organizational tips

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 →

The Joy of Color

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I’m reading a great new book: Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee. Lee opens the book with studies and thoughts about what makes a moment joyous and settles in on something quite simple: color.

If you want to change a drab day, a drab building, or a drab party, add bright, warm colors and you add a pop of joy to the world. Think birthday party balloons. Chinese dragon parades. Maypole ribbons. Hot air balloon festivals. Fields of wildflowers. Can you picture any of these in black and white? No! Just thinking about these colors brings up a bubble of joy.

“Color is energy made visible.”

Lee believes that energy is all around us and that bright colors have high energy that’s contagious.

If you need a little pop of energy, you could try something as simple as… Continue reading →

How can we build a more loving world?

organizationalhabits Big project ideas, Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Organizational Exercises, Setting organizational priorities, Staying focused , , , , , , , , ,

A few weeks ago I was part of a great discussion at a Democracy Cafe about ways we can create a more loving world. Wouldn’t it be awesome to live in a more loving world? How can we work as a team to make that happen?

Here was the #1 suggestion: Greet strangers with warmth.
Most people are kind when you’re kind to them. And while it can be intimidating to start a conversation with someone you don’t know, it’s a blast to meet as strangers and leave as friends. Most people are looking for community and connections and welcome a friendly smile. Trust that it’s never wrong to be kind. Continue reading →

A life well lived

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One of our speakers at the library last week, John Baugher, has a new book coming out about the joy of end-of-life care. I’m certain I’ve never heard anyone speak about end-of-life as being a joyous time. Most of us face end-of-life care, for ourselves or for others, with a certain amount of dread. But John’s decades of working with hospice have left him feeling otherwise.

But John’s talk didn’t center on the end of life. It centered on a life well lived. And not as a reflection – but as a daily practice. His question was:

“Was your life well lived – today?”

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 →

Standing firm in a time of change

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From your first breath as you emerged from the water of the womb to your last sigh as you leave the earth, each breath connects you to nature, to your work, and to fellow human beings across the world.

Can you tell I just finished reading a book on Wind work? 🙂

Author and shamanic healer Renee Baribeau’s book, Winds of Spirit, blows you around in all manner of directions. Here’s my #1 takeaway:

If you’re feeling disconnected from your work or your life, take off your shoes, step outside, and take a “wind bath.” Start off with a few deep breaths. Then ask yourself a question. Continue reading →

Is singing the new exercise?

organizationalhabits Building your personal brand, Changing habits, Decision making, Planning impacts on your health, Working with your guides , , , , , , , , ,

No matter what type of work you’re doing, finding a “like” community can help you accomplish more and have more fun with what you’re doing.

In Daniel Pink’s book, When, he writes about the benefits of choral singing – a unique kind of community. If you’ve ever sung with a group, you know how it lifts your spirit even more than singing solo. “Happy” countries, like the Netherlands, have regular gatherings where everyone sings. And I think group singing is why so many of us love theater – both participating in it and being part of the audience.

It’s not a stretch to think that singing makes you feel good. But check out the other benefits Pink lists for choral singing: Continue reading →

Stay humble. Stay grateful.

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As you may remember, a couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how important it is to take breaks and how hard it is for me to take a break. And if you saw my post from last week, you know that my refusal to take a break resulting in the Universe knocking me flat with a broken ankle. Won’t take a break? How about a nice, quiet week in bed?

I’m going to take a risk here and admit that as bad as I am at taking breaks, I’m also terrible about asking for help. I love being efficient and independent. I’m the one who is here to help you! You do not need to help me.

Except that I’m in a cast for 8 weeks and can’t drive!

Here are my organizational lessons, and lessons in humility, from the past two weeks: Continue reading →