Use Weekly Planning Time to Create a Calm, Organized and Productive Week

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weekly planning time

 

Organizing your time takes many different steps to get the job done.  Having one great calendar and an effective way to manage your tasks and lists are the first step.  Carving out a Weekly  Planning Time pulls together these great tools.  Stephen Covey and David Allen both incorporate this routine into their strategies, as well as Asian Efficiency and The Productivity Show.  This time helps you create a proactive plan and gets you ahead of the curve.

 

Basics of Weekly Planning Time

  • Weekly planning time is when you pull together your lists, assess upcoming events and add a plan to your calendar.
  • Start by setting an undistracted time for you to “meet” with your planner.  This should be added to your calendar as an appointment!  A good time may be Friday before the end of work, Sunday afternoon as you are getting ready for the week, or any time that really works for you.
  • Gather together your tools of your planner, your lists, any emails or papers with upcoming events, projects you are leading or collaborating, and any other date driven activities. You want to consolidate all this information into your planner and an organized list.
  • First, add all new dates and update any existing dates, then add small reminders, consolidate errands, project out baby steps for a big project, and generally scan for bumps in the road coming up.
  • Next, scan ahead for new projects, events or recurring annual projects for that time period. This includes for work and home. Consider taxes, financial reviews and home maintenance. Make notes of who to meet with for these upcoming tasks and projects.
  • Finally, create a “think big” section of your planning time. What is a major goal you have thought about and would want to take action on?  This is where you have the opportunity to be creative and act on your dreams.  It’s also about being strategic about life goals.  Take this time to spend a few minutes on goals and dreams.
  • If you use a technology planner, no problem! Same strategy with this tool!
  • Make it fun! Grab your favorite beverage, sit in an inspiring spot and enjoy this planning time.

 

Upgrade your Weekly Planning Time

  • Use a planner that adds focus to your time.  I love my paper planner pad! A digital tool to do this work is To Do ist.
  • Set a day of the week for certain activities.  Money Monday and Financial Friday are the days you work on money matters.  By allowing yourself one set day a week for an important task, you give yourself permission to be dedicated to one specific task instead of many difference ones. This strategy works well for people who know that they can do one thing well.
  • Be consistent about your weekly planning time. The more consistent, the more you will notice what’s working and what is not. “Noticing” can lead to enhancements too, such as knowing what works best for you and what are your strengths.
  • Level up with this podcast featuring the weekly review of Getting Things Done (GTD) with David Allen.
  • Take this routine to the next level with a Family Meeting too.  Gather your family on Sunday evening, with all their calendars and your family calendar (paper, Cozi, or google calendar) and set this time for planning purposes.  Not only will you have family communication, collaboration and cohesiveness will be a big bonus.

 

What obstacles might you have incorporating into your week this planning time? Be sure to set this at at time that works well for you.  In order to be consistent, the time that you work on Weekly Planning Time makes the most difference. How do you do know this is working well? Now you feel in control, ahead in your planning and confident in your tasks and projects.

 

More time management tips here!

Revisiting My 2019 Word of the Year: Shift

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Word of the year

 

It’s the end of 2019 and I have remembered my Word of the Year through out the year.  (Have you? ) It’s truly been a part of my work, my thoughts and my energy as I shift into new possibilities.

 

Shift: a slight change in emphasis

I have looked at this year as a slight turn in direction.  While working with clients with ADHD has been a focus for the duration of my business, it’s more so this year in learning tools to assist. I am leaning into my work clients with ADHD clients in continuing learning and implementing strategies. What’s new are the many podcasts I have been listening to each day.  I have been taking more NAPO classes centered on this topic.  I love to learn and apply one small action to my work with clients.

 

Shift: change in direction

We shift toward and we shift away in slight changes in direction. Family first and client work has always been the direction of work life integration for me.  As I step into this more fully, I have been mindful of the true joy that our conversations and engagement bring to me.  I have heard the joy in voices of family and clients throughout the year in their big and little wins.  Wins include completing writing a doctoral paper, using a planner as a high schooler, new interests in a variety of sports, getting a garage organized to park a car or move to a new apartment. As I shift away from some of my volunteering experiences, I have created more white space for myself to be present.

 

Shift: next steps

I am contemplating my 2020 word now.  I love all the words that I have used in these past years. How has my Word of the Year made a difference for me?  Holding my word of the year throughout the year has kept me true and on target with intentional, mindful shifts.  It’s been a comfort when a bumpy shift occurs that this year is about a slight change. We can empower change rather than be fearful of change.  This word reminds me that we can make change a powerful agent for ourselves.

 

My list of Words of the Year

Shift 2019

Possibilities 2018

Thrive 2017

Momentum 2016

Fifteen 2015

Flourish 2014

Fabulous2013

 

 

7 Clutter Free Holiday Gift Ideas

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clutter free gifts

Holiday Gifts with a Tech, Organizing Twist

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holiday gifts with a tech, organizing twist

 

I am the first to share that experiences are the best gifts. However, there are some tech, organizing gifts that can make your life more organized, more productive and easier.  Here are 4 gifts to keep in mind this year.

 

Rose gold speaker

Getting organized and being productive are easier with music! Your organizing playlist makes it more fun to work and get stuff done.  This Rose Gold small speaker is a blue tooth companion to your smart device.  You can bring music to wherever you are working or organizing.

 

 

A great night’s rest for every family member is possible! Corral your devices here in this bamboo multi-device charging station.  An added is bonus is that all your devices are charged and ready to go in the morning.

 

 

Available in a variety of colors, a small portable charger keeps you in touch with everyone. These chargers travel near and far so that you are always prepared.

 

Fitbit versa

Fitbits have been here for a while. The updated fitbit Versa gives you lots of ways to accomplish your goals. For me it’s tracking steps to keep up with my fitness goals.

 

Each of these organizing, tech gadgets can help you accomplish your inner Marie Kondo efforts!

Two Important Holiday Reminders

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Here are two important holiday reminders for you this year!

 

holiday self care

Self care is in short supply during the holiday season. We have so much to do!  Take your self care seriously this holiday in order to have fun throughout the season.

 

There are elves everywhere!  Keep open to the possibilities!

holiday team work

Thankful. Grateful.

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thankful. grateful

 

This year has been a year of challenges and changes in our country and our community. We have the power to live every day being thankful and grateful. Gratitude is powerful and can make your life better in so many ways. It’s creating new habits that reinforce being positive, gracious, kind, thankful and grateful. Here are many simple, small ways to start or continue showing and sharing these qualities and values.

  • Start your day with a daily mantra or with meditation focusing on gratitude.
  • Notice the small things in your life and comment. You will increase your mindfulness and your gratitude.
  • Capture photos about what you are grateful for on your smart phone. Look back to remind yourself of these moments.
  • Text or email a friend or family member each day to share how much you appreciate them and why they are special to you.
  • Thank people who are serving you or helping you.
  • Sharing a blessing over your food with your family or companions at a meal.
  • Make a note in your daily planner or bullet journal of one moment of gratitude that day.
  • Have a family “huddle” before your kids head out to school and talk about what you are grateful for that day.
  • Write in your gratitude journal each evening as a prelude to bedtime.
  • Review your day before bedtime and acknowledge your gratitude.

I am thankful and grateful for our connection. Our work together, ideas we have shared and moments we have spent are all what makes a difference. I wish you an abundance of blessings this year and the opportunity to share how grateful you are for these blessings.

 

 

Get Organized with Holiday Lists

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Get organized with holiday lists

 

Lists are useful for making sure you have all the details covered. No need to remember every detail because you have it captured on your list. You can be more productive with a list because it keeps you moving forward with each step.

 

Holiday lists keep you organized during the busy holiday season.  Some are lists you keep all year and some are specific to this time of year. All require updating, some at the beginning of the season and some at the end of the season.

Here is a run down of the list of holiday lists that I keep.

List name

 What is this list

and why use it?

 How to use this list effectively

Month to use this list
Holiday card list Holiday card list for friends, family and colleagues Add names to this list all year long. Update each January with additions and deletions October
Gift list Gift list for the holiday season, includes those who receive homemade treats Update with items purchased all year and other items in gift closet November
Holiday party and dinner guest lists List of those attending your holiday party, Thanksgiving or your holiday dinner Invite family and friends for holiday dinners. Guests like to know they are included early so as to make other arrangements if necessary. November
Menu List of items you are making for your holiday party and/or your holiday dinner Create menu then create grocery list December
Homemade treat list List of items you are making as holiday treats Review recipes and purchase containers. Make treats one weekend. Delivery treat the next week. December
Travel list List of travel plans by person Review itineraries for travel and purchase travel arrangement. Share with your holiday hosts and other family members. October
Packing list List of what to pack to travel during the holidays List your toiletries, attire, shoes, electronics, and other travel items. Add specific items for winter and holiday travel All year, updated before winter travel
Contact list Names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of family and friends Use for a variety of uses all year long and during holidays All year

 

As you can see I am a list lover! Here are other lists to use too!

 

Get Organized for Unexpected Air Travel Delays

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Get organized for unexpected air travel delays

 

Who hasn’t been delayed at the airport? It’s like travel by stage coach now with unexpected weather and mechanical delays.  Recently with Tropical Storm Imenda, I spent 12 hours in the airport.  (It was not nearly as scary as those on the road and I was happily near a bathroom.) Even before this challenge, I knew that I needed to be prepared for a potential surprise. This is true during holiday travel season with so many flights and so many travelers. Here is how I organize and prepare for travel and unexpected delays.

 

Travel bag requirements

I use a rolling small bag that fits under the airplane seat in front of me. I changed to the rolling bag to avoid injuring my shoulders with a heavy carry on.  In my bag are several Vera Bradley pouches that keep me organized (of course!)  The pouches hold what I call my “apothecary,” cords and connections, reading material, and other important items like jewelry and business documentation.

 

Staying connected

Connections are what keep us sane. Our phone and devices require charging more frequently as we use these more while in an unexpected situation. I always travel with 2 chargers and an emergency charger. (It’s the block and the cord times two.)  I also use these to charge overnight at my destination.  I charge once I get to the 20% low battery mode, just like filling the gas tank at the 1/4 mark.

 

Staying hydrated

Travel can deplete you and keeping hydrated keeps you well. I purchase a large bottle of water inside the terminal to keep hydrated before I leave the ground and in the air.

 

Staying on top of travel

All airlines have apps now to keep you up to date. Be sure you switch on the text message app to update you about your flights.  You can view where your flight is arriving from so you know if you are on time. Bag tracking is available in case an unfortunate loss occurs (another frequent situation.).

 

Stay in the know

Many apps help us during these situations.   These apps that give us information are priceless.  These are local news station app, The Weather Channel and Flight Aware. I learned so much from each of these, tracking weather radar and flights.

All our family have set up the Find a Friend app so that we know where we are at all times.  For many reasons this has helped us all feel more comfortable. We know where each of us is and we can help each other maneuver home.

 

Stay comfy

Each of us has our own idea of comfy with travel. It’s a travel pillow or blanket, extra undies, special treats or downloaded music.  What makes you feel comfortable is what’s important.  I carry a protein bar or two also.  Most of my NAPO friends know my love of skittles and pashminas.  I carry both with me when I travel, as well as an extra magazine or two.

 

I hope for you blue skies and sunny destinations. In case there’s a storm in your future, you should be organized and ready to wait it out with comfort.

 

 

Hassle free Holidays for Families with ADHD

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Hassle free holidays for families with adhd

 

Holidays are merry times for families.  For moms, dads, and family members with ADHD, there can be glitches with planning, timing, and finishing up in time for family time together. When it comes to family events, executive function limitations interfere with holidays in the ways we celebrate, the gifts we share and the time we spend with family.  Here are solutions to create hassle free holidays for families with ADHD.

 

Problem: Everything is important during the holidays. What do I do first and when do I do what? It all seems overwhelming.

Holidays can be magical and meaningful with planning. That planning starts with a calendar.  Ask your family about their special family traditions.  It’s tempting to say yes to everything, but the key take away is to limit your plans, decorating and parties. Once your family weights in, be sure all the family has access to the calendar to know the final plans and be a part of the fun.

 

Holiday plans require more time to complete. Start early on all holiday activities. It seems too early to start your holiday planning in October but it is not. For cards, take the photo in October, choose cards and have these printed in early November, and address the cards the week of Thanksgiving.    For gifts, go through your gift closet in October, finalize shopping in November, then mail presents the first week of December.  As you can see, October organizing and planning is key to holiday success. Set a deadlines for each task. A deadline will help you focus your time and energy.

 

Problem: There’s so much to do! How do I do it all?

There is no way to do it all during the holidays.  It’s also not possible to be the only family member decorating, gift giving and baking.  It’s time to look for help. Ask your family to partner with you, working in pairs to accomplish tasks. There’s many ways to get help around you.  There’s on demand delegation. You can find help with online tools to hire extra help at this time of year.  Take the semi-homemade approach and take help where you can get it from pre-cut groceries and delivery services. Ask teens who want to earn money for help with small tasks.  Be open to asking for help and accepting the “not completely perfect” solutions. When you spend extra time on a task, be sure it is valuable enough and worthy of that extra effort.

 

Problem: I can’t find the perfect gift for everyone on my list.

Find creative solutions to gift giving. Rather than many homemade gifts, choose one gift that includes an experience. Keep your gift giving for those who are especially close. Choose a small gift card for those who are service providers. Choose an organizing gift that can help you stay organized all year long. Order online in order to save time and money.  There are many ways to share the joy of gift giving.

 

Problem:  I am worn out before the fun begins.  I want to enjoy the holidays too.

Holidaze sets in early with too much to eat and too little sleep. Holiday fun is diminished with too little self care.  Be sure to keep true to your routines during this busy time of year. It’s easy to pass on the routines when you might miss out on fun.  Routines and self care make sure that you truly enjoy your holidays.

Give yourself the gift of extra self care. Extra self care looks like an afternoon to read your favorite magazine, a soak in the tub with lavender, or an early bed time.  Extra self care pays off in being ready to have fun.

 

Hassle free holidays start with knowing where the hassles begin and how to address these ahead of time.  Knowing your options and resources make a difference for holiday times.

 

What to expect when working with a Professional Organizer when you have ADHD

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adhd

 

Starting in the early 2000, I noticed my clients having similar challenges. It was usually a love hate relationship with time, paper and stuff.   That’s when I learned about ADHD.  Since that time, I have been working with clients with ADHD and helping make the changes they want in their lives.   Because of our work together, these clients have started living the life they have imagined.  What is it like for us to work together?

 

What to expect before we meet

My clients reach out through email or phone, bravely taking a first step.  It’s courageous because they have finally recognized how asking for help can make a difference. That courage comes from a deep longing to create systems and routines that have been unnatural for them.

 

When we initially talk or meet, my role is a listener. I am hearing what are the challenges.  I am not judging.  Because our work is non-judgmental, we are from the start creating a trust relationship.

 

It’s common that my clients can feel anxious about our first meeting. Perhaps it is about whether there is “hope” for a solution, or whether there will be judgement, or another feeling.  After we meet, that all changes.

 

What to expect when we meet

Our meetings begin with an assessment. It’s further talk and review of goals, expectations, and ho we will work best together.  There is a lot of verbal processing going on! My clients are talkers, who as they talk, ideas become clear.   We review the process of decluttering, organizing, and maintaining that we will work on together.

 

My clients and I establish a rhythm to our work for decluttering.  Our work always begins with “what to keep and what to let go.”  It’s a conversation at times and it’s a quick sort at times.   If my client gets stuck, at times we put something aside to talk further and at times we keep it for a while. My clients often don’t know what to let go of because it is not clear how much of an item they own.  We gather items together while we are decluttering.  In the end, I bring items to donate to facilitate decluttering.

 

As we organize, my clients and I determine categories together.  There’s grouping, there’s placing, and then there’s products to help.  Many of my clients have lots of products to help us organize. We can place these more effectively together.

 

What to expect after we meet

Organizing is a journey.  It’s not over after our series of meetings.  We discuss what maintenance looks like, how to create routines to maintain and what a maintenance visit together looks like.  These new perspectives on organizing help my clients keep organized. We talk about when we might meet again as needed.

 

What to expect

My clients have recently decided that they want to make a big change.  They have hit a point where the time has come to invest in that change on many levels.

The core of our work together is trust, education, support, and communication.  Knowing how my clients work best and sharing basic knowledge about ADHD are underpinnings of our work together.  My support and establishing a team to support my clients are part of our work together.  Communication, verbal processing, and non-judgemental discussions are elements that move our work together forward.

 

Curious about ADHD and getting organized?  Let’s connect!