Tag Archives: Organizing

Off the Office Hamster Wheel in 5 Easy Steps

29 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Planning, Stress, Time, Work Space

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Hamster in Orange Wheel

The definition of a hamster wheel is when someone just keeps running in circles (and making the same mistakes) instead of progressing.

A bit of planning can get you off that wheel and help you to feel better about your mornings.  Review again at the end of the day and organizing is just as important.

Here are 5 easy steps to get control and off the wheel: . . .

Emails – Instead of phone calls (unless it’s an immediate need), send an email.  This will help you AND others to save time.  In addition, I color-code emails to clearly see the status.  After sending an email with a request, I move it back into my “Inbox” and tag it with GREEN.  When receiving an email with a request, I tag it in RED and it shows as an outstanding item.

Voicemail – Unless you’re in customer service, you probably don’t have to answer every call. If possible, block out time to let calls go to voicemail so that you can concentrate on specific projects or tasks.  Even better, close your office door and cut other distractions.

Reducing Paper – A multi-page scanner is a great investment.  Scan correspondence, invoices, receipts, contracts, etc.  You will save filing space and it’s a faster way of sharing information with others.   Make sure you have a logical filing system on your computer or server to find what you need later and don’t forget to back up the files!

Task Lists – These are necessities.  If you don’t have a structured system, develop it now.  If you have one, ask yourself “How effective is this?”   “Can I clearly see the priorities?” “Do I have due dates and times associated with each task?”

End of Day – set an alert to sound 1 hour before the end of your work day.  This will give you time for the following:

  1. Find a good “stopping place” for what you’re currently working on.
  2. Review unchecked voice mails and emails and add them to your task list by priority
  3. Tidy up your desk and physical surroundings for the next morning.

The hamster called, he wants his wheel back and you don’t need it anymore.

Hamster Wheel for Sale

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The Instant Stress Reducer

09 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by in Business, Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Stress, Time

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ZZ - Blog - Stress & Lists - STRESS GAUGE

We’re all overwhelmed with this fast-paced “Do-It-All and Do-It-Now Lifestyle”.  Call it “stress”, “anxiety” or “pressure”, most of us are feeling it.  We struggle to fall asleep and then to wake up.  We wrestle and worry about what has to be done tomorrow and what we may have forgotten to do yesterday.  As a result, we suffer from tension headaches, high blood pressure and poor diets.

The real problem is that we haven’t identified the necessary from the optional. When when we pinpoint the critical needs and responsibilities, we’re able to focus on problem-solving.  Once the critical has been identified, it needs to be written down! Because when we identify and list our priorities we permit ourselves to push the “non-essentials” to another time.  In turn, we may find ourselves feeling less overwhelmed and more in control.

When we make a list, we are able to comprehend the priorities, everything becomes more manageable. 

People who want to appear clever rely on memory.  People who want to get things done make lists.

 

7 REASONS WHY LISTS WORK & HOW THEY BENEFIT YOU:      

  1.  Stress – Lists reduce stress levels as they help us to feel in control.  We organize what is otherwise overwhelming and bring order to chaos.

2)  Our Brains – They’re good for the brain as it gives us clarity.  We’re now able to focus our minds and process the information we are receiving.

3)  Accomplishment – We get a feeling of accomplishment and this positive feeling of completion encourages us to start another task.

4)  Reminders – Lists tell us what we have done and what we have left to do.

5)  Options – They give us opportunities to ask ourselves: “Are there things on my list I can “outsource” to others?”  “Do I have to do all of this myself?”

6)  Moods – If we write down what needs to be done we’re able to tackle different tasks at different times based upon how tired we are physically, mentally and/or emotionally.

7)  Problem Solving – When we create lists, we automatically consider how we can tackle big tasks by breaking them down into manageable parts.

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The Power of “No”

17 Monday Mar 2014

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Success will be defined more by what you choose NOT to do, rather than what you choose TO DO.

Saying “no” can be almost impossible.  Have you found yourself feeling overwhelmed and stressed because of having too much going on?  Did you think back and wonder if maybe you should have said “no”?  Have you said “yes” and then felt resentful towards the person? 

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It’s time to recognize that we need to build healthy boundaries.

Why do we say ‘yes’ to letting others use our time or belongings before we know what we’re agreeing to?  Below are some reasons why we say yes before we think.   

1)  As youngsters we’re often taught that we’re not supposed to say “no” to our parents, supervisors, teachers or people in areas of authority. As we get older we sometimes extend this to a feeling of over-obligating ourselves to others. 

Remember:  When we say “yes” when we want to say “no”, we are creating the bedlam in our lives.

2)  We’re taught that it’s polite to say yes, and rude or selfish to say no.

Remember:  A “no” is often necessary to protect ourselves and our families from unhealthy expectations and into a healthier home life together.

3)  We’re just trying to be accommodating, we may not mean our “yes”  or ever expect to be contacted about it.   

Remember:  When it’s time for the “chips to be cashed in” we may not really be available.  We need to create the boundaries before we commit.

4)  It’s easier to say “yes”  because sometimes we don’t feel we have time to explain our “no”.  Or we don’t think we have a good enough reason to say “no” and feel guilty.

Remember:  We may say “yes” to avoid the conflict, but if we’re not careful this could damage a relationship more than a simple “no” could have ever done. 

5)  We prefer to be non-committal or vague thinking it will get us “off the hook”.    

Remember:  When we avoid answering with “no” by saying nothing, it leaves the door open to being re-asked.  Next thing you know you’re playing hide and seek in Wal-Mart because you’re trying to avoid the “Asker” – repeatedly.

Diplomatic ways of saying “No”  for requests of personal items or time  

  1. “I prefer to be the only one driving my car.”
  2. “I prefer not to lend out my car.”
  3. “It’s important to me that I keep my car for my own use.” 

If someone asks to use your time: 

  1. “As much as I would like to help, I’m not able to due to other commitments.”
  2. “I’m sorry, I don’t have time and I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to commit and then be unable to fulfill my obligation”.
  3. Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m already so busy with family and work that I can’t possibly fit one more thing in.

“Everything requires time. It is the only truly universal condition. All work takes place in time and uses up time. Yet most people take for granted this unique, irreplaceable, and necessary resource” – Peter Drucker

If an individual continues to ask, just use the same “no phrase” with a smile each time and eventually they will “hear” you and get the message. 

It’s important to hold your ground for your own health and the health of those who live with you.

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3 Strategies for a Successful Non-New Year’s Resolution

09 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Office, Organizing, Personal, Planning, Residential, Time, Work Space

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NY Resolution

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution yet?  Well, if you haven’t, I recommend you don’t!   Instead, consider beginning with a few goals that are realistic and attainable.

Aim for success in the “first quarter” and you’ll feel better moving on through the year and setting more goals. Wondering what the difference between a goal and a resolution is?  

Resolutions – are often abstract, they may have a vision but rarely include the details.

 Goals are specific, measurable and have a timeline associated with them.

Don’t Make a Resolution, Create a Goal!

3 Strategies to Help You Succeed 

1) BE kind to yourself – Don’t try taking on too much at once – set yourself up for success!

2) DEfine your goals – write them out  in detail and what “success” will look like to you! 

3) REmind yourself – put them on the bathroom mirror, above the kitchen sink or in your smartphone (they can pop up during the day as encouragement)

“Good habits are as addictive as bad habits, and a lot more rewarding.”       – Harvey Mackay

Choosing Your Goals

Business – Is it completing a business plan, installing a new filing system, or going paperless? 

Home – Is it painting a room, getting the garage organized or cleaning out specific closets?

Good Habits – If it’s a habit, commit to the practice, not perfection. Start with small changes and permit yourself time to build the habit slowly.  You can always increase your goal as continue. 

Need some encouragement or ideas? I’m just an email away and would love to help you define and execute your goals!

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10 Christmas Gifts That Don’t Clutter

01 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in Clutter, Money, Personal, Residential

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It’s that time of year and we’re all being inundated with gifts (and sometimes we are the “inundaters” of gifts) that we won’t know what to do with when the tree comes down.  In the spirit of the season here are some ideas for gifts that almost anyone would be thrilled to receive and won’t take up any space after the holidays.

  1. Movie Tickets – Have a family you’re close to and don’t know what to do?  How about getting tickets for a whole family?  Tape them to a box of Orville Redenbacher’s and wrap in Christmas paper.  This is a real luxury for a family these days and they’ll think of you when they use them! 
  1. Food – There are so many possibilities, ranging from home-made to Harry and David’s Fruit of the Month Club.  The traditional fruit basket is always a hit and edible arrangements are as much a treat as an eye-catcher.  (Let’s ditch the fruit cake this year!) 
  1. Local Theatre – Do you have a friend you can never get together with?  Purchase tickets to an upcoming show and make a date to go together, you’ll make a wonderful memory for both of you and be much more inclined to “save the date”! 
  1. Massages & Facials – Here’s an indulgence that anyone would enjoy – a gift massage is even more relaxing than one that is purchased.  This is heaven to an over-whelmed parent! 
  1. Lessons – New experiences make great memories!  There are so many to choose from whether it is yoga, dancing, golf, ceramics, knitting, horseback riding or swimming.  If you really want to make this special, join your friend or be there to take some photos of them when the day arrives.  
  1. Manicures & Pedicures – another indulgence, but this one can be enjoyed for weeks!  
  1. Books – Does this sound boring? Not to a bookworm!  Receiving a gift card for a Kindle or Nook can be “just what the doctor ordered” to get through the months of January and February!  For a college student a gift card to their college library can take a lot of stress off facing the upcoming semester. 
  1. Gift Cards –retail gift cards are becoming the mainstay of America’s Christmas.  They may be the answer to everything, but take a moment to make it special in the way you give it.  If you have your children make a Christmas card to put this in, you’ll warm their hearts even before they see the gift.  
  1. Experiences – Are there any big events coming up in the next year that someone you know might enjoy?  A few years ago the U.S. Open came to Pittsburgh (Oakmont Country Club) and so I surprised my husband with tickets and another year with tickets to the Preakness.  I made up an official “invitation” to the event using parchment paper and wrapping a ribbon around it and voila!  What events would your friends of family enjoy? 
  1. For the Person Who Has Everything – Give a Gift of Charity in Their Name

The Gift of Remembrance – For the person who has everything, why not give generously in their name? There are so many wonderful opportunities whether it’s their favorite charity or a memorial in the name of their loved ones.

The Gift of Food & Life – Another way to give in another person’s name.   Options include Oxfam, World Vision, Feeding America and so many other great organizations (not to mention there is always your local Food Pantry).

The Gift of Education – School isn’t free or available everywhere.  (We just happen to be abundantly blessed.)  Why not sponsor a child’s schooling for the next year and have a friend receive information and letters of thanks from their child?  I especially recommend a child from Won By One to Jamaica as I’ve worked with this wonderful mission myself for the past 12 years.  (http://www.wonbyonetojamaica.com/school-sponsorship)WB1 - chalkboard

For as little as $25 per month you can open the door to opportunities for a young mind.

Remember almost any gift becomes twice as nice if you include a handwritten note!

Take a moment to thank a friend or family member for a kind word or deed from that year that meant something to you.  Recounting a special memory or a time of laughter with them will make them feel special and touch a chord in their heart (especially more than that Chia pet).

Christmas Chaos!

11 Friday Oct 2013

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I’m bringing back the old Christmas of simplicity and heart-warming visits with friends all through a little thinking and planning ahead.

I’m the early Christmas shopper, but not the one who starts in January (I hate holding on to things for that long – it reminds me of clutter even if it isn’t).  I usually have a list of people and ideas completed by mid August, wrapped by Thanksgiving and enjoy visits with friends in early December.

August – I’ve kept a spreadsheet since 2001 which lists every person, every gift and the amounts.  This lets me see what I’ve done, get ideas for new friends, and make sure I don’t duplicate from the previous year!  I always have a dollar amount in mind as I do this and I keep the list with me at all times.   (Actually, I have it as an Excel spreadsheet saved to Google Drive so I can look at it anytime on my phone).

September & October – I don’t like taking time to shop so if I have to be in a store, I might as well take a look around and see if anything is available that ‘fits’ my list. (I have my list, but like to stay flexible in the event I find an even better idea for someone special.) It’s just a matter of doing two things at once.  My theory is that if I’ve prepared the list well in August and keep my eyes open in September and October I can catch some sales and spread the cost out over a few months too! January is so much better when there’s nothing on the credit card from December!

November – after I’ve purchased the gifts I put post-it notes on them with the name of the recipient and they go in the spare bedroom; this way I don’t walk in and feel overwhelmed because I can easily see organized piles with bright tags on each item!   At this point I can enjoy wrapping a few items here and there while watching one of my favorite programs – Duck Dynasty or Big Bang Theory. By the way, this is also a great time to address Christmas cards so you can just drop them in the mail in December – no pressure!

December – I don’t like crowds so the thought of being elbow to elbow with hundreds of harried people makes me feel anxious. Instead of putting myself through that, I’ve wrapped and tagged the gifts over Thanksgiving and they’re stacked in chronological order for delivery.

As December 1st has rolled in I’ve called some friends and have a few short visits on the calendar.  Whether it’s shortbread, Irish soda bread, candies, or jar gifts, I make a little batch each week when it’s convenient.  Since I’m not in a rush I can enjoy thinking of the people who will receive the home-made tokens.  When it’s time to hit the road, I just match my “kitchen gift” to the small item in a gift bag upstairs and I’m ready to go.

I want to look back on my life and remember the moments, not the Christmas chaos that rolls from one year into the other.  I want to cherish the people, admire the tree, take a treat for the dog, share some home-made Irish Cream and have a few laughs.

Just to get you started, here’s a Christmas List template for you to download. – Christmas List

P.S. – If you’re a spreadsheet person like me, you can keep a status column on your Christmas list and sort it regularly to stay on top of everything.  I sort by “purchase, wrap, bake, and completed”.    If you’re interested in having a customized template in Excel, feel free to email me!

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar. 

Homepreneurs & Solopreneurs

22 Sunday Sep 2013

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More than half of all U.S. businesses are based at home and an estimated 6.6 million home-based enterprises provide at least half of their owners’ household income.  Together these “homepreneurs” employ one in 10 private-sector workers.

So how do we separate our home life from our business life?

Having a ‘separation of states’ for managing information (appointments, tasks, email, etc.) is a good beginning. If you can manage it, have a room designated as a home office and let your family know that if the door is closed, you’re not available at that moment.  You can even put a “Be Back in 1 Hour” sign on the door! If you don’t have a spare room, consider a corner of a room and use an attractive room divider so that you have private space to work and think.

Conversely, we need to integrate our work and home life with as little confusion as possible – which is why Google is so popular.  Personal calendars and business calendars can be linked and viewed independently or jointly (each calendar is a different color).  When adding an event, view the combined appointment calendars to reduce the chance of double-bookings.

Google also offers cloud computing and on-line collaboration.  If you’re working on a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, but have to leave the house, just upload it to the cloud and later you can access it from your smartphone to make changes and add content. Additionally, business and personal email accounts can be linked so you can ‘toggle’ on your phone to access each one separately even when you’re out of the office.

Cloud computing, email, calendars and smartphones have accelerated the trend of independently working from home.  But if we want to be successful, we must stay in tune with both the big picture and details jointly for home and work.

If you have questions, need assistance in setting up an account or would like more information about the benefits, feel free to email me.

If you have any tips or favorite planning applications, I would love to hear from you!

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar.  I always enjoy tips and feedback!

Forgetting something?

07 Saturday Sep 2013

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Calendars can have many purposes in addition to using them as reminders for anniversaries/birthdays or appointments, practices and lessons.

 Calendars are equally important for tracking home and car maintenance!

 When was the last time you tested the items that protect your home and family such as smoke sensors, fire extinguishers or carbon monoxide detectors?  How often do you change the filters in your furnace (which also saves you money)?

How many of us have discovered (after the fact) that our vehicle registration or inspection had lapsed?  It’s great to include oil changes and repairs so you have a record if you go to sell your car in the future.

If you use an on-line calendar, you can easily add these items with reminders to all your other events.

If you’re a pencil and paper kind of person, feel free to download these calendars.

Calendar Downloads – September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013

If you can’t fit everything on one calendar, have one calendar for events and appointments and another calendar for home and car maintenance.  Staple them together or put them in a file to check each month.

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar.  I always enjoy tips and feedback!

 

Living in the moment…

01 Sunday Sep 2013

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Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.

How can we live fully in the September moment when we’re surrounded by Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations?  Walking into the stores, you get the feeling you’re behind on something that’s not happening for 4 more months!

I spoke to a friend today who was looking for shorts for a picnic this weekend.  She found the stores are filled with autumn clothes and the only shorts available were picked over on a clearance table.  Her comment to me was “Do I have to know and purchase in February for events in August?”.  I laughed out loud and realized that’s just what the retail stores want us to do – spend our money now for what we’ll need in 4 months.

And that may be why we’ve come to live much of our lives in the future instead of in the present.

Of course it isn’t just the retailers.  Add school and work deadlines, extra curricular activities, family events, etc.  and we now have lives that are over-booked.  Half the time we don’t know if we’re coming, going, or passing ourselves!

I can’t stand the “passing myself” any more.  Contentment is living and enjoying the present moment without thinking and worrying about the next..  The good news is that we have the ability to create more moments of contentment if we would block out periods of time to “live in the future”. 

For this purpose consider the ‘living in the future’ as synonymous with looking at the upcoming days and preparing for them.  If we take a few short minutes to prepare for our tomorrows, it will free us up to enjoy the present!

If you invest a few minutes today to look at tomorrow’s horizon, you will have the additional benefit of an uncluttered mind.  A little preparation and planning today can save a lot of time and worry tomorrow.

 C’est la vie! (“That’s life!”)

Just remember, life doesn’t go ‘as planned’.  Sometimes things happen and plans need to be changed, but the unexpected can be handled with much less anxiety if your map (plan) is beside you.

Adjust your route, accept the detour and maybe you’ll even enjoy the new scenery!

Plans are made to help and guide us, not imprison us!  A plan is just a simple overview of what is coming and what is needed; it should be fluid.  You can change priorities or activities daily with no worries of “missing something”.   Don’t imprison yourself to your plan – maintain Gumby’s philosophy and “Be flexible!”

In the meantime, let’s ignore the retailers and let each month and season arrive on their own terms. You can’t really enjoy the warm September sun and crisp air if you’re mind is in November.

If you would like to receive my Blogs, click the “Follow” box on the left side of the screen above the calendar.  I always enjoy tips and feedback!