Archive for organization
Who Else Wants to End 2010 With a Bang?
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Summer has hardly settled into Autumn and already I’m starting to see Holiday advertisements long before I’m ready to even think about shopping, cooking, entertaining and decorating. Maybe it’s just me, but everything seems rushed and the weeks just seem to fly by.
I still have a lot to accomplish before year end and maybe you do too. And no matter how much you plan and organize, you are still adding to your to-do-list.
I don’t know about you but with a little over than 3 months left in 2010, I have many miles to go before I sleep!
So, who else wants to end 2010 with a bang?
I sure do.
And, here are some tips to give you a head start to end 2010 with a bang:
- Review your goals – Review the things you want to accomplish and If necessary, make adjustments to the goals you sent at the beginning on the year. Focus only on those goals that you can realistically achieve in the next fifty- three days.
- Create an action plan – An action plan is not your to do list! An action plan clearly details each step you will take to reach your goal. For example, you may want to finish your book before the end of year. So your plan would be to write 1-2 pages a day for an hour every day.
- Stay committed – If you are not committed to following your plan, you can easily be derailed by busy-ness, procrastination and intrusions.
- Get some rest – It’s difficult to follow your plan when you are overtired and frustrated. Don’t burn the candle at both ends or you will surely burnout and not have the energy to follow through.
- Organize – Clutter can easily cause you to be distracted and overwhelmed. Make sure your workspace is free of clutter so that you remain focused and clear.
As you approach the end of the year, keep in mind that it’s not too late to accomplish what you set out to do in January. Revise, review and reinvent how you want the last few months of the year to look. I’ll be doing the same and I would love for you to connect with me to share your progress.
Gladys M. Anderson Empowerment Specialist
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care. To get tips, start living out loud with more enthusiasm, energy, passion, and self-confidence now, get your FREE copy of Building Strong Boundaries to Create More Breathing Space in Your Hectic Life
Top 5 Reasons to Take Back Your Time
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In the book, Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America by John De Graaf, we are encouraged to organize a Take Back Your Time Day on the fourth Friday in October as a way to avoid overwhelm, exhaustion and overwork.
We are consumed by “time poverty” and “busy-ness”. A recent USA Today article featured a study commissioned by Westin Hotels & Resorts where 1,500 employed professionals were polled by STUDYLOGIC. The study found that 64% of workers admitted they had canceled or postponed a vacation this year and 33% said it was because of stress at work, too many responsibilities or too busy to plan a vacation.
Take back your time…you’ve earned it! Vacations are intended to refresh and give you a break from the stress of work. Why not take advantage of the opportunity to regain energy and rejuvenate so you’ll better be able to perform at an optimum level?
And, here are 5 good reasons to take back your time so you can stay refreshed and energized …
- Gratitude - Show appreciation for the things you already have in your life and the universe will bestow more gifts in your life. Take a break from your to-do list and start a gratitude journal. Write down at least 5 things you are grateful for every day.
- Self-Care – Carve out some space from you “busy-ness” for self-care so you will have the mental and physical energy to enjoy your abundance. Make sure you schedule “me time” on your calendar so you can do the things that you enjoy.
- Schedule wisely – When you try to squeeze in “just one more thing” into your already crowded schedule, you open yourself up to overwhelm, frustration and energy drainers. Set realistic priorities and complete one task before moving on to the next one. On occasion, take a “mental health day”, don’t answer the phone, check email or text. Relax and enjoy spending time with YOU.
- Organization - Organize your to-do list by what’s important NOW. Everything doesn’t have to get done today. Organization gives you a sense of confidence and accomplishment. When have some organization in place, tasks don’t seem so daunting.
- “End your day with some downtime - At the end of your day, take 15 minutes to unwind and relax. You deserve it! Sit quietly, take several deep breaths and calm your mind from the days busy-ness.
Until next time…
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care. To get tips, start living out loud with enthusiasm, energy, passion, and self-confidence now, get your FREE copy of Building Strong Boundaries to Create More Breathing Space in Your Hectic Life
Take a Power Hour to Stop Overwhelm
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According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, 60% of Americans feel they do not have enough time to get everything done.
This past week I certainly was part of that 60%! As I unsuccessfully attempted to check off everything I had on my to-do list, I felt like I was trying to fit a square peg in a round hole!
Maybe you’re also overwhelmed with the sheer volume of items on your to-do list! Or, perhaps, you underestimated the time needed, or fell prey to interruptions because you didn’t set strong time boundaries.
With a mountain of paperwork facing you, phone calls to make, tasks/chores to be done and all the other things you want to check off your to-do-list, you’re more than likely to procrastinate and shuffle mindlessly from one thing to another. And, at the end of the day, feel you have wasted time and accomplished little, if anything.
Well, I recommend you take a power hour to stop overwhelm so that you can take a step back, re-energize and reassess what’s really important now.
Here’s how you can quickly get from overwhelmed, foggy, and frustrated to seeing some astonishing results while renewing your energy source, gaining clarity and a sense of achievement.
- Set a timer for an hour to work on just one task. Setting a time to complete just one thing helps to manage your time and quickly gives you a sense of accomplishment. When the hour is up, take a 10-minute break – get something to drink or go for a short walk. When you return, you will feel mentally and physically alert and ready to take on the next power hour.
- Use part of your 10-minute break to take several some deep breaths. Breathing deeply gives you clarity, focus and renewed energy.
- If it fits into your day, take a power nap. A power nap is good way to refresh quickly. Researchers at NASA showed that a 30-minute power nap increased alertness by approximately 40 percent! I find taking just a 10-15 minute nap refreshing.
- Realign your expectations with the reality of what is possible to accomplish within a given time frame. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you won’t accomplish everything on your schedule today. Prioritize your to-do-list based on what’s most important.
- If your workspace is cluttered, spend the first power hour clearing away all unnecessary papers, pens, etc. before you begin working on your first task. Note: This is not the time to rearrange files, clean out a drawer, sort books, etc. Instead, your main goal is to clear a space where your energy and creativity can flow freely.
- Turn off the ringer on your phone and let any phone calls you receive to go to voice mail so that your “power hour” is not interrupted. You can always check for messages when you take your next break.
Use the tips above to easily use your power hour to stop overwhelm, procrastination, mental drain, and frustration.
If this article resonates with you, please post your thoughts, insights and suggestions in the comment section.
And, to get more tips, start living out loud with more joy, more energy and more time for self-care, get your FREE copy of Building Strong Boundaries to Give You More Breathing Space in Your Hectic Life
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care.
How Adding Chocolate Making to Your Busy Schedule Leads to Stress
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Normally I don’t read the Martha Steward column because she gives far more complicated instructions than I have the time or desire to undertake.
Today was an exception, since anything with the word chocolate in it immediately catches my attention. The title, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, was clearly calling my name.
I looked at the title and immediately had a vision of special “me” time, curled up in front of a fire, jazz playing softly in the background, browsing through my newest magazine and delighting in mouth watering chocolate covered strawberries.
As I read the instructions, I couldn’t help but think that Martha was now beginning to write recipes for the average, busy, chaos-filled life of the women of America like me. So far, so good…I can do this.
The part about drying the strawberries was a little daunting but I was confident I could master it so that not a drop of water would be left on the strawberries causing clumps. After all, who wants clumps on their strawberries?
I was even willing to search the supermarket for parchment paper that I could place the little devils on so they could be kept in the refrigerator for two days.
Wow, I’m psyched now…I can almost taste the strawberries and picture myself stretched out on the sofa like the little vixen I am, indulging in a sinfully delightful treat.
And then, in true Martha style, she throws the curve ball right out of the field. This is what she says: “If the confections won’t be eaten right away, you may want to temper the chocolate to prevent ‘blooming‘ [white spots that sometimes appear over time on the surface of chocolate"]. What?? Ok, Martha, this is where you lost me…
For those of you who have the urge to temper your chocolate, you can get all the information you need here.
I don’t know what you know about tempering, but I know quite a bit about temper tantrums, temper holding, temper loosing and temperatures; chocolate tempering — not so much. Although I have seen ‘blooming” on the candy bars on sale at the local drugstore, it never stopped me from devouring them.
All of this Holly homemaking just makes me want to go out and BUY some chocolate.
If you’re anything like most women, you already have quite enough things going on in your life more important than learning how to “temper” chocolate when you can just go out and buy some.
All of this detail about making and tempering chocolate makes me think of how we decide what tasks to take on when our lives are overwhelmed, over-scheduled, frustrated and too busy.
I’m not knocking Martha Stewart and her recipes. If you have the time and energy for this kind of complex direction…go for it. It’s just not one of my priorities.
And speaking of priorities…
Most women I know have more than enough on their plates and struggle to have the time to get everything done. Adding chocolate tempering to an already busy day just seems a little too stressful for me. Setting priorities is the key to stress reduction.
So, how do you decide what else you take on when your plate is already full?
You might want to consider the following tips when you start thinking of adding one more item to your already chocked-full plate that cause stress, frustration and overwhelm:
- Eliminate anything on your to do list that will tax your energy supply. Chocolate making might be fun for some of you but if it’s something that causes stress, don’t do it or wait until you have the energy to tackle it.
- If detailed instructions bog you down, ask someone who is more detailed oriented to help you or scratch it off your list until you can be more focused.
- Use a small tablet to organize your thoughts, make choices based on what’s important to you now. Re-energize and relax to avoid frustration and overwhelm. When you feel energized and have some organization in place, tasks don’t seem so daunting.
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
About the Author:
Gladys M. Anderson is a certified group coach, personal life coach and a licensed marriage & family therapist. Gladys helps nurses, therapists, teachers and other caregivers establish boundaries, build balance and create breathing space into their busy lives.
What I learned About Boundaries From Larry, the Cable Guy
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Yesterday evening I picked up my phone poised to dial out and there was dead silence…no dial tone, no static…nothing…
My first thought was I had inadvertently disconnected one of the many tangled cords underneath my desk. If you’ve ever had to crawl around into the abyss under your desk on your hands and knees, you know this is no small feat.
With flashlight in hand, I checked each of the sundry connections making sure they were all housed in their respective homes. From my non-techy vantage point, everything looked to be in order.
Time to place a call to the provider of my phone service, which is also my cable company.
With cell phone in had, I make the call. Little did I know this was just the beginning of my saga into the world of techno phone land. After three attempts, I finally get a “live” person and tell my story to numerous “technical support” people, including “supervisors”. No one could troubleshoot the problem from his or her end. And they couldn’t restore my service that night.
Eventually, I was told that a technician would have to come out to investigate since they couldn’t detect any problems. I reluntantly made an appoinment for the next morning.
To say I was upset is putting it mildly…
Promptly, at the appointed time, the cable guy arrived.
Once he made the required checks and counterchecks, he was able to discover the problem.
I had connected the phone line to the wrong opening on the modem!
Egg all over my face…
So what did my experience with Larry, the cable guy teach me about boundaries?
- I learned to pay close attention to where I plug in cords. It could have saved me a $30 service call! I was also reminded of the things we plug into – like time takers – rushing, holding on to clutter and disorganization. Had I used those fancy doodads that keeps cords tangle free, I might have saved myself some precious time. Pay attention to what you plug into your life. Make sure you have your boundaries established and enforce them before you get tangled up in situations that will cost you in time, energy and resources.
- I learned to ask for help even if I have to wear egg on my face, Technology is not my area of expertise I can’t do everything in all situations. Know your limitations and seek expert help when you need it. Asking for help from the people who are good at what they do means that you give yourself permission to do the things that make you an expert and the freedom to pursue your passions.
- I learned to practice patience. I confess, I’m still learning this lesson… Waiting on hold and explaining the same problem to several people gives me lots of practice. I keep the stress bunnies at bay when I practice patience. When life hands you lemons – make lemonade. Use waiting time like a breath of fresh air. Inhale deeply and relax for a few minutes to clear away the nasty little irritations, and relieve stress.
- You can learn something in almost any situation when you take the time to process it. When you are in the midst of chaos, anxious and stressful situations, stop just long enough to see if there might be a lesson in there for you.
The next time you’re on hold long enough to go make a sandwich, eat it and have some dessert. Remember you’re learning a lesson and once you learn it well you won’t have to repeat it.
What lesson have you learned today? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below and share this post with your friends.
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
About the Author:
Gladys M. Anderson is a certified group coach, personal life coach and a licensed marriage & family therapist. Gladys helps nurses, therapists, teachers and other caregivers establish boundaries, build balance and create breathing space into their busy lives.
It’s True: You Can Get Rid of the Clutter Monster
Posted by: | CommentsDo you know that a quarter of homeowners with two-car garages use them exclusively for storage and park in the driveway?
How do we become such hostages to the jumble of odds and ends that once gave us pleasure and fond memories and now have outlived its usefulness?
This week, I finally took on the gigantic task of clearing the clutter from my basement storage area and the garage! Whew!
How many times had I said, “we really need to clear out some stuff of this stuff.” It was merely a passing comment…didn’t happen! So to solve the problem, I tried my best to ignore the growing mound of useless odds and ends that had taken over my space.
I finally could tolerate it no longer. So amongst the empty soda cans, the unused boxes of [ugly] tile, the stacks of old magazines, Christmas decorations that had outlived at least 9 lives, the leftover remnants of broken tables, unwanted gifts, non-working electronics, I set out to simplify my life starting from the outside in. I can now get in and out of my car without banging my car door into some abandoned object stored along the sides.
I realized a long time ago, I do not work well or feel productive when there is a lot of disorder. Yet, here I was, again being slowly nibbled away by the clutter monster.
Look around you; are you being steadily gobbled up by the clutter monster?
Did you know that clutter in your surroundings directly affects how you think, work, and live?
Let’s categorize what clutter may look like:
- Things you do not use or love
- Things that are untidy or disorganized
- Too many things in too small a place
- Anything unfinished or not being used
Most professional organizers focus on orderliness and systems to maintain tidy surroundings. But, I want you to also consider how orderliness and clutter can also symbolize your state of mind.
What old beliefs about letting go are you clinging to?
When you imagine decluttering, what emotions do you feel?
Are you feeling a sense of loss, or anxiety, confusion?
How do you make room for new thoughts, ideas and actions?
How do you feel when clutter gets the best of you? Is it difficult for you to make changes? Does the thought of changing make you uncomfortable?
We all may have some clutter sometimes but the best way to begin is with your thoughts about it. Change your thoughts, change your life!
Yes, I know, I’m guilty of not always practicing what I preach! I sometimes let the clutter monster come for a visit. And, it’s usually when my mind is filled with disorder. When I can think clearly and organize my thoughts, there seems to be less clutter around me. And when clutter is consuming my space, I’m less organized and focused.
When you find you’re surrounded by disorganization, holding on to things long past their prime, and ignoring the clutter, give some thought to your state of mind. Are you anxious, uncomfortable, confused, and unmotivated? If you experience any of these feelings, I’m sure you will see it reflected in your surroundings. Gobble up the clutter monster!
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Gladys Anderson, founder of Coach for YOUR Dreams, is a certified life coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, writer and speaker. Gladys combines years of experience, training and a genuine commitment to helping nurses, teachers, therapists and other care giving women to set limits so they have more time, and energy to devote to self-care.