Organizing Tools: Your Calendar/Planner

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There is nothing more important for organizing our time than a great calendar/planner.   You can use this tool to incorporate planning as well.  The strategy of not only recording dates can be the key to making your life more organized and less stressful. 

  • Choose a calendar/planner that works for you.  It’s a calendar/planner that makes it easy to record dates at any time.  It also helps you view time the way you think about time, at a month at a time, throughout  a week, or just in a long string.   Your calendar can be as simple as a yellow pad, very exact like Franklin Covey planners, or with technology on your smart phone.
  • Create a habit of recording dates as soon as possible.  There are always lots of dates swirling n your head for you and your family. By entering these on your calendar/planner  asap, you won’t have to remember them, there will be fewer conflicts of dates and activities, and you will start to grasp a greater sense of due dates and upcoming events. 
  • Refer to your calendar/planner diligently. How often? At least in the morning and evening, but also throughout the day to keep you on track with appointments and projects.
  • Use your calendar as planner for big and little tasks. Breaking down big projects with your own time line, creating accountability dates to complete a project, and adding in baby steps makes your planner a strategy to get things done.
  • Post a family calendar for your kids and partner to add dates.  Keeping everyone in the loop and keeping everyone communicating keeps your family organized. 
  • Have a weekly review to get ahead of the game. Once a week, make a date with your calendar to look ahead, see what is coming, prioritize and get in gear.

 Using a calendar/planner eliminates the mental clutter of remembering dates and times and helps you focus on completion of a project.  The more you use your calendar/planner, the more indispensible it will be!

Image courtesy of The Container Store www.containerstore.com

Your word for 2013

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Each year I ask my clients to think about the one word that is the word for the year. It is the word that defines the year for them.  It is a word to use when times are tough and things are rough. It is the word to celebrate their goals for the new year. 

In the last 2 years I have initiated this, I have had different words.  In 2011 it was blessings. In 2012 it was thrive.  For 2013 is FABULOUS!

This year I am looking forward to all the fabulous connections, blessings and more that life will bring.  What is fabulous? Over the top, amazing and magical.  I am looking forward to this word driving what I do with my business and my life. 

What is your one for the year? The word that will describe  your goals and more for 2013?

Setting Your Goals One Step at a Time

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Is making changes in your home or office are at the top of your list for the new year you are on target.  Getting organized is one of the top three new year’s resolutions every year.  Like any change, taking small steps get you to where you want to go. 

Be sure to set positive, specific, measurable, date driven steps to accomplish your goals.  Write it down, exactly how you will go about the change and the deadline you have.  A measureable goal helps you see what you have accomplished and making yourself accountable to a date makes your success assured. 

Here are some ideas to help your organizing and productivity this year.

If your goal is to declutter your home and get organized

  • I will declutter one junk drawer in the kitchen or other small space in my home in 2 weeks.
  • I will keep 10 pairs of pants and eliminate the rest by next Sunday.
  • I will spend 10 minutes every day going through my mail and eliminating paper.
  • My family will have a nightly 10 minute pick up time to get toys and clothes back to their homes.

If your goal is to work smarter and be more productive

  • I will add one hour first thing in the morning to work toward a project that is of primary importance.
  • I will add 10 contacts to my data base this week to grow my business.
  • I will have a 5 minute meeting daily with my assistant to set my plan in motion for the day.
  • I will spend 15 minutes at the end of the day writing my list for tomorrow, putting paper back into folders, and filing emails to get ready for the next day. 

If your goal is to be more organized about money, save money and improve finances

  • I will save $10 a week by automatically withdrawing to a savings account.
  • I will write down every expense for one month by category to determine where I can spend less. 
  • I schedule one hour every week for administrative time to pay bills and work with paper.

 If your goal is to improve your health

  • I will walk 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
  • I will drink 2 glasses of water each morning before I leave the house and 1 glass with each meal during the day.
  • I will be in bed by 10:30 every other evening.

Whatever your goal, whatever your steps, remember to establish these firmly in a spot during the day.  I like to do my baby steps first thing, early in the day, or otherwise the day gets away from me. If you miss a day, just get right back to it the next day.  We can’t do every goal and be successful.  Aim for one big area this year and see what you accomplish.  Tackle your goals in small bites and see the difference for yourself!

Organize Your Life Webinar Series

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Save your sanity and get organized in 2013!

Is getting organized one of your New Year’s resolutions? Then Join me this January for 10 amazing webinars from a dream team of presenters for Get Organized month. These classes will help you focus, plan, and organize your time, space, and information.
http://theprofessionalorganizer.com/events/organize-your-life-webinar-series/ …. get a special facebook discount with code “fbdeal” for 10% off all classes.

Webinar classes include how to organize your time, your paper, your kids, your students, your technology, hoarding and more!

  • Classes offered share specific tools and techniques to impact your daily life. 
  • Nationally known professional organizers and productivity coaches available to you in your home by webinar.
  • Affordable solutions to learn about organizing and take that next step in your home or office. 

 Classes begin January 3 and run all through Get Organized Month 2013.  Take a step to make 2013  your most organized year yet!

10 Tips for Time Management at Work

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So much to do and so little time to do it all! It is no wonder we feel drained, unproductive and overwhelmed at work.  Follow these 10 tips to make a difference in your efficiency and effectiveness at work. 

  • Choose a planner that works for you. It can be as simple as a spiral notebook or a Google calendar.  Having one place to consolidate dates makes it easy to keep up with activities, projects and tasks.
  • Use lists. Consolidate your list in one spot.  Making the list is the first step, prioritizing your activities is the next step.
  • Set your day’s priorities the night before.  When you come in to work and you know your focus, you get started right away.
  • Choose 3 Most Important Tasks and get these done early in the day.  Every day is filled with distractions and interruptions.  Getting the most important tasks done early helps you feel productive!
  • Establish times to work hard.  Have a power period in the morning and the afternoon.  These are times where you just work on one project. Turn off all distractions, including your cell phone, email, and post a note on the door for your colleagues, to keep this time sacred.
  • Keep your action items in a desktop sorter in files.  Finding papers you need to work on saves time and energy.
  • Delegate lower level tasks to an assistant.  Know what is worth your time and what is less important. Set up a process for your assistant to check back in with a time line and specific deliverables.
  • Take a break during the day to eat, walk a little and get refreshed.  You will work better with brain food. You may think you have too much to do, but a break will help you be more efficient.
  • Set specific times for email.  Do an email triage, with a quick scan and filing, and then consolidate projects and tasks on your list to work on during your power period.
  • Set a time to end your day.  It’s important to get out of your office and connect with others too. 

What are your tips for time management at work?

10 Tips for Student Time Management

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Our students have a lot on their plates! There is homework, sports, homecoming, church and more! Time management is an important skill for them to develop early on to be sure they feel successful academically and personally. Follow these tips to help you do your best!

  • Write in your assignments in your planner in each class. Check your teachers’ websites to be sure you have all your assignments too.
  • Check your planner each afternoon, write in what you missed.
  • Review your out of school activities and write these in your planner.
  • Keep your papers in your homework folder that need action, keep your papers in your binder that are reference
  • Prioritize and plan the week out. What is most important to do on what day? Anticipate the next test.
  • Plan your week by working around existing activities. Wednesdays are especially busy!
  • Break big projects into baby steps. For example, flashcards written, study for short periods, review with someone.
  • Get started and work hard during homework time, from 6 – 9 pm. Take breaks when your concentration stops, but get back to work in 5 minutes.
  • Pack your backpack and your homework before bed.
  • Wind down and get in bed by 10 pm. A good night’s rest makes all the difference.

Take Back Your Life Now…by the Sea! “Nourish to Flourish”

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Take Back Your Life Now! … by the Sea!
Nourish to Flourish
Presented by:
Deborah Olson, M.A., LPC, Kingwood Counseling
and Ellen Delap, CPO, Professional-Organizer.com

  • Uncover your core values, needs and personal priorities
  • Learn tools to create an environment to flourish in
  • Discover ways to nurture and nourish your soul
  • Enjoy sessions on interior design, photography, and fashion
  • Relax and rejuvenate at the spa, walking the beach and reflecting
  • Share and bond with engaging and energized women

Register Now:
Event: Take Back Your Life … By the Sea
Date: January 25-27, 2013
Location: San Luis Resort, 5222 Seawall Blvd, Galveston TX » SanLuis Resort, 5222 Seawall Blvd, Galveston TX.
Seminar Cost: $295.00
Includes: all workshop materials as well as breakfast and lunch Saturday, afternoon snacks and breakfast Sunday. Register with Ellen or Debbie.
$275 Early Bird Registration by
November 1, 2012.

Hotel Fees: $139 per night,
single or double occupancy.
Register at www.sanluisresort.com
Register for your room by January 2, 2013

Breaking Through Email Overload

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Email overload is taking over paper overload! The email tsunami and electronic technology can overwhelm and paralyze you.  Use one of these tips to help you make a difference during your computer time.

  • Synchronize all your technology using IMAP. With this system, you can add and delete information on one machine and all machines will be updated.  Not sure what to do, get a great technology person to assist.
  • Be sure all your spam filters are up to date. Nothing is worse than having to delete, delete, delete.
  • Be sure  you are backing up with Carbonite. It is not if but when your computer will crash.
  • Be deliberate about your email, reading and list servs.  Process your email 3 times a day.  Have your reading come to a separate area with an RSS feed.  Stay on only the list servs that make a difference in your work.
  • Have a file folder for processed email. It can be just one folder, just so you can slide completed email in there and out of your inbox.
  • Color code your really important email.  Email from a boss, your most important client, or your family should stand out so that you can find it easily.
  • Remember, the more email you send the more you receive. Pick up the phone when you are ready to finalize a date, a contract, or a meeting. It will save you time and energy.

What are your email and technology organizing tips?

Getting started and Getting done ~ Paper Management

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paper management

 

 

The hardest part of any project may be to get started or get done. This is especially true with your papers!  Choose one of these ten tips to help you make a difference, get going and get finished.

 

  • Put your perfectionism aside. Set a minimum expectation for yourself that can be accomplished by creating a project scope that allows for success. Instead of creating the “perfect” filing system, work with the big picture and use general, larger categories such as home and auto, finance, and personal.  Or just have one box marked 2012.  There is no one perfect way to file, so design what you need.

 

  • Make the project less overwhelming by making a list of the steps and products needed.  This will make the process more manageable. Start by getting the first step going and then the task falls into place. Make a list of the tasks for paper work. The list may include: pay bills, sort papers by alphabetical groups, file papers, eliminate junk for 5 minutes, or purchase extra files.

 

  • Break your work into smaller steps.  Use a timer and work just 15 minutes. Have a quick file group set up in the desk file drawer instead of the file cabinet.  For papers that arrive very frequently or that you use frequently, it is easy to just reach in.

 

  • Set a deadline to start or finalize your project and write it on your calendar.  As busy as we all are, there is never enough time to do all we want to do. Set a date on your calendar that is your administrative day to work on papers.

 

  • Give yourself permission to take all the time you need to work on papers. With a realistic time frame, you will get more accomplished on discarding, sorting and filing.   Assess your schedule and double the time you think it will take to finish.

 

  • Set the mood with music.  Having a soundtrack gets us moving. Choose your favorite background music, whether it is a playlist, country or classical.  Making it more fun makes paperwork easier.

 

  • Partner with someone who has the skills that match your skills. You pay the bills, your husband files the papers. You can delegate filing to your very organized teen too!

 

  • Make it routine.  Set the time aside and work regularly at your admin tasks with weekly admin time. Start with small bits of sorting and filing regularly and once the routine takes hold add on more.

 

  • Start when you are high energy.  Get a good night’s rest, have a small snack and work at your best time. Work at a time that works best for you, morning or evening.

 

  • Re-frame the work. Get a new perspective on why and how to work with your papers. Know what papers you want to keep and why.  Keep only what you need and be brutal about eliminating other papers.  The best resource for this is Oprah.com ABCs of Important Papers.

 

Paper management is much easier! What’s your first tip to try to make your paper work disappear?

 

Back To School: When No One in Your Home is Going Back to School

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Back to school! Its that time of year that makes moms happy and sad; happy to start new routines and sad about the energy and organization it can take to get your family going. Throughout the month of August we are featuring organized moms who will help get you started back to school with the toughest tasks. Here is an post for the families where no one in your home is going back to school. 

For some of us, no one in our households are heading back to school. However, preparing for a new school year has been such a deeply engrained experience in our lives that it’s hard not to find yourself browsing for school supplies.

I use this time of year to regroup after the summer and gather my wits before the holiday season gets into high gear. Why let school kids have all the fun?

Here are a few things I do to prepare for the new school year even though I won’t be sitting in a classroom:

  • New Clothes. With sales on clothes, it’s a good time to pick up summer clothes on sale and preview the fall fashions. I use this time of year to assess what summer clothes are leaving and what items I need for the fall and winter. If I didn’t have my coats and jackets cleaned before the temperatures rose, it’s a good time to get those cleaned before you need them. For me, I will be shopping for new boots. Last year, I wore my kicky black boots until they were literally falling apart, and they’re beyond repair. I’ve already perused a few fall catalogs.
  • School Supplies. We never really outgrow school supplies. Because school supplies are readily available, it’s a good time to restock sticky notes, pens, notepads, and my personal favorite – Sharpie markers.
  • Giving Back. I remember the thrill of having new school supplies, and I also remember the times when we didn’t have new things because money was tight.  The parents of my nieces and nephews always take care of their school supplies, and I don’t need to buy any for them. Instead, I pick out a fun backpack and fill it with school supplies for a back-to-school drive.
  • The Holidays. Yes, I know it’s August, but I do start thinking about the holidays early, especially since my parents are saying they’re coming for Thanksgiving this year. I made a list of house projects I want completed before the parents pull into the driveway. I also make my holiday list and jot down the interests and ideas I have for my nieces and nephews.

 Janice Simon is owner of ClutterPrincess.com. She enjoys writing, organizing, dark chocolate, time with her nieces and nephews, and action movies.