Interruptions come in all forms – digital, email, phone calls, and noisy stuff in general (how come the leaf blowers only come out when I’m in a Zoom meeting?) However, when dealing with cutting down on interruptions, the human kind are the most difficult to control. They require exercising our often underused “NO” muscles and
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Last week, I discussed how to cut down on digital interruptions to get back some of that all-important focused brain time so you can establish a good work flow. One of the major disruptions when you’re working from home is those relentless telemarketing phone calls! During the height of the pandemic here in April, my
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Taking control of your time requires managing that most difficult of obstacles – interruptions. Whether you work in a cubicle, a wide open-concept office space, the corner office, or in a home office, being interrupted is a fact of today’s distraction-filled life. Some settings lend themselves to naturally to interruptions, such as an open office
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About 2 weeks ago, I was putting the finishing touches on the March blog I intended to send out a few days ago, since we were preparing to leave for a vacation. I wanted to have as much cleared off my to-do list as possible so that when I returned, I didn’t face an avalanche
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If you want to keep getting what you’re getting, keep doing what you’re doing. If you want something different, you have to DO something different. The desire for change in our lives can be a powerful, motivating force. But breaking old habits and instilling new ones takes time and consistency. Whether it’s getting in better
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Eleven years ago, after a particularly enlightening conversation with a career counselor about the direction I wanted to take after leaving my teaching career of twenty years, I established my professional organizing business, The Organized Way. I worked hard to learn and refine my craft, becoming one of only around 300 CPO’s (Certified Professional Organizer®)
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I’m often asked about what my favorite organizing and productivity tools are, and while the list includes some physical items like paper planners and digital items like task management apps, my favorite tool is probably my brain! There are lots of great resources out there to help simplify and make our work and home lives
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I can’t remember where I first stumbled across the phrase, “Don’t trip over what’s behind you,” but I recall that it made a significant impression upon me. We all struggle with letting go of negative stuff that has happened in our past, and have heard the “don’t live in the past,” “just let it go
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Last month, I wrote about the misperceptions around minimalism as they pertain to our physical clutter. But many of us still struggle with overly full schedules, to-do lists, and commitments. Our lives are full of “time clutter.” A wonderful quote by author and organizer Peter Walsh addresses this issue: “Clutter is not just the stuff
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For the past few years at the beginning of each year, I’ve chosen a “word for the year” to inspire and motivate myself. It has helped me define my goals for the year and reminded me to stay the course throughout the seasons as the activity in my life waxes and wanes. I set out
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