Category: Motivation

What Are You Afraid Of?

A coaching client emailed me this question:

Good Morning, Coach Colleen!
Just touching base…
Not very successful in meeting last weeks’ goals.

Today I am asking myself –
What am I afraid of… if I was to let go of something?
I know what papers I want to toss or move – but I am holding on to something.
Hopefully we can move past this block.

My response (edited for confidentiality and content):

“Hmmmm….. what ARE you afraid of?”

We set goals because we want to achieve a certain outcome. We’re also aware there may be side effects from achieving those goals.  The fear of those side effects weighs us down.

  • This client has boxes of old papers to review and purge. She wants to wrap up the paper project before starting another. She has done great work in many ways, but reviewing and purging the papers in these these last few boxes feels scary, like she might let go of something important.
  • I heard the story of a client secretly afraid of an empty in-box. It seemed that if the in-box was empty, she wouldn’t have any more excuses for not doing the other harder, more emotionally painful tasks she’s been putting off.
  • A friend is worried that she’ll lose too much weight and then she’ll have to buy new clothes and it will be expensive. So she doesn’t even start.
  • I alternate between wanting to be super-busy and then freaking out because I’m so busy and can’t do all the things I want to do.

We all have fears, it’s how we face them – what we do with them – that matters.  If you ask yourself what you’re afraid of, your mind might not produce an answer.  If you’re feeling blocked, you can instead ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?”

As in, “I’m conflicted about a possible outcome. It could be good, and it could be scary. So what is the worst that can happen if I achieve this goal?”

Using the weight loss example, what’s the worst that can happen?

  • We feel some discomfort with being hungry or sore from exercising, until our body adjusts (we can survive that, no biggie).
  • We lose weight and then have to buy new clothes (not really so bad).
  • We lose so much weight we look like one of those crazy skeleton people on the news (not really very likely, now is it?).
  • We work out so much we look like those freaky body builders (also not too likely).
  • There is the unlikely event that losing weight could cause other health issues, but the list of health benefits outweigh the fears.

In the case of this client, what’s the worst that can happen if she let go of the wrong papers?

  • Someone may ask for the information (sometimes the answer is “No, I don’t have that paper anymore” and sometimes we have to go out and find the answer again. Neither is too scary).
  • She may forget about it (if the paper represents something important, she will be reminded in other ways).
  • Again, the benefits of completing this paper project, and freeing up space in her house and schedule exceed the fears.
    017

This afternoon I found this quote while working at a different client’s house, took a picture and texted it to my client. I loved her response:

“Wow, doing 365 things a year could make a person become ruthless [her goal is to objectively and ruthlessly purge her papers]! And then nothing will scare them!”

So face those fears, and make those lists. I bet what you fear isn’t so scary after all!

Building Productivity with Time Blocks

In the interest of time management, I’ll start this article with my conclusions:
  • Blocking out time to get important work done ensures intention and attention to that important work.
  • Transition times, like school days to summertime for me, provide an opportunity to reassess our time management practices.
  • Summertime can make us lax when it comes to productivity, but that doesn’t have to be the case!
  • We make appointments for other things, why not for specific tasks?
  • Strategies that work in one area of our life often can be used to improve other areas, too, if we just pay attention.
I complete important tasks daily, and you do, too.  I manage my business, family and home, and a number of volunteer roles in my Parish and Community.  I’m grateful every day for the gift of organization, both as a concept and as a skill I am blessed to possess.  And yet, I struggle with time, just like everyone else. We’re all trying to complete our important tasks, and also, occasionally, do things that we WANT to do, and not just NEED to do.
Last week, I was struggling with a particular volunteer commitment.  It seemed that, after spending client and business hours, and family and home hours (plus occasionally eating and sleeping), I couldn’t find time to work on this important category of tasks.  During a meeting, one friend suggested Time Blocking to another friend, as a way to move forward with productivity during the summer months (Thanks, Jill!).  I use time blocking all the time in other ways, so I grabbed onto the idea to help with my volunteer commitment.
Time Blocking is a simple and obvious concept:  We block out time on our calendar, 30 minutes or a whole day, to address specific tasks or types of tasks.   Time blocking means: 1. you know your high priority tasks and projects; 2. you set aside time each week to work on those specific tasks and projects; and 3. then you actually keep the commitment.
Consider this: I make appointments to work with my clients and we keep those appointments, because I am committed to my clients and my livelihood.  I find time for family and home because we have set hours for things, like school time and summer camp and meal times.  I’m invited to parties and events at specific times and for specific duration, and I make those parties and events happen, because I’m committed to the people involved and don’t want to let them down.   These are great examples of Time Blocking.
The real magic of time blocking comes from being specific about what will occur during the block of time.  Set blocks of time aside for a specific purpose.  I’ve blocked out an hour a day this week for business maintenance tasks, and each day has a specific category attached: bookkeeping and bill pay; client follow-up and emails; presentation preparation and booking, etc. Being specific, and working with intention for even a short period of time will move me towards my goals faster than unfocused wanderings. We don’t have to complete a project in our block of time, but we can at least make progress.
A client mentioned the bills didn’t always get paid on time because she hadn’t set aside time every week to pay the bills. I suggested Time Blocks, making an appointment with herself to pay the bills.
The plumber was coming to install a new laundry sink, so I blocked 20 minutes to de-clutter the laundry room before he arrived.
Applying Time Blocking to my challenge last week allowed me to just pay attention solely to one project, one category of tasks, for the allotted time.  It was quite a relief, actually, and I completed the tasks.
How can you use Time Blocking this week to be more productive?  Give it a try!

In honor of Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday today, here are Jefferson’s Ten Rules

Jefferson’s Ten Rules

  1. Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
  2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
  3. Never spend money before you have earned it.
  4. Never buy what you don’t want because it is cheap.
  5. Pride costs more than hunger, thirst and cold.
  6. We seldom repent of having eaten too little.
  7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
  8. How much pain the evils cost us that never happened.
  9. Take things always by the smooth handle.
  10. When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, count a hundred.

I post this with the utmost respect and appreciation.

It’s Time.  Why now?  Why Colleen? ….. Well, Why Not?

It’s Time.  Why now?  Why Colleen? ….. Well, Why Not?

A friend challenged me to write a blog to help her share my business with others.   She asked “Why should we get organized now?”  And “Why should people call you to help?”

Why Now?

Well, you name it – Spring, Mother’s Day, more organizational resources and products than ever before – it really is a great time to get organized.

Why Me?

My friend mentioned that “awkward moment” people experience, when they think about calling an organizer or asking for help.  Because we’re vulnerable, and fearful of sharing our “stuff box” (messy closet, scary basement, crammed file drawers).  As I listed the reasons why people should hire an organizer, and specifically me, this article took shape.  So, M.D., here are my answers to the “Why Now? Why Colleen?” questions:

I won’t judge.   

You’re a good person, with strengths and God-given talents.  And perhaps Organizing isn’t one of them.  And that’s OK, because organizing is a strength for me.  So let’s work together on getting you organized so you can focus on the areas where you DO EXCEL.

I will be more compassionate with you than you are with yourself.  (see “I won’t judge”)

I DO know where to begin, even if you don’t.

A statement I often hear is “I’m so overwhelmed, I don’t know where to begin.” I understand.  But here’s the thing – I do know where to begin.  We will list the projects, prioritize and pick a place to start.  I will help you organize and come up with a system that works for you.   Every client, every project, every time.  I DO know how to get organized, even if you don’t, and I am here to help.

I am bound by confidentiality.

I will keep your information confidential, as a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, and because I’m a good person.  Your private life should stay private, and preserving my reputation and business success requires me to be trustworthy.

I am objective.

Some clients prefer to organize with me rather than family or friends because I won’t get bogged down with past hurts or expectations.   I am completely unemotional about and unattached to your stuff.

This is my business, and I am an Organizing Expert.

I really do love what I do for a living.  I am committed to my clients, I am insured, and I have many great resources for you.  I know several solutions for your organizational challenges, so we can create personalized solutions for you in your home or office.  My clients are individuals, as are their systems.  When I mentor potential professional organizers, I immediately mention that just being an organized person is not enough.  We have to come with solutions specific to our clients.

My agenda is always Your agenda.

Organizing and organizational coaching are all about YOU.  Making your home and office work their best for You.  I may be the organizing expert, but my business exists because of You.

So, yes, It’s Time to get organized, and I may be just the person to help.  And then again, I may not be, but I can point you towards the right person who CAN help.

So, Why Not Now?!

Organizational Truth #42: When we want to break our habits, that’s when we need them the most.

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Organizational Truth # 42: When we want to blow off our good habits the most, that’s when we need them the most.  Routines and good habits help us restore order to our disorder; bring focus to our scattered brains; and prime the productivity pump when our motivation has run dry.

I was reminded of this Organizational Truth last night.  We had a truly great weekend; participated (ok, walked) in a local 5K for a really great non-profit organization; visited with guests and friends at our house and at a party; had a fabulous evening downtown with dinner, great friends and a concert of one of our favorite bands; and sang at Palm Sunday Mass.

Come Sunday night, I was very tired.  I’d earned a Sunday evening of laying around, and I could easily justify abandoning my usual Sunday night prep-for-the-week hour.  But I also deserve an organized, productive and less-stressed week.  So, even though I really wanted to blow off my routines, I knew they’d serve me well and that I needed them more than ever.  I took a breath, and got to work.  I:

  • Cleaned up from dinner and started the dishwasher.  Again.
  • Had the 10-year old pack his lunch for today, unpack his bag from camping (oh, add that to the list of fun), and get his backpack ready for school.
  • Started laundry. Again.
  • Tidied / swept the bedrooms, collecting random laundry items and stuff, and emptying trash as I went; and then the family spaces as well.
  • Wiped down the bathroom surfaces and floor, and emptied trash.
  • Checked my email accounts, and ruthlessly deleted anything that I didn’t need.
  • Checked my Evernote To-Do list, and deleted or moved to Monday everything from the weekend.
  • And THEN, I curled up with my new book. (Insert contented sigh…)

Truth be told, this isn’t the blog I had planned to write today.  But when I woke up this morning to a tidied house, the kids mostly ready for school and a clear vision of what I needed to do this week, I appreciated the great value in my Sunday night maintenance hour that prepared us for our week.

HOW, you say?  HOW to maintain your habits when your Get-Up- and-Go got up and went?

  1. Set a timer to keep you moving.  Use your smart phone or a kitchen timer, set it for your allotted time, race the clock to get your routines / habits done, then go do something fun when the timer sounds.  I use timers all the time, for myself and with my clients.
  2. Set a timer because then you know you get to stop soon.  This can help us get and stay motivated, too!
  3. Crank some tunes.  Seriously, it helps.  Not so much when I’m writing a blog or coaching phone clients, but staying on task while plowing through emails, assembling marketing materials or working with clients?  Oh yes, we need music!
  4. Enlist aid.  Get help from the humans around you, or phone a friend to chat as you fold laundry or wash dishes (hands free, of course, so you don’t drop the phone in the sink), to make the mundane routines more enjoyable.
  5. Decision making slows us down and trips us up. Determine what YOUR Getting-Started / Making-Progress / First-10-Minutes-When-I-Sit-Down-At-Work Routine looks like.  Write it down, pin it up, make it simple.

So establish routines and good habits, and then use them all the time, especially when you don’t want to!  You’ll thank yourself later!

Powerful Questions to Build Decision Making Muscles

Recently, a coaching client asked for Powerful Questions to ask herself, to increase her motivation to get rid of paper clutter.  Below are questions I ask my clients (and myself!) as we work, to clarify the paper decision-making process.  In my experience, we all keep too much paper – I am rarely called to help someone because they got rid of too much!  Therefore, these questions will nudge you to purge your papers.

In addition, we often tackle our paper management in little pieces of time, and not big blocks. So we need to get in the organizing and purging zone regularly, and that takes practice!  These questions help you build your decision-making muscles, so you can hit that organizing / purging zone more quickly.  Here’s another tip – the questions can be tweaked and used to review every type of clutter!!

  • Now is not the time to ask Why?  As in “Why on earth did I keep this?”  Not why, then, but “What am I going to do right now?”
  • What can I do today to help future Me out? (Purge, unsubscribe, etc.)  What can I digitize, or subscribe to online?
  • If you keep paper for “Just In Case”, ask these:
    • Will anyone ever ask me for this piece of paper / information?  (If no, toss it.)
    • Does this information exist elsewhere?  (If yes, likely can toss it.)
    • Do I need to be the keeper of this information?  (No.  It’s called the internet.)
    • Is this information still correct, or pertinent?
    • If I purge this paper, what’s the worst that can happen?  Can I accept that “worst”?
    • Are all these papers worth the mess?
  • If you feel that “I can’t purge my papers because they will somehow change my life”, ask these:
    • Does this paper represent a reasonable expectation of myself or someone else?
    • Does my happiness really hinge on me having this piece of paper?  (No.)
    • Does this paper hold the secret to life? How likely is it that I hold the secrets of the universe in a dusty box of papers from 10 years ago?
    • Wouldn’t a better change come from clearing the clutter?
  • If you know you “Don’t want it, but don’t know what to do with it”, ask these:
    • Do I need to recycle it or shred it?
    • Does someone else need it more?  (Pass it on!)
  • If you keep paper for Nostalgia / Sentimentality / Guilt, ask these:
    • Who am I keeping this for?  (I ask this question of parents who keep every school paper their child ever brought home.  Because they are keeping those papers for themselves.  In 20 years, the kids will NOT want old boxes of school papers.)
    • Charitable donations / solicitations:
      • Do I make decisions regarding charitable giving based on mail or phone calls I receive?  (Personally?  No. So I can let those go.)
      • Did I ask for this information, or did someone else decide I need it?  Do I agree?  (Use this to review the unsolicited greeting cards / address labels / stickers that non-profit organizations send us so that we feel obliged to send them money.)
    • If I’m keeping these old papers in respect for a loved one who passed away, would they really want me struggling under all this clutter?
  • If these papers reminds me you that you need to do something, ask these:
    • What action does this paper represent?  (Go ahead and act, or at least add the task to your to-do list, then let the paper go.)
    • What nugget of information on this paper do I really need to keep?  (For example, a business card represents contact info for a person.  Log the info into your address book, either paper or digital, and then toss the card.)

So, next time you are struggling with piles of paper, keep some of these in mind. Make little index cards or post-its of the questions that resonate with you most, and stick them up where you can see them!  Let them be your mantra as you review your papers and let some go!

My Morning Line-Up, In the Kitchen!

I have been adding new healthy components to my morning routine, and I want to share my process with you!  Then you can see how to re-work your routines when you consider new challenges and solutions.  lemon water

Here are a few truths I have discovered, perhaps you can learn from them:

  1. Stressing out about healthy habits defeats the purpose of healthy habits. I’m adding these habits for wellness.  How about you?  Stressed out about being less stressed?
  2. To feel good all day and defeat temptation, I need to start strong so that I can stay strong.  Do you agree, for yourself?  For example… last weekend, I had a slice of cold deep dish pizza for breakfast.  And it was GOOD!  However…. blowing off my routine made it easier to blow off good habits for the rest of the day.  Maybe it was because it was Saturday and routines are meant to be blown off once in a while, but I think the pizza was a delicious but unwise choice.
  3. Decision making slows me down in the morning. Maybe this is just me.  But now is the time to think things through, put the healthy habits in the right order, and make them routine.  So I can think about other things.

 Here are my challenges, and what I am doing about it:

  • I’m avoiding a few food ingredients that happen to be in most breakfast foods. So I need a healthy, substantial and easy solution that I don’t have to think about.
  • I’ve gotten very consistent about taking my vitamins daily, now I need to be consistent about taking them in the morning.

I work with a “morning line-up” when I get ready in the morning (go to the original blog article here). I line up what I need – face lotion, contacts, toothbrush and paste, etc. – on the bathroom counter, and put each item away after I use it.  The goal is a Ready Me and a clean counter.  Knowing the line-up works, I decided to try the same idea with my morning nutrition – lining up all the items I need to consume in the morning and throughout the day on the counter and putting the items away when I am done.  Here’s how:

  • Attach the new habits to a habit that already works.  I will never forget my coffee.  So, my kitchen line-up starts when I make my first cup of coffee, even if I don’t drink it right away!
  • Choose the location for the routine: The counter with the coffee maker is where the kitchen line-up will live.
  • Choose a few specific steps and put them in a efficient, time-saving order. I can start my first cup of coffee brewing; then standing at the same counter, pour the lemon water, mix up my vitamin shake, start my oatmeal, and fill my reusable water bottle and set it by the door and my briefcase.
  • Have a back-up plan.  I programmed my phone to remind me to take everything before 8:15 when we leave the house for school and work.
  • Some tasks can remain flexible.  I’ve been aiming for a banana-orange smoothie (3 servings of fruit) every day, but it makes a great afternoon snack, and doesn’t need to happen in the morning.
  • The goal is a Ready-and Fortified Me and a clean counter.

So, what’s it going to be?  Do you have health and wellness goals you need to cultivate?  Try the steps above and add healthy habits to your morning routine!

4 Things I Love and Despise About Working From Home

According to a productivity blog I follow, this week is the UK’s National Work From Home Week (ours is in October, I’ll have more to say then!)

The very things I love about working from home are also my biggest challenges.  If you work from home, like me, or are considering a change this year, understand there good and bad in the following points:

Flexibility in my schedule.

Working from home allows me to attend school events, day-time doctor appointments, re-arrange my schedule when my kids get sick, and other freedoms if needed.  Professionally, I can take clients or speaking engagements almost any day or evening.  I love doing 10 different things in a day.

But that means a choppy schedule, and perhaps completing work late at night or early in the morning in exchange for those day-time hours.  And, as flexible as I may be, my schedule is dictated by client and family needs, so there is a lot of juggling most days!  I secretly envy those who go to work at the same place for 9 hours, and can focus on just work there.

Don’t make excuses, as you make appointments.  Try this: “Thursday morning, no, I can’t do Thursday (or whatever).  Do you have another suggestion?” Period.  People don’t need to know why you are busy Thursday afternoon, whether with a client, appointment or pre-school program.

Working from Home is a misnomer.

I may not work in a traditional downtown office anymore, but I also don’t always work from home.  This week, I may work in other peoples’ homes and offices more than my own.  And many other “Work from Home” professionals do the same, completing their work in other people’s homes, offices, in the car, at Starbucks. The rough draft of this was written in my car, sitting in the garage, because that is where inspiration struck.

Working from Home needs a new name, one that reflects the myriad of professions and awesome work that we do in new and independent ways and places.  Since I use tech in my work, I often say I work Virtually, but I often have to explain that. Any suggestions? 

Some people will just never understand.

For 12 years, I’ve Worked From Home, and in that time, my choice of workplace has become commonplace.  But some people will just never understand what it means to work from home.  I’m not in my jammies, watching TV – like ever!, and I can’t chat for hours. I may be at home, but I am still accountable to my business.

Just as we practice our 30 second elevator speech, practice the explanation of how you spend your day. Don’t fumble.  Assert.  And then get over it and move on, because they may never understand.  And that’s ok. 

Quiet and Alone.  Noisy and Lively.  You Choose.

I love my quiet empty home.  I am easily distracted by other peoples’ noise and conversations, so working from home is ideal for me.  And yet, too much quiet can also kill my focus.  Pandora and my local library are lifesavers some days.

I love when my family comes home, but then I miss my focus.  I wake up early.  I’ve made phone calls from my closet, and may write blogs in my car.

Working From Home gets lonely. I miss co-workers, birthday lunches and water-cooler chats. If you work from home, make sure to keep regular routines and get out in the world at least a couple times a day.  Keep in contact with your co-workers, or join networking or professional groups. I guess that’s where that flexibility comes in, to make it work.  Know yourself, determine if Quiet and Alone work today, or Noisy and Lively.

We who work from Home are productive, flexible, awesome, and still figuring it out some days, just like everyone else. Celebrate the benefits of Working from Home the next time you face the challenges of the same!

National Clean Off Your Desk Day and The 80/20 Rule

Now The Real Work Begins!  Now it’s time to get down to business, and what better way than with National Clean off Your pile of mailDesk Day, the second Monday of January!  Think about it – Cleaning Off Your Desk makes room for motivation, clarity and focus.  What are your Goals for this year:  Clear the clutter; get a handle on your money and finances; read more; stress less; do / get a better job?  It all starts with cleaning your desk!

Let me (re)-introduce you to the Pareto Principle, a.k.a. the 80/20 Rule.  The Pareto Principle says 80% of what you need is in 20% of what you have. Say it a couple times out loud until it sinks in.  The 80/20 rule applied to Paper management says we need about 20% of our papers, and we can probably get rid of the rest.  As an example, a client returning from a trip mentioned collecting 2 inches of mail from her mail box, and keeping… 4 items.  That’s it.

Let’s clear that cluttered 80%, so we can work on the 20% we need to act on and keep.

Here’s What To Do:

Grab a recycling bin and shredder, a letter opener, and pen and paper.

Grab the first pile of papers on your desk, and get started. With the most recent pile of mail, open it all.  Yes, really, Standing at your work space (standing is better), open it all.

  • Recycle immediately the ads.
  • Start piles for Common Categories, like these:
    • Bills to pay
    • Action Items (notes to send, reminders of phone calls to make, forms to complete and submit, etc)
    • Items to Read Later: magazines, articles
    • Errands to Run (coupons, receipts for returns, etc)
    • Papers To File
    • Tax Related Papers 2 years ago
    • Receipts
  • Recycle all the catalogs, but first tear off the back page off and set them aside.
  • Open every envelope, and toss / recycle / shred anything you don’t need for action or filing.  Recycle outside envelopes and inside inserts for your bills, etc.,
  • Set the bills-to-pay in their own pile, and the action items (same pile for me)
  • Grab a magazine holder and start a reading pile for your magazines and articles you plan to read later

Make some magic, and STOP MORE MAIL FROM COMING!

  • Low Tech: Call the 800 #s on the back page of the catalogs, and request to be removed from their mailing list.
  • Go To http://www.catalogchoice.org/, create an account and “Unsubscribe” from catalogs
  • Using your catalogchoice.org account, Get the Mail Stop app for your smart phone and get rid of unwanted mail in your mail box, too
  • Contact and create an account with the Direct Marketing Association,  http://www.dmachoice.org/, to get off of mailing lists and stop unsolicited mail
  • Another option is the Paper Karma app for your smart phone, to unsubscribe from mailing lists.
  • Unsubscribe from Magazines you no longer need or want, and digitize your subscriptions, so they come via email or on your IPad or Tablet.
  • Make a regular appointment to get to your reading pile (mine is early on Saturday morning for an hour or 2)

I’ve blogged extensively on setting up the actual Paper Management structure, the files and things, so please check out those, too, as you proceed to the next step:  http://colleencpo.wordpress.com/?s=paper+management

Here are related blogs, too, from past National Clean Off Your Desk Days:

You Can DO This!  Now get to work!

Bonus Cherry-On-Top Strategic Planning Wear-your-PJs Week

I love this week between Christmas and New Years.  The Bonus Week, Cherry-On-Top Week, Strategic Planning Week, Stay-in-your-PJs-all-week Week.  A lot of offices are closed this week, but whether you are off or not, I hope you still spend some concentrated focus time, looking back and around and ahead at the days to come.  Spend a little time planning this week, and reap the benefits all year long.

(Click here for Dave Crenshaw’s ideas on what he calls HeadStart Week).

Look back.  If you don’t already have a Done List for this current year,  make one now.  Skim your calendar, maybe review your email subject lines.  If you are a social media person, look through your own posts.  My family had a really good year.  Major life events, like Sacraments and Graduations and Awards.  Between the 5 of us, we traveled to over 20 states this year.  We’re healthy and happy and stronger than we were 12 months ago.  My business had a great year, the biggest one so far.  We appreciated our friends and family, made a few new ones and sadly lost a few this year, too.   I have touted my professional Done List in a blog last February, but it’s nice to have a personal Done List, too.

Look Around.  Appreciate what you have and where you are right now.

Now Look Ahead.  It is easier to see where you are going once you know where you have been.  Consider all the different facets of you – personally, professionally, spiritually, physically, emotionally.  I am on the fence about New Years Resolutions, per se, but I do know that now that the holiday rush has slowed, there are some areas of my life I would like to work on – like health and nutrition, and professional development – two areas that get neglected in December!

So what will you do with your extra special extra week?  What will you do this week, that you can look back at 12 months from now?  Get to it!