How to Set Up a Successful Summer Routine

summer routine

 

Summer’s here and we are ready to let go of all our routines and structure. It’s tempting to throw caution to the wind and let go of all routines. There’s a lot of distractions, including weeks that alternate between vacation and work.  But wait just one minute! Maybe our routines help us live a life that includes all we value.  Here’s how to set up a successful Summer routine.

 

Keep just enough structure

Not enough sleep and eating junk food is not good for anyone. Keep the basic structure in place this summer. Sleep on your regular (yes, regular or improved!) schedule. It’s best for your body and brain to have a regular bedtime and wake time for you to do your best.  Eat all the amazing veggies that summer offers. A healthy meal, three times a day, keeps you energized. These are foundations for feeling good and working at high energy.

 

Keep just enough organization

Your desk and work don’t need to be completely unhinged during the summer.  Keep your desk and papers orderly throughout the summer to be productive.  Keep your calendar up to date throughout the year in order to be where you need to be and get stuff done.  Basic organization applies no matter the season.

 

Keep off your devices

You head off for vacation and head off of your email and devices. It’s good to have a catch up time before you return to work, however it’s time to really disconnect to maximize your time away.  Return home a day in advance to prep for the jolt back to reality.  That’s the time to reconnect, not during your time away.

 

Keep your kiddos busy enough

Your kiddos benefit from alternating busy and slow weeks. As you set up your summer kiddo schedule, give them time to be at home and be at camp. By alternating, your kiddos will appreciate the time to sleep in and time to stay busy.  A little boredom can be good for your kids.

More and more research is showing the negative effects of too much screen time. Set structure to your kids time on all devices to be sure their summer sets them up for success.

 

Keep trying something new

Summer’s a grea time to try new stuff! While it’s easy to slow down during the summer, new sports, new reading, new activities are ready to try. Keep trying someting new this summer. Swim team, reading, and other small ways kids start something new add to their confidence and knowledge.

 

Ready to try a new summer routine?  Start now with a family meeting and you are ready to get started this summer.

Taking Care of Business

Taking care of business

 

When it gets down to it, we all want to take care of business. That means getting stuff done!  Whether it’s at home or at work, the day ends and we wonder what we did accomplish.  Here’s a few essential elements to taking care of business.

 

Taking care of paperwork

Paperwork comes in at a pace that overwhelms us. It’s essential to have a specific spot annd a specific time to work on because it’s just going to build up.  Take care of business by creating an unprocessed paper spot, where paper is placed each day.  Create a command center to triage your paper and spend 5 minutes a day doing your triage.  Set aside adminstrative time to work on those paper work details that need attention.

 

Taking care of multiple projects

There’s always many different hats we wear and many simultaneous projects occuring.  It’s keeping all the plates spinning that keep our lives and businesses thriving.  There’s several steps to be sure everything moves forward.  Start by alloting time on your calendar, whether it’s a day of the week or a time each day.   Theme days, as MIke Vardy talks about, gives you the opporunity to work solely on a certain project or part.  Giving yourself a specific time to work on a project gives you freedom to focus on it creatively and as a whole without distractions.

 

Taking automation and delegation to the next level

We can’t do it all and neither should we. You may have already automated your bill pay.  Can you automate purchasing with a click or add a new member of your team?  When we add automation and delegation, we add hours to our day, add new ideas and also spend time on what is most important.

 

Take time for the future

Whether you call it foresight or planning ahead, taking time to see where your business and industry are headed creates longevity for your work and at home.  There are many transitions  for businesses.  Change is every present.  Taking time for strategic planning keeps your business and your life moving forward.

 

Taking care of business also means taking care of you.  Self care is an essential for you and your business.  With exercise, vacation, sleep and nutrition, your taking care of your bigggest asset for your business, yourself!

 

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Why I never miss a NAPO Conference

NAPO conference

 

Social media has made it a little too easy to think we are connected. We connect on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram daily.  However, there’s nothing like meeting in real life. Online, there are so many options and places to learn.  In an virtual world, it’s less expensive to learn too.  There’s two big reasons to attend our national association NAPO conference.

 

Return on Investment with Networking

If you are cautious about money, it’s always a wise investment to network in person. Face to face, we are our most genuine and authentic. There’s no hiding our connection to other with in person networking.  When you attend a conference, you are expanding your connections to potential clients. Networking is when you share your authentic self by sharing what you do, who you are and your brand.  Each time I attend a NAPO conference, I have made more connections than I as an introvert could imagine. There’s connections in sessions, at meals, in the hallway, in the elevator and on the dance floor.  You are immersed in networking.

  • Imagine meeting a colleague who gives you a five digit client later that year
  • Imagine mentoring a new colleague who just started her business
  • Imagine dancing with 400 of your colleagues.
  • Imagine leading a session of your peers to focus on their goals and create a plan to make their goals happen
  • Imagine attending a leadership session where you collaborate on the future of your industry

In each of these ways, I made a lasting connection that I can share or recieve business.

 

Learning from the best

Attending an in-person conference gives you opportunities that are not available online.  Presentations specifically developed by my peers gives me an edge. They are the experts in our field and they craft their presentations to our specific industry.  As a visual learner, being in a classroom setting offers me the opportunity to immerse myself in the topic.  I see the presentation and process it by sharing ideas with my colleagues also attending. When I attend an in person conference, I love that I have no other distractions in my space and I can fully immerse myself in learning.  It’s a gift to have no distractions and to give full attention to learning.

As an 18 year veteran, I have much to learn! I love new perspectives, new technology, new concepts and new skills.  Classes include working on my business and working with clients. I also confirm and consolidate existing skills in these sessions.

  • How to set goals for business and self
  • How to help my clients set goals and achieve goals
  • New skills, tips and tech for clients
  • How to be proactive for my business and my clients’ businesses
  • How to be a leader

I am proud to be a prolific learner and share all that I learn with my clients.

 

Yes, attending an in person conference takes time away from your family and business. It’s an investment in yourself, your work and your learning to take the leap to attend an annual conference. Take the leap each year and attend our NAPO National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals Conference.

What Mom REALLY wants for Mother’s Day

Mother's Day

 

Mother’s Day is the second Sunday in May. Families celebrate this special day in all different ways.  Before you purchase an extravagant and expensive gift, think about your Mom and what she loves!

 

According to the 5 Love Languages, your mom could be one who loves the sort of gifts related to acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, recieving gifts or physical touch, or a combination of these.

  • Acts of service is doing something for mom, such as vacuuming the living room.
  • Mom may love quality time together such as taking a walk or spending time together. Many Moms want all their chicks together on this day.
  • Words of affirmation are telling mom how amazing she is at a specific task or project.  Moms love to hear that you appreciate a special or every day talent.
  • Mom may like a small gift from you.  It can be homemade with love.
  • A hug may be just what mom wants if she loves physical touch.
  • Any one of these can be shared in a way that keeps clutter minimized.  Which is why a gift may not be what Mom wants.

 

One day is not enough to celebrate Mom!  Once you know her love language, use and apply this throughout the year.  Moms work hard all year long and being appreciated is what is a great gift too!

 

 

 

 

My Organizing Obsession: Totes

organizing obsession totes

 

I think we all have a bit of an organizing obsession with totes. I see many of them, perhaps a bit too many, in my clients homes. When used well, totes are an amazing organizing tool.

 

Tote requirements

All totes must have multiple pockets.  The pockets are slots for the different items I carry in each.  There is a zipper pocket for items too just so nothing falls out! I categorize items, group them together and assign a pocket for that category.  Like I say about purses, I can tell how organized you are by your tote.

 

Travel tote

A travel tote is a necessity! Mine is black, with gray interior pockets for technology and my planner.  I keep basics, such as gum, travel mouse and an extra set of cords to charge all my devices.  It fits under my airplane seat so I can reach it during travel to work.  (I have found that working on an airplane is highly productive!) Travel and Leisure has many attractive, functional totes.

 

Work tote

Traveling between home and office often requires a tote. Keep it simple and travel with as little as you can.  If you are bringing paper back and forth, and never working on it, eliminate that paper.  Remember the essentials like your work badge, keys, and makeup basics.  In Style has polished work horses!

 

Off work totes

It might be your bible study, CEU class, or other materials.  You need a tote for the different activities and classes to carry your materials.  With a single tote devoted to an assignment, you never lose track of materials. Rather than a shopping bag, a tote is a fun way to keep items together.

 

Kiddo totes

Your kids need totes too!  During school it’s a back pack. This should have 3 pockets as well, one for each of notebooks, books and school supplies. For each of their activities, there should be one tote per activity.

 

What, when and where of tote management

Totes are stored in the landing strip, by your home entry.  The same space is used for your kiddo totes too.  Your travel tote is stored with your luggage.

 

Keep your totes up to snuff with weekly maintenance.  Store receipts, dump trash and replenish items at the end of each week. Do the same with your kiddos and their totes too.

 

Be sure you are keeping just enough of the totes you love.  If you find you are overloaded, this is a great area to eliminate what you are not using.

 

More of my organizing obsessions here!