The Secret of How a Reset Helps You be More Organized

reset your home, office and life

 

Days and weeks take a toll on our organization and productivity. We work hard and play hard. Some times our organization suffers because we are too busy.  That’s why a reset can make a difference.

 

What’s a reset?

By definition a reset is when you get back to your baseline, get started fresh and get back in order.  It is typically a verb that shows the action of placing back. It means to move (something) back to an original place or position. However, let’s think of it as noun to help you restore order.

 

When do I reset?

It’s a best practice to reset daily and weekly.  A daily reset is getting your bags emptied and reorganized, your kids’ backpacks uncluttered, and  your clothes in a hamper or hung up.  Each evening take 5 minutes (with your family) to reset your home. That is to restore order to important bags, spaces and spots to have a fresh start for the next day. A list can help you be sure you reset all the areas that are important to you.

 

Make your your week starts with a weekly home reset ion Sunday. It’s your preparation for having a great week.  Take 30 minutes to check your calendar for the week so you know what’s ahead..

 

A weekly office reset is best on Friday.  At this time you are most in touch with your projects and tasks. Capture information, get your desk back in order, create files for loose papers and tidy up your space at this time.

 

What else is behind a reset?

In the book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains small changes in behavior and the impact. With a reset, you are applying the science of change to your life in a way that can make every day better. Life with new habits requires reminders and practice. Build in support for this new habit with baby steps, attaching your reset to an existing habit, and acknowledging how important can be for you.

 

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Gratitude Quotes I Love

gratitude Maya Angelou

 

Gratitude Oprah

 

Gratitude Ralph Waldo Emerson

How Leadership Empowers Change

leadership inspires change

 

Mothers Against Cancer (MAC), a grass roots effort to raise funds for children’s cancer research, hosts an annual fundraising luncheon each year.  The event includes an amazing raffle, silent auction and live auction as part of it’s event.  In an effort to raise the bar, this year our event took a bold step.  We entered the 21st century of fundraising by using Greater Giving with online access to bid.  Leading the charge is our executive director, our communications director. and our board.  Our leadership empowers change with this step into technology.

Why change?

MAC has hosted this event for almost 30 years.  We have had the same process which our attendees love with a cash, check and credit card payment system.   It’s working so why change?  We learned that other associations income was increasing with greater use of credit cards.  We wanted to implement a system where bidding on silent auction items was easier and more profitable.  We wanted our attendees email addresses so we can stay in touch all year.

 

How did it work?

Our leadership reinforced the positive with this change. It would be different. Our attendees would need to learn our new system but it was easy. Our board knew it was the step we needed to take to and our attendees would be fine after this first year of transition.

 

Our leadership brought the tools we needed, such as ipads, laptops, and a router!  With change brings new skills, new technology and new connections.  When we set  up and did a run through, it all came together as we each learned the software guided by a on site liaison.  Our leadership not only sat side by side with us as we each learned, they provided tools we needed to insure our success.

It was hard work and a little chaotic at times.

As the event started, we ran into a few glitches.  There were long lines that our attendees were unaccustomed to and there was resistance to sharing personal information.  However our resourceful leaders started serving drinks to those waiting and that smoothed things out.  Those of us at check in heard a lot about what was not working.  However, as the event moved forward,  the virtual bidding on silent auction items was a fun focus for our attendees. How to out bid others at our table took our tallies for research funds higher and higher.  It was easy to purchase raffle tickets just by clicking your credit card access and our total sales of raffle tickets shows how easy and profitable for MAC is it.  Check out at the end of the event was seamless.

 

As a student of leadership, MAC showed me that it takes many different aspects to make change, and that there will always be something unanticipated that we will learn.

  • Listen to others as new options open up.  Transitions and change only happen if we are open.
  • Add in as much support as possible. Training, onsite support and tech tools make change possible.
  • Communicate change in baby steps.  Our Board shared the change with our members first, then our attendees.  We used email newsletters to let attendees know how to access the new site and add their information.
  • There will be glitches.  Research the obstacles and then review. I know our next year event will benefit from this year’s glitches.
  • Positivity makes the difference.  Our Board stayed positive throughout the process.

MAC made a difference for our attendees, our members and our beneficiary Texas Children’s Hospital this year.  Our funds raised this year totaled $283,000 for children’s cancer research.

 

More on Mothers Against Cancer here.

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Choosing Priorities and Most Important Tasks

Choosing Priorities 3 Most Important Tasks

 

Every day is busy and each project, task and appointment seem equally important to complete.  When we get too busy, it’s hard to prioritize.  As a result, it’s harder to make sure we are focused on our priorities. Does it seem like a vicious cycle?  I am here to help with a simple idea and a download to help you each day set priorities and keep up with your goals.

 

 

The problem: are you focusing on the priorities?

We get a lot done! But are you getting the right things done?  Some tasks take care of themselves and some need focus. It seems the tasks that are easy to us get done.  However, the tasks with extra steps, those that take longer or there is an element of fear, these don’t get attention.  These tasks can be laundry, meal preparation, a report for work or taxes. We may never be without underwear, but we might have that nagging feeling there is something we are missing.

 

The solution: Your 3 Most Important Tasks

As Zen Habits notes, put purpose in your day with your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs).  The idea is that the 3 tasks must get done today, no matter.  If additional tasks are accomplished, that’s a productivity bonus.  Your most important tasks are individual to you and your goals.  “What are the three most important things that I could do today that will help move me closer to my goals?”  The goals could be about relationships, spirituality, productivity, work, or exercise.  A task is one small step of advancing to your goal.

 

Start your 3MITs here.

Let’s move into action with your 3 MITs.  This download is a way to set your MITs, remind you of your goals, and set a time to accomplish your MITs.  Set a time each day, at the end or beginning of your day, to write these down.  Think about your day and when is the best time for your work on each task.

 

ChoosingPrioritiesDownload

 

Most people find that the end of the day is the best time to work on the MITs.  When you start your day it’s already focused.  If you write your MITs in the morning, get an early start so you can not only write but start your day on time.  Creating this system for MITs helps you knock out your tasks early in the day too.

Your MITs will help you get the most important tasks done more consistently.  That’s the whole idea behind productivity!

 

 

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