational goals, let’s talk about how to set up and use your planner (as a reminder, last month I gave you tips on how to choose your planning tool).

Fill in recurring events. Make a note of birthdays, anniversaries, school and work holidays, and any other events you know about now. You may want to keep a master list of birthdays and anniversaries and use this list to fill in the dates on the calendar. Copying from this list can be a lot easier than flipping through last year’s calendar to find those important dates. You might also want to use a highlighter or colored pen to accentuate any dates that require a card, gift, phone call, or some other form of acknowledgement and advanced preparation. 

Review next month’s important dates towards the middle of the prior month. This will allow you plenty of time to buy cards or gifts. You can review your planner and look for the accentuated dates mentioned above, or you can refer to your master list. For those of you who use a paper rather than electronic planner, you can use a removable sticky note to remind you to do this review each month. For example, I put a sticky note that says “Review Birthdays” on the calendar page for the 20th of the month to remind me to check the next month’s important dates. I simply move this note from month to month. As you review those dates, you might also jot down a reminder to mail the cards or deliver the gifts. For example, if someone’s birthday is on the 15th, you can make a note in your planner on the 7th to mail his or her card. 

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about the how to choose the right planning tool for you. I’d love to hear what you end up using.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Time Management

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