Three Simple Steps to Reduce Teen Spring Fever

We are coming to the end of the school year and kids are starting to get distracted by dreams of summer break, end of year celebrations and overall boredom.    How can you help your kids keep focused during this time of the year?

Dr. Kristine Dunn, PhD. shares her thoughts with the Adventures In Organizing community.  Kristine has a vast array of experience working with teens and youth.

Three Simple Steps to Reduce Teen Spring Fever   

To have your teenagers stay organized there are effective strategies that can be utilized...... especially when 'spring fever' kicks in. 

1.  Begin by asking them to go through their back pack every Tuesday and Friday with you as this will help with knowing what students need to do for the weekend and also know what is due during the week.
2. Have organizing folders with each subject to help them keep track of their paperwork.  
3. Encourage them to meet with their teachers each week to determine what is due, and if they do not comply, follow up with emails to the teachers. A benefit of examining the back pack on a Friday can provide contingencies of completion of homework for activities that they would like to participate in !

It can be an "Aha" moment for parents and an "ok I'll do my work" moments for students. If there are ongoing concerns, a school counselor is always available to help continue to support and motivate students during their school day as well.

If you would like help getting either your student or yourself organizing in 2014, we are happy to help.   On May 19 we are launching a new online program called "10 Weeks to a More Organized Life".  Register now to ensure you receive the early registration discount.   

https://gumroad.com/l/10WeekOrganizing

Is Your Day Planner Friend or Foe? 10 Quick & Simple Tips to Effective Productivity

Last week I received my 2014 planner in the mail.  I do not know about you but one of my favourite things to do is crack open my new planner each year and begin mapping out all the important dates and events.   

In 2014 my eldest daughter Jasmine will be getting married, I need to block the week before her wedding of to help with last minute details, and I need to block the week after off for what I anticipate will be much needed “me” time.

 

A couple of years ago I gave a talk at a woman’s retreat and was asked to come up with one word that spoke to where I was at in my journey.  The word I chose was “Content" my life was in a state of peace and I was completely content.    Having to come up with one word was a challenge but it something I have adopted each year since.  

 Last year it was "Adventure" and my word for 2014 my word is: "Create".    

The word goes at the very beginning of my planner to remind me over my overall goal.

 Here are a few tips for was to maximize your planner usage and ensure that if is being used effectively

1.     Take it everywhere, put everything it and refer to it multiple times per day.   It will not work if you do not open it, read it and use it.

2.     When mail comes in the door, write bill payment dates, write appointments, and invitations dates into your planner

3.    Don’t stop there!  Put addresses, contact names and phone numbers into the planner as well.

4.    Stop the “sticky note insanity”.    Gather all your “sticky notes” and put the details into your planner. 

5.   Keep all your notes, phone details and comments in your planner – if you need to call someone back in a week, write in your planner.    If you are just too in love with your post it’s, use them in your planner.   Eg…if “call John on Tues 27 555-5555 “is the post it not and John was not in, make a note on the 27^th that you called and move the post it to the 29^th in your planner to try again.

6.    Add your grocery and shopping lists to your planner.

7.    Contact information – keep client numbers in your planner.   If you are stuck in traffic and running late, you want to be able to let them know.

8.    Use colour to chunk out and separate activities.   I always highlight my categories in colour.   An example would be…client bookings in “green”, family in “orange”, social media activities in “purple”, and networking events in “pink” and bills to pay in “red”.       At a glance I can see what is happening in my week and the ratio of family to work time.   It helps me keep my priorities in line.

9.    Have a way for your family to know what is happening with your calendar.   Online calendars can be shared.  I use a paper calendar for all of my appointments, and transfer the details to a family wall calendar at home.    I have an online calendar my clients and family can take a peek at to see what time slots remain open.   The kids have actually booked me through my client booking system on occasion to make a point if I have been working too much.

10.                     Let’s go back to #1!   If you do not use it, it will not work for you.   Develop the habit of checking, re-checking and adding to your calendar.

If you would like assistance ensuring you are making the most of your time, space and information, please contact us today for a complimentary phone conversation to see how we can help.    I look forward to hearing from you.    Bless others with your abundance, Jennifer

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.

R is for Read - Making Mole Hills from Mountains

Do you have a "To Read" Mountain growing in your home?

Most of us have at least a pile, if not a mountain.

So I am sure you are staring at the mountain and wondering "where do I start"?   First, decide that today is the day to tackle and move that mountain.

It is a lovely day here in Ottawa today, and I woke up at the crack of dawn - a coffee and my reading pile on the deck and it was pretty much taken care of (other than the two library books that are pending - I don't read that quickly).   Sometimes, it is just a matter of setting an hour aside with no computer and no TV.

If you truly are dealing with a mountain rather than a pile, you will need more time.

Here are a few real solutions...

• Start at the top and get the freshest information in and out of the pile right away.   If the first item is several weeks old, decide whether or not you truly will find the time - if you have not had time in weeks, is it worth investing your time in it now?

• Set some time aside each day to do nothing but read from your pile.   If you find yourself setting an item aside in the pile to "read later" that should be a good indication that it is not worth your time investment at all - move that baby into the recycle box right away. 

• Put some reading materials into your computer bag or purse and read on the bus, while waiting for appointments and during your coffee breaks.  Recycle when done and reload your bag each evening for the next day.

• Finally come to terms with the fact that we all want to read more than we actually have time for.  Embrace technology and search for the information on line when you do have the time and let the paper documents go.   There really is nothing in a magazine or newspaper that cannot be found online. It is OK to "just let it go".

 

Make it your goal for the remainder of the month to move that mountain and make it a mole hill.  

If you need help making your mountain into a mole hill, contact us today and we will help you develop an action plan to do just that.

 

30 Simple Steps to a More Organized Life

Happy Tuesday everyone!   The snow has finally melted here in Ottawa and the sun is shining.   I even went out this morning without a jacket on.   Some days, it felt like spring was never going to arrive but today  I am so grateful to see the sun.

Many of you read my daily "Take 5" on Facebook and I am told daily how much people enjoy reading them.

The daily "Take 5" are part of my free tips and techniques which get shared on the Adventures In Organizing Facebook page and this newly released eBook takes that program one step further.

30 Simple Steps to a More Organized Life will proved you with simple daily activities, that at the end of just 30 days will have you seeing your home and your life from an entirely new perspective.

If you are feeling fragmented and pulled in 100 different directions, this is the eBook for you.   At just 4.97 you will have access to this easy simple  to use, quick and concise daily organizing tool.   Real results in just 30 days for just 4.97 - how can you lose?

It is incredible how freeing getting rid of clutter and finding a home for all of your belongings becomes.   Clarity of mind and a renewed purpose often follow.
 
I encourage you to download your copy today and better still,  buy a copy for a friend and spread a little clutter free Spring Cleaning love around.

If you are having trouble with the links, visit our website at www.adventuresinorganizing.ca   and click on the download tab on the left.

The exact url to paste in your browser is:   http://adventuresinorganizing.ca/index.php/downloads