6 Ways to Pause in our Busy World

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6 ways to pause in a busy world

 

I recently spoke to a group of 20 women business owners. I said, “who’s busy?”   Everyone raised their hands.  Not surprising, right?

 

There’s not much time to pause in our busy world.  At work there are tasks, projects and deadlines.  At home we focus on our family.  There’s the rush of thoughts and feelings when something went off kilter. At times we think we should forge ahead and just get on with whatever we are doing.  There’s much to think about and no time to think about it.  A pause could make a difference in your stress level, in your decision making, and in your happiness.  It’s not only moving that creates new starting points. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective, an opening of the mind, an intentional pause and reset, or a new route to start to see new options and new possibilities (Kristin Armstrong). Here’s some ways to pause.

Breathe deeply

Maybe you haven’t thought about breathing and how it affects our brains.  When we take a deep breath and let it out slowly, we are slowing down our body mechanisms and our brain.  Controlled breathing “may be the most potent tool we have to prevent our brains from keeping us in a state of stress, and preventing subsequent damage caused by high stress levels.”  Creating a pause physiologically helps us.

Say a prayer

A client shared with me how she recites the “Serenity Prayer” when she needs a pause. Whether it’s her kids fighting or a decision to make about work,  her prayer gives her a pause and helps her focus on what’s important to you. It may be a few words or something memorized, prayer is centering and mindful.

Drink water or get a snack

It’s difficult to hydrate sufficiently.  Our bodies require more water than we think about regularly.  Pausing to drink water gives us a physical lift too. When we think of the benefit, add a sip of water as a pause.  A protein filled snack can do the same. It’s a break to fuel.

 

Make a connection

Whether it’s a smile, a hug, a text or a phone call, making a connection is a pause.  Connections yield self-confidence, empathy, empowerment and positivity.  Keep connected during a pause with tools like your phone.  A connected person is a happy person.

 

Talk a walk

Getting up and moving around is a physical and mental pause.  Getting outside in the green space does even more to give you a pause.  Taking a walk gives you time to reflect, engage, create new perspectives and go back to work ready.

Take a nap

A nap is the ultimate pause! When you are tired, your brain is stuck and you have no energy to proceed, a nap is the best way to pause.  It’s my favorite way to pause!

 

How can you create an awareness of when to pause? Is there an emotion you recognize with anger or fear? Is it a feeling like a clenched jaw or stomach pain?  Start to recognize when a pause can make what you are doing easier and more in line with your values and needs.

 

why pause

 

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How to use the 80/20 rule at home and work

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80/20 rule

 

Have you heard of the 80/20 rule?  It’s also known as the Pareto principle.  The concept is that  roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. It’s seen as a short cut to being more focused, more organized and more productive. Here’s some statistics that show the 80/20 rule.

  • At home, we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time.
  • At work, 80% of a company’s profits come from 20% of its customers
  • When you volunteer, 20% of the volunteers do 80% of the effort.
  • What’s the benefit you can find in the Pareto Principle?

Pare down 80% of your clothes.

Our closets are jammed and we have nothing to wear.  It’s time to  use the hanger trick where you turn your hangers around of the clothes you wear. It’s a study in what you truly wear.  Once you see this, you are ready to let go of your unworn clothes.

Spend 80% of your time on the most important 20%.

Prioritize the most important projects for work and home. It might seem like everything is equally important, however it’s not possible.  Drill down what’s your most important and schedule work for this at your high energy times.  Scheduling your work both at home and at your job ensures success.

 

File and scan documents using the 80/20.

Have you created files and never went back to these?  Where can you find the information, when you need it, most easily?  Know what to keep and keep what you need.  You might be keeping 80% more than you need so pare down ruthlessly.

 

Rethink 80% of your activities and find the 20% you are committed to

We are busy! We find ourselves in many different groups, joining more than one Bunco group or book club.  We are taking our kids to many activities.  It’s time to rethink 80% of your activities.  You will find that you are less stressed. You will enjoy your activities more because you have fewer.

 

You will find that the 80/20 rule will be one of your most referenced math equations once you see how it applies to your life.

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Fall Fresh Start

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fall fresh start more people organize in the fall than the new year

 

Fall has started and we are ready for a fresh start too.  With the routines of back to school, vacations complete and holidays approaching, we look forward to a fresh start.  It just feels right to get back into routines. According to Scientific American, Fall is a “temporal landmark” or date that sets our fresh start feelings into motion.   More of us get organized in the Fall than the New Year.  Take off with that Fall Fresh Start feeling with these tips for freshening up spaces at home and at work.

 

Fall Fresh Start for your Closet

Still looking in your closet and seeing nothing to wear? It’s time for a Fall Fresh Start.  Take a good look at what has not been worn in the last year and be brutal.  Let go of clothes that you would not wear today. If you would not wear it today, despite the weather, you’re probably not going to wear it at all.   Not sure if you can be brutal alone?  Invite a friend or family member in there with you and get their honest opinion of what to keep.

 

Fall Fresh Start for your Kitchen

You’re back in the lunch cycle and dinners at home need to be easy.  Holidays are coming and that requires more time cooking. Get a Fall Fresh Start in your kitchen by clearing out the pantry. Take items out, check expiration dates and organize this area like a grocery store.  You will see what you have extra items, know what’s ready to go for lunch and dinner, and be ready for holiday preparations.

Fall Fresh Start for Your Papers

Take 15 minutes at a time to review papers at home and at work.  There are papers you have set aside and now are ready to shred or recycle.  Each fall more papers have come in as activities gear  up from our own special interests and our kids’ back to school.  Your Fall Fresh Start for papers includes eliminating paper, making fresh categories, and getting back into good routines for administrative work.

 

At home, set aside an hour to create files, eliminate files and do a little tax preparation.  It’s a good time to really dig deep into your files and be sure you are only keeping what you need. It’s time to actually do some filing!

 

At work, check on not only your files but also your command center. It’s the spot where your projects and resources are easily accessible.  If its become stagnant and filled with completed projects, renovate it with what’s current.

 

Fall Fresh Start for your Desk

If your desk has become cluttered with everything including the kitchen sink, a Fall Fresh Start is what you need to boost your productivity.   Clear the surface of paper and stuff.  Keep out on your desk top only the tools you need and return items to where they belong.  Remember to use a list rather than an item as a reminder. Gather up your sticky notes and place them in a resource notebook rather than posted on your computer screen.

Fall Fresh Start for your Digital Documents

Digital documents can be harder to find than paper documents. Our digital disorder takes time and creates frustration.  A Fall Fresh Start is what’s needed to easily access data and add productivity.  Look at your files and check out what you need.  Add general, broad files to house documents.  Remove or archive documents for completed projects. Move items from your desktop or from emails to your digital files.   It’s a bit tedious but makes finding documents and spreadsheets much easier.

 

How to get started on your Fall Fresh Start?  It’s adding dates for your work to your calendar and working in a team.  Your date is your commitment to work.  Your team will make the work easier and more fun.  I hope  you will share your Fall Fresh Start work here too!

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5 Ways to Write Stuff Down

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write it down productivity

Do you ever find a list from months ago, read it and see how much was accomplished? Even when we are not as intentional as we prefer, by simply writing stuff down we get more done.  In Write It Down, Make It Happen, Henriette Anne Klauser, PhD, explains how simply writing down your goals in life is the first step toward achieving them.

 

So why not make it easy to write stuff down?  Here are 5 ways to write stuff down.

 

write stuff down

Cute spiral notebook

A cute spiral notebook that fits in your purse or work bag is an easy way to write stuff down. You can quickly add to it and use it.  The key is cute because “cute counts” and you will use it more as a result.

 

write stuff down

 

Large size post it note

A super large post it note is a lovely thing! It sticks so you don’t lose it. It’s a visual way to keep up with your tasks.  Many tasks can be listed on this one sticky.

 

 

write stuff down

Clip board

Never lose your list again! Keep a clip board with your list attached. It’s an easy way to find your list. With a nail, your list can be hung on a wall.

 

 

write stuff down

Evernote

Go electronic with your list.  Evernote helps you keep away from scraps of paper you lose. Creating Evernote notebooks keeps your list organized and accessible.

 

 write stuff down

Siri

Maybe you want to dictate your lists instead?  Use the microphone icon on your smart phone to dictate into either Evernote, Note,Wunderlist or any of your favorite list making apps.

 

 

You want to make it easier to write stuff down than you can imagine. Try one of these choices this week and see what happens.

5 Smart Organizing and Productivity Statistics

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organizing statistics

 

 

There’s lots of reasons to decide to get organized.  There’s even more reasons to decide to be productive.  It can be a feeling that you need to be more in control or less stressed. It can be a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.  However, there are smart clutter and organizing statistics that may make more of a compelling reason for you to get started.  Check these out!

  • Getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40% of the housework in an average home? (National Soap and Detergent Association).  Wouldn’t we all like to do less housework?  It’s a compelling reason to declutter and simplify.

 

  • The average employee wastes $5251 a year in time searching for information. (ARMA International)  Being organized at work saves everyone money in your business.  It also saves frustration.  In organizing your paper, you are making it easy to focus on what’s most important.

 

  • 64% of workers feel most productive from 8 am – 12 noon (Wrike Survey.)  Clear out mornings to do your most important work. When we do the first thing first, it’s a big pay off.  Remember to set aside time for your highest priorities early in the day.

 

  • Americans who own smartphones or tablets spend, on average, 2 hours and 38 minutes “glued” to their mobile devices (Flurry Analytics.)  You may not have realized how much time you are spending with your devices. Set your technology aside to get more done.  Be sure you are charging these in a common area at night to maximize your rest.

 

  • Research in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that the mind slows down when it switches back and forth between tasks.  Focus requires spending your time on a single task and creating a flow of single tasks.  Being single focus means you can check off items and feel good about completion.  Doing too much makes you dumber and slower.

 

These surprising statistics give you great reasons to get started organizing or find new ways to be more productive.  Whether it’s at home or at the office, it’s good to know there are statistics to back up your efforts.

Year End Review

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year end review

 

The end of the year is time for reflection. Its a time to think about successes.  Your year end review encompasses all the good things that happened this year.

My top 25

Each year I make a list of my top successes.  These include time spent with my family, professional successes, and personal successes. Here are some of my list this year:

  • Week with grandkids
  • Travel to with family
  • Service to NAPO Award
  • Chair of NAPO committee

I encourage you to write your list and share it with someone who can appreciate your successes.

 

My peeps

It’s about the people. It’s the new and existing relationships that make the year the best ever. Who are the people who helped me be the best I can be? As I move forward next year my goal is to surround myself with people who sharpen my authenticity and make me think hard and work hard.  Relationships are what make the year outstanding. I like to make a list of these people and send them a thank you note sharing my gratitude.

 

What’s working for me

Take stock of what’s working in your life and why.  It’s the best way to build success.  When something works, there are elements that can transfer to work and home that will improve your year.  Take time this last week of the year to make a list for yourself and keep it where you can refer back to it and add to it all year.

 

year end review

 

Your Year End Review prepares you for setting goals and making dreams happen in the coming year. Take time to take stock before you start fresh for the new year.

 

 

10 Ways to Procrastinate and NOT Get Anything Done

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procrastinate

 

 

It’s 5 o’clock and you are wondering, “what did I accomplish today?”  Maybe it’s even Friday and you are wondering about the week as a whole.   Maybe you are thinking why didn’t I get anything done?  There are so many ways to procrastinate.

 

  1.  Check your email over and over all day. Start your day with email.  Don’t make any decisions and leave everything in your inbox.  According to research, we check email for as long a time as we binge watch a tv series.
  2. Not feeling up to getting the day started? Check on facebook, instagram, or pinterest to have a little fun. An hour slips by before you know it.
  3. Make everyone else’s priorities your priority.  Their work is urgent and your’s can be on the back burner.  Answer everyone else’s requests first.
  4. Jump from one task to another.  Let’s start this project, move to another and another.  Research shows multitasking appears and feels productive, but the results can show otherwise.
  5. It’s already 11 am. You’ve missed your best work time.  Why get started now? Just take an early lunch.
  6. Don’t make a list for tomorrow. You can do that once you get in the office.  There’s no time for a list and why decide on what’s tomorrow’s priorities.
  7. Don’t schedule in tasks.  No need to set a time to accomplish a task when you can  just do it when you’re in the mood.
  8. Schedule a lot of meetings, have no agenda and be sure to start late.  It’s a great way to fill days without getting anything accomplished.
  9. You’re too busy to take care of yourself.  Be sure to get in bed late, don’t make a meal plan or take time to rejuvenate. Put yourself last on the list.
  10. Never take a vacation. You’re too busy to take time off.  You haven’t accomplished enough to take a vacation.

 

Maybe you have other areas you can procrastinate to add to this list too.

 

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Motivation for Organization

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motivation and organization

 

Some times the hardest part of getting organized is getting started.  Having a compelling motivation makes all the difference!

  • Start with the end in mind.    Start with a beautiful picture of what you want your space to look like.  Have a visual in mind of what your end results to look like.  Cut pictures out of magazines, search websites or blogs, or go to online organizing stores to see a picture perfect result.

 

  • Ready, set, go! Set a kitchen timer for 15 minutes.  We can all do something for just 15 minutes. Once you are started, you are likely to get in the groove and work longer on your organizing.

 

  • Baby steps, please.  Start with something small.  Remember, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Knowing that you can accomplish your organizing in baby steps makes a difference.

 

  • Plan a party.  Inviting company into your home to celebrate makes you want to get your homes organized.   It is scary but you can do it!

 

  • Partner up!  Include a clutter buddy in your organizing plans.   Having a trusted partner who works along side you or just sits while you work helps get you started on organizing.

 

  • Walk the walk, talk the talk.  Be a role model for your family.  Our children look to us to show them how to organize and why it is important to be organized.  It’s pressure, but it works.

 

  • What’s holding you back?  Acknowledge obstacles to organizing.  Once we clear our minds of what might hold us back, you are ready to push forward on organizing.

 

  • Acknowledge your successes in organizing.  Often we look at what is not done. Rather, give yourself a pat on the back, and a reward, for what you have accomplished.

 

  • Use your anxiety to push you forward.  Chaos causes stress!  Set a boundary on your disorganization and get started knowing you will have peace of mind once you are organized.  It’s that old adage of what’s most frustrating is what’s most motivating.

 

  • Know what’s good enough for now.  Our colleague Donna Smallin says “done is perfect.”  Put aside perfectionism which can paralyze you.   Perfectionists are overwhelmed with how long the task will take and how much energy will be used.  Create a simple plan to get your organizing started and completed.

 

What compelling reason have you used to get started on your organizing?

Resilience and Organizing

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resilience and organizing

 

 

 

Resilience is the ability to bounce back, overcome obstacles, work through a problem, get back on your horse.

 

Fall down seven times………. get up eight.

 

There are times we feel that we can’t just get up that last time. That’s when resilience comes into play.  We have all experienced that feeling.  It’s a powerful combination of tenacity, flexibility, and resourcefulness.

 

We can build resilience.  By creating structure for your time, making connections with others, and  keeping an optimistic and hopeful perspective are all contributors to resilience.

 

Structure for your day should include taking good care of yourself. This way you have the physical ability to bounce back. This includes a good bedtime to get a good night’s rest, proper nutrition including lean protein,  and moderate exercise regularly.

 

Staying connected to others is important. The vitality of others makes you more energized too!  Ask for help when you are finding solutions to work through a problem and gather resources that will make that decision easier.  Be one to offer help and be about others in working to better the world around you, such as by volunteering or small acts of kindness.

 

Your perspective can make the biggest difference! In a recent speaking engagement, several audience members came up and mentioned that they realized they are MORE organized than they thought!  Optimism and positivity spring from gratitude. Find small ways you are grateful daily, whether it is writing in a journal or reviewing this mentally as you drive around town.  Joy and happiness can come from the smallest of moments, whether seeing a beautiful sun rise, smelling a fresh flower, spending time with a friend, or sitting quietly.  Bundle all of this together and out springs hope! That is when resiliency blooms!

 

Resilience is not only a matter of perspective, it’s also a matter of organizational strengths.  Having strong organizing skills makes it easier for you to be resilient.

 

If you are facing an obstacle  whether it’s organizing or not, what are your steps toward overcoming it and being resilient?

 

Learn more about organizing tips and tricks! Join my newsletter here.

Organizing Your Purse for Work

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purse productivity

 

Can’t find your keys, phone or badge at work?  It’s the little things that matter when being organized at work.  Did you know your purse is an important part of organizing and productivity?  Not only will you be be effective and efficient with an organized purse, you will feel more confident.  Here’s the strategy for organizing your purse!

 

Start with a medium size cross body style purse.  This medium size purse holds your phone and wallet.

 

Use a small fold over wallet for your credit cards and drivers license.
Add in a larger handbag with divided sections for  your iPad and notebook.

 

Finalize with a wristlet  for use throughout the work day.  Transfer your smart phone to this purse, keep your badge and pens in here all the time.

 

Stack all the purses inside the larger handbag as you travel to and from work.

  • Keep your keys in one pocket of this larger bag to be sure you know where they are at all times.
  • Designate a receipt pocket for all those tiny slips of paper.
  • Clear out your purse weekly to keep up to speed.

 

More ideas for productivity here!