how to get organized

Need motivation to get more sleep?

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Deborah Kris had an article in The Washington Post last week on the importance for teens to get enough sleep. The thing is, sleep isn’t just important for teens! More and more research is being done on the impact of sleep deprivation across all age categories.

We’ve all experienced periodic lack of sleep and you know the feeling.

  • Your cognitive functioning is impaired.
  • It’s hard to focus, to concentrate.
  • Your body feels heavy, achey, and clumsy.
  • You feel grumpy and might have head spins and negative thoughts.
  • You feel more sensitive and impatient.

One teen in a recent study summed it up beautifully: “When I don’t get enough sleep, everything is harder.” Continue reading →

Is clutter blocking your energy?

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I challenge you this week to look around your house and clear one area that has gotten a little cluttered over the summer. We get busy and things pile up and stagnate. Putting things back in order takes a little time but you’ll feel calmer in your space. You can breathe. You can settle in. Your energy will lift just looking around.

Perhaps there’s a counter with supplies out at the ready. A table with this week’s mail. A nightstand with tissues, hand lotion, and a few unread books. An entryway filled with boots, coats, and umbrellas. A bookshelf packed to overflowing. A desk with open files, a coffee cup, and surplus pens. A closet filled to overflowing. Continue reading →

How to be the world’s best guest

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Organizational Exercises, Staying focused , , , , ,

We have several holidays coming up. ‘Tis the season! If you want to be the world’s best guest, stick to these pointers from Southern Living. And there are bonus points if you’re planning on staying over.

Show up ready to have fun
The best way to be a great guest is to have fun. If you’re having a bad day, smile and check that at the door. Say hi to anyone who is new. Talk to young and old alike. Get interesting conversations going. Your phone stays in your pocket or better yet in a pocket or bag in another room for the duration of the party. And no complaining, please! You have chosen to attend this party, so bring your best-self there.

Either eat what’s served or pick out foods you like without making a fuss
If you have dietary restrictions, bring something you can eat as well as share. Continue reading →

Improve your organizational skills by changing what you eat

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If you aren’t feeling good about what you’re getting done, it might not be an organizational issue – it might be a matter of health. When we push our bodies to the limits, it’s not a surprise when the quality of our work suffers.

Here are some easy steps you can start this week to improve your health. Continue reading →

Still not organized?

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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 →

Relaxing into a schedule

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If you’ve been thinking about doing something cool, set a deadline and put together a schedule. A deadline is effective even if it’s something only you know about; when you write a due date on a calendar you’re making a written commitment to yourself to get something done.

A cool benefit of having a schedule, besides meeting deadlines and getting stuff done, is the peace that comes from deciding what you’re working on and when you’re going to do it. You may feel like a schedule limits you. I would counter that when you schedule something, you quiet your brain and the idea stops nagging at you.

“Are you going to work on me now? Now? Now?”

Continue reading →

The 8-week Sprint

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A friend at work recommended a blog by creative guru Jessica Abel. I checked out her site and read through a long, long, long post about why I should pay her to help guide me through an 8-week sprint to get a creative project done. I read – and read, and read – and thought, “I don’t need a coach. I just need to do the work.”

Here’s the plan I came up with for my 8-week sprint. Continue reading →