Still not organized?

July 30, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, how to get organized, How to stay focused, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive

If you’re having trouble getting traction on your organizational goals, it may be time to take a step away from your work, take a deep breath, and look for root causes.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself. Continue reading →

Be

July 24, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused, Working with your guides Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive, Working with your guides

I know that title looks like a typo, but I was inspired this weekend by a sign promoting joining an art gallery: Belong.

That got me thinking about a bunch of great “Be” words that could help define your work this week: beloved, beautiful, benevolent, beginning, believe, become…

Continue reading →

If you’re struggling at work…

July 16, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused, Tips on decluttering Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, decluttering your life, Defining who you are, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, organizational tips, Tips on decluttering, tips to be more productive

I’m working with a new client who’s having trouble keeping his entrepreneurial work organized. He told me he has problems with his physical office space, and that he takes on too much work to have a private life.

I’m meeting with him next week and have been working on my notes. My first thoughts were around the space he’s in and the work he produces… Continue reading →

Mind the Gap

July 10, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Planning impacts on your health, Staying focused Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, forming a new habit, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, tips to be more productive, tips to stay healthy

I love when I’m traveling in England and the government courteously reminds me to “mind the gap” when exiting a train or subway.

As a life-philosophy, you also want to “mind the gap” between what you say and what you do. When you meditate or spend quiet time with yourself, it’s easy to think kind, generous thoughts. To feel connected to the earth. And to will the energy of the Universe to allow you to do your best work.

But if you’re cross when someone crosses you, or immediately feel disconnected when things don’t go your way, then it’s time to mind a gap in your life. If someone crosses you and you snap, practice stepping back mentally from the scene and sending that person loving kindness for whatever is going on with them. And see yourself from a distance, like a loving angel, and think, “That poor girl! I wonder what made her cross?” It takes practice to be non-judgmental with the world and with yourself but what a nice practice it is.

If you struggle with this, here are four things that may help you close the gap. Continue reading →

“Mind your business”

July 3, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Helping kids get organized, Organizational Exercises, Planning impacts on your health, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational tips, tips to be more productive, tips to stay healthy

When you “mind your business,” you’re doing a couple of really important things.

Continue reading →

Finding the joy in your life

June 19, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational tips, State of "flow", tips to be more productive

When you feel joyous about what you’re doing for work or play you add to the positive energy of the earth. You’re more fun to be around. And you do better work!

Think back on what you did both physically and mentally last week. Continue reading →

Feel gratitude for everything

June 10, 2018December 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", Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Working with your guides Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, figuring out my life work, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, working on big projects, Working with your guides

My daughter, Samantha, graduated from Duke a couple of weeks ago. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, was the commencement speaker and gave a great talk. I love that we have guides everywhere. When you’re open to new ideas, a hot morning in a football stadium can turn into a cool well of inspiring thought.

Here were a few of my favorite take-aways from Mr. Cook. Continue reading →

What’s the best part of your day?

May 22, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused, Tips on using a planner Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, Prioritizing tasks, tips to be more productive, Using a planner

I love this exercise from Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. You do stuff everyday. Some of it you choose to do. A lot of it you have to do. Each day your energy flows around your tasks, sometimes up and sometimes down.

If you want to have more up-energy, try tracking your energy flow for a week. You can either set up an activity log, or better yet, just mark up your planner. At the end of the day, look at each thing you did and check off or highlight things that raised your energy.

What’s cool about us is that we’re all different. A high-energy part of your day could be: Continue reading →

Start where you are

May 17, 2018December 9, 2019 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, forming a new habit, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational tips, tips for being kind, tips to be more productive

How’s this for a premise: “If a problem isn’t actionable, it’s not a problem. It’s reality.”

Bill Burnett and Dave Evans develop this idea in their new book, Designing Your Life; How To Build a Well-lived, Joyful Life as they apply “design thinking” to making important life choices.

When you’re organized, you don’t like to waste time. And what’s a huge waste of time? Worrying – especially when you worry about stuff you can’t change. This doesn’t mean you don’t have stuff you wish you could change – a grouchy boss, a noisy neighbor, an obnoxious family member. But if you can’t change them, then they aren’t a problem – they are reality. And you can’t outsmart reality or bend it to your will. It’s still reality. Continue reading →