Unlocking the Power of Keystone Habits

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keystone habits

 

Each of us has daily habits we rely on. That could be making our bed every day, drinking 8 glasses of water, or even falling asleep with the TV on or hitting snooze too many times. Certain habits have a bigger impact and have a ripple effect that influences many areas of life. These powerful habits are called keystone habits, and they act as the foundation for organizing, productivity, and overall well-being.

What Are Keystone Habits?

Keystone habits are routines or behaviors that trigger positive changes in multiple areas of your life. Just like dominoes, the natural impact of one habit hits another habit. When you establish one, it naturally encourages other good habits to fall into place. Keystone habits create a structure for your life, which helps you make better choices without overthinking them. Habits fall more naturally into place. Keystone habits set off a chain reaction of positive change. Try thinking about one of these six powerful keystone habits this week.

 

Quality Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest is a keystone habit that impacts every part of your life. Restful sleep leads to better brain function, better decision-making, and increase energy. That energy helps you perform better throughout the day and stay with all your other good habits.  Start this keystone habit by preparing for bed extra early. Get ready well ahead of your planned bedtime and set aside all devices for an hour.

 

Regular Exercise

Exercise is a game-changer when it comes to keystone habits. Exercise boosts your mood, increases energy levels, improves focus, and enhances self-discipline. Get started with a daily walk, try online yoga, park farther away, or take the stairs. Use your smartwatch to help you remember your new keystone habit.

 

Daily Planning

The simple habit of writing things down can lead to significant benefits. Writing stuff down can be done either by using a planner or journaling every day. Using a planner helps you stay organized, reduces anxiety, and improves time management. Journaling is a type of self-care that encourages self-reflection, gratitude, and mindfulness. Both habits create structure and clarity in your day. Start small by choosing a simple planner or journal that is both pretty and functional. Place it in a spot where it will be used daily. Choose writing implements that feel good in your hand. Choose a time of day that works with capturing your ideas and thoughts.

 

Meal planning

The way you eat and what you eat affects everything, from your energy levels to your mood and productivity. Mindful impacts awareness and intentionality in every part of your day. Especially important is including protein in your meal plan. Get started in a small way by making a list of foods that will be easy to prepare and what you love to eat. Start meal planning slowly by purchasing healthy boxed meals that are quick to prepare. Choose fruits and veggies that are pre-cut in the grocery store as snacks to carry with you. Partner with your family in meal planning and preparation.

 

Connection

Strong relationships reduce stress, increase happiness, and improve resilience. Prioritizing quality time with loved ones fosters a sense of belonging and emotional security. A quick text can make a big difference. Social support makes it easier to maintain routines such as exercising and healthy eating. Make this a keystone habit by setting time for family dinner, joining a pilates or yoga class, or sending a handwritten card.

 

Daily learning

Making daily learning a keystone habit helps us expand our knowledge and creativity. Perhaps you have gotten bored with all the routines. By encouraging curiosity and problem-solving, you are boosting your clarity and cognitive abilities. Daily learning can start with reading a new blog, listening to a podcast, or writing in your journal.

You don’t have to start every keystone habit or overhaul all you do. Start with just one habit and see how it leads to other positive changes. When you focus on building strong foundational routines, everything else begins to fall into place effortlessly. Which keystone habit will you start with today? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about your journey to a more productive and fulfilling life!

 

 

7 Ways to Declutter Your Stuff and Your Life

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7 ways to declutter your stuff and life

 

If all the fa la la la la ended up with add to cart, January is the antidote to over consumption. Freshening up your space and clearing out are what everyone feels as the new year begins. Check out these 7 ways to declutter your stuff and life.

 

Always start small

Make it easy to start with a small start. That means setting a timer for 15 minutes and filling a donation bag. Go room to room to find easy to donate items that have been ready to go for a while. Or start in a small space like your make up drawer or top dresser drawer to sort, categorize and let go of what you have stuffed in there when you needed to clear a counter.

 

Go for the low hanging fruit

You have moved stuff all year long that has no place in your home. It is time for it to go out into the universe. Fill a bag with those things that has frustrated you all year long. Instantly you will feel the difference.

 

Go KonMari

Likely you did not know how many (fill in the blank) you had because these were all over. Marie Kondo suggests gathering all the items together and then organizing. Categorize items that have been spread out, evaluate how many you need and let go of your over abundance.

 

Host a paper purge

Maybe your paper and mail have been stuffed away for a while. Grab it and head to a big table to sort and purge. Create recycle, shred, and keep piles. Paper sorting may be your most hated activity so put on a happy playlist to keep you moving.

 

Overview your over-commitment

The holidays may have been a little too busy. Maybe you are overwhelmed by looking at your January calendar and all your over-commitment. January is a great time to winnow down and prioritize your time. Look over your volunteering and other commitments and determine which are meaningful and purposeful for you. Having less on your calendar and more white space gives you opportunity to think.

 

Join a challenge

Join an online decluttering challenge for connecting and accountability. Each day you are assigned an area to work on. There is lots of fun connecting to others who are also decluttering and lots of accountability to act on your intentions.

 

Systemize it

Make your decluttering last all year with a system to declutter. Whether that is a chart for each space in your home, an appointment with a certified professional organizer or coach, or a game with rewards, you are making your decluttering a part of your daily life with a system that reinforces letting go.

 

Check in each week for a new perspective on decluttering this January. Next up! Thinking about downsizing and how to be ready when the time comes!

 

 

Holiday Planning Notebook

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holiday planning notebook.

 

Have you had scraps and notes everywhere for your holiday planning? Have you wanted to keep your holiday plans organized from year to year? Is being more organized this year one of your goals for the holiday season? Make your holidays more organized with a holiday notebook. It is a simple, easy-to-create notebook for you to use throughout the holiday season.

 

My gift to you this season is this free workbook for you to customize for your holiday planning. There are pages for your calendar, baking, meal planning, gift purchasing, and addressing cards. You can print this (click here holiday planning notebook printable letter size 2023) and place it in a 3-ring binder or save it digitally, turn the PDF into a Word document, and use it in Google Drive or word docs. 

 

 

 

Another option is for you to create your own with a 3 ring binder, paper, and slash pockets. 

·                     Collate your holiday notebook by deciding what categories are most important to you.  

·                     Choose a notebook with holiday theme colors

·                     Add tabbed slash pockets or dividers with labels for

holiday calendar with dates for activities

holiday recipes

holiday card lists with completed addresses

gift lists (including online purchases)

decorating ideas (with pictures of each room fully decorated.)

annual family traditions (websites for holiday entertainment)

·                     Include a pocket folder to hold the receipts

·                     Add a password list for access to all your favorite online stores.

·                     Keep in an easy-to-access spot for your use throughout the season!

 

Enjoy the holiday season even more with your organized holiday notebook. A holiday notebook is a way to consolidate all your ideas, lists and more for the holidays! 

 

 

Organizing Your Money and Finances: Money Management

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financial organizing

 

The times we live in are rough financially.  One of our biggest worries is money.  We are more aware of the personal power of using our resources wisely. Those resources start with your finances and your time. Financial organizing is as important as organizing your home.  It starts with setting intentions, establishing priorities, and creating goals for your funds. You want to know where you spend money and how much you spend.  All of this happens with money management and financial organizing. Try one of these five tips to get started organizing your finances.

 

Creating a money mindset

Perhaps as an adult with ADHD, disconnected utilities, insufficient funds, late payments, and unpaid bills even with enough money in the bank may be constant struggles for you. Fear and overwhelm might create a roadblock in working on or organizing your finances. Getting organized is the first step to realizing your financial goals. These goals can be attained by a working knowledge of your finances. You can set short and long-term goals by writing these down and analyzing how to achieve these.  Set aside time each week to be aware and learn about your finances. Be specific about your goals and use these as your “why” to get organized. Share your responsibilities with a partner to work as a team.  A money mindset gives you a sense of accomplishment and command over your fears.

 

The Power of One

Keep a list of all your accounts. That includes bank accounts, credit cards, lines of credit, and credit unions. Many of us are unaware of just how many places have our money. From this list you can pare down to single accounts to work with and use.

As in all organizing, you want to be able to find what you have! Having just one checking account is the way to know how and where you are spending it! Having one credit card not only simplifies paying the bill during the month, it also makes you most aware of where your money is going. If you are a small business owner, you should also have one credit card and one checking account for your company. Simplifying our connection to money can make all the difference. There is a lot less paper coming in as a result too!

 

Capture the details


Writing down how and where you spend money is an enlightening experience! Just like those food logs that scare us into a lifestyle change, we can do the same for money. Keep a log of EACH item you purchase in a month. Not only will you realistically know what things cost to create a realistic budget, you will also know just how many times you are using money for “wants” rather than “needs”.

 

Ledgers can make a difference for us in keeping track of and being accountable for our funds. Use your check register all the time to record checks and debit card transactions as these occur. For bill paying, keep a ledger to record your payments to utilities, credit cards, and other monthly expenses. This way you see what each bill is each month, compare the expenses of the bill each month, and be sure you paid it each month. Seeing it on paper makes money not only a currency traded but also an effective way to track your financial goals. You can also use Quicken and budgeting apps to record the payments to see annually what your expenses are and to help balance your checking account each month.

 

Apps like Quicken, You Need A Budget (YNAB), and Simplifi help you automate the process of gathering information. Track your spending by assigning categories and tags to transactions, and then generate reports to show where your money is going. This can help you identify areas where you might be overspending, and prioritize your spending to cut back on unnecessary expenses. It can also help you stay on track with your budget and financial goals. Set up the system and then set a monthly time to review the reports. 

 

Automate your money management to accomplish your goals


Good routines reinforce your plan. You hear it all the time: “Pay yourself first!” Set up an automatic payment from you to your savings account. It is the most painless way to get ahead on your savings. Having trouble paying your bills on time? Set up automated payments to get this done timely. You can use auto debit from your bank account or a credit card. You will still need to keep up to date on what is being paid and to whom, but the process can make a difference in getting the job done. Finish bill paying by filing all receipts into an easy access file or notebook. Automation can give you visual tools to help you see your finances.  Charts for bill paying, categorized payments, debt tracking and financial goals help you see where your money is going and where you can change your behaviors.

 

Routines reinforce your priorities

Even with automation, you need solid routines to be sure you stay on track. A monthly money meeting with yourself and your partner insures your bills are being paid and you further strategize on how you are spending money. Set this date and make it fun by meeting at a coffee house, having a special treat, and keeping the meeting short.  At that meeting review your bills and see what goals you are accomplishing. Set goals for the next quarter and the year. These meetings give you knowledge and opportunity to drive your success.

 

Get started where you have the most questions about your money. Wondering where you spend your money all month? You can start with an expense tracker app like Mint.com to automate and then review your spending. Want to be able to pay your bills on time online? Set up your bank account app for automatic bill pay. Looking ahead to save more? Automate your savings plan.  If you are struggling in this area, meet with a money manager or certified financial planner to help as your guide. Once you start, you will feel comfortable spending more time on your finances.

Are you ready to make a (small or big) change?

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are you ready to make a change?

 

Recognizing the signs signaling the need for change in our lives is often the easy part.  It is the decision to move forward that requires commitment. Whether it’s a change in diet, healthier habits, changing a relationship, or organizing your space, taking the next steps for change requires commitment and tenacity. Others are quick to offer multiple ideas and lots of advice on how to make a change. We often feel like “it only was that easy.” What does it mean when you are ready for change?  How do you know you are ready for change?

How do you know you are NOT ready for change?

Recognizing when you’re not ready for change is just as important as acknowledging when you are. Here are some signs that may indicate you’re not quite ready.

  • You are not ready to change when others are coercing you.  You are being pushed in a direction to make change.  You’re using the word “should” or “ought to” to describe the change.
  • You have a sense of fear or dread about the change you are thinking of making. There may be underlying issues that need resolution first.
  • You know in your mind that change is good, but you are procrastinating on getting started.  The procrastination is lengthy.
  • You don’t have a great reason why to change. Your lack of “why” keeps you from having the determination you need.
  • You may be unclear about the steps to make that change. With a lack of clarity, you are unsure of
  • You are already at full capacity with your work, home, and life. There is no bandwidth, time or energy to do the work needed.

It is important to listen to these signs for readiness.

You are ready for change when…

Readiness for change is a deeply personal process that involves reflection and self-awareness. Trusting your instincts, listening to your inner voice, and recognizing the signs that indicate readiness can help you navigate change with confidence and clarity.

  • You feel that you are stuck in a rut. You feel dissatisfied with something in your life, your work or your relationships.
  • There is a strong desire for personal or professional growth and you feel motivated to learn new skills, take on new challenges, or pursue opportunities for self-improvement.
  • You have deeper self-awareness and understanding of yourself. You are ready to take steps to make change happen because you have identified areas of your life that do not align with your goals.
  • More than just acknowledging that life is not going smoothly, you are sick and tired of being sick and tired.  You remember the definition of insanity, “doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome,”  and know what that means.  Despite how difficult it might be, you are ready to do something different.
  • There are feelings of excitement, anticipation, and enthusiasm for the prospect of change and new opportunities. These positive emotions are a driving force for motivation.
  • You are researching how to get help to make the change and hone in on who can help.  It may take time to know who is the best to help and you are ready to talk to that person, start that program, or attend a group meeting.
  • You are energized to create something or be something new. You have time, energy and focus to break out of what’s holding you back and start on a new path.
  • You have a compelling reason to create a new habit.

 

How do I know when I am ready for change?

I wanted to share how I know I am ready to make a change myself.  I think about a compelling reason for the change that is deeply related to a core value.  Some of my biggest changes have come from what I think are outstanding reasons to make a change.  From there I break that into a baby step of baby steps. Those are baby steps that I can do each day. I am ready for change because I find a small way to get started on a big thing.

 

 

when you have the why you can create the how

 

The path to change is not easy. It can be moved forward with inspiration and tenacity.  I am here to help you in person or virtually to accomplish the changes you want to make.

 

In Honor of Get Organized Month 2024

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January is Get Organized (GO) month! This annual celebration of all things organizing connects with goals and New Year’s resolutions for the coming year. Getting organized is always one of the top 3 New Year’s resolutions.

 

This year take a non-traditional route to getting organized. Throughout the month, each blog post will share not-so-typical strategies to declutter, create routines, and schedule time for what is important to you. Here are some ways to find success in your organizing at home and work.

 

Making change happen

Having an awareness that things are not working is the first step in making change happen. However, it takes commitment and accountability to move forward. Finding your “why” helps you commit to new habits and routines. Sharing your “why” and finding partners along the way help you be accountable for the new habits.

 

Working from  your strengths

Too often we learn about organizing strategies that will not work for you. Learn more about your learning modalities and work from these strengths to help you create systems that will work for you.

 

Think systems

Creating systems is one of the best ways to be organized, save time, and maximize productivity. A system is a method or process that you create to carry out repeated actions in a consistent way. Even better, systems can be automated and streamlined to maximize efficiency. A system is the best way to save your sanity.

 

Add strong self-care as support

Energy and ideas work together to create change. The more energy you have, the easier it is to modify your lifestyle. That energy comes from self-care like a good night’s rest, hydration, exercise, and time in the sunlight.

 

Enjoy this month’s blog posts as you enter a fresh new year!

Baby Steps for Decluttering

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We are all always on a decluttering journey. Sometimes we feel we are ahead of the curve however mainly we sense we are not. Likely you do not have time or energy for full on decluttering. Choose one or more of these baby steps for decluttering to keep your space organized.

 

Set a timer

In as few as 15 minutes, you can make a difference with decluttering.

  • Walk around your home with a trash bag and remove all the trash.
  • Review papers that have built up around your house, then shred or recycle.
  • Do a reset. Put away laundry and place items back in their homes.

Find a small spot

Start small and build momentum.

  • Declutter one drawer at a time. Toss, donate and categorize your small space.
  • Use a shopping bag to let go right away of what is unused or less loved. Drop that bag off each week.
  • Practice the “one in, two out rule” as new items come into your space.
  • Starting small or starting in a small space helps you prioritize what to keep.  If you have a small space, you must prioritize what is essential which justifies keeping it. Use that as a guide for all the spaces in your home.

Say no to one activity, event or commitment

Your time and calendar are cluttered too.

  • Add self-care to your calendar with exercise, doctor’s appointments and time with friends.
  • Know how much time to allocate to tasks, projects and transitions. Use white space between time blocks to give yourself wiggle room.
  • Add in preparation time, dedicated to being sure you are ready for fun.

Enlist your team

There is power in numbers. Add more team members to declutter.

  • Choose an organizing playlist and include your family in decluttering.
  • Call a local charity to pick up your donations.
  • Hire a certified professional organizer or coach to speed up the process.

Empower your editing

Your mindset empowers your decluttering.

  • Establish a mantra for living with less. Gretchen Rubin’s mantra is outer order inspires inner calm. Write out your mantra to keep you on track with editing.
  • Follow a rule for living. Peter Shankman’s rules include only black clothes in his closet to keep his attire simple. Create simple, effective rules for your living space.

Stay away from swiping

Clutter comes in quickly from online purchases.

  • Pause before purchasing. Give yourself 24 hours before purchasing items online.
  • Remember the adage, when something seems too good to be true, it generally is.
  • Make returns quickly when a purchase is not a good fit. Drop off items at your local USPS, UPS or other location within a week of delivery. You save money this way also.
  • Less coming in means less to declutter later. It is hard to remember to shop your own closet, review your school supplies and find what you need in your home.

 

Using quick and easy decluttering strategies will help you enjoy your space!

Summer Decluttering Checklist

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Summer Decluttering checklist

 

Summer is the time to let go of all that extra clutter that has built up during the school year. The kids are available to be extra helping hands while you bag up and donate items that you no longer need or use in your home. Declutter these items to be ready for summer fun!

 

Your decluttering plan

Start your Summer decluttering by setting goals and deadlines for your work. Establish which areas you will work on, when you will work, and when you want to be finished with decluttering. Having specific assignments with dates helps you stay on track and keep you accountable for editing and letting go. Start small with small spaces to declutter and small amounts of time like 30 minutes. You will keep moving forward without being overwhelmed. A simple system for sorting is to use clear garbage bags to move stuff to your car. Having a drop-off routine keeps your decluttering moving forward.

 

What to declutter

If the item is “good”, it can be donated. Items can be swapped online through neighborhood online groups. Define how many you want of certain items. Find a “home” to store the items for easy access and keep that category together in one spot.

Kids:

  • Swim toys, suits, and goggles
  • Kids outgrown clothes
  • Books for younger kids
  • Outgrown toys

Home:

  • Food from the pantry
  • Old magazines and school books
  • Patio, lawn, and garden equipment
  • Plants
  • Nightstands
  • Technology and extra cords

Personal:

  • Personal care and makeup, including sunscreen and bug spray
  • Hair accessories
  • Sunglasses
  • Summer hats and baseball caps
  • Swimwear and cover-ups
  • Travel gear and travel toiletries

 

Decluttering the hard stuff

Paper is the hardest stuff to declutter. Do your paper work when you are high energy!

  • Backpacks and school work that come home at the end of the school year.
    • Review your kids’ schoolwork and art projects together.
    • Together keep the best work and create a photo art book or add this to an archival bin for the year.
  • Mail and incoming papers
    • Recycle or shred advertisements
    • Set aside payments and action items

 

Getting started is the hardest part of decluttering. Put on an energizing playlist, grab bags for donation and get going.

 

To help you avoid the pitfalls of organizing, check out my ideas and those of my colleagues here.

 

How to Acknowledge and Strengthen Executive Function Skills

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how to acknowledge and build executive function skills

 

Executive function skills are skills controlled by the brain that include planning, focus, goal setting, and emotional regulation. Those with skill challenges in this area find it hard to focus, follow directions, and handle emotions. There are many reasons that people have trouble with executive function including ADHD, brain injury, learning differences, and more. By acknowledging gaps, you can build skills, capabilities, and confidence. Ultimately building these skills leads to greater productivity.

 

Awareness of skill gaps

You might be having trouble with these daily life situations if you have executive function challenges. Specifically, executive function challenges are self-awareness, inhibition, non-verbal working memory, verbal working memory, emotional regulation, motivation, and planning.

  • Difficulty initiating or completing tasks or projects
  • Talking over someone during a conversation
  • Trouble focusing due to lots of internal dialogue or external distractions
  • Upset by conversations with friends or colleagues
  • Lose items frequently
  • Excessive clutter in your space
  • Too disorganized to be productive

If you have challenges with executive function skills this is not a reflection of intelligence. Intelligence shows a depth of understanding of concepts. Executive Function is the capability of productivity and showing output in an academic or work setting.

However, the lack of these skills can frustrate you, and those you live and work with. These skills can have a long-term impact on self-concept and confidence. Check out these strategies to begin addressing these challenges and build competence as a skill.

 

Self-awareness

Self-awareness is knowing your place in relation to others in a relationship. This could be in relation to your family, your work colleague, or in a social setting. Start by “reading the room.” Take a moment to regroup before you start a conversation. Be curious in discussions.

 

Inhibition

Inhibition or the lack of restraint impacts how quickly and in what context you respond to a situation. Start a yoga or meditation practice to build the ability to pause and reflect.

 

Non-Verbal Working Memory

Non-verbal working memory relates to visual imagery and your memory of visual images.  Use alarms, paper and pencil, charts, and diagrams to capture and retain this information. Use alarms as reminders.

 

Verbal Working Memory

Verbal working memory is your internal dialogue of how you remember a single or sequence of tasks. Break up information into small chunks or use visual cues like a checklist to offset this.

 

Emotional Self-Regulation

Emotional self-regulation is the ability to maintain a balance emotional state. Identify triggers that set off imbalances in your emotional state. Name the emotion you are feeling to identify what you are feeling and why. Look for positive emotions that help you balance out the negativity.

 

Self-motivation

Self-motivation is how well you can initiate and complete a task. Set dates and deadlines for tasks. Break tasks into the smallest chunk to get started. Reward yourself for small wins. Create a “warm up” getting started strategy that works for you. Consider obstacles to sustained attention and remove distractions as much as possible.

 

Planning and Problem-Solving

Planning, problem-solving, and decision-making all add up to organization. Project plan in writing, then write each step on a calendar. Use creative, realistic problem-solving to move a project forward. Set up clear, step-by-step directions to take the next step.

 

Be aware of which Executive Function challenges impact you the most and take a baby step forward in strengthening that skill. Your productivity can improve by addressing these executive function skills.

In Celebration of Get Organized Month, Make it Easy to Get Organized

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make it easy to get organized

 

January is National Get Organized Month. New year resolutions always include getting organized. You may think, “I would love to organize my home or office, however, organizing can be overwhelming and take a lot of time.” How do you make it easy and straightforward?  Check out these tips to help you get a jump start on getting organized this year.

 

Trash or recycle it

The easiest way to get started is to hunt for trash and recycle. Walk your space with a trash and recycling bag. It is easy to know what to let go of. Already you are seeing a big difference in your space.

 

Right size it

Contrary to Marie Kondo, start small not pulling everything out. Pick one small area, category, or zone. Starting small keeps you from being overwhelmed. Start with only shirts, or plastic ware or your junk drawer. When you see one category of stuff grouped together and compare what you have, it is easier to let go of stuff. Once you have conquered a small spot, you have confidence in your organizing.

 

Time it

Set a timer to get started and create momentum. Just 15 minutes in one spot makes a big difference. Get started in your bedroom or bathroom, recycling, editing, and resetting your stuff.

 

Bag it

Having a designated spot to place stuff as you declutter makes it easy to let stuff go. Have a shopping bag ready in your closet to drop in clothes, shoes, and bags as you decide to declutter. Set a space in your guest room or garage for items ready to donate.

 

Make a game of it

Pull in your family to do a team effort on organizing. Set a timer and “beat the clock” by gathering items to donate. Host a laundry party where everyone folds and puts away their stuff.  Play the matching game with socks. Making a game of organizing is fun and effortless.

 

Calendar it

Want to add a big chunk of organizing to your schedule? Add decluttering dates to your calendar to set up an appointment with yourself to organize.

 

Reset it

A family reset is a time each week to get stuff back to where it goes. Gather your family, set a timer for 15 minutes, and go! Once stuff is back at its home, you feel organized, and your space looks tidy.

 

 

Start the new year with practical, efficient, and simple strategies to reach your organizing goal.