Tackling organizational basics

January 15, 2017December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Tips on decluttering, Tips on using a planner, Tips on using a planning calendar Decision making, decluttering your life, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, how to get organized, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, tips to be more productive

Organizational Zen is about knowing the work you want to do, and then getting it done. You don’t have to organize the world. You just want to start and finish the good work that’s bubbling up inside you.

On the road to Organizational Zen, make sure you’ve got a handle on these organizational basics.

Take care of yourself. If you don’t feel well, aren’t eating right, aren’t getting enough sleep, or are feeling generally stressed out, guess what? It’s going to be very hard for you to get organized. Being organized takes focus and energy. If you haven’t already done so, make health your #1 organizational priority.

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Getting to the BIG stuff

January 8, 2017December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Tips on using a planner, Working with your guides Big project ideas, Decision making, figuring out my life work, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizing big projects, Prioritizing tasks, Using a planner, working on big projects, Working with your guides

When you’re thinking of BIG things you’d like to do in this lifetime, block out some quiet time, do a little quiet breathing (in through your nose and out through your mouth helps you think more clearly!), and make a couple of lists.

List #1 is stuff you’re already working on that you want to do more of.
List #2 is stuff you’ve always thought of doing but have never dared start.
List #3 is an outrageous brainstorm list, weird stuff that is super compelling, that raises your energy just to think of it, and that you’ve never given much thought to – until maybe right now.

Set the lists aside and go about your day. These need to cook for a while. Continue reading →

The possibilities of tomorrow

January 5, 2017December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Tips on using a planner, Tips on using a planning calendar Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, figuring out my life work, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, How do I use a planner?, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, Using a planner

History is filled with facts which makes it really solid. When we look back, it seems like what happened was the only possibility, that what happened was inevitable.

But then there’s “today”. You look ahead. You wonder what will happen. And you know it’s not pre-ordained because there are so many potential threads. Tomorrow could take you south, or west, or north. It could be wild or calm. Big things could happen. Or nothing special could happen. Continue reading →

The importance of spending time alone

January 3, 2017December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused, Working with your guides Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, figuring out my life work, getting things done, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive, Working with your guides

An artist needs time to create. A writer needs time to work out a story. A musician needs time to play and to compose. A saint needs time to pray.

Alone-time lets you refill the pitcher of your life from all the little daily leaks and keeps your soul from running dry.

Such are the musing of Anne Morrow Lindbergh in Gift from the Sea. Anne was married to Charles Lindbergh and was a fellow aviator and accomplished author. She survived the abduction and murder of her first child, went on to have five more children, and outlived her famous husband by decades finally passing at the age of 94. Continue reading →

Make one New Year’s resolution

January 1, 2017December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Tips on using a planner, Tips on using a planning calendar Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How do I use a planner?, how to get organized, losing weight, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive, Using a planner, working on big projects

Here are the top four New Year’s resolutions. How many of these have been on your make-and-break list?

Lose weight
Get organized
Spend less/save more
Enjoy life to the fullest

I’m not big on making New Year’s resolutions because I don’t like to waste time. Statistics say that only 8% of us stick to New Year’s resolutions. Why spend time wishing for something that doesn’t happen most of the time for most people?

But these are great goals! So what can you do to make a resolution stick this year? Continue reading →

Lessons from “Creative Week”

December 29, 2016December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused, Tips on using a planner, Working with your guides Big project ideas, Decision making, getting things done, Getting work done, How do I use a planner?, How to stay focused, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive, Using a planner, Working with your guides

The week between Christmas and New Year’s tends to be quiet for business, so I decided to christen this “Creative Week”. I have a number of projects I love to do that I don’t make a top priority – so they don’t get done. I thought this week could be rich for creative production – layered in with just two hours of work-work each day.

Normally, I set an intent for what I want to carry out, plan in time, and track what gets done – but that didn’t feel right for Creative Week. However, working on a complete whim was too big a challenge for a planner/tracker, so I brainstormed a list of creative stuff I wanted to get done. This included everything from running and meditation, to practicing the guitar, to making beaded bags, to reading, to writing for long periods of time. Continue reading →

Finding balance in crazy times

December 15, 2016December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Getting started, Organizational Exercises, Setting organizational priorities Big project ideas, Decision making, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, how to get organized, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive

It’s easy to feel out of balance in crazy, hectic times (post-election, holiday, end-of-year). But as crazy as the world feels, balance comes from within you. It’s not what’s going on around you; it’s what you do and how you react to things. Balance is something you have control over.

Not convinced? Try this.

Sit quietly for five minutes (set a timer) and think about what the most important things are in your life that help you feel balanced. Five minutes isn’t long and that’s intentional. You don’t need deep thinking on this. You know what’s important to you.

Jot your ideas down as you go. Your list could be three things or twenty things. What matters is that this is your list of whatever comes up in five minutes. Continue reading →

Getting in the flow

December 8, 2016December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, State of "flow", tips to be more productive, Working with your guides

Can you remember a time in your life when you were working on something that completely captivated you – and how delicious that felt?

Author and thinker Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes this as being in a state of “flow”. Flow isn’t a random thing that just happens from time to time. Flow is something you can look for and welcome into your life.

How can you bring flow into any activity?

Choice
Choose what you’re working on. Think about why you’re doing what you’re doing. What is your intent? There’s lots of stuff you have to do. What do you want to do? Continue reading →

The disorganization habit

December 4, 2016December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused, Tips for organizing your house, Tips on decluttering, Tips on using a planner, Tips on using a planning calendar Changing habits, decluttering your life, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How do I use a planner?, how to get organized, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, Tips on decluttering, tips to be more productive, Using a planner

Have you ever uttered these words?

I’m not messy – I’m creative
I’ve always been disorganized
Someone will remind me if I forget
I run late – people are used to it
Don’t mind the mess at my house – it’s my mess and I love it

Then you may be in the disorganization habit. And maybe it’s working for you. But if you’re reading this post, then maybe you’re looking for a change. Continue reading →