Your calendar and your master list

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calendar and master list;time management

 

There are many systems to help you with time management. I have found that this comes down to integrating two parts, your calendar and your list. We all have so much to accomplish and we all want to be productive.  Try this and see if it works for you!  

 

Your Calendar

Have a great calendar you love! It can be paper or electronic, whichever is most compatible and engaging for you. It should be portable to travel with you and the format should be week or month at a glance. Rules for using your calendar include writing in everything regularly (from doctor appointments to work meetings) reviewing it daily. Add a weekly planning time for you to review what is coming up and adding items from your master list. This is the single most important tool you can have for time management.

 

Your Master List

Most people have too much to remember on a daily basis to remember it all without writing it down. Having a list keeps you in the moment, so that you can keep energy and focus on the project you are doing. Keep a spiral notebook or PDA with you at all times, so you can easily jot down notes and lists when the thought occurs. By consolidating all of this in one place you can review and prioritize actions and projects, combine activities and errands and be more productive each day.

Weekly planning with your calendar and list

 

How do these come together? Not surprisingly your weekly planning time combines these two tools.  Take time each week to review your list and place tasks on your calendar.  This way all priorities are covered.  You can consolidate tasks too, like phone calls and emails.  Your weekly planning is a time on your calendar too!

 

Join my newsletter for more ideas on planning and list making.

Keep It Simple Sweetie

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Simplicity makes a difference in all our lives.  Creating a simple plan, working on a simplified project, and communicating simply are all important aspects of simplying our lives.  I love the mantra of Keep It Simple Sweetie because it reminds us in a fun way to keep things as simple as possible.   Often complexity makes a task overwhelming and paralyzing. The details become the project instead of the outcome.   Think of the tasks to accomplish, whether for home or work, and see what the most direct path to accomplish that can be.
  • Start with the end in mind. What do you want to accomplish and what is the deadline? What is the path to accomplish the goal?
  • Ask for help from your team, whether it is your family or co-workers.   A team effort makes the work more fun, gets the job done quickly and lessens your work load.
  • Stay on task for completion.   Keep off those bunny trails.  If you are easily distracted, create reminders to keep going and get it done.
  • Remember that done is perfect! Balance your perfectionism with the time allotted to get the job done.

Simple steps for your work at home or elsewhere create effectiveness and efficiency.  Your benefit is your great sense of productivity for accomplishments! And you get to do the really fun stuff now!

Filing – yuck!

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Did you know that Pendaflex has an I HATE FILING Club?   http://www.pendaflex.com/enUS/CommunityLanding/default.html

Even professional organizers are members!  Just because you are an organizer or are organized does not mean you like to work with paper, file paper, or review paper.  What to do about this situation? Simplify your efforts with paper.  For me it is creating actions that work with the functionality and uses for paper. Having a command center for action papers, a functional filing system and an archive area established are the first steps. Have a trigger to get you started and give yourself a reward for the work you are doing. A trigger is just the way to get yourself started, whether playing music or calling a partner on the phone so you both work simultaneously on paper.  The reward is whatever you want it to be, from a bubble bath to an ice cream treat.  Then it is all about the baby steps for action. Dealing with your mail and paper every day for 15 minutes and having a one hour once a week “admin” (short for administration) time makes me get the job done.    During admin time I review and complete paperwork, pay bills and create my list of weekly actions.  And I really do hate to file! I file once a month, for about one hour, while watching food tv!   

 

What baby steps do  you have in place for working with your papers?  Share your well deserved rewards too!

Organized Pooch

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dscn3197

Visiting with one of my longest clients I know transference of skill has happened! As a certified professional organizer, our work is to teach our clients to organize and maintain their organization, meaning we have transferred this skill.  In our work together, the client and I have organized her closets, pantry, and more.  Most importantly she has maintained them fabulously! When a new baby puppy came to their family, the pooch arrived with many different ensembles, including hair accessories.  Here is a picture of her latest organizing adventure, her new dog’s attire! It is organized by summer on left, winter on right and costumes in the middle .  This is truly happy organizing!

dscn31981

Team approach for your family

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dscn3190

 

Creating your family team takes consistent systems and routines.  Team building includes the family meeting where the assignments of “who is doing what” become reality.   Today a client shared with me what works for her familiy. It is a system called “I did my chores.”  My client assigns chores with points for each of her 4 children.  Two kids working together each earn points too! Full instructions include various rewards for points earned, such as staying up 30 minutes late,  dessert and more.  Why does it work? The kids love it and the parents consistently reinforce this. 

What works for your family routines? Email me so we can share it!

Travel and organizing

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Just when you are getting ready for a trip is when to be most organized. Yes, there are Targets in every major city. But why spent time there when we are on vacation?  Take time to make a list for what you need. Have a travel cosmetic bag ready all the time including beauty duplicates and get ready 3 days in advance, so that those last minute forget- me- nots get included in your stuff! If getting ready in advance is a challenge, get your suitcase out one week ahead of time and drop one category of items in each day.  This way everything can be dropped in and then evaluate what you really need the day before you leave. Bon voyage and really enjoy the holiday!

FYI Need a list? Try this membership based resource   http://listplanit.net/lists/

Time is on my side, yes it is!

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time management

 

Is there always just one more email or phone call to answer?

 

Does getting ready for the day takes longer than you think?

 

Do you find that you are typically running late?

 

Give yourself a gift of time!  Time is on my side, yes it is!

  • Arrive 15 minutes early mindfully.
  • Don’t start anything on the computer, email or Facebook.
  • Have a clock in your bedroom, bathroom, and exit to your car.
  • Bring an armload of magazines to read while waiting.
  • Catch up on social media while you wait.
  • Grab a notepad or your smart phone and make a list for the day.

 

It is a gift only you can give yourself! And it will be most cherished!

 

More time tips here!

Hello world!

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In starting this blog, I want to continue to make a difference for my clients and be a resource for our community.  I am passionate about empowering people, motivating them to live their best lives, and affirming their strengths!

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you’ve imagined!  Henry David Thoreau. This is what organizing does for our lives! We have confidence to pursue what is most important and powerful.  We spend our time with people and enriching experiences.  Organizing provides the backdrop for empowering you.