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...
Yesterday, I covered clutter in relationship to “tidy”. Clutter was a collection of things laying around. The assessment is subjective – what looks cluttered or messy to one person might look perfectly fine to another. There are two other dimensions that can add to...
Recently, I went to visit my college student at his apartment. We had fun catching up, running errands, and cleaning his apartment. Well, I had fun cleaning and organizing his apartment….I’m not so sure he enjoyed the process! That leads me to this post. How do...
A few weeks ago, I listened to episode 284 of The Best of Both Worlds where Laura Vanderkam interviewed Dana K. White. Dana is a professional organizer and during the interview she recalled a moment when she realized that the purpose of containers was to contain...
Last week, The Next Big Idea Daily podcast (S4; E1-5) focused on Greg McKeown and his book Effortless. Each day, there was a lesson from the book and then a conversation between Greg and host Michael Kovnat. The week was full of interesting ideas and...
Mise en place is a French phrase used by chefs in professional kitchens. This statement means “putting things in place” or “gathering”. The idea is that when you do a proper setup before cooking, the kitchen will run more smoothly, keep things in order,...
Yesterday, I wrote about the concepts of task batching (combining similar activities) and time blocking (putting time on your calendar for individual work). Both of these practices can be beneficial for anyone at work and at home. Thinking deeper about this, I...
Yesterday, we discussed the advantage of single tasking over multi-tasking enabling you to completely focus on the task at hand. Today, we’ll focus on two techniques – Task Batching and Time Blocking – that can make single tasking even more effective. Below is...