Posts Tagged ‘organizing tips’

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Clear the Clutter and Find Prosperity

August 14th, 2012

I recently read the book Great With Money by Melissa Burke and Ellen Rogin. With the goal of the book being to help readers create a prosperous mindset and a confident approach to money, you might expect it to focus on how to earn more and spend less. Well, it may surprise you to know that “clear your clutter” is the first step to prosperity described by the authors. Yup, clearing the clutter in your life is the first step towards prosperity.

Even without the benefit of seeing disorganized homes and offices on the level that I do, these authors wisely recognize that being surrounded by clutter can block you from achieving more in your life – your piles of paper and other stuff represent unfinished tasks and postponed decisions that can weigh you down. The clutter not only physically blocks you from accomplishing things, but the mental clutter it creates can prevent you from moving forward in your life. You’re too busy focusing on what you haven’t accomplished to be able to think about creating new accomplishments.

Sure, great achievers like Albert Einstein were famously buried in clutter. However, I’m guessing that because you’re reading a blog about organization, you sense is that being better organized would help you accomplish more. As Swiss philosopher Henri Frédéric Amiel stated, “Order is light, peace, inner freedom, self-determination: it is power. To conceive order, to return to order, to realize order in oneself, around oneself, by means of oneself, is well-being.”

Not only does clearing clutter and creating order create a physical and mental path towards prosperity, it can actually directly generate prosperity. While helping clients de-clutter their homes and offices, I’ve discovered money (I once found $3,500 cash that the owner had no idea existed tucked away in a book!), uncashed checks, unused gift cards, and uncashed savings bonds. I’ve found things clients knew were “here somewhere” and saved them the trouble of having to buy replacements. I’ve consigned clothing and household items to resale shops that have generated income, and donated items to charity which have generated tax deductions. I’ve unearthed financial documents, insurance forms, medical paperwork, etc. that had direct financial implications for the client.

What financial potential lies buried in your clutter? What could you achieve if only the mountains of paperwork and stuff disappeared? What steps towards de-cluttering and organizing your life can you take to start realizing more prosperity? I encourage you to take at least one step today to move you in the right direction. Good luck on your journey.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

 

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Posted in Life Lessons, Simplicity

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When is Your Peak Mental Energy Time?

June 27th, 2012

Do you find yourself charged up and ready to go first thing in the morning, or do you stumble through the morning and hit your stride right after lunch? Taking advantage of your peak mental energy time can do wonders for your productivity as well as your self-esteem.

Many of my clients have never formally identified their peak mental energy time – they just know there’s a time of day when they seem to be highly motivated and productive, and other times that they spend spinning their wheels. If you haven’t identified your peak mental energy time, start paying attention to when you’re most able to take on difficult or unpleasant tasks – that’s most likely your peak time.

Once you’ve identified this key time, use it for tasks that require a lot of mental calories – those difficult and unpleasant things that are hard to wrap your brain around. You’ll need to muster all the mental horsepower you can for these tasks, so make it easy for yourself by scheduling them for the right time of day. Conversely, do fun and easy things during your slump time – don’t waste your peak mental energy time on things you’ll be able to do no matter how well your brain is functioning.

When I’m working in my office, I don’t even have to look at my watch to know when it’s around 3:00 in the afternoon. My yawning, distractibility, and restlessness tell me it’s time to get up from my desk and do something physical because my brain needs a break. Conversely, from 7 to 9 in the morning is a great time for me to concentrate and stay focused on desk or computer work. Fortunately for me (and my clients), if I’m doing something physical like organizing, I’m able to stay focused and energized no matter what time of day it is.

Sometimes you may not be able to work in accordance with your peak mental energy time – meetings, appointments, and other external demands may make it impossible to claim that time as your own. In those instances, taking a break will help energize you – I’ve previously written about the power of breaks. You may have to shorten each work session to allow for breaks, but in the long run, you’ll probably be more productive.

What if you can’t identify your peak mental energy time? I’ve never worked with anyone who doesn’t have some time of day that is best for them, but until you determine your peak time, you may be best off doing difficult and unpleasant things at the beginning of the day. That way, if your day gets derailed by other demands, at least you’ll have gotten something important accomplished.

So when is your peak mental energy time? What tasks will you target doing during that time?

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Time Management

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Improve Your Focus by Minimizing Distractions

June 4th, 2012

As we transition into summer, it’s sometimes hard for me to stay focused on work-related tasks. Sunshine, singing birds, gentle breezes, even rainstorms all serve as potential distractions to my well-planned summer work schedule. I know many of you, especially those with AD/HD, face a similar challenge –staying focused when there are dozens of things hollering for your attention. Here are some ideas to help you stay on course yet still have time for fun in the sun:

Plan around your peak mental energy time. What time of day are you the most alert? Use that time to work on difficult, unpleasant tasks that require a lot of mental calories – you’ll be more likely to stay on task when your brainpower matches the complexity of the task at hand.

Remove physical distractions. Whether you’re working on a project at your desk or trying to get dinner on the table, remove things from view that might take you away from the task at hand. Put away papers and files you’re not currently working on before you pull out a new project; clean up remnants of past meals before starting to prepare a new one. If you’re working in a space that’s particularly messy and distractions are hard to put away, cover the areas you won’t be working on with a sheet to hide them from view.

Write it down. On a sticky note, jot down what you intend to be working on and put it where you can see it – next to your computer monitor, on your phone, on your hand – you get the idea. This visual reminder can rein you in when you’re starting to stray.

Use a timer. Set a timer at periodic intervals to check in with yourself and see if you’re working on what you intended.  Depending on your susceptibility to distraction, the intervals can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as an hour.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about how to stay focused and get things done. I’d love to hear how you manage to stay focused when the rest of the world is calling to you.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

 

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Posted in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Causes of Disorganization, Time Management

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Help Yourself Be More Successful

May 21st, 2012

“First things first” – we’ve all heard the saying, but how  often do we put it into practice as we move through our day? Although my most productive and successful days are those on which I follow this advice, I sometimes (ok, often) find myself doing easy, fun, less important stuff before I get around to working on the things I “should” be working on. That’s ok some of the time, especially on the weekend when I want to spend more time playing than working. However, on “work” days, it can be a dangerous habit that can lead to missed deadlines and missed opportunities.

So, dear reader, for your benefit as well as mine, here are some reminders on how to help yourself be more successful by doing first things first:

Don’t check email first thing in the morning. If you do check it first thing, your day can derail quickly as you respond to other people’s demands on your time. As tempting as it is to see what distractions lie waiting in my inbox, I spend the first half hour of my day exercising – if instead I checked my email first thing, I’d find plenty of excuses to avoid exercising.

Ask yourself, “What’s the most important thing I should be working on?” This can help prevent you from running short on time. For example, rather than checking social media, it would be more important to get showered and dressed for a client appointment first. Then, if you had time to spare, it might be appropriate to check social media.

Ask yourself, “If I could get only one thing done, what must it be?” Compare the consequences of not doing the various items on your to-do list and do the task with the most dire consequence. Once that task is completed, ask the question again. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Set a timer. It may be helpful to set a timer for regular intervals so you can periodically check in with yourself to see if you’re working on the most important task. Depending on how distractible you are, the intervals can be anywhere from ten minutes to an hour. The more off course you find yourself, the shorter the intervals should be.

What techniques do you use to do first things first? I’d love to hear your thoughts on how they’ve helped you be more successful.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Time Management

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Organize Your Computer Workstation

May 2nd, 2012

If you’ve ever ended a long period of computer use with an aching back, tired fingers, or sore neck, you likely have a computer workstation layout that is not ergonomically correct. Organizing your computer workspace can not only save you from unnecessary aches and pains, it can help you be more productive. Here are some tips to help you get the most comfort from your computer setup. If you have a laptop, rather than desktop computer, adjust the tips as needed.

Let’s take the traditional desktop computer layout: your monitor, mouse and keyboard should be positioned properly for best comfort. There are many resources for information on ergonomics so I won’t repeat them here. If you need some guidance, the OSHA website offers helpful information.  What I’d like to focus on are some tips and tricks to get that ideal positioning. Often, the space constraints of seating, desks, cable lengths, and even location of power outlets cause us to make positioning compromises that are ergonomically unsuitable – let’s fix that!

Desk and Chair Position: Start by disconnecting everything – we will need to move things round a bit. Next, consider your ideal desk and chair position. Find a good spot where your desk
and chair will fit, making sure that there is some room to move while getting into and out of the chair. Do a couple “test fits” while seated and try reaching for things you may use – check your arm reach distance. This is your “work zone”, and we will build the rest of your computer positioning from here.

Monitor Position: The next item to position is the monitor; like the computer, it needs to be on a solid, flat, level base, meaning your computer desktop. Putting it on top of a pile of cardboard
boxes off to the side is not a good idea! Use the ergonomic guidelines to determine the best height for your use. Also consider sunlight: if the monitor will be in a sunny spot, you may want to consider some method of shading the monitor, or it will be “washed out” and the glare may be annoying. If you have multiple users, you may consider purchase of an adjustable monitor stand. This way each user can adjust the height easily. Don’t try to connect the power and video cables yet.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read more about how to get the most from your workstation. I’d love to hear what works for you.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

 

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Posted in Workplace Organizing

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Organize Your Digital Photos

April 5th, 2012

Are you drowning under piles of photographs and wondering how to dig yourself out? My January 2011 newsletter described how to organize photos – the physical prints that may occupy any number of bags and boxes in your home. But maybe it’s your computer rather than you that’s drowning – you may take digital photographs and have a hard drive bursting with them. This month I’ve called upon my husband, John, who is the technical guru of our home, to describe the best ways to organize digital photos (yes, there is a better way than just dumping them into random folders on your computer).

You can organize your digital photos similarly to your physical photos: by holiday/event, by date, etc. You can create appropriately named folders and move or copy the photos into those folders. But what if some photos could be in more than one category? I came upon this dilemma while organizing my own photos recently. By nature, I had my photos organized in date order, neatly placed in monthly folders.  However, I also wanted to have them organized by event (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays, etc.). How to solve this dilemma?

If you are dealing with physical photo albums, you’d have to make extra copies of each photo and have one photo placed in the date-ordered album and the other in the holiday/event album – quite an effort, and perhaps not a good use of space and time. On a computer you have options: you can have your photos sorted and grouped in more than one order, without making extra copies. This magic is accomplished by using computer software as a logical index to your photos. The index allows you to create multiple groupings of photos without actually moving or copying the photos.

With indexing software, you create an album (logical index) and then tell the index where in the date-ordered folders to find the relevant photos. The index builds up a list of file locations where the photos are stored, then uses that information to present the list as an album to you. For example, you can create an album (logical index) called “Thanksgiving 2000 to 2012” and the index will pull up related photos no matter how many different folders they are stored in. You can then use this album in multiple ways:

• Present slide shows on your computer
• Upload photos to an online photo printer
• Burn photos or slideshows to CD/DVD
• Upload to your favorite social media website for online slide shows
• Make postcards, holidays cards, greeting cards, and more…

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can read about software that can help you organize your digital photos. I’d love to hear what works for you.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Keepsakes, Photos

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Get Organized for the Right Reasons

March 22nd, 2012

“To be able to open a cabinet, drawer or closet  and find what I’m looking for;” “To start my family’s day on time and on a positive note;” “To experience the joy of leisure time;” “To make living with AD/HD easier.” These are all reasons clients have told me they want to get organized. Although each reason supports a different goal, the one thing each of them has in common is that the end goal is about more than being organized – organization is a means to something bigger and more meaningful.

Why does a bigger, more meaningful reason matter? Why can’t one just get organized for organizings’s sake? Well, “getting organized” could be your ultimate goal, but it’s not particularly motivating. And motivation is just what you’ll need to stick with the organizing process, as well as to maintain the organizing systems you create.

Before you start your organizing project, decide what greater goal organizing will help you achieve. Will you have better relationships because you get to places on time and no longer keep your friends or family waiting? Will you eat better because you can easily find things in your kitchen, so preparing healthy meals at home will be a breeze? Think about the compelling reasons you want to get organized, and write them down. You might even want to post them where you can see them to motivate you during your organizing sessions, and to remind you to maintain your systems once you’ve set them up.

Another reason to create compelling reasons to get organized is to help guide you as you go through the decision-making process that’s inherent to the organizing process. For example, if one of your goals is to be able to get out the door quickly by easily finding things in your clothes closet, you may have to pare down your wardrobe to fit into the space that you have. As you evaluate each item in your closet, you can ask yourself how keeping it will help you get out the door quickly.

So how do you create your bigger goal around getting organized? Ask yourself what bothers you the most about your home, your office, your life. What frustrations do you experience because you have trouble finding things, you don’t get your bills paid on time, or your schedule is too full? What weight will be lifted when you get organized and regain control?

I’d love to hear your compelling reason for getting organized.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

 

 

 

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Posted in Goal Setting, Goals, Organizing Process

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Manage Mealtime Mayhem

March 7th, 2012

Several years ago I saw a sign that said “I have a kitchen because it came with the house” in a client’s home. It’s a relief to know there’s at least one other person besides me who doesn’t like to cook. After all, with the huge number of cooking shows on TV, cooking magazines staring at me in the grocery store, and specialty spice shops and olive oil stores popping up all over, I can’t help but think that everyone except me loves to cook (and is good at it as well). I do love to eat, however, so I’ve done all I can to make meal planning as painless as possible. Whether you’re the cook in your home or are lucky enough to be the beneficiary of someone else’s cooking, enjoy these tips to make mealtimes less stressful.

Plan meals for the week. I used to spend stress-filled hours (ok, minutes, but it seemed like hours) staring at the refrigerator and freezer each evening trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I finally took my own advice and now plan dinners for the upcoming week every Sunday. I write them on an erasable whiteboard attached with magnetic clips to my refrigerator. It’s amazing how much less stressful my day is just knowing I can answer the question “What’s for dinner?”

Create a rotating menu routine. I have 21 index cards, each of which contains one dinner suggestion as well as any special ingredients that I’m not likely to have on hand. Rather than having to put a lot of thought into what to make for dinner, I just grab the seven index cards in the front of the stack and use them as my
starting point. I check my calendar to determine which nights might require a quick meal or an early or late dinner based on my husband’s and my schedules. I reorder the seven index cards to correspond to each evening, and write those meals in order on my whiteboard. I write the special ingredients from the index
cards onto my grocery list and check my freezer and cupboards to make sure all of the non-special ingredients are on hand. I put that group of index cards in the back of the stack and I’m ready for next week’s meal planning.

Create a themed menu routine. Another option to make meal planning easy is to have a theme for each day of the week. Themes help narrow down your options, which for me is the biggest challenge of meal planning. For example, Monday is breakfast for dinner; Tuesday is Mexican; Wednesday is pasta; Thursday is soup; Friday is fish; Saturday is pizza – you get the idea. You could also include a night where family members take turns planning (and maybe even cooking!) what’s for dinner.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can find some more ideas to help you make mealtime easier than ever. I’d love to hear what helps you manage mealtime mayhem in your home.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Home Organizing, Household Tasks, Organizing Process

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Choose the Planner That’s Right for You

February 13th, 2012

You may have seen the television commercial in which a group of people are assembling in a conference room for a meeting. They make fun of the fact that one of their co-workers uses a paper and pen rather than an electronic tablet for taking notes. The shamed employee tells his colleagues to ease up on their attack because he’s just gone online and purchased a tablet so he can be just like them.

This commercial bothers me for a number of reasons, but mostly because it perpetuates the erroneous sentiment that one must use the most current technology to be successful. Never mind that pen and paper probably worked just fine for this perceived luddite – his associates couldn’t fathom that anything but the latest and greatest technology was acceptable.

Let’s consider the world of planning tools – paper planners, cell phones, tablets, computer-based programs, etc. Many of my clients are surprised to learn that I, a time management expert and coach, use a paper planner – and not one of those convenient, portable, purse-sized planners. I use a big 8-1/2 by 11 inch planner with a page per day – it’s big, it’s bulky, and it works great for me. And that’s the phrase that pays – “it works great for me.” It’s big enough for me to capture all of my appointments and to-dos, it allows me to easily plan my day and subsequently view everything I have to do on a particular day, and it allows me to carry with me any supplemental documents that I might need during the day.

When choosing your time management tool, don’t feel compelled to use any one format just because everyone else is using it. First and foremost, consider how easy it is to enter information into it. Are you ok with typing your appointments into an electronic device, or would you prefer to hand write them directly on the appropriate date? Do you want something that’s small and easily transported, or can your planner be stationary because you typically work from one place all the time? Do you need a lot of space to write lists, appointments and other information, or is a small space for each day adequate? Are you comfortable with having all of your information in one  place, that, if lost, is probably not retrievable, or do you prefer an electronic device that can be backed up?

Don’t be pressured to conform to anyone else’s perception of the best planning tool. Find the one that’s right for you and enjoy getting things done when they need to be done. And feel free to kid me about my big, bulky planner.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Time Management

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Now is a Great Time to Organize Your Paperwork

February 2nd, 2012

Ready or not, here it comes – tax season will be upon us sooner than we may like. Do you remember how things went last year as you gathered your financial paperwork? Will this year be more organized? Did you have to forego some deductions you deserved last year because you couldn’t find the supporting paperwork? Did you have to pay your tax preparer an additional amount to sort out the jumble of information you dumped in his or her office at the last minute? Did you waste hours searching for misplaced financial statements and receipts?

This article offers some ideas to help you organize your paperwork, which can save you time as well as money as you pull together your tax documents. There are many ways to organize paperwork, so choose the ideas that resonate with you and adjust the system as needed to fit your needs. Although properly setting up your files may be quite time consuming, you’ll reap the benefits for years to come.

Keep important papers in a fireproof safe or in a safe deposit box.Here’s a link to some information on what you should and shouldn’t keep in a safe deposit box (due to its limited accessibility). http://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/4-bank-safe-deposit-box-questions-1.aspx

Use a file cabinet or some other type of container to hold your other documents. Office supply stores offer many options, including file carts (which are open on top and typically on wheels), desktop file holders, portable file boxes, crates made specifically for holding files, and even cardboard boxes. Several things to consider when deciding what container to use include: where you will keep it; how easy it is to put papers in it and retrieve papers from it; how secure it will allow your papers to be; and whether or not you’re a “visual” person who would prefer a somewhat open container. To simplify the remainder of this discussion, I’ll assume you’re using a file cabinet. However, my comments are relevant no matter what type of container you use.

Create broad categories to group your papers. If your categories are too specific, you’ll have too many places to search for information. For example, rather than create separate categories for flowers, trees and shrubs, you might want a category called “Gardening.” Be sure to name the categories the way you think of them. For example, if you think in terms of “Car”, don’t file car information under “Auto.”

Here’s a link to my newsletter where you can find some more ideas to help you organize your paperwork and make tax time easier than ever. And if you’d like some personalized help getting organized, please get in touch – I’d be glad to help.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

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Posted in Filing, Paper Organizing

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