In an episode of Organize365, Jacqui Ioli was a guest. She and Lisa discussed the “Hot Mess theory”. This was a concept Jacqui had developed while supervising outpatient nurses. There were four situations that led to the Hot Mess: Overwork – This occurs when there is...
We have all likely heard of the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule. This rule states that for many situations roughly 80% of the consequences come from 20% of the causes. My Perspective Thinking about this through the lens of our work, I believe there are at least two...
Friday, the blog post talked about why estimating our work week could be a good planning tool. Today we’ll shift to look at 5 steps we can use to create that weekly estimate. Step 1 – Create a List: The process starts by creating a list of deliverables for the week...
There was an interesting discussion on an episode of Adam Grant’s podcast Work Life. Adam spoke with psychologist and author Brian Little about how our projects impact our wellbeing. Brian wrote the books “Me, Myself, and Us” and “Who are You Really?” He...
The 4th quarter is a time to summarize the year and prepare for the year ahead. As we get closer to the holidays, the time available to do this summary becomes more difficult. This leaves many scrambling in the first quarter to pull things together while kicking...
There is a lot written about using Friday afternoon as a time to wrap up tasks for the week and plan for the week ahead. The theory is that this is the time of the week when things are winding down for the weekend and we aren’t at our best for deep work and...
The concept of reverse organizing is to empty a space and only bring back what you use. Then, after a month or so, the things that haven’t been used can be addressed. Some things may need to be kept for occasional events, others may be recycled or donated. The process...
When a new project comes up, the natural response is to dive right in and start to get things done. However, taking a little time to plan the activity can save time and lead to greater success. There are several reasons why planning sets us on a better path:...
When we look in the dictionary, the definition of a frame is to “provide structure”. This structure is then applied to many things including artwork, photographs, ideas, presentations, articles, events, and more. In any of these situations the “frame” provides...
As we think about physical bins and containers for our homes, we look for that perfect size. We want everything to fit. However, if the bin is too large, we still find a way to fill it over time. This perspective can go beyond the physical things we own and apply to...
Seth Godin’s most recent book, The Song of Significance was recently released. The book sets the vision for a future of work. In his research, he found that when people describe the best job they ever had, these were the four main statements selected: I surprised...
There has been a lot published since the pandemic on the benefits of remote work compared to in-office work. There is also more conversation about asynchronous work – when employees aren’t expected to be online or in the office at the same time. Depending on your...
I read a recent article in Fast Company titled “Five Key Skills New Managers Will Need This Year”. This is a good article full of statistics about transitions back to the office and hybrid work. The focus is around the responsibility of implementing return to office...
A pack rat is a rodent who collects things. They tend to accumulate mounds of sticks and debris in their nest hole. They are prone to collect shiny things. The things they collect are often unneeded. Yet, they hold on to them. We are like this too. We may not collect...
There was an episode of the Organize 365 podcast that mentioned the concept of memory making and memory preserving. The comment was in the context of a lifetime, indicating there are years that are heavy in memory producing (possibly while raising children)....
Today, May 10th is National Clean Up Your Room Day. This is a perfect opportunity to take a few minutes and clean the spaces where you spend your time working. Removing clutter often creates the space needed to think more clearly and creatively. You can...
In 2007, Marshall Goldsmith wrote a book titled What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful. I read the book years ago when making a career transition and would recommend for others to help reframe your approach in a...
Many businesses continue to evolve and learn the new world of hybrid work. Teams have proven for many years that on-site work works. During the pandemic, teams proved all-remote work works. Now, the challenge is to blend the best of the two and achieve...
Last week on the blog, we covered clutter and organization through the lens of self-awareness. Starting to reduce clutter and feel more in control of your life and stuff starts with that awareness. Once we have some insight, it’s time to shift gears and focus on...
This week, we dove into the concept of clutter. In the mix of my research, I came across a stat from Regina Lark that I can’t stop thinking about. She suggests that the average U.S. household has 300,000 items inside. You count everything down to...
The last few days we’ve been talking about clutter and the differences in what each of us sees and why it matters. The focus has been primarily around clutter at home. What happens when we bring the concept to our work? Work clutter may be less visible...