Organize Your Life
Running a home, business, life - it is all just too much sometimes. I hear it every day...my life is out of control! That is why our tag line is "Don't Agonize - Organize". We want to help you find simple and easy ways to get back on track and stay organized.
We'd love to hear from you and please feel free to join our bi-monthly newsletter. We can be reached at www.organizationdirect.com/contactus
Have a great and organized day!
Linda Clevenger
Organization Direct
linda@organizationdirect.com
Road Map Your Systems February...already, really? Getting your act together in 2012 and organizing your office was a promise that you made to yourself. You know that there are so many opportunities that you are missing, clients that you are losing and sleep that you are depriving yourself of just because you are wasting too much time in your office. The reason you haven't started making a change is??? Everything that we do is a process. It is like the old saying: "Putting the cart before the Horse". When you try to do the 3rd step of a process before the first and second, you end up spending (and wasting time). Think about the process that you use when you brush your teeth, and get ready for work in the morning. We do it every morning with our children, right? Why not have specific processes that we follow in the home office. Road Mapping your systems and processes will help you fine-tune your processes and allow you to get more done - in less time. Let's look at three parts of your business that can be more productive by having a Road Map.
Papers, Papers Everywhere!  It's time for you to gather everything that you need to either do your taxes yourself or hand them over to your Bookkeeper and/or CPA to make it happen for you. Does just the thought of this stress you out? In these times, you want to be sure that you have counted every legitimate deduction possible. This can mean bits and pieces of paper that could be found in places such as: the desk drawer, a mirage of file folders, some of them may be found on the computer or maybe they are even on the kitchen table stacked in one of those never-ending piles. Developing a system to track your paperwork is even more important in 2012. If you are getting a lot of your papers emailed to you...Great! However, a computer is just a filing system too! Papers can get just as lost in your computer as they can on the desk of your home office. The job of quickly and easily finding paperwork requires a system that is simple and flexible. Is this possible? Absolutely! Of course, managing your paperwork is all about having a system to do it! There are several things that need to be considered whether you are filing on the computer or filing paperwork:
It's that time of year again! No, not the post-holiday doldrums, but time to clean out the house to make room for everything Santa brought! Every year we do a mass toy cleanout and donate the items. The rules for cleaning out toys are very similar to the rules you apply when cleaning out your closet: Does it fit (is it age-appropriate)? Is it in good shape? Do you still use it? Does it fit? If you are holding on to baby toys or an exersaucer because you really think you might need it again in the near future, sure, keep it. But if your baby days are done, it is time to let go. If your child outgrew his Thomas trains years ago and you are reluctant to donate them, try selling them on eBay or Craiglist. Take a look around and if your kids haven't played with something in the past year, sell or donate. If you plan to sell on Craigslist read this article for tips http://moneysavingmom.com/2009/03/guest-post-successfully-selling-on-craigslist.html. Is it in good shape? If you have puzzles missing pieces or broken robots, it may be time to toss them, but try Freecyling them first. http://www.freecycle.org/ is a free online community where people offer unwanted items to keep them out of the landfill. It is not needs-based, and you can choose who you give the items to. Crafters often use broken toys and puzzle pieces, so before you toss, try to find a taker! Do not donate items to charity that are broken or missing pieces, that is a big no-no and the IRS only allows a deduction for items in good condition. You can also ask for items on Freecycle! If you have toys in good condition to donate, check out these articles http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-37043554/old-toys-4-tips-when-donating-them-to-charity/ and http://www.ehow.com/how_2042415_donate-childrens-toys.html for some donation tips. Do you still use it?
What is Your "P" that keeps you focused? It's now three weeks into your "P"romise to yourself to make a change in 2012. You may be doing ok with your goal to do whatever you have decided to change. You may not. So I thought I'd share with you these five "P's" to help rejuvenate you into achieving your goals. Passion -- How bad do you want it? Is that space driving you crazy enough to begin the process to get it organized , or, are you willing to be satisfied to live with it just the way that it is? You've got to want the goal badly enough to see results. Don't get discouraged - recharge your passion to change. Persistence -- Nothing happens until something happens! And sometimes, it takes longer than expected so don't give up. Something will step in the way of your progress, get back on the horse and try again, and again if needed. If you give up...nothing will change.
 We are two weeks into the long list of New Year Resolutions that we planned to keep. Truth be told, in my mind, a Resolution is a habit that we are committing ourselves to change. And change is hard! There are always things that we can improve on - in our life and business - and a New Year just seems the logical date and time to make a change. But, with everything else that we change - resolutions don't work unless we commit ourselves to changing a habit. The habits of choice are: exercise, organizing and to quit smoking. As we finish the first 2 weeks of 2012 - Don't Give Up! Let's re-evaluate your New Year Resolutions and Goals. First - Don't expect that you should have reached your goal 100% already. Developing habits takes time. If habits were quick and easy resolutions not be a concern. Second - Every goal takes multiple steps to accomplish. No matter how small, there is usually a list of things that have to happen in order to reach your goal. Think about it...everything that we do takes multiple steps. Keep it simple and specific. Just the simple act of brushing your teeth requires at least 6 steps (pick up the toothbrush, unscrew the cap of the toothpaste, put the toothpaste onto your toothbrush, brush your teeth, rinse the toothbrush, rinse your mouth and then put the cap back onto the toothpaste). It just comes natural to you because you have been doing it the same way...forever. Think about what individual steps you can take to help you achieve your goals and habits for 2012.
You've made the commitment before but 2012 will be different! This is Your Year! You know what to do and how to do it and this year you are going to stick to it! Get 'ur done! Stay focused and reach your goals. You have bought every possible organizing supply and tool that is available because they all promise to get you organized, right! And...they have to work because you just spent a ton of money. So how do you ensure that you reach your goals this year? Your mindset and habits will dictate your success, no matter what your goals are. Just like starting a diet, getting your space and mind organized takes dedication, obligation and accountability. It takes making a change in your daily habits and this isn't always easy. Think about what areas you find the hardest to keep organized. Is it your paperwork - mail and filing; client follow-up; systems; or maybe your daily schedule? Or, maybe it is that your time is drained by interruptions through email or phone. Everything that we do every day is a choice. (Of course, I'm realistic...emergencies can come up that require your attention). But when you have your daily course of action laid out, interruptions are easily handled and the ability to refocus comes easy. The key to keeping yourself on task is developing a habit/system to handle every part of your day. It seems odd to think about something that something as simple as opening the mail should have a system but it makes such a difference. Let's just take the example of opening the mail. I meet with so many people and home-based businesses that just find it "simpler" to open the mail wherever the happen to be at the time. Because of this, there are receipts and paperwork in the office, kitchen, bedroom, car, in their pants pockets or purse, And then...it just becomes too overwhelming to be able to get it all organized. The thought of sorting, organizing and filing all of the paperwork causes stress and anxiety. And now there just isn't enough time to catch up.
Just about everyone "makes" at least one New Year's Resolution. One of the  most popular Resolutions is to Get Organized. Every year we have the best of intentions that This Year will be The year that it Really happens! Really...cross your fingers, hope to die! You Will make the necessary changes and do whatever it takes, Right? And you are willing and ready to jump in with both feet! You'll even write it all down, put it on our calendar and make promises to yourself that this IS the year. The truth is that keeping a New Year Resolution takes more than all of this. You must realize not just what you want to change, but Why you want to change. When you look at your space, office, paperwork or life, does it just drive you nuts? What are you willing to do - besides throwing in the towel and saying, I just can't do it? You may consciously be self-sabotaging yourself , which is the reason that it hasn't changed....Yet! Ask yourself this question - If my space was organized what would it look like? Close your eyes and visualize your space neat, tidy, organized and filed. Picture yourself sitting at your desk writing contracts, filling orders, talking with clients, paying your bills and smiling at the increase in your bank account. What I know is that nothing will change until something changes. In other words, until you take specific and methodical action to Keep Your Resolutions, they won't happen and you will stay in the same rut in 2012. And, no matter what plans your plans include and how detailed they are, it takes dedication and a change in your attitude to make it happen. The words and thoughts that we tell ourselves every day will dictate what we accomplish, how we manage our time and whether or not we reach our goals. So here are some steps to hold yourself accountable to reaching your New Year Resolutions!
This is a great week to take some time to prepare for 2012. We can schedule in a little down-time to catch up on the things that we haven't had a chance to do all year. Maybe that is just taking some time to rest! Many businesses will take this week to catch up on paperwork, de-cluttering the office and closing up the books for the year. This whole process of closing out one year and beginning a new year can run smooth as clock work when your space is organized and your systems are in place. Before you start preparing for your 2012 goals give your home office a check-up. What paperwork is looming in a file box (or on the floor)?* What systems have worked for you this year - and what systems need to be tweaked or re-vamped totally. Tweaking a system can be a great option to save time, money and a whole lot of headaches. One of the best changes that I made in 2011 was to begin using my android cell phone to help me track my mileage. I installed the mileage tracker application to my android phone and it has made it extremely easy to manage my car mileage for tax purposes. It takes just a few minutes in my car to document my beginning mileage and a short explanation of where I am going. This is a huge time-saver for me and I'll soon be downloading it into an excel spreadsheet as my documentation for taxes. I am also finding that a lot of small business owners are in need of tweaking their filing systems. Having the basic files set up the will enable you to manage daily paperwork can be the easiest and simplest way to stay organized. It is so easy to just convince yourself that you will do the filing later. By the time that an inbox is over-flowing and papers are stacked into wonderful neat and tidy piles throughout the office, the whole thought of tackling the paperwork becomes too much to consider. Now, it will take hours of time from you day - and who has hours to dedicate to paperwork (better yet, who really wants to)? Take some time this week to tweak your systems. Remember to keep the necessary files that you use on a daily basis handy on your desk. I recommend using a vertical filing system that is graduated. Having the graduated slots to store your daily files makes it easier to just drop in your paperwork. This eliminates the need to thumb through files to get to the one that you need. You'll be able to see what you need immediately. This would be used for things like your current client files; a dedicated place to put your paperwork which needs to be filed and generic files for papers that are important to you and your business. It will take less room on your desk and give you the ability to file papers away immediately, vs. stacking them in an "inbox". Of course, keeping paperwork under control takes discipline. It must be handled every day (or at least every week)!
There is a lot of interest in couponing lately, and if you watch TLC's Extreme Couponing you know that people take it very seriously. Extreme savings as shown on the show is not the norm, but with a few key organizational tools you can be on your way to slashing your grocery budget too. Where to find coupons Coupons are everywhere. You find them stuck on products (called "peelies"), on tear pads in many stores, in the Sunday newspaper, on Facebook, in your email, and online. To find deals, be sure to "like" the product or company on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and sign up for their emails. Many products, like Seventh Generation and Kellogg's, send out coupons via email regularly. Here is a list of great websites to find coupons: Redplum.com
If this is you...Stop it Now! It's almost here - another new year looming just weeks away. Will this be the year that you fulfill your goals? Or will you fall short, yet again? I have found that most businesses have one area within their business that causes more stress and anxiety than any other... paperwork - it causes businesses to fall short in reaching their real goals and dreams. Business keeps moving forward. Payments come in and bills are getting paid, somehow. Yet all the paperwork seems too overwhelming to be able to keep up with it all. The mail goes unopened (because in the back of your mind, you really know when the payment is due). You are missing out on opportunities to save money because the mail is not being opened. The receipts are piled deep and wide or stacked high on a desk just waiting for something to be done with them But by the time you get around to dealing with the receipts the thought of sorting them all, categorizing them, scanning, documenting them all just seems like it will take forever. So what can you do to keep yourself on track? Here are some tips: 1. Have a system to store all of your receipts right from the beginning. Those tiny lunch receipts from your business meetings get lost in a purse or wallet on a weekly basis. Use a basic coupon holder that you can keep in your purse, car, glove compartment or briefcase. It should be small and compact. Instead of having categories for your coupons, use each slot for a month of the year. File your receipts, deposits and any other paperwork that you need to track into the coupon holder. Once a week, pull the receipts and document or scan them into your system. It's that easy. 2. Develop consistency when it comes to opening your mail and make smart decisions, immediately. All incoming mail goes into one of these categories: file, pay, shred or trash. Don't keep what you "think" you will use. Either you will, or you will not...there are no maybe's! If it is a coupon - you can find it online...keeping it will only allow paperwork to pile up and by the time you find it, the coupon will be expired anyway!
Is Your Home Office Functional? 
We would all like to find just a little more time in each day to enjoy what we Really like to do. The dream of working from a home office can quickly be exciting. Take away the commute, the need to be "dressed" every day and the stress of the daily office routine. Be honest. What was this space being used before it became your home office? Was it a storage area, workspace or a guest bedroom? Turning it into a functional and operational home office can be difficult. This is a common challenge for many solopreneurs and entrepreneurs. Your designated space needs to function solely as a home office and nothing else! It is not a bedroom, workout room or family room. It is Your Office! So how do you get it organized? 1. Turn your room into an office. Remove what doesn't belong. Throw out the trash and broken things. Place things that you don't use very often into a donate bin. Put things back where they belong - find them a home somewhere besides your home office. Keep your vision in mind. 2. Setting up your home office. You will need a place for files. Even if you are a brand new business, you will need to have a filing system to make sure that you keep everything that you need handy. The floor is not a filing cabinet! I like the lateral file cabinets the best, are easier to work with and hold more files than the traditional file cabinets.
So many times do we feel as if we just can't take on one more thing! There just isn't any more time in the day to do anything. Our plate is completely and utterly full to the brim and we will never find the necessary time to build your business or organize your home. It seems hopeless. Building a solid foundation can change everything. It is necessary that your foundation for your home and office be sturdy, strong and confident. Knowing what and how you manage your day to day business will allow more time to creep into your day. How can you free up some time or streamline your processes to get more done (and still be able to take time for family, friends and outside activities). Here are some tips to build your foundation strong and get more done: 1. Build Habits - We have all heard that it takes 21 days to build a habit or make a change. The problem with this philosophy is that typically we give up long before the 21 days are up. The good news is that you can always start over again...you won't be breaking any rules - but will you start again or just give up? Use a Daily To Do List, Weekly Plan Sheet and Monthly Calendar to make sure that you hit your target every day. 2. Planning out your day will allow you the opportunity to get more work done. Just going from one activity to another may "seem" productive but at the end of the day I promise that you will get more done if you plan out your day. Anything that lasts more than 15 minutes should be scheduled. 3. Keep your foundation strong by allowing others to be your mortar. You don't have to do it all yourself. In order to get more done, you must be willing to allow others to be a part of your process. When you concentrate on controlling every aspect of every event of every day, you won't be able to find more time in each day to get more done. In order to move forward and get more done, it is necessary to allow someone else step in and be your assistant. It doesn't even matter if it is just a few hours a week! Those few hours will allow you enough time to concentrate on what is important in order for you to grow as a person and a business. Remember, it doesn't have to be done perfect! Being excellent will suffice. It's just like we learned in Sunday School as a little child. The foolish man built his house upon the sand, the rain came tumbling down and the house went flat...because there wasn't a stable foundation for the home. But the wise man built his house upon the rocks and that house stood firm!
It's officially the Holiday Season. Time to think about New Resolutions, making changes,  setting goals and how to make 2012 the best year ever. Once again, an amazing number of people will jump on the diet bandwagon, whether it is to lose a simple 5 pounds or 50 pounds. This will take discipline, time, energy and dedication to making a change. But what other weight is bringing you down? What about putting your clutter on a diet this year? Without meaning to, we allow clutter to take on its own personality in our lives. We mean well...really, we do! We find things on sale and think, "I will really like this", OR, "I may need this some day!" And we bring it home without it a real "place" to put it. It ends up shoved in a desk, drawer or closet - never to be seen again for years. I have a great story about a client who had too much "stuff". She had knick-knacks and choc keys everywhere because her family thought she would really enjoy them. They weren't concerned about the clutter that it was causing in her home and how it was affecting her mental health. They meant well! The problem was that mom couldn't get rid of anything because she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. After all, they had taken the time to buy these things for her. Wouldn't it be rude to get rid of them? So, several years ago, she gathered her children together and gave them a list of 3 things that she would like to receive that Christmas. The gifts were a book, a game and a kitchen utensil. This particular year, the children listened to her! She got exactly what she wanted (and needed) for Christmas without causing more clutter! It meant that she didn't have to find another drawer to hide gifts in and, more than that, she didn't have to worry about remembering where she hid them when the children visited next time! It was the best Christmas ever! With the Holidays in full swing, think about things that you don't use any more and whether you need to keep them. If you can't remember when you used it last or it doesn't serve a purpose anymore, let it go! See how much "weight" your closet, pantry, filing cabinet or desk will lose by giving it a quick de-cluttering. When your home or office lose weight, you do too! Putting your home or office on a diet allows you to release items that have been weighing you down, causing you stress and anxiety. It is an easy way to begin 2012 and lose weight immediately! Change isn't easy, but it is necessary. And putting your space on a diet will: save you the time it takes to find lost items; save you money from purchasing items that you already have - but were "lost"; set the example for your family and/or employees; help you be more productive (because you'll find everything you need quicker and easier) AND you'll have more time to do what you Really want to do.
Posted by: Linda Clevenger in Untagged on
Nov 21, 2011
FREE Yourself - Cut the Clutter! Have you ever watched any of those televisions shows like Clean House or Hoarders? Do you ever feel like you can really relate to the homeowners or businesses owners that are in the shows? Do they make you realize that you also need to make a change? I am so excited because, in the last week, I have met more people in that type of position, who are ready to make the smart choice to cut their clutter and get back to living life. Now we are trying to get them all on the schedule! So what made the difference for them? Why did they finally make the decision to call? There are a lot of reasons that made them pick up the phone or send an email. The main reasons are:
Trying to find the time to de-clutter, organize, down-size, and el iminate can seem impossible. There are only 24 hours in a day so how can we find the time to get organized? And, reality is that you will have to organize again, it won't last forever. Ever feel like this? Because our time is precious ,it's important to make sure that we keep the following in mind when it comes to getting organized: 1. Take Action - Stop dropping everything that comes into your home or office or wherever it is the most convenient. Hang it up, put it in the trash, take it to the bedroom, put it away, file it. Whatever it is....if you don't have to touch it again, you'll save time. 2. Schedule Breaks - So many times we don't start a project because we have the perception of how much time it will take to complete the task. We play silly mind games with ourselves that because it is going to take 45 minutes, we don't have the time. Split up your time. Work for 20 minutes and then take a 5 minute break! When you get back up you'll be able to see the end in sight and actually finish the job. 3. Throw a Party - You are probably saying...WHAT? Do you realize what you are saying? I can't have a party because I can't have anyone see this unorganized mess! That's exactly right...what better reason to begin the organizing process than to celebrate your time and organized space with your friends and family! The party doesn't have to be tomorrow...I'm not talking about maxing out your stress level in order to have a party but schedule it soon and get busy.
Eliminating Overwhelm I have found my new favorite television show. The Anderson Cooper Show - which replaced Oprah here on the East Coast. He discusses topics that are slightly controversial but mostly real life stories that we may not hear about and that touch your heart. On the October 25th show he discussed society's need to be "connected" electronically. With the use of blackberry's, smart phones, ipads, xbox's, mp3's (which may be outdated now), and multiple laptops in every family, we are becoming disconnected from each other and the need to be connected is causing an increase in stress and anxiety. A family of 4 sent over 7,300 text messages a month, had 5 cell phones, 3 laptops, an ipad and 3 televisions in the home. When they took a look at the amount of time that each family member spent checking electronic devices, etc. it was estimated that this family of 4 actually spent 30 minutes together every day. The day was even checking his email while he was shaving and brushing his teeth in the morning! The challenge was to spend 24 hours totally disconnected from all electronic devices. Anderson Cooper even admitted that when he monitored himself, he checked his blackberry every 3-4 minutes - just in case someone sent him a message. What does this have to do with being organized? I think it is totally related to our daily increase in stress and anxiety. Feeling the need to be connected "all the time" has become our lifestyle. I don't remember the exact percentage, but most people even sleep with the cell phone right next to them and get up in the middle of the night to check emails. WHAT? I'll admit that I use my cell phone as my alarm clock because I am an early riser, but to sleep with it in bed?
 Until a few weeks ago, I had promoted my Personalized Filing System and recommended using a portable file box that could be purchased at Staples, Office Depot or even Wal-Mart, Target or Ross. Staples and Office Depot had more generic type of Portable File Boxes while the Department Stores seemed to have file boxes that are cute and colorful. This seemed to be the best recommendation when it came to finding something affordable and functional that both offices and homeowners could use on a daily basis to handle every piece of paper that they receive.
Then I received my Stadium File Folder from Smead. What a perfect portable system to manage my File It, Find It...FAST Filing system. While it's pretty plain and ordinary; Its portable, lightweight, stadium design makes it even easier for me to find whatever I need, when I need it....(as I preach - within 2 minutes or less)! The benefit of a stadium stand-up file is that it makes filing and finding paperwork even easier because you can see everything that you need immediately, No more fingering through the files to get to what I need! I really think that Smead Office Products designed this just for me and my clients. Although it comes with pre-printed labels that you can easily use to file your paperwork (such as Alphabetical, monthly, numerical and a variety of preprinted tabs such as auto, dental, receipts, etc.), I'm going to choose to use the blank labels and implement my proprietary system so that I can continue to find every piece of paper that I need, when I need it. When a system works, stick with it! This is just a quick and simple switch from what I am currently using and with 11 pockets available, this is more than enough to meet my needs for my: To Do, To Read, To File, Waiting for Response, Tax Receipts, Coupons, Envelopes/Stamps and Kids paperwork. The best part is that it will expand to hold 900 sheets of paper, however, it won't allow things to get too out of control. I even use the front of the folder to store my plastic paper clips (check out the picture) so that they are available whenever I need a paperclip for anything - and it still looks really cute. The Stadium File Folder System has allowed me to be even more productive every day and I'm saving even more time than before because of the design. If you are really creative, you can even decorate the front of the folder and maybe change it out for the holidays or seasons. You can definitely make your Stadium File Folder System something that you will look forward to using every day of the week. If you'd like more information about my Filing System - FFF (File It, Find It...FAST!) I'll be happy to send you an MP3 recording that will cover the process of organizing your paperwork and using the system every day to save time and money.
Do You Worry About Being Organized? Last week the talk was about Worry. It seems that we all have enough to worry about. But, what purpose does worry serve? Does worrying help solve any issues or concerns...No, it doesn't. What worrying can do is cause things to become even more unorganized because your focus is on what can't be changed, not what can be changed. You can easily sit down and let your mind dictate your worry. Maybe you worry about how you will juggle your schedule, paying bills on time, your obligations, finding what you need when you need it, or being the person that you really want to be. Having your home and office organized can help stop the worry. Here are a few tips to Organize Your Day and avoid worry. 1. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple and Silly (or Stupid). One of the best pieces of advice that I can give anyone about organizing their home or office is to keep the system simple. It doesn't matter if it is a filing system, pantry system or a system for any room or area of your home or office. Keeping the system simple allows everyone to assume some responsibility. 2. Strive for Excellence - Not Perfection - There is no right or wrong way to organize your space. Don't get stuck on having to have the latest and greatest organization systems. Determining what works best for your personality is the answer to getting organized and staying organized. All of the fancy organizing tools and techniques don't mean a thing if you don't use them on a daily basis. Sometimes something as simple as a basket to toss things into can help keep a desk or room clean, clear and organized. Don't feel that everything has to be "perfect" in order for it to be considered organized.
Posted by: Linda Clevenger in time management on
Oct 24, 2011
Are you one of those people who Have to See it To Believe it? I know...this picture was so cool, and scary at the same time. I can't image how this person must have felt. But it did make me think about something. Has your business or household ever felt like it is being swallowed with clutter and disorganization? Are you forced into making quick decisions in order to stay afloat? Getting yourself organized will give you the freedom to enjoy each day. There is nothing worse than the gut-wrenching feeling of missing a deadline, rushing to an appointment or misplacing something that takes time away from your day. So how do you get yourself organized? Let's concentrate on your weekly calendar. Know your weekly schedule. At a local area MOPS meeting this week we talked about coordinating schedules between the family, particularly spouses. This same theory should be used when thinking about how your office staff coordinates it's calendar. I learned this lesson back in 1997 while working in the financial planning field. There were 3 on our team. We had a weekly meeting on Monday morning to discuss the following: what was on the calendar already, who needed to be scheduled this week and how much income would be potentially generated from those appointments. Using these techniques helped us realize where the agent was spending his time, how we would be spending our time and who we needed to put on our call list for the week. Your home schedule can operate in the same way. Take a good look at what is scheduled for this week and who is responsible for that appointment, i.e. transportation; what extra-curricular activities are scheduled this week; what other outside activities or obligations have you made for yourself or the family, etc. The secret to mapping out your calendar is that when everything is written down in a convenient place and schedules are coordinated, everyone can be held responsible and accountable. The key is to find out how you can coordinate this effort. There are several ways to accomplish this goal. Here is what I recommend:
Posted by: Linda Clevenger in Untagged on
Oct 16, 2011
Have you ever thought about what would happen if you were able to find what you needed when you needed it? What if your day just ran so smooth and perfect and you had no stress? That would be great, huh? I remember 29 years ago, when I married my husband, how life just seemed to be so easy. There wasn't any stress. We slept in on Saturday, if we wanted to; we shared responsibilities, things were just so simple and easy. I went to aerobics class several days a week and we shared a nice meal every evening together. We even travelled to New Jersey one weekend every month to see my family and life just seemed so nice and easy. So what happened? We had three children, moved every three years, and accumulated more material objects than we really needed. Our last move really made the most impact on our lives. We were only in our new home in Virginia for 2 weeks when I started commuting an hour each way to work in D.C. And, well, that was nearly 20 years ago. Why do I share this and what does it have to do with being organized? Because I think it is important and Everything! Every time that we moved it was expected. Every three years we knew we'd move to another State. It was the Marine Corps way! But so many people are having decisions made for them and they are unprepared. Having to pick up a family and move or downsize, or moving your brick and mortar office into a home office is becoming more and more common.
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