Category: ADHD

Managing Transitions: Get Up and Get Ready!

Teaching a time management class last week, I reminded everyone that, from an organizational stand-point, our daily times of transition can make or break our schedule, our stuff, our brain and our peace of mind.

We all meet many transitions every day: sleeping to waking; home to work or school or both; arrival at work or school; leaving work or school; arriving home; leaving again for the evening; bedtime.  And conquering these transition times will bring us ease, help us be on time, get and stay organized, and get more done with less stress.

Let’s start with the first big transition of the day: Transitioning from Sleep to Ready to Leave!

Over the last week, I’ve run into the two extremes around Morning routines.  One client had no morning routine at all, and one had a routine that was too complicated and overwhelming  to succeed.  Let’s find some middle ground, and make this happen!

Keep it simple, Sweetie.  Start with Need To / Must Do Tasks.

  • And, start with things you can only do at home!
  • Shower (though I suppose you could do this at the gym!);
  • Get dressed (unless pajama day every day is the policy at your office. For the rest of us, though, we have to get dressed);
  • Fuel yourself with breakfast;
  • Brush thy teeth / comb thy hair / shave thy cheeks, etc..
  • If your getting ready routine is still too complicated, consider what tasks you can redistribute to other times of your day, like showering or exfoliating at night, for example.

If that is all you have time for before you leave the house, so be it.

What can you take on the road, if need be? 

  • And, NO, you wacky people on the toll road last week, shaving and applying eye liner while driving are NOT things you should take on the road!  However:
  • drinking your second cup of coffee, in a spill and leak proof go-mug;  or
  • eating your breakfast bar; or
  • reading the newspaper on the train (on my IPad’s Tribune App) are all tasks you can take on the road! 
  • I spent many days on the road this summer.  I still have the habit of carrying a small bag of essentials like lotion, toothpaste/brush, comb, etc., and each has come in handy in the last week!  Pack your little bag of little things, and take that on the road, too.

Get really good at completing the essential tasks EVERY DAY and in a timely manner. THEN… add in the optional items, the Cans and Shoulds and Just Maybes.  These may include:

  • pack that lunch and think about dinner;
  • office tasks like checking email;
  • house tasks like laundry, washing dishes; and
  • whatever other tasks you may tackle regularly but are not truly essential.

Give some thought to your short list of MUST DO tasks this week, get really good at completing those completely and on time, and then add in some of those optional items if you have time.  Conquering this first transition of the day will start you on the right path to a great day!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
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Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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Any Day – EVERY DAY – Is A Good Day to Start Fresh

It’s a new week.  A new month.  For some, it’s a new fiscal year.  It’s the second half of the calendar year.  It’s a holiday week.  It’s a Tuesday.

Some of you may say, “Whatever, Coll.  It’s a Tuesday.  What’s your point?”

My point is… well, I guess I have a couple of points.

First, time is completely arbitrary.   It’s all relative.  

I know, that is a weighty statement.  But, weighty or not, it’s true.  Time is a human construct, a way of conceptualizing the phenomenon of Time Passing.  Even though I coach lots of people in Time Management, I am still the first to say that Time is arbitrary.

However, and here is the real point of today’s post, Any Day – EVERY DAY – is a good day to start fresh.

We’ve had a busy few months.  I’ve mentioned the two graduations and accompanying round of award banquets / events / concerts / ceremonies / parties.  We’ve also had a health challenge or 2 (everyone is fine), some work and service challenges, and everything in between.  And it’s all good, and we’re doing fine.

Everything I mentioned has required mental and physical energy, and I have been glad to spend both!  But this week, after a big event this past weekend, I am feeling a shift in my focus.  I must admit, yesterday I was just feeling a lack of focus :), but today  – I am looking forward with a new vision.

I am feeling motivated to mentally clear clutter and make plans to move forward in a number of areas, and I invite you all to do the same!

Accept that time moves, and moves quickly, whether we want it to or not.

I was chatting with a friend yesterday, her oldest son and my youngest son are both heading to high school in the Fall.  I was talking about the boys preparing for college, and then apologized for rushing, to which she wisely replied “It’s 4 years, we have to think that way.  Just yesterday, they were in 5th grade”, and it really does feel that way.

Take a few moments to appreciate where you have been.

One of my favorite exercises around Time Management and Productivity is writing my Done List.  Mine is typically a day or week at a time, but imagine what your list of major accomplishments in life so far would be!

Appreciate all the moments that lead you to this place in this time today.  Be grateful for the good, forgive the bad, and learn from both.

Next, take stock of where you are today.  How are you doing?  What is awesome, and what could be a little better?

What areas do you want to work on?

  • Personal Wellness
  • Financial Wellness
  • Work, in general
  • Professional development
  • Nuclear family
  • Extended family
  • Fun!
  • Spiritual development
  • Community Service
  • (Fill in yours here!!)

And, Where do you want to go? Looking at your focus areas above, what more do you want to do with your

  • week?
  • month?
  • summer?
  • year?

Today (and this week, this month, this season) is a new opportunity to make positive change.  What will you do with your opportunity? 

A new idea occurred to me the other day, to change our shopping habits to save time and money.  EXCEPT… that is not actually a new idea.  It’s a goal I stated wayyyyy back in January (and probably last year), but I think it’s time to create a plan and task list and deadline for it, and make some progress in that area.

Same thing for my personal wellness.  Good habits slip sometimes when life is especially crazy, so this week, I am also re-committing to some neglected wellness goals.

These are just a couple of examples from my own mind.  What will yours look like?  What do you want to do with your time, arbitrary or not?  Today is the Day!  Any Day – EVERY DAY – is a good day to start fresh!  Got get ’em!

Self-Care in Little Bite-Size Pieces. Or Perhaps a Smoothie.

It took 40+ years (okay, closer to 50), 20 of those as a mom, but I’m finally figuring out Self Care, and the difference between Self Care and Me Time.

First of all, can we just call it something else?  My friend Jan clarified for me – Self Care is investing in good habits now to help Future You later.  So, some days, it seems self-care is actually survival.  It’s taking care of the basics of life, so there is something left in us at the end of the day.  For a long time, “Self-Care” seemed too selfish and warm and fuzzy for me, but now I understand how essential it truly is.

I coach people in Time Management all the time, but “Me Time”?  Well, Me Time still escapes  me.  Perhaps it was the 12 minutes of reading the new Dan Brown book before nodding off last night, or relaxing with some yard maintenance on a beautiful sunny day.  That will have to be good enough for now, and I’m ok with that.

Here, friends, is organizer insight applied to Self Care.  Read on, or not.  It’s up to you.

Be Nice To You.
I’m not terribly judgmental… except of myself.   Even if I notice a shortcoming in someone else, I try to accept it with compassion or just let it go… except when it’s me.  Conversely – and you can tell me if this is true for you or not, as well – I also have the utmost faith in my own abilities to do pretty much everything, and all at the same time.  Until human fallibility comes in, and then I’m back to being overly judgmental of myself.

So, my first suggestion for self care for you and for me  is to be nice to you, and show yourself the same compassion you show others.

Also, be nice to you because you may be the only one who knows you are suffering.  This is not because your loved ones don’t care.  They might not notice that you’re having a rough time.  Perhaps you have made life seem so easy for so long that no one even worries about you, or it may just take too darned long to explain or ask for care.  Like so many things, this may be up to you, dear.

Nourish yourself.
Feed yourself with healthy foods, and do it regularly.  Start with you, so you have energy to help others.  This is how I ended an email yesterday morning to my accountability partner:  ” Ok, cutting this short.  Heading to a hoarding clean-out, so nice Colleen is going to take care of future Colleen by spending the next 10 minutes making a healthy smoothie, packing a healthy lunch and dressing for safety.”

Figure out how to make nourishing yourself easier.  I spent part of my dinner-making time Sunday prepping food for the week.  I cleaned and cut produce, hard boiled eggs (my preferred packed-lunch on the go), and pre-bagged some snacks.  Preparing a Sunday dinner is relaxing to me, so it makes sense for me to hang out in the kitchen for a few more minutes.  Not so for you?  Don’t worry.  Cut corners, seriously, anywhere you can.

Take your nourishment with you.  As my son and I headed to school before I went to yesterday’s client, I placed my go mugs in my van cup holders, saying “Life Blood” (coffee) and “Breakfast” (my Greek yogurt / banana / whatever other fruit I have smoothie).   Let’s face it, plain Greek yogurt is sort of gross, but its a nutritional powerhouse and makes a great fruit smoothie I can sip as I drive!

Don’t bother with what you just don’t care about.
Over the weekend, I discussed with my friend Karen how great it is to be our current age.   With maturity has come the freedom to say “Nope, don’t need to know this.  Don’t need to worry about that.”    The things I do need to worry about are very real and plentiful, but it’s not EVERYTHING anymore.  Whatever the next fad or celebrity or TV show – nope, no thanks, I’m good.


Find your people.
Find your people.  Reach out to them often.  Make it brief, though, because truly – some days, who has the time? But share the love as much as you can, even in little ways, because we all need a boost some days.

Take care of you, friends.  And know that the rest of us are here to back you up when you need it.

A Great Morning Starts the Night Before, 2.0 Edition (Not Just For Kids!)

Back in 2011, I wrote “A GREAT MORNING STARTS THE NIGHT BEFORE!” for a Back-to-School newsletter.   The original article, found here, is still pertinent and useful for kids and families!

I’ve learned a lot since I published that article!  And I still find myself re-considering how to tweak my routines.  Our days are complicated lately!  While I work on un-complicating them,  I still have to get to bed at a reasonable hour, get up and out of bed in the morning, and complete a handful of tasks before I leave the house every day!

I am older and wiser (as are my kids!), so today, let’s take another look at “A Great Morning Starts the Night Before”!

  • Look Ahead. 
    • In my original article, this was a solitary step for me as Mom to take. These days, the teenagers and I all need to check in with each other and with the upcoming calendar.
    • Part of parenting is to foster planning and self-management skills in our young adults (and working on that for ourselves, too!). Some days, there are scheduling challenges or car usage juggling!
    • I look at the calendar for the next few hours, days and weeks, and ask the important questions of myself and my sons to move us forward.  I may jot down those questions on a dry erase board, in case our schedules don’t synchronize.  (For example, “Where is the grade report from last Friday”, “Does your tux jacket need dry cleaned after last week’s concert?”, etc.)  They can start working on answering these questions in my absence!

  • Meal Planning:  I’m the only person who packs a lunch anymore, so lunch making isn’t as important as it used to be.
    • However, ensuring we have portable breakfast foods on hand has become more important, as has dinner meal planning to make sure I have a meal planned that works with the next day’s schedule.
    • Instead of assigning a specific meal to every day, I may list 5-7 quick and favorite meals on a note near the fridge, and make sure we have the ingredients on hand for each.
    • Then I can choose a really quick meal on days we’re strapped for time, or a more involved meal if I have a little extra time.

  • “Lay out clothes for tomorrow, for you and your children” was the statement in the original article.  However, as we and our kids grow and evolve, we know this gets a little tougher!
    • Laundry maintenance.  The success of this step relies on maintaining the laundry process (and yes, I have started a load of laundry as I’ve been writing this).  By “maintaining the process”, I mean – keep the laundry moving along and don’t let your wardrobe options pile up! For example, start a load every evening, and toss it in the dryer every morning while you get ready for your day.
    • Another key to success in this area is to have a standard ensemble to wear for your typical day.  I am NOT the person to give fashion advice, but I am the person to offer suggestions that will save you time and aggravation.  Spend an hour some evening, and put together a handful of outfits you can easily use when you’re strapped for time.

  • “Pack Your Bag the Night Before”.  This piece of advice never grows old.  I had an early morning breakfast meeting today, so last night, I made sure my notes were in my bag.  We still stumble, as the completed forms I laid on the middle-schooler’s backpack for him to take back to school today are still laying on his dresser…  but tomorrow is another opportunity to turn stuff in!

  • Go to bed.  Good sleep hygiene is vital to success, for all of us.  A reasonable and consistent bedtime and calming night-time routines, including planning and prep for the next day, help ensure good sleep and a better morning tomorrow!
To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Change The Habit or Change The House?

Working with a client this morning, I was reminded  of an article I recently read on ApartmentTherapy.com similar to this one (edited and updated, July 2020).

In the comments for an article about creating an entry way in a small space, a reader asked if the solution to the problem was to “Change the habit or the house?”.

This is a powerful and useful question as we get organized!  And… what does that mean?

Let’s say I notice that, when I walk in the door every day, I consistently put my keys on the same side table and toss my coat over the same chair or the back of the sofa.

Leaving my keys and coat exactly there makes the space look cluttered or disorganized, so I could elect to try and change my HABIT and come in a different door, or walk down the hallway and hang things up in a closet, etc.   However, since I am consistent about where these items fall, I can find them in an instant and be out the door efficiently.

So the HABIT is a good one, but the entry way of the HOUSE doesn’t support the HABIT well.   I could change the house to support the habit by adding a decorative bowl in the entry way for keys and phone, setting a chair in the entry way for our coat and bag, or perhaps adding a coat tree or some wall hooks.

Another example.  This morning’s client has 2 school aged daughters, and they both consistently drop their school backpacks and sport bags in the same places in the living room / dining room.  This can drive a parent crazy, let me tell you!

Yes, the piles in these living spaces are unsightly.  However, these students have good and consistent habits that helps them keep track of their school work and team uniforms.  So, the question we asked this morning was “Is it easier to change the habit or the house?”

My client didn’t actually mind the location of the piles, merely the appearance of them.  So, de- cluttering the pile contents and adding attractive large wicker baskets to hold the bags and gear in the habitual drop zones seems a better solution than trying to establish new habits and drop zones elsewhere.

Years ago, I organized with a real estate agent who had a lovely home office, but she didn’t really like to work in there.  She preferred to work in her kitchen – it was warm and cozy, had great light plus coffee!  So, instead of trying to change her preferred habit of working happily in the kitchen, we instead set up a work space in the kitchen and reserved the home office for meetings with clients, and file and supply storage.  We helped her home better fit her good work habit.

Again, the question: Do I need to change my house or change my habit?

Is there is a space in your home or office that regularly causes you frustration?  A place that has just never seemed to “work” right for you?

If your habit is a problem – you drop stuff where it becomes unsafe, you neglect client files, you are inconsistent with your stuff and the habits around it – then consider changing your habits.

If, however, your habits are sound but the space doesn’t support the habit, consider what you can do to Support the Good Habit and Change the house around it!

Thanks for reading!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO

Create Productive Work-From-Home Space: National Clean Off Your Desk Day

Last week, I heard from a newly minted college graduate.  She is very excited to start her first  professional position with a national company, working from home.

Hmmm… “Working From Home”.   A quick glance at wikipedia revealed related terms like “telecommuting”, “remote work” or “teleworking”.  This is a growing trend, with many of us working at least some of the time from non-traditional work space.

According to this recent New York Times article,  “More American employees are working remotely, and they are doing so for longer periods… Last year, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely, according to the survey of more than 15,000 adults.”

With this conversation in mind and National Clean Off Your Desk Day (second Monday of January) here again, let’s talk about Organizing Your Work Space for Working-From-Home.  Let’s look at solutions to common Work-From-Home Challenges!

Be Professional and Productive While Working From Home

There are habits we can create to feel professional and productive, no matter where we work.

  • Create a morning routine – get up, work out, eat a healthy breakfast, get clean, etc. – even if your commute is the 10 feet between your living room and office.

    My Company Wellness Program 🙂

  • We all benefit from the clear definition of a start and end to our work day.  If you need separation in your day between personal time and work, go for a run, for Mass, for coffee, or to drop off the kids at school.  Then, come home and boot up!
  • Dress professionally, even if you don’t see another person all day.  No PJs for productivity!
  • We need to minimize distractions (more on this later) working from home, but the opposite is also true.  Remember to walk around and take breaks!

My Company Cafeteria (a.k.a. my kitchen counter!)

Stay Connected:

  • A common challenge of working from home is feeling isolated.  Remember, Community comes in many forms.
  • Check with your company!  If your company has teleworking opportunities, they probably also have strategies in place to help employees stay connected.
  • Find a mentor or accountability partner within your company.   You can also ask the professional association attached to your industry, or even just someone you really respect.
  • Join networking or FB groups within your chosen field or geographical community. My FB and networking groups are amazing resources for me as I navigate my day!

Physical Workspace:

  • If you are clear on the Work of your Work, you can probably work from anywhere!
  • No one needs to know where you work!  Some days saying “working from home” doesn’t feel professional, so I might say I’m working “remotely” or “virtually”, whether I’m at a client’s office, my own home office or Starbucks!
  • Your Actual Work Space:
    • If you skype, or have video conference calls, invest in a back drop or standing screen that looks more professional than your family room or basement!
    • Organize your work space, especially if you need to switch from student focus to work focus, like my young friend.  A clean desk helps you focus.  My accountability partner mentioned just last week how much more creative she feels when her work space is organized and clutter free.
  • Need Professional Space for a change of pace or a group project?  Perhaps your team is coming into town for training?  Many communities have available shared professional spaces or  business centers.  For a fee, these centers may offer work spaces, office services such as copiers or fax machines, conference rooms to rent by the hour or day, and even administrative help.   For example, I am a member of BAPA here on the South Side of Chicago, and their business center offers office equipment and conference room space free to paid members.

The “Home” part of Working-From-Home

  • Be clear with your house-mates what your tele-working will mean.  You may be home but still on the clock!  (The same goes for pets – one client closes the door and curtains to the back yard, to signal to her faithful furry companions that play time is over!)
  • A closed door can be an arranged signal that quiet time is needed, or that a conference call is in progress!

Consider these ideas when creating your productive work-from-home space!

Sharing the Idea of “20 Minutes or 20 Dollars”

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I had the privilege of speaking to a wonderful group in Merillville, IN last night about downsizing.

We covered a lot in our 60 minutes together: clearing clutter, determining the value of our stuff, how long to keep certain types of papers.  One idea that I shared with the group was the idea of “20 Minutes or 20 Dollars”.  A couple of people made a point to tell me that they really liked the idea, so I thought I would share.

I wish I could say that this genius idea was my own, but I can’t!  The idea comes from The Minimalists, in their essay, Getting Rid of Just-In-Case Items: 20 Minutes, 20 Dollars.   The premise is that if you are debating whether to keep or get rid of an item, remind yourself that almost anything can be replaced within $20 minutes or for $20 dollars.  And because we can easily replace most things, we don’t have to keep a million items for JUST IN CASE!

For Example:

20 Minutes:  
At last night’s presentation, I referenced the set of siblings that I’ve organized, each with a full set of chafing dishes.  Awesome but big, awkward, and only occasionally useful chafing dishes.  Apparently, these siblings had a very nice Great Aunt Somebody who always bought newlyweds a set of chafing dishes.  Here’s the thing – surely these siblings could SHARE a set, and just move the set around from family event to family event, instead of each of them having to keep their full set.  As they were all trying to de-clutter, it seemed that a quick phone call to each other and a 20 minute errand to pick up the shared set was more reasonable than keeping all the sets.

20 Minutes:
Last summer a friend hosted a big group of teens at her home for a weekend.  Instead of buying 20 air mattresses, she asked Facebook friends if she could borrow air mattresses.  In 20 minutes, she had dozens of offers for what she needed.

20 Dollars:
You know that box of cords?  Yes, THAT box.  The one that drives you crazy?  Most of us have at least one.  The black spaghetti mess of unmatched, unlabeled and unclaimed charging cords from ancient phones or digital cameras gone by?  Look around.  If what you use regularly already has a cord attached, you could probably purge all of those unclaimed cords and spend $20 someday on a replacement in the very remote chance you actually needed one of those random cords.  Clear up a whole lot of space, and bank on the fact you don’t need what is in that THAT box!

20 Minutes and 20 Dollars:
Sombreros (or similar items, you get the idea!).  Sombreros are big.  Awkward to store.  Not a commonly used items, let’s face it.  If you EVER had a need for a sombrero – party, costume, school presentation – you could either spend the $20 to buy one at a party store or on-line, or better yet, ask 10 friends if anyone has a sombrero, and I bet someone does!

This week, look around your house and at your clutter.  Ask yourself if you are keeping things for JUST IN CASE that could easily be replaced for $20 and / or within 20 minutes!  If so, let it go!

If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.

(Click here to see / hear me read this article on a Facebook Post.)

I have an article half written for publication this week regarding great questions a client asked about menu planning.  But that is not the point of this post.

Fact is, my thoughts on the menu-planning article were pushed away this morning by the recurring mantra “If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes”.  (I googled this quote, to give it and it’s author proper credit, but it is unclear as to who actually coined the phrase.)

“If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

This phrase has been rolling around in my head since last night when I co-taught a class with my friend Mark at the Oak Lawn Public Library on Bullet Journaling.  Bullet Journaling is a great productivity tool, and I promised some of the class participants that I would publish more about it soon.  But that is not the point of this post.

“If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

People don’t attend classes because they want everything in their lives to stay exactly the same. People choose to learn about new things because they want to think or do things differently.

“If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

So, what do you want to change about your life, and what are you willing to do differently to create that change?  Some times, change happens to us from the outside.  Sometimes we are the catalyst for change from inside.  In this instance, I am asking YOU what YOU want to change or make better.

“If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

Last Fall, I was asked to make a really big change, to take on a responsibility that would help my community.  One of my very wise sons asked me 3 questions:

  • “What will change, from day to day, if you take this on?”
    • The answer was “I will have to make room in my schedule for these new responsibilities, but I can and am willing to do make the necessary modifications, to let go of a few roles and responsibilities to make room for this new one.”
  • “What GOOD can you do?”
    • This was the more important question for me.  Yes, this big responsibility might be time consuming and a little intimidating, but the idea of the GOOD that could come from the change was enough to inspire me to act.
  • And, “What did Dad (my husband) say when you told him?”  That one made us both laugh!

Change is exciting and motivating and energizing.  It can also be occasionally terrifying, uncomfortable and paralyzing.  Change can be difficult.

What if the change is the wrong change?

Yes, but what if it’s the right one?

What if change is awkward or hard or uncomfortable?

Yes, but what if it’s not?

“If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

There is an old adage that I read recently, “There are 7 frogs on a log, and one decided to jump. How many are frogs are on the log?”

The answer, of course, is 7.  Until that one frog actually jumps, there are still 7 frogs on the log.  Decision making is important, of course, but real change only comes from Action.

“If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

So, think your thoughts, dream your dreams and make your plans. Then act.

Take that single small first step towards change on your own terms.  Jump off that log.  Because “If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes.”

When Reality Meets the To-Do List: It’s Time To Act!

Last week, I found myself on the phone actually agreeing to a Demolition Date for my kitchen.  

Demo Date.  That’s what it is called.

I arranged for a team of people to come in and disassemble our kitchen as we know it, so it can be reassembled with hardwood floors, new cabinets and appliances, paint and lighting.

I’m very excited about these improvements.  And terrified.  And just a wee bit overwhelmed (especially considering that now the demo date is now just hours away).

In conversation with a friend over the weekend, she mentioned that Saturday was the day “Reality meets the list”.  For a week, she had jotted down ideas, planned, imagined, strategized, categorized, prioritized, etc., but now it was time for action.

As I packed up the kitchen this afternoon, my Reality Met My List, too.  No more planning and lists and thinking.  Now it was time to open the cabinets and finish putting things in boxes and baskets for the next few weeks.

So, if you are working on projects, whether at home or at work, professionally or personally, there comes a moment when we need to implement our plan.  Commit.  Execute.  DO!

Don’t Act Too Early.  
I found myself saying “I leaped before I looked” to my son when I asked him to help me move something while my arms were full of stuff.  So, Act, but don’t Act Too Soon!

On the Other Hand…

Don’t Think Too Long.
Have you heard the term “The Paralysis of Analysis”?  We can overthink something for so long that opportunities pass or situations change before we ever get to act or travel or grow.  My Dad says “Do SOMETHING, even if it’s wrong!”.  I wouldn’t want to be wrong, but the point is to DO something.

See the paint shown to the right?  I want a dark color for the kitchen walls, but I’m a little nervous. So the best way to figure out if we will like it was to buy a sample and paint the wall.  I can wonder all I want, but to make a decision and make progress, we needed ACTION (and I like it!)!

Be Reasonable.
My to-list contains EVERYTHING I need to do, and sometimes I just use it as a dumping place for my ideas and tasks, which means the list for any given day can be ridiculously long and unrealistic.  Putting 28 hours worth of work or tasks on the list for a 24 hour period is dooming myself to failure.

Make the list, but also look at your day and week and month, and determine what you can reasonably get done.

Just Do It. Implementation is Key.
We can plan and discuss and research a topic until we are blue in the face, but without action, it remains just a topic.

And now… I need to go and pack!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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“If I Don’t Write It Down, It Doesn’t Exist”

“If I don’t write it down, it doesn’t exist.”

After a conversation with a friend last week, “If I don’t write it down, it doesn’t exist.” was already the working title of this week’s article. Then, yesterday, a friend texted, and I quote, “seriously, If I don’t write it down, it’s gone!”

Maybe this statement resonates with you, too?

To be honest, I hesitated to write this article, worried that you might harshly judge your professional organizer who has to write things down to remember them.  But then I realized that to help us all get more organized, I needed to share the solution I have found to a common challenge!

“If I don’t write it down, it doesn’t exist.”

Our brains are always working.  My brain has a lot to do, and a lot of tasks to juggle.  Often my brain will supply a thought, idea or an answer to a question that I am not, at that moment, ready to process.

This happens all the time.  While I’m:

  • driving;
  • trying to fall asleep;
  • in the shower;
  • in Mass;
  • sitting at a soccer game;
  • working with a client, etc.
You get the picture.  Personal thoughts come while I’m working, and client/business thoughts come in the midst of personal time.  I want to capture those ideas for later, and then get back to what I was doing.
Appreciate your brain, and all it does for you.  And give it a little help.
Clear your Mental Clutter by getting those swirling thoughts out of your brain.
  1. Create the Habit of Writing Stuff Down (you can try voice recordings, too, if you prefer);
  2. Create the Habit of turning your notes in Actions;
  3. Act on the Ideas.  And then
  4. Give your brain another challenge to work on.
  • Write Stuff Down, as it comes.
    • Capture the idea.
    • I have a large Post-It pad in the car (orange), and a similar one next to me right now (pink).   The different colors help me to put them back in their proper homes, should they wander.
    • I also have a dry erase marker in the bathroom, for jotting notes down on the mirror; and
    • I even have a waterproof note pad and pencil in the shower (www.myaquanotes.com)  
    • What I use most to collect my thoughts is Evernote on my laptop, IPhone and IPad.
  • Make A Habit of Collecting / Compiling
    • Regularly (daily?), compile the little notes into an Action list.
    • Once a day, I collect all the little notes and put them into my master lists on Evernote.  Tasks, blog ideas, personal and professional development ideas, grocery lists, etc..
    • This keeps them from piling up or getting lost, and reminds me of the urgent issues I need to address.
  • Turn Your Ideas Into Actions.
    • Make your notes and ideas actionable, so you don’t just have a jumbled pile of papers in front of you to compete with the jumbled ideas in your brain.
    • My large orange Post-It note from a car trip yesterday (I jotted it all down while parked in a parking lot, very safe I promise) included:
      • Explore Bullet Journaling idea for workshop;
      • Send A theatre ticket info;
      • Send D Cub Scout info;
      • Send T the recipes;
      • Return client calls on Tuesday; and
      • remember to carry promotional materials to all your presentations.
    • So, last night, I made sure to add these ideas to my Project List and Daily Task Lists, and
      recycled the note.
  • Ask for reminders in the form that works for you.
    • If you prefer auditory reminders, ask folks to call you and leave you a voice mail.
    • I prefer written reminders.  For example, when my son asks me to buy something at the grocery, I refer him to the grocery list.  He can say the words to me, but if it’s not written down, I may not remember 4 days from now when I actually go to the grocery.
      • This is also the reason I prefer emails and texting to phone calls – I can refer back to the message, for details or contact info, etc.  I don’t remember entire conversations for more than a couple of days.

This week, give your brain a break and boost your productivity by creating the Write Stuff Down Habit!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
www.Facebook.com/MColleenKlimczakCPO
Via Twitter, @ColleenCPO