Tag: Time Management

Enough But Not Too Much

1 Comment

We traveled last week.

It was lovely.  We went to Michigan and relaxed at a house on a lake. 

The lake life is quieter and simple, especially this time of year.  We did manage to visit a nearby beach town for lunch one day (outdoors), and dipped our toes in Lake Michigan (it was 80 degrees that day!).  I also got to see my parents and one of my brothers, with masks and social distance of course, for the first time in a very long time. Hooray! But mostly we relaxed.

What I want to talk about is the variety of choices we make every day. ALL OF THE DECISIONS!

I was reminded how much of a relief it is, at times, to just have fewer choices, fewer decisions.

For example, we did a grocery run and bought we needed for 4 1/2 days, and not much more. 

At the lake house, there are things to do but … fewer than at home or during the summer.

I was reminded, as I packed for travel: we decide on what we will need, based on our plans and habits and routines and the weather, for a finite amount of time and  pack only those things (and maybe a few extra!). Getting ready is easier.  Decisions were made when I packed, so day to day I choose between jeans or a skort, sandals or sneakers.  Easy.

Simple.  Straightforward. Easier decisions, less mental clutter.

Enough but not too much. This is what being organized represents for me. What clearing clutter means to me.

I have been struggling today with a whole lot of mental clutter and the feeling of overwhelm.  Some of this can be attributed to what my friend and I call “Re-Entry”, those few days after you get home from a trip. And let’s face it – after the last year, we are out of practice with travel and the tasks around coming-home!  But I also recognized that life has been much simpler this last week. That I enjoyed the simpler schedule and fewer decisions (and sleeping in and enjoying time off, of course). 

I needed the reminder that I need Enough but not too much. Of EVERYTHING!

I’d like to learn from this awareness, for myself. I know these lessons. We probably all do. But we still need reminders and that’s how I will use this awareness. So…

I will gladly embrace my daily routines that keep my wellness and home and business humming along, taking time-wasting decision making out of my brain!

I will stop trying to complicate my days with many new ideas all at once!

I will look at fewer choices on how to spend my time and be more purposeful and intentional with my choice.

I will step back and pay attention to those instances in my days when I need to make choices. I will refer to the short list of focus areas where I want to and need to spend my time, and stick with just those when time or attention seem short.

Let’s stick with enough, but not too much.

Where can you go with that mantra this week? Cutting out time commitments, errands, clutter, wardrobe choices, visual stimuli? What can go, to simplify your day or week?

How to Break the “Just One More Thing” Habit

This is not what I had planned to write about this week, but readers asked for More! when I admitted in last week’s newsletter that I had and also conquered my tendency for “Just One More Thing!”.

You know, “Just One More Thing!”? As in … we need to leave in 5 minutes, of course I have time to write 3 emails, or start a load of laundry, or make one more phone call.

Perhaps you have this tendency, too? It is well intentioned. For me, I just wanted to get as much done as I could so I would wring productivity out of every last SECOND of my day. Except, this practice is not very productive and it occasionally tripped me up. It might only impact me or you, but the more complicated our schedules become, the more likely this habit is to impact others negatively as well.

20 years ago, I often fell into this flawed thinking, and this judgement error was exacerbated by the fact that I was the mother of small children. Even if I thought I had an extra 5 minutes, we all know how quickly those can pass as we assemble socks or shoes or backpacks for school. And I was also setting a bad example, pushing-pushing-pushing the deadline for leaving on-time to arrive on-time. (*You could swap out child references with co-workers in the above sentence and draw the same conclusions.)

What about leaving for work or for home or anywhere else you need to get to on time? “Just One More Thing” only works when everything else works exactly as planned. And we also all know that day-to-day life rarely works exactly as planned. There is a last minute search for keys or phone, slow elevators, traffic or bad weather, and as one thing leads to another, we find ourselves rushing around, arriving late and out of sorts.

I recognized and began to remedy my issue of “Just One More Thing” when I worked downtown and commuted on the train. If I drove, it didn’t matter if I left my office a few minutes late. I could just make it up on the drive or get home a few minutes late. No biggee. BUT… if I didn’t leave my office at 4:55 pm, I would not be on the Blue Line Platform in time to catch the EL train to the Metra station to get on the train that got me home by 6:05. Trains don’t care about “Just One More Thing”. Instead, I would have to take the next train that arrived half an hour later and made more stops. And that made a BIG difference.

WHY should you break the “Just One More Thing” Habit?

Why? Because you’re not a jerk. “Wait, Coll, how could ‘Just One More Thing’ make me a jerk?” Late for meetings, drop-offs or pick-ups? And what if you’re the one who called the meeting?! Unreliable? Missed deadlines?


Why? Because you respect yourself. Last week, a friend (you know who you are!) mentioned the words “self-sabotage” when she commented on my “Just One More Thing” admission. Ouch. Hard truth, but truth nonetheless. We have to respect our own boundaries. And we can’t expect others to respect our boundaries if we do not.

Why? Because there is value in “calm”. Or “On-time”, or reliable or consistent, or having time to say Hi to a friend or sitting in your favorite seat at the meeting because you didn’t succumb to “Just One More Thing”. (Find your why and remind yourself!)

Here’s How to Break the “Just One More Thing Habit”:

Realistic Time Estimates: Know how long tasks take. If you have 10 minutes, what can you really accomplish in that time? Two 5 minute tasks or one 10 minute task and nothing more. Nothing more than 10 minutes in 10 minutes! OR… one short task and take a few minutes for a deep breath and an early start. (I know we just talked about realistic time estimates in a recent article, but it bears repeating!)

To Do Lists: Keep a to-do list, so your tasks and ideas are reliably collected and you don’t have to worry so much about JUST ONE MORE THING before you leave the house, go to your meeting, etc. With a reliable list, you can pick up where you left off.

If you really only have 5 minutes right now, “send out the ships” to others first. My accountability partner uses the term “sending out ships” to describe those communications that require a reply or action from others.



I know my pace for work. I do not know, or presume to know, other people’s pace for work. Therefore, I try to send out requests or messages to others ASAP to give time to answer. Then I make a note of when I sent the message or request, when I need to follow up, tack on a great bit WAIT and then move that task to that future time or date. As I write about sending out ships, it feels like a matter of prioritizing, and perhaps it is. But this strategy helps me communicate more effectively and focus in on what really needs to be said or done. Which leads me to….

Prioritize. When we have limited time to complete a long list of tasks, we have to identify what has to get done right now and what can wait. Don’t get distracted by shiny things or loud requests. (Loud and shiny don’t make a task important.)

Know Your Absolute Deadline, and add time in from there. Check your traffic app for commute time, check the weather for possible storms, know your route and a few alternatives. No matter how well intentioned we are, we cannot travel back in time. (Trust me, I’ve tried.)

Give Yourself Grace, as you figure this out. For goodness sake, be as kind to you as you are to others and cut yourself some slack. Forgiving yourself ahead of time for NOT doing “Just One More Thing” is a good place to start!

Let’s Decide Now How the Next Few Months Will Go

Setting goals is a great way to make progress in life. Personal, professional, spiritual, wellness, you name it. The process lends clarity to our efforts, and provides deadlines and motivational boosts.

Today we are half way through 2020. Wow – July begins tomorrow! This should be a great day and time to set goals in your focus areas, move forward, do big things, etc…. But that feels heavy right now, doesn’t it?

Is it safe to say – the last few months weren’t what you expected? Personally, I know that to be the truth. If you set goals for 2020 back in January, perhaps you have made progress, or perhaps you barely recognize your reality today.

In business, we often look at the year by quarters. So, 2nd Quarter (Q2) of 2020 was April / May / June. And I can say with certainty that Q2 2020 was incomparable to any other quarter before. Ever. In business and in life. We saw it coming, back in Q1 2020. But let’s face it, we didn’t know really know what was coming.

2 Quarters completed, 2 Quarters to go

I’ve had two coaching conversations in the last 2 days about 3rd Quarter Goal Setting, 2020. And what both conversations had in common was that all parties involved – me and my two coaching partners – agreed that setting Q3 goals feels WAY TOO BIG for right now.

There are still unknowns. A LOT of unknowns. We’re still feeling our way through Phase 4 reopening here in Illinois. We’re carefully placing our feet for the next step on the path.

Goal!

Despite the unknowns, I still want to set goals for Q3 and Q4 2020 and I suggest you do the same. However, here are some things to think about as you set them!

What are your focus areas? I can’t answer this one for you, but as an example, mine are:
Wellness, Family, Home, Personal, Business, Educate Me and Service.
I set goals regularly in each of these focus areas. The “Focus” in focus areas works both ways – I only set goals that fit into one of these focus areas, AND I set goals in each of these areas. In theory, that means nothing gets neglected AND I make progress in the areas of my life I’ve decided are important.

For July, instead a few large goals, I am setting more incremental goals for smaller time frames. I am more likely to succeed on those smaller but more plentiful goals, and I will feel the motivation boost that comes from DONE! more often. (Today, a client and I deemed that boost ‘a happy dance’!)

Because I cannot control the world or others, I am setting goals that I actually can influence. For example, I’ll look at my own wellness, habits and internal growth. A goal for July may be schedule 10 Presentations for the second half of 2020, but perhaps those will be presentations I host myself. I won’t set a goal to “make new coaching clients call me”, but I can set a July goal to update my website and social media to include language about coaching.

Smaller goals allow for more flexibility, too, for mid-journey course corrections or adding new goals into the mix as life or circumstances dictate. Unfortunately, there is still uncertainty looking ahead at Quarter 3. But we can choose to make progress on our own goals in our own way at our own pace.

So, my friends, what will your next month look like? Your next quarter or half a year? Setting goals will help you determine your own future despite the “unknowns” we still face! So let’s get to it!

The Post-Deadline Lies We Tell Ourselves

Have you ever had these thoughts before:

“I can’t wait to finish this project… life will be so much easier when it is done.”

“I’ll have so much free time when this semester is over.”

“Wow, whatever will I do with all my free time after this project / deadline, etc.?”

Or, “After the holidays, things will finally settle down.”

A friend and client brought this up to me years ago – the game she plays when she is in the middle of a semester (she is a teacher) or writing an article: the “when I finish this, I will finally be able to slow down / take a break / relax for a while / few days / few months” game. But that break never seems to happen.

We work and work towards a deadline, and think fondly though fleetingly about how nice and relaxing it will be once that deadline is met and the project is complete. And then we complete the project and meet the deadline, yeah! Great, Way to Go!!

However…then the basic survival and maintenance tasks we have neglected while we hustled to meet our deadline clamor for our attention. The house is sort of a mess, the cabinets are a little bare, the desk top or work space is strewn with project remnants and papers, the laundry has piled up and your in-box is atrocious.

Plus, the other projects that have been neglected while we finish come rushing forward for our attention and we end up right back into overwhelm. There – can you see it? – the next deadline / project is already looming on the horizon! Agh!

So, what could we do instead?

When the deadline is successfully met, article submitted, we can revel for a bit in the glow of “Done”, “Finished”, “Accomplished”, before jumping into the next big project.

We can take some time to take care of those survival and maintenance tasks. Grab some lunch, some water, a break outside in the sunlight. Take a shower and start that load of laundry!

We can factor in recovery time (I am saying this to you and to my self). I am slowly and with resistance learning that we need to factor in recovery time after major efforts. Talking with a friend, they spent an entire weekend day tackling yard tasks and were sore. So the next day, they laid low and took it easy. Recovery.

We can find some closure around the project or semester or article or whatever that big THING was that you’ve been working on. Clean up your work space, file your papers or info, leave yourself a few notes for follow-up, send a few thank you’s to folks who lent a hand. Take a few deep breaths and smile.

We can clean out our brain with a 30- minute cranial cleanse of non-project related tasks and ideas, or collect any notes-for-someday you may have written yourself while in the throes of that project. For next time, keep a bullet journal or make notes in an Evernote or Google doc as random thoughts occur to you and save them for later so as not to distract from your deadline!

And during your next brief down-time, look ahead and schedule some of these catch-up tasks for yourself post-deadline. We can leave ourselves a plan, maybe a check list of self-care, recovery and clean up tasks, to give our tired post-deadline brain and body a break!

Is the Phone Really Dead?

Someone: “My phone is dead.”

Me:  “Is the phone really dead?”

Someone: “Yes, it won’t charge.  It doesn’t hold a charge.  The charging light doesn’t even go on.  Tried it a couple of times, the phone is dead.”

Me: “Let’s break it down.  The problem might not be the phone, that is just the part we see.  The problem could be the phone (the most expensive item to replace, of course!), but it could also be

  • the cord, 
  • the cube, 
  • the outlet, 
  • the connection between any of these components, or
  • in many cases sometimes, ‘user error’ (a nice way to say I or you may be the problem).”
  • And the problem was the charging cube, in case you were wondering.  The phone recharged and works fine.

I love a good challenge.  I love to solve mysteries and problems like this.  And yes, sometimes, the phone really is dead and the problem is exactly what it presents itself to be.

But sometimes it is not.

“Is the ceiling fan really dead?”

“… It doesn’t turn and the light won’t turn on.”

Yes, but is the ceiling fan the problem, or:

  • Is there something wrong with the wall switch?
  • Is the circuit tripped?
  • Is it the on-off switch on the fan?
  • Is it the connections in or out of any of these?
  • (turns out, it was the connections in the ceiling to the base unit).

My handy husband and son spent an hour and solved the mystery a few weeks ago instead of just going out and spending money on a new fan which wouldn’t have worked either, because the problem was in the connections in the ceiling.

This works on more subjective challenges, too. 

“Hmmm, This person and I don’t seem to be communicating well.”  Is the problem with

  • the message? (one of you doesn’t want to hear it or want to say it?); 
  • how it is being said? (the tone, the jargon)
  • the method of communication?  (you would prefer to text, the other person prefers to talk on the phone)
  • the timing? (the sender or receiver is distracted by something else more important or urgent)
  • something even more  personal or subjective with either the sender or receiver that has nothing to do with the process or method?

If you have a problem to solve, whether it is objective, like fixing a cell phone or ceiling fan, or more subjective like interpersonal communications, it pays to take a moment and break down the problem into smaller pieces that can be examined on their own.  Perhaps the solution is right in front of you!

It’s Time To Make A “Some Day Soon” List

1 Comment

Friends, this, too, shall pass! Notes for Some Day Soon.

I’ve suggested before to create a Future To Do List. 

Most Decembers, for example, I suggest that folks make a “January List” for the things that we can put off until after the holidays.  We want to keep the ideas as they occur to us, but we might not need to act on them until the New Year, in that case.

Personally, I have a rolling Master To Do List for most facets of my life. 

What that means is that I have, in an online platform called Evernote, a Master To Do List that contains my tasks for family life, home maintenance and improvements, Ministries and Public Service, plus all facets of my business and my own self-improvement.   This makes it easy to move tasks around the Evernote document as I complete a task or need to move it to next week, etc.  

As I write all that, I realize it may sound nutty to keep all that info in one document, but this practice really helps me to track tasks and projects each day, week, month, etc..  And I’ve tried keeping separate lists for each area of interest, but then I forget to regularly check them.  This just works best for me.  

But here is the snag, friends.  While I typically complete a one-time task and then remove it, or move ahead a recurring task to a specific week or day in the future, I am facing a new and (admittedly) uncomfortable new category.  The “Some Day Soon When We Can Return to Normal” task category.

You know what I am talking about.  

  • The events that we have had to postpone due to social distancing. 
  • The appointments we need to set up once offices and service providers are open again.
  • For me, the in-person client appointments that I’ve had to cancel, and presentations that have been put on hold.
  • The actions that we have promised ourselves in these rougher times that we are ABSOLUTELY going to do when we can again!

But we don’t know yet when that will be. So I want to keep the ideas until me and the world are ready to take action on them again.

My challenge to you this week is to start and then add to  your Some Day Soon List.

  • Work or medical or personal appointments to reschedule.
  • People to meet up with (not just connect virtually).
  • Non-essential errands to run.   
  • Service people needed, like the tree I need planted in my front year, or having the plumber or electrician out.
  • Birthdays to celebrate in person!

Maybe it’s a wish list!  

  • That Some Day soon, I will drive to Michigan and hug my parents and siblings and families.
  • That Some Day soon, I will spontaneously hug friends at the grocery when I see them.
  • That Some Day soon, I will go to restaurants and sit and soak in the ambiance and linger over dessert.
  • That Some Day soon, I will go to a movie theater, or enjoy our Broadway in Chicago membership again.
  • That Some Day soon, I will go to church.  I will bask in the peace, I will thrive on the energy, I will sing and pray with others. 
  • That Some Day Soon, I will do something as simple as go to my favorite local bakery to virtually work from their booth while enjoying the people and the steady supply of hot coffee.

I think of this list as Hopeful and Happy, and I hope you feel the same.  This strange and awkward time will pass.  For my own sanity and outlook, I have to believe it will.  And when it does, we will emerge better and stronger and more grateful for what we have.  And we will be ready to take action on all these ideas and wishes we make now!


Organized People… Use 20 Minutes to Make a Big Difference!

The most important step in the organizing process is the every-day-for-the-rest-of-your-life step.  I’m talking about maintenance.

There are tough steps, for many folks, along the path of getting organized: getting started, staying on task or making decisions, for example.  And that’s is completely understandable.  But conquering and assimilating maintenance of your organization into your daily life will be the step that reaps the most rewards.

Twenty minutes can make a huge difference in life.

Recently, I discussed this with a client who was frustrated because, while she has made great progress on her organizing projects, some times the clutter still piles up.

I hear you, sister. I’m guessing we have all felt this same frustration!

I shared how I made a commitment to 20 minutes every morning for my New Year’s Resolution, and that this focused routine really keeps me on track.  I create calm in my home, clear clutter, fortify myself plus start some laundry, all in 20-ish minutes.

What simple tasks would help you and your home immeasurably if you could tackle them in little pieces every day?  It may not be in the morning, and let’s face it – some days may eat up those 20 minutes.  But the Habit and Focus and Routine still matter!

Here’s what mine looks like, what could yours look like?

Somewhere between 7:45 and 8:15 most mornings, I do the same tasks:

  • I check bedrooms: turn off lights, straighten beds and grab the laundry hamper if my son hasn’t already taken it to the basement like he’s supposed to! (Elapsed time 1 minute)
  • Next, my bedroom: I make the bed if I haven’t already, hang my walking clothes and pajamas on their hooks, toss dirty laundry in the hamper I still have with me from my son’s room. (Elapsed time 3 minutes)
  • I check the bathroom and hang up or wipe down whatever is out of place. (Elapsed time 2 minutes)
  • Dining room / living room: I straighten or collect any random shoes at the front door (or any other clutter), turn off the porch light and open up the curtains to let in the sunshine. (Elapsed time 2 minutes)
  • Kitchen, office / family room / back door area (all one big long space in my house): Obviously, this takes more time. I start my second cup of coffee, take my vitamins and make my smoothie. I fill my water bottles for the day, put my water and lunch in my cooler bag, then set it all by the back door in my office. If I’m really paying attention, I’ll check the weekly menu to start thinking about dinner prep, take out the trash or load or unload the dishwasher. Once I’m done making a mess, I grab counter spray and a microfiber cloth and wipe down the counters and table. (elapsed time 10 minutes)
  • Finally, I check the family room / office area for any more stray clutter, shoes, laundry, etc., toss the microfiber cloth from the counters, dish towels and cloth, etc., and take the laundry to the laundry room to start a load before I head out for the day. (elapsed time 5 minutes)

These 20-ish minutes are the BEST INVESTMENT in my day EVER. I can leave my house with a calm mind, food and snacks to sustain me during my busy day, and a clear conscience! And I come home to a relatively calm and organized space, which does wonders for my Peace of Mind and my productivity.

If you have doubts, remember that if you do this almost every day, clutter won’t have accumulated for days or weeks. Piles won’t be large, surfaces will be clearer. Regular little bits of maintenance help us out EVERY day.  EVERY DAY.  And it doesn’t have to take long.

What maintenance tasks could you add to your daily routine?  Go for it!

How Long Does It Really Take To … (insert task here)

Have you ever noticed?

We either dread what we don’t need to dread,

or

feel rushed when tasks take longer than expected?

How long does it really take to balance your checkbook?  (If you even do that anymore?)  How long does it really take to unload the dishwasher?  Get your oil changed?  Drop off that return item at the post office?  Get a hair cut? Call the doctor?  Come on… be honest…

Not very long, right?  Sometimes the tasks we dread or just don’t feel like doing get INFLATED in our mind, and we assume these dreaded tasks are going to take FOREVER to complete and so we never get around to completing them.  When we finally DO complete these tasks, we realize that they take no time at all.  We spend far more time dreading some tasks than we do completing them.

On the other hand,

We assume the trip to the grocery will only take 20 minutes (which NEVER happens), or that the “quick chat” with a co-worker, or the trip to your friend’s house or favorite restaurant takes no time at all even though you ALWAYS talk longer than you thought, or get stuck in traffic and it ALWAYS takes longer than you think.  Or we forget that going to the grocery also entails carving out 30 minutes when we get home to put everything away and then make a snack.

Let me introduce the idea of Realistic Time  Estimates.  Answer for yourself the question “How Long Does This Task Take?” and stick with that!  Once you realize how long tasks actually take, you will worry and procrastinate less while getting more done!

For example, I used to dread balancing my business’s books at the end of  every month.  I worried it would take hours so I would procrastinate and let my paperwork build up for a month or two.  Ridiculous, I know.  I realized I was self- sabotaging. One month, I spent a couple extra hours and cleaned up my banking and bookkeeping.  I moved everything to Quicken, set my statements  to download automatically from my bank (10 minutes once a month), loaded client info into Paypal to make invoicing easier (10 minutes a month), and streamlined the process for myself.  Now my bookkeeping takes care of itself, I get paid on time and I don’t dread these tasks!

On the other side, I also started setting an alarm in the morning so I didn’t get sidetracked by a pleasant chat with a fellow school parent that could go on too long.

Where else do we need Realistic Time Estimates?  What other time estimates do we skew?  How long will it really take to

  • Get ready for work?  For school? To go out? Drive our usual commute?  And is it ever perfectly smooth?
  • Get dinner on the table?
  • Get the teenager out of bed and functional?
  • Pick up Take-Out?
  • Write my blog article and newsletter this week?
  • Write up that weekly or monthly report?
  • Process our notes and act on our action items from our staff meeting?

This week and this month, take a look at how long your usual tasks ACTUALLY TAKE and determine Realistic Time Estimates.

Set a timer! Set an alarm!  Look around and seek out the tasks you dread for no reason, or the tasks you underestimate and always run over!   Take the steps to create awareness, and adjust your thinking to get your work done!

Managing Transitions: Get There First and THEN Goof Off.

This past Monday, I spent half an hour working from a local park.  It was a lovely early Fall day, so it was nice to be outside with a great view.  I checked my email, scheduled and confirmed client appointments, checked in with a couple of program sites about upcoming classes, .

More importantly, the park was exactly 4 minutes away from my next client’s house.

Why did I have half an hour to goof off at a park in the middle of a weekday?  Well….

I had a morning client appointment that ended early.  According to my GPS, I had a 35 minute drive from client #1 to client #2’s house, and about 75 minutes to make the 35 minute drive.

The first inclination, of course, is to stay where I am.  Right?  Now that I have a few extra minutes, perhaps I find somewhere to grab a snack, run an errand or two, make a couple calls and then get on the road about 35 minutes before I need to arrive at my 35-minute-away destination.

But you know what happens, right?  The logic seems solid and then you run into traffic,  or the errand takes longer than it should or you run into a friend at Panera and chat, and now POOF! that extra time you thought you had is now gone, and you run late for an appointment that you TOTALLY could have made on time.  You’re left apologizing to the client or the office staff at your doctor’s office for running late, and feeling frustrated because you HAD left on time but…

Even my son pointed out something funny the other day.  He had seen a meme on YouTube, where a guy showed up late for a work meeting complaining about the traffic with an iced Starbucks in hand.  My son is 14, and even he can see that it’s not necessary to be late.

So, as we learn to manage our transitions better, I suggest getting to your destination FIRST, and then if you have extra time, spend it around your destination so that you can still arrive on time.

A dear client of mine once had to explain to her houseguest WHY I was sitting outside of her house at 12:50 pm for a 1 pm appt.  She knew my habit of ARRIVING first, and then using any extra minutes to check email, make phone calls or check texts.  At the stroke of 1 pm, I knocked on the door and we all had a good laugh about my habit, but I still stick with it!

Before the play last week, my friend and I made sure to get to the theater and pick up our tickets before the show and THEN we found some lunch.  I’m not suggesting skipping the lunch or caffeine break or whatever else altogether,  just use your smart phone to scope out places near your destination to visit if you have the time.  Life and traffic and planning and everything are just too uncertain sometimes, so get where you are going and THEN goof off!

My Message to the Graduates, As We Start a New School Year

This past  May, I had the distinct honor of giving the following commencement speech for a middle school graduation.

“My name is Colleen Klimczak, and I am a School Board member of Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124.

On behalf of our school board and superintendent, I would like to welcome you all.

More importantly, and this is more important, especially tonight, I am also a parent of one of our graduates this evening. My Son is sitting out there, robed in green and probably shaking his head at his mom right now.

Sorry, kiddo. I wish I could say that this is the last time I will embarrass you, but we both know that is probably not the case.

I want to say
Thank You
to all of you here
for coming.
And not just coming to this graduation ceremony.

You see, as a parent – my graduate this evening is my youngest of three – I know all that goes in to getting to this point.

Thank you to our teachers and staff who have instructed and guided our kids along the way. These students have benefited immeasurably from these dedicated, passionate educators.
As a board member, I thank every one of you for your service.

And as a parent, I thank each of you that has had a hand in guiding my son.
These educators arrive early, stay late, they’re in the classrooms and hallways, at extra events on evenings and weekends, they are always available via email. Trust me, I know.
And they truly have our students’ best interests in mind. We are so fortunate, and I am so grateful.

Thank you, parents. And grandparents and aunts and uncles and all those folks who also show up.
Every.
Day.

I’m not even going to finish the equation, of number of mornings multiplied by number of school years so far! Lunches packed, backpacks, homework, gym uniforms, sport uniforms, band instruments, car pools, field trips, forms completed. Then there are the games and concerts and events that we are seriously SO happy to attend. A shout out to John’s grandparents who are here, and who have showed up to EVERYTHING for my three boys over the years.

Students – yes, tonight is about you, but some time this evening, please stop and look your parents and grandparents and significant adults in the eyes and thank them for helping you get to this occasion. They love you so much, trust me.

And now, Students!

All of you here may not know this, but this an amazing group of young people.
I have known some of them since kindergarten, and even before that.
I’ve been so blessed to spend time with some of them over the years, and watch them all grow. They are smart, funny, engaged and curious, civic minded and involved.

Students, I have three things to ask of you this evening.

First, Do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Don’t bother with easy, or just skating by, just because you think no one will notice.

YOU will notice.

And once you know you can count on yourself to do the right thing, your confidence and capacity for doing the right thing will grow.

Perhaps you’ll find yourself in a situation and you’re not sure what the right thing to do is?

Go with kindness. Justice. Fairness. Thinking and thoughtfulness. Those are always going to be the right thing. And the Right Thing might not be what everyone else is doing, but that’s ok, they are just waiting for you to set an example.

Second, Find your people.
Look around, and see the people that are doing what you want to do, what you aspire to do.

Surround yourself with good people who will lift you up, build you up.  Who aren’t about drama, who are also the ones doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

Find and appreciate those people, and
more importantly, strive to be that best person for others.

Finally, Start and end with gratitude.
Be grateful for your natural born talents and your diligently honed skills.
Be grateful for your family who loves you, for the education you are working for, for your friends and our community.

Imagine, remembering just one thing you’re grateful for as you start and finish your day every day.  Imagine how great that would feel, and how much that small habit would positively impact your life.

So:
Do the Right Thing; 
Find Your People; 
And Start and End with Gratitude.

I’m going to take my own advice here, and say thank you, Central Middle School class of 2018, for letting me get to know you. I can’t wait to see what each of you will continue to achieve in big and small ways, in the years to come. Congratulations and Well Done!

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