Peace of Mind Organizing

Mark Forster does it again

16 February 2011

Every now and then I write here that my time management guru, Mark Forster has created a new task-management system and that it’s awesome. In fact, last April I wrote a love letter to DWM, which at the time was his latest system. And then just two months ago, I wrote about a new tweak to Autofocus that I was finding really helpful.

At the risk of looking fickle, I want to tell you about his latest. (Big surprise: I’m loving it.) Mark is always looking to improve his task-management systems. He calls this newest system SuperFocus. Believe me, it’s well named. I’ve only been using it since February 8, but yesterday I had a lot of time at my desk and SuperFocus helped me get a whole lot done.

I will write a full review of the system in the near future, but I just wanted to make you aware of it so that you can check out the rules and perhaps start using it yourself. With this system, Mark’s done a great job of addressing urgent and unfinished items. As much as I loved Autofocus, urgent items tended to get lost in it. Not so with SuperFocus.

If your task-management system isn’t cutting it for you, I urge you to check this out. It’s free, easy to implement (all you need is a notebook and pen) and, by all appearances, really effective.

A milestone

14 February 2011

I joined the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), in 2005. It was one of the first things that I did when I decided to start my business.

I learned at the outset about NAPO’s Golden Circle, a group for organizers who have been in business for five years or more. (In our relatively new industry, those in business for five years are considered veterans.) I remember in 2005 that Golden Circle status felt very far away, but I set a goal to achieve it.

At the end of 2010, I put together the paperwork required to prove that my business was five years old and submitted my application. I was pleased to receive a certificate and lapel pin indicating that I’m a Golden Circle member.

As a result, I’ll be able to attend special Golden-Circle-only sessions at the NAPO Conference. And my Golden Circle status is listed on my profile on both the national NAPO website and on NAPO-St. Louis’s website.

I love that something that once felt elusive is now a reality. Isn’t it great when life’s like that?

One busy mom's cleaning routine

11 February 2011

Meagan Francis, a writer I’m acquainted with through the online community Freelance Success, is a mother of five. In her blog, The Happiest Mom she provides insights from her journey to happiness in motherhood.

Yesterday, she posted about her cleaning routine. When your family is that big, routines are the key to keeping chaos at bay without making cleaning a full-time occupation. I loved her post, 10 Ways I Keep My House Neat…Without Spending All Day Cleaning and thought I’d share it with you.

It’s full of the sound principles I tell my clients, like the power of routines and doing a little bit (5 minutes!) at a time. Her mindful shopping and joyous decluttering advice is fabulous. And I love that she talks about her house being “clean enough.” That absence of perfectionism might be the key to her happiness!

Inbox Zero update

9 February 2011

I am bursting my buttons with pride, as I report that I have achieved Inbox Zero each and every day since January 2. That’s 38 days in a row that I’ve handled each message that’s come into my email inbox.

I think I’ve been able to do this for two reasons:

• Starting with a clean slate every day makes it much easier to get through my emails
• Now that I’ve been doing it for weeks, I’m extra motivated not to break my streak

I’m especially proud that I’ve been able to keep this up given that I’ve been out of town for the last few days. I’ve had no trouble staying on top of details, since I’ve been at my computer most of the time on my work retreat. But what’s amazing me is that at the end of the day, I’m remembering to do it.

A big part of that is my daily habit of reporting to my pal Aby Garvey about my success with my email. That just might be the mortar that’s holding all this together. Knowing she’s expecting an email from me (and receiving hers) helps me remember to take the time to clear my inbox.

A year ago (heck, a few months ago), I would have thought this impossible.

Do you have any seemingly impossible habits ls you could put your mind to?

Taking time for yourself

7 February 2011

One of the biggest pieces of advice I give to my clients is to be kind to themselves. That self-care is so often lacking. For many of my clients (the majority of whom are busy women) the biggest gift they can give themselves is time alone. A bubble bath. A cup of tea and a novel. Stealing away to a matinee.

I’m following my own advice in a big way this weekend. About a month ago, I planned a five-day retreat with my friend and Declutter Happy Hour partner, Shannon Wilkinson. We’re at her parents’ beach house on the Oregon Coast. We’re having a great time. And we’re also doing some serious stuff. We’re brainstorming. We’re strategizing. We’re helping one another come up with brilliant plans for our respective businesses. (And we’re watching a lot of Glee.)

Here’s a photo of the Pacific Ocean, a stone’s throw from where all the retreat action is taking place:

Haystack Rock. Photo by Shannon.

I’ve been really busy in 2011 and my calendar is chock-a-block full of obligations. So it seems like a huge luxury to take five full days out of my schedule for this getaway. But it’s so important. I have a feeling in the months to come that I’ll look back on this weekend and wonder what I would have done without it. I’m inspired. I’m energized. And I’m grateful to have a friend like Shannon.

Is there something you could do for yourself today or in the very near future? Take a moment and think about something you’ve been wanting to do that would feed your soul. Now think about how you might go about accomplishing it. Sooner, rather than later. Maybe you’ll need to miniaturize a giant fantasy to make it doable soon. Perhaps you’ll go for a weekend away, rather than a month in Europe. Perhaps a series of yoga classes rather than a yoga retreat. I’m willing to bet there’s something you could do for yourself that’s within reach.

Here’s the trap I see people falling into: they don’t want to reward themselves until they’ve completed a big goal. The problem with that is burnout on the way to achieving a goal that’s never achieved. So instead, you can boost your spirits and energy by rewarding yourself now. You’ll benefit. The people around you will benefit. And, if you’re like me, that little break will take you closer to achieving your goals.

Three steps to new habits

4 February 2011

A friend shared this slideshow with me from B.J. Fogg, Ph.D. of Stanford University’s Persuasive Tech Lab, entitled 3 steps to new habits. It presents a very simple approach to creating new habits.

It makes loads of sense to me and, I’m happy to say, is in keeping with what I’ve been saying and practicing in recent months about creating new habits. (Hint: the key is about linking a new habit with an established one and creating a routine.)

It’s just four slides and will take you less than a minute to read. Go for it. Be sure and expand to full screen to read the final one (which is in small type). There’s some great info in there.

Getting past internal barriers

2 February 2011

This the year that I’m all about creating new habits and routines. (At least so far.) In the past two months I’ve created strong habits surrounding cleaning up my yard and keeping the bedroom bureau top clear of clothing. I’ve also whittled my email inbox down to zero every day since January 2. (I’ll blog more about that another day.)

There’s one habit I’ve been meaning to cultivate for years. (Literally, years.) And that’s entering my financial data for my business into Quickbooks on a very regular basis. In December 2009, I blogged that I wanted to adopt that habit for 2010. Did I succeed? Ha! I found myself entering data for most of 2010 in January of 2011, all the while saying to myself, like I do every year, “This year will be different.”

I realize it’s only February 2 (happy Groundhog Day for those in the US!), but I’m excited to report that I’m caught up on Quickbooks and I’m indeed entering data as I earn and spend money. How have I been able to do this after years of failure?

I turned to my secret weapon, Shannon Wilkinson. Shannon is an amazing life coach, hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner. (She’s also my partner in Declutter Happy Hour and Why Resolutions Don’t Work.) For years, she’s been helping me get past my emotional barriers to action.

When I realized that I had some sort of barrier preventing me from facing my finances on a regular basis, I pulled out Boring Change: No Augers Required, Shannon’s amazing (and amazingly affordable) audio and e-book product that puts her brand of magic in your hands. I blogged all about it last March, when it first came out.

I spent just about 10 minutes with Boring Change and when I was through I was ready and raring to start entering data. And I continue to be excited. In fact, the other day when I looked over my to-do list, entering data into Quickbooks felt like a treat! When I realized that, I almost fell off my chair.

If you feel like something is stopping you from doing what you want or from achieving you know is desirable (or simply creating a new beneficial habit), I urge you to give Boring Change a try. It’s only $47 and it can make a huge difference in your life.