Three Steps to Accomplishing your Goals: Change, Perservance and Victory

So, I have been thinking a lot this week about change, perseverance and victory.

I am coming to the end of a very long organizing project with a client and am in awe of her transformation over the past year.     I have learned a lot from her and her ability to make decisions when it was not easy.   To keep going when she did not “feel” like it and to see her standing taller and stronger embracing the victory of a long, often emotionally and physically difficult project.

Here is what I have learned from my clients, my experience and life in general.

Change

 

It is hard!   Even when the thought of change excites you, stepping out of your comfort zone is difficult emotionally and physically. 

  

As someone who has had a lot of change, some of which I could have done without, there is always something to be learned, something that can be used for our benefit.  Our mindset often determines whether or not it is a positive or a negative.   

Are you a jam side up or a jam side down person?  

We do have a choice in how we perceive adversity and change.

Perseverance

 

This is where we succeed or stand still.   One of the key things that make my life successful is that I do not give up.   

That is not to say have never had moments where I pulled the blankets over my head and sucked my thumb for a period of time, because I have.  There are time in life where you are just banged up and need to recoup but the difference is, do you let  those bashed up, banged up moments define you or do you get back out of bed, hike up your big girl panties, and go kick some “honey buns”.    

Forward moments and stickability (not sure that is even a word but I like it) are huge factors in the success of any project, organizing or otherwise.   It is not about feelings.   How we “feel” should not be the measure on whether or not we “do”.   

“I do not feel like getting out of bed today, I do not feel like feeding the kids nutritious food today, I do not feel like doing the laundry” These feeling will not move you toward victory - they have no part to play in a successful life.

Victory

 

The embracing of change, the ability to preserve, the steady forward progression is what leads us to the ultimate goal.   My client has been working on her project for over a year, it has not been a race but the steady forward progress that has led to enormous changes Whether an organizing project, a project at the office, or a huge life goal, my clients, and my life experiences, have all taught me that we can be and do anything we envision.

By no longer letting our feelings rule, by taking on step at a time and by focusing on the ultimate goal you will achieve success and “get ‘er done”.

If you need assistance in coping with change we can help you developing systems and processes to move you forward to victory please contact us for a complimentary 20 minute discussion.

 All photos are royalty free from http://www.sxc.hu

3 Simple Ways to Increase Your Productivity

An increasing number of our clientele are solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and those with network marketing businesses.     

These clients have unique challenges.  The bulk of their time is spent managing the day-to-day reality of building their client lists, serving their client needs and managing their case loads.  These small business owners often have little or no office support, as a result, the paperwork often backs up and over time things often become unmanageable.   The age-old organizing question arises “where do I start”?       

Here are 3 simple strategies to help you manage your information your time.

1.    Start by dealing with today’s mail.

Get a handle on the plethora of papers by dealing with the incoming of today.  As Barbara Hemphill of, Taming The Paper Tiger, fame often states “Today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile”

A simple way to begin to get your paperwork a.k.a. “Today’s Mail” under control is to start with a 3 folder system, 

• Mark Folder One:    “To File”,

• Mark Folder Two:    “To Pay”,

• Mark Folder Three:  “To Do”

There is very little that would fall outside these three categories and if they do, the recycle bin would likely be the appropriate file folder for them.     

2.   Stay off your email and social media sites for the first hour of your day.   

Set your agenda for the day and control your time.   By responding to email and Facebook posts as soon as you start the day, you are allowing other people’s agendas to run and control your day and you will get side-tracked.   

  

Consider setting your email auto responder to read something like “emails are checked at 11 and 3 each day and we give you our full attention at that time”.

3.    Have a planner and use it! 

The number one absolute to having an organized business life, home life, student life, is having and using a good planner.   It does not matter if you use a paper planner or a digital planner but whatever the choice, use it to it’s fullest function.   Hundreds of Post-It it notes all over the monitor get forgotten and become part of the background noise – put those notes into your planner or use programs like Evernote,  or Workflowy and keep all your information in one place.  

For more productivity strategies or information on how we can help with your paperwork management strategies,  please contact Jennifer at Adventures In Organizing.

Office Clean Up: The Top 9 Excuses

Office Clean Up: The Top 9 Excuses that Create Your Chaos

Written by Christine Kane

“Perfection is not when there is no more to add, but no more to take away.”

                                                                – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Our lives are meant to be simple.  

 

Our intuiton and creativity thrive when given freedom and space.  Clutter – in the form of physical stuff, time-wasters, or even draining people – steals our energy and prevents our success. Each moment we ignore the reasons we hold on to things we don’t want, those things rob us of energy, health, and clarity. Yes, clutter is destructive in your office environment!
Summer is a slow time for many businesses. That means it’s a great time to clear the chaos and cut through the clutter (and the excuses for having clutter around!).  Read over this list to see if you can find YOUR excuse – and then take action!


Excuse #1: “I’d be a mean horrible person if I released this…”
Guilt is heavy gooey energy that convinces us we’re bad people if we let go of heirlooms, knick-knacks, unwanted clothing or gifts.
These items clutter up our lives and keep us in a comfortable – but draining – place. And conveniently, we never have to decide what we actually do want in our environment. We become environmental victims. Often, that spreads into other parts of our lives too!

Excuse #2 – “I spent so much on it!”
Do you punish yourself for having made a bad choice by keeping the item around?  Or convince yourself that you’re going to get your money’s worth – even if it drains the heck out of you?
You won’t.  And it will.
We’ve all done stupid things. And we’ve all had to let them go. Now it’s your turn.

Excuse #3 – “I might need this someday.”
I often wonder how many idle telephone cords exist in the world. Way in the back of old desk drawers. Stuffed on closet shelves. They can’t be gotten rid of.
Why?
Because we might need them some day.
Evidently, some day – in spite of technological progress – you’re going to need that particular grey phone cord that came in the box with a phone you bought in 1989.
Throw it out. Now.
Same thing goes for:  The broken fax machine, switch plates from your first house, and every glass flower vase that came with deliveries.

Excuse #4 – “I might do this someday.”
I know. I know.
Someday you’ll take those broken pieces of china you’ve collected and create a beautiful mosaic birdbath. And you’ll go through those stacks of magazines and make that collage for your sister’s 30th birthday party. (She’s 51 now.)
Now – I don’t mean to deny you your plans and dreams.  However, I urge you to consider experiencing the infinite relief that appears when you let old project ideas go.
Call your sister and tell her the collage ain’t gonna happen. Buy a mosaic birdbath from an artist who makes her living from creating such treasures.
And then, make space for what you want to do. Don’t fill your space with what you should do.

Excuse #5 – “I gotta look good to my guests.”
CDs. Books. DVD’s. Are these items treasured? Or are they simply a prop so your guests will be impressed by your intelligence and diverse tastes?
Remember this: we are motivated by two things: Fear or Love. Which of these keeps you clinging to items because of appearances?

Excuse #6 – “I Don’t Know Where It Goes.”
When items don’t have a home, it’s harder to determine whether or not they are clutter. Some things may seem like clutter – like the cute card that your daughter made that floats around from drawer to drawer – but they’re not clutter.
They’re homeless.
Once you start defining spaces for items, then it’s easier to see when something doesn’t fit anywhere and should just get tossed.

Excuse #7 – “My thoughts don’t have any power. Do they?”
Everything has energy.  The thoughts you have about the things in your home CREATE energy.  If you are surrounded by stuff you keep out of guilt, then your environment holds guilt.  If you hang on to stuff given to you by your ex, and you still feel bitter – then there is bitterness in your home.
Get it?
It’s either fueling you or draining you.  If anything triggers you, then that is your barometer. Let it go.

Excuse #8 – “But I never wore it!”
See Clutter Excuse #2.

Excuse #9 – “There’s too much stuff!”
Overwhelm can stop us in our tracks. If this article makes you aware that there are lots of items in your life you don’t like, then go slow.   Schedule small chunks of time each day.  It takes time to be clutter-free! But the newfound clarity and lightness are worth it!


Christine Kane is the Mentor to People Who are Changing the World. She helps women and men Uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly Uplevel You eZine goes out to over 26,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://christinekane.com.

Creative and Fun Ways to Organize your Child's Bedroom

Thank you to our guest contributor: Anna Berry

When you plan to have a child, you must also plan for their bedroom to become very messy.  Parents shouldn’t have to be the only ones to clean up the messes after the kids have gone to bed.  Children learn new things very quickly, which is why you should encourage them to clean up and organize their belongings.  

Organization is needed because it helps children develop a sense of discipline and a knack for cleanliness.  Not only does this free up more time for you in your day, but you’ll be teaching one of the most vital building blocks for future success; staying organized!

1)   Build Shelving for Your Child's bedroom     

Installing fun and colorful shelving in your child's bedroom may inspire them to put away their belongings, the correct way, once play time is over.  Kids love to collect things!  And when they have a shelf to display their treasures, they will be able to learn how important it is to keep their room neat and tidy.

2)   Put Leftover Containers To Good Use

There’s nothing more excruciating than accidentally stepping on a piece of Lego that your kid forgot to pick up.  You can give a new meaning to your unused boxes by letting your child use them as make-shift containers.  Small, unused containers cater to tiny toys and treasures, which can help kids learn to organize better.

3)   Combine Design with functionality

Instead of cluttering your child's bedroom with book shelves and drawers, why not opt for an adorable cupboard that not only looks great, but comes with plenty of shelf space and drawers! This will undoubtedly help you save space in your child's bedroom.

4)   Always have extra storage

As your child grows, the amount of stuff they have will accumulate as well.  By providing pouches, bags and boxes, you and your child can ensure that the room stays spic and span all year round!

5)   Labeling storage boxes

There can be nothing more upsetting than losing something precious to you; or hiding it for safe-keeping, only to forget where it was stored.  Make sure you instill in your children the necessity to label everything that will be kept and stored away for long periods of time.

Instilling that sense of organization will help formulate good study habits for high school, plus later on in college.  Start teaching these healthy routines as soon as possible, so it becomes ingrained as a lifelong principle.

S is for System: Create Systems to Simplify Your Life

S is for System

One of the key things I have found helpful for both myself and my clients is finding a system to manage all the household tasks.

Dealing with mail the minute is comes in the door.   Recycle the junk immediately; do not bring it in the door!   Putting the bill to pay into a “to pay” file right away, and anything thing else that needs attention into an easily accessible “to do” file.  That’s it – mail in, easily dealt with and done.

Instilling a 15 minute pick up time immediately after dinner, or immediately before bed is also a huge help.   The tidy time is for the entire family – no one is let off the hook.  Small children can pick up dog toys and return them to their home, older kids can pick up laundry and all their belongings and put them away.  Another child can tidy the bathroom counter.   Having a daily tidy “time” creates big impact on a house.  Use the timer on your stove or phone and make a game out of it.    In a family of 5 x 15 minutes that leads to 1 hour and 15 minutes of clean up each day.   That is big impact.

Use TV time productively.    Sort a drawer, clear off the coffee table while you are watching go through a pile of magazines or recipes…use commercial time to put things away.   Commercials make great cues to get moving – toss a load of laundry in, fold another, and put some away during each commercial.  

In 2012, according to the BLS American Time Survey, the average person spent 5:11 hours watching television per week and the average person spends 9 years of their life watching television.  

Just image, if you spent just half of that time, taking care of the backlog of tasks and filing around the house what your life could look like. 

I’m not saying don’t watch TV, but rather find a system to make that time count, make those minutes matter and be productive.

Make those minutes count.

If you need help making your minutes count, contact us today to see what we can do help you Lose Clutter, Gain Claity and manage your time.