Time to stretch with a little Social Exercise!

Don’t you love it when you’re new to a group and someone makes an effort to get to know you and helps you feel welcome? We are a social species, and when someone is friendly, kind, warm, and welcoming we take a deep breath and are grateful.

In a recent article by David Brooks at the New York Times, Brooks cites a study that shows how much people underestimate the impact of talking to strangers. We underestimate how open most people are to having a conversation, how much we’ll enjoy a conversation, and how much we can learn.

I am a big proponent of trying out new things. So why not practice a little Social Exercise this week and see if you can be that warm and welcoming person in a group you’re part of at work, school, in your neighborhood, or at home?

Organized Zen is all about getting to your best work. Sometimes a stranger is just the person you need to help you figure out how to do that.

Click here for more thoughts.

What do you want to be known for?

June 10, 2022 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused build your brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, Get organized, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, how to get organized, How to stay focused, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, organized, organized zen, organized zen now, tips to be more productive

I recorded this short video before taking off to travel for a couple of weeks. Traveling tests your mettle – it takes your brand and shakes it up! But more to come on that in my next post.

In the meantime, here are some thoughts and questions about who you are and what you stand for. Are you 100% guaranteed?

Find the Heat!!

May 23, 2022 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Getting started, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused Changing habits, Cheryl Strayed, Decision making, Defining who you are, find your passion, forming a new habit, Get organized, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, Maya Angelou, organization, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, organize, organized zen, organized zen now, tips to be more productive

People who are sure of themselves and love their work energize any room they come into. There is a joy to being around highly energized, grounded people, so why not be one of them?

When you tap into the “heat” in your life you find that energy. And maybe not just once. We’re not limited by decisions we’ve made in the past. What’s your heat today? What project, work, art, friendship, or ridiculous endeavor would you like to take on?

This talk was inspired by a weekend writing workshop with Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild, and Tiny Beautiful Things. Cheryl’s writing is inspiring and you could feel the heat in the room at each session. Plus she’s funny and that’s always a bonus :).

Cheryl shared this quote from Maya Angelou that sums up this talk and is a great point to ponder: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Cheryl’s talk was on writing from the heart – but you can apply the heat test to any aspect of your life. Please don’t leave something you have to offer the world undone!

In this talk, I’ll give you ideas about how to tap into your heart to find the hot spots and take a baby step in a new direction. I hope this brings you inspiration to take a baby step today that sets you off on a new, HOT path.

Summer says: Time to slow down!

May 19, 2022 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Getting started, Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Planning impacts on your health, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused, Take care of your precious self! Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, forming a new habit, Get organized, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, healing with art, How to stay focused, organization, organizational advice, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, organize, organize your life, organized zen, organized zen now, slow down, tips to be more productive

I love it when I hear a message from one person. And then another. And then another! Sometimes the Universe has to stand directly in front of me to get me to pay attention. What message did I get this week? Slow down!

When you slow down you have time to make sure that where you’re going is a place you want to go. One very cool way to slow down is through art and music which can mendyour mind as well as your heart.

Okay, Universe. I am listening. I promise I’ll slow down. It just may not be until August :).

Here’s more.

I hope the start of your summer has been a joyous, slow time for you. 🙂

Feeling the quiet as you consider a leaf…

May 16, 2022 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Getting started, Meditation, Organizational Exercises, Planning impacts on your health, Productivity tips for work, Staying focused, Take care of your precious self! blissful zen, Changing habits, Consider a leaf, Decision making, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, healthy living, How to stay focused, living healthy, Meditation, meditation ideas, organization, organizational advice, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, organize, organize your life, organized zen now, tips to be more productive, zen

Making time for quiet each day has all sorts of healing properties. Taking a deep breath and pausing to think and be in the space you’re in can help lower your blood pressure, improve your ability to focus, and elevate your mood.

Getting to your best work isn’t all about doing – sometimes it’s about stopping to “consider.” And sometimes, it’s about stopping just to stop. 🙂

Here are a few thoughts on finding ways to bring meditative moments into your day.

And I have to add a picture of my granddaughter Brooke as she considers her toes. Bliss 🙂

How does being part of a strong community help you get things done?

March 24, 2022 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Decision making, Finding your "why", Organizational Exercises building community, Defining who you are, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational advice, Organizational Exercises, organizational tips, organized zen, organized zen now, tips to be more productive, ways to build community

When you’re part of a community, you feel safer taking chances in life because you feel supported. And you know that if something doesn’t work out exactly as you intended, someone is going to be there for you – maybe to help you laugh it off. And maybe to help you get on your feet to try again.

In the activity this week, I’ll walk you through ways to build stronger community ties. And ways to form a community if you are feeling the need for a wider web to catch you!

Here are my thoughts

I hope all is well in your world!

Leave things a little better…

March 31, 2021March 31, 2021 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Organizational Exercises, Productivity tips for work getting organized, getting things done, organizational tips, the glass is half-full

As soon as I got bumped out of my cross-country trip (Thank you, Covid!), I started looking for a house to buy. I figured that the housing market would fall apart – which would have made sense with so many people losing their jobs. But as you may have heard, just the opposite happened. The housing market went crazy as everyone started to nest.

For months, I found nothing I liked that I could afford, but I kept searching until I found a gem – an 1880s house in Bath, ME that had been converted into law offices. The 10-room house was in serious need of renovation but it was in a beautiful location along the Kennebec River. With high ceilings and hardwood floors, this beautiful old house would convert nicely into two luxury apartments – one for me to live in, and one to rent out to help keep the monthly mortgage payments low.

My mom offered to go in with me on the deal, but I still needed a mortgage. And according to the mortgage broker, in order to get one, I had to have a job.

Continue reading →

Make Time

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020 organizationalhabits Baby steps to start getting organized, Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Business tips, Changing habits, Decision making, 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, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, Getting work done, How to stay focused, organizational tips, tips to be more productive, tips to stay healthy, working on big projects

I’m always on the lookout for new ways to get and stay organized. My latest inspiration is Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. These two Silicon Valley fellows found themselves swamped with work and while they had interesting careers, were unhappy with the amount of time they had left in the day to do work they loved. Part of the work they loved, of course, was writing a book about doing the work they loved… :).

Here are their four big take-aways: Continue reading →

Bats and Palaces

December 23, 2019 organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Finding your "why", Planning impacts on your health Big project ideas, Changing habits, Decision making, Defining who you are, forming a new habit, getting organized, getting things done, organizational tips, tips for being kind, tips to stay healthy

As an organizer, it’s a bit of a mind game to make a plan to get your best work done and still be okay with whatever happens. When the Universe is synchronous around you, it’s a great reminder that all is well, that there’s a pattern in your life, and that things are happening as they’re meant to happen. When you recognize and appreciate synchronicity, it helps you work toward an end without being too attached to the outcome. And breathing into this gives you a wonderful feeling of settled Zen.

I had a synchronous moment last week between a wild animal presentation on bats, and a book I was reading, Palaces of the People, by Eric Klinenberg. Continue reading →