Ellen Hankes

Organizing Cues from Mother Nature

The outdoors is a wonderful place to pick up organizing inspiration. During our walk along the Wabash Trace this weekend,weI found a bench to sit and talk. As I looked out upon the early morning view, I thought about the cues that Mother Nature gives us about organizing our living spaces.

Leave room for change. Over time our interests change. If we fill our space with so much of the past, there is no room for the future.

Accept stewardship. Having more than we can take care of in a responsible manner means we have not accepted stewardship of those things.

Simple is good. Simple lives have fewer parts and pieces. Without the complexity and multiplicity of thing overload, peace and serenity can emerge and shine.

What are some of the organizing messages that Mother Nature presents to you? I would like to hear your thoughts.

Grammar is a Key to Success

While grammar may not be your favorite subject, it could be your secret key to success. Of course, use of proper grammar while speaking and writing helps you become a more effective communicator.

Look at your TO DO list. Does each entry start with a verb? A verb is a part of speech that indicates action will take place. By the very act of starting an item on your TO DO list with a verb such as Pay, Write or Create, you are specific about your action plan. Add more information such as when you will do the task to help you plan.

Verbs are helpful when delegating tasks as well. It creates specificity and helps others to better understand what needs to be done. Tasks can be broken down into smaller parts using verbs as the initial words of the subtask. This is a recommendation we often give to individuals who are chronically disorganized as well as to students. However, it can work for anyone.

Use verbs on your TO DO list this week. Comment to this post on the results. I would like to hear from you!

Help Conquer CyberOverload

A new book by Your Mind on Media founder and self-described “recovering cyber-addict” Joanne Cantor, PhD, provides insightful and valuable strategies for living and working in today’s media rich world. Conquer CyberOverload: Get More Done, Boost Your Creativity, and Reduce Stress goes a step further than many books by describing in lay language how the brain, and thus our behavior, is affected by the constant barrage of media in our everyday lives. According to Census Bureau statistics, Americans consume 8.5 hours of media (television, internet, radio and more) each day outside of work.

Given the incredible drain on time that media causes, it is no wonder that multi-tasking is needed. Cantor devotes one whole chapter to convincingly explaining why multi-tasking is counter-productive. If we were handwriting a letter or document, we would never think of writing one word with a pencil, and the next word with a pen, continuing to alternate tools until the letter was finished. This is similar to what we ask the brain to do when we attempt to multi-task. The brain has to switch back and forth between the two tasks. Multi-tasking is inefficient, time-consuming and error-prone.

 
This easy-to-read book is full of convincing ways to deal with cyberoverload with sound life-balance principles. While each strategy is explained in easy-to-understand language, each chapter ends with a bulleted list of Practical Steps. With additional features such as quotes and statistics, glossary, index and resource list, the book appeals to various learning styles.

 
As a professional organizer specializing in chronic disorganization, I observe people in their work and home environments who are affected by the time constraints and stress of cyberoverload. In addition, some individuals have physical space issues related to electronic gadgetry. Outdated and unused computer hardware, obsolete software boxes and other unused media-related equipment and supplies takes up valuable space. We have become adept at learning to use the media of the moment, but the obsolete or seldom used media may be relegated to a growing clutter and disposal problem.

Are you affected by cyberoverload? I would like to hear from you.

Chronic Procrastinators Find Many Stop Signs

Procrastination is a challenge for many. Psychology Today says one in five people identify themselves as Chronic Procrastinators. Procrastination can be compared to a huge red stop sign that pops up every time there is a decision to be made or a task that needs to be accomplished.

While there are many reasons for procrastinating, or putting things off until later, here are a few reasons that might resonate with you.

• Lack of information. Janine delays getting a flu shot this year because she hasn't had time to research the most cost-effective place to get the immunization. Should she go to the drug store, her doctor's office or a new store that offers the flu shot? The months fly by. Janine never did get the flu shot. In this information-based world, we never will have all the information we need for every decision we need to make. There is simply not time!
• Inaccurate perception of time required for tasks.It's a fact that we tend to overestimate the time it takes to do the things we enjoy doing and underestimate the time to do the things we enjoy. Doug delays taking out the garbage because it will "take too long" but can spend "just a few more minutes on Facebook."
• Overwhelm. People who are chronically disorganized may find that it is difficult to find somewhere to start with big projects so they delay starting and finishing the task at hand.

If you want to make overcoming procrastination a priority, I recommend It's About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them by Dr. Linda Sapadin. Learning more about how and why you procrastinate will help you become more productive and organized. 

The Mighty Binder Clip

Have you discovered the wonders of binder clips? Since they were invented nearly a century ago, binder clips have been used primarily for clipping together bundles of paper. Here's a few more ideas for your binder clips:

• Corral cords. Remove one of the wires from the metal clip. Arrange it around unsightly computer or phone cords and replace it on the metal clip. Attach the clip to an out of sight portion of the desk or other convenient place for an effective cord corral.Check this demonstration video.
• Bundle your to-do's. Affix a printed or handwritten label on the black metal area. Some examples are To Call, To Do, Day Off Dreams, or other topics for which you have multiple pieces of paper. Use the labeled clip to bundle all items that fit in that category. The benefit is fewer lost papers and clearer direction on what needs to be done.
• Focus on important things. Clip the agenda, calendar, goals or whatever needs to be kept front and center to your planner or notebook. You can keep it more visible on the front or place it discreetly just inside the front cover.
• Complete your outfit. Larger clips can be used on clothes hangers to hold scarves, undergarments, or pieces of jewelry to complete a special look.

The possibilities are endless for uses for these handy binder clips. How have you used binder clips to increase your productivity and organization? We would like to hear your ideas!

Disorganization Unleashes Intense Emotions

  Embarrassment. Shame. Disappointment. Many disorganized people feel these intense emotions on a daily basis.

The clutter-laden adult is embarrassed to have anyone come to her home because of the mountain of stuff. The school child has been shamed one more time because the completed homework didn't make it to school in the backpack, The salesperson is disappointed because of misplaced vital contacts.

What a boatload of emotions disorganization unleashes! Consider these tips for dealing with the emotional side of disorganization:

• Take a deep breath. Send a dose of oxygen to the brain and give yourself a moment to regroup.
• Take and make time. Most organization issues take a long time to build and some time is necessary to create a better situation. Schedule time to focus on organizing.
• Delegate. Do what you do well and hand off to others things that they do best. Family and friends can help if they are supportive of your needs. A professional organizer can guide you towards your goals in a non-judgmental way.
• Learn more about yourself. What do you do well? Recognizing and honoring your strengths will minimize your rough spots.

What words describe how you feel about your disorganization? We would like to hear from you.

Never Too Late to Learn

"It's never too late to become the person you might have been." George Elliot

We have never had more opportunity to continue to learn more about the world and ourselves. A recently retired friend shared her experience of shopping for a new iPod. I assured her she would enjoy discovering new podcasts on a universe of interesting and educational topics.

Life-long learning has newer been easier with access to on-line classes and college degrees. This week I will be participating as well as teaching outreach classes through the local community college.

What are you learning and how? We would like to hear about your journey of learning.

Share Books

It's an electronic age but the bookworm is alive and well fed. Your bookshelf may be bulging with titles that you no longer find useful. If dispersing of books at work or at home is part of your get-organized plan, here are some ideas on how to share books with others.

Donate books

Many public libraries accept books for periodic fund-raising booksales. Check with your local library for information on book donations. Other groups such as Goodwill often accept books and will give you a receipt for their charitable donation.

Sell books

Recently I visited a Half Price Books store. They source inventory of books, music, movies and games from sellers of such material. I was amazed at the variety and volume of reading material, not to mention the low prices. Be aware that prices offered for used or new merchandise depends on supply and demand as well of condition of the item.

How do you keep your professional or personal library under control? We would like to hear your story.

Is Time on Your Side?

To have time working for you it is important to be able to see this elusive thing called time. All clocks measure the passage of time, but various styles of clocks display it differently.

A digital clock shows the hours and minutes in a numerical, or digital, format. Digital time displays are found on cell phones, appliances, some alarm clocks and in vehicles.

Analog clocks are those with a dial with numbers or marks that represent the hours of the day.Wall clocks, some alarm clocks and many wristwatches are examples of analog clocks.

Why does it make a difference whether a digital or analog clock is used? Some individuals find that they are more aware of the passage of time when analog clocks are used. There is a suable awareness of the minute hand moving around the clock face that can be related to the passage of time. The spatial relationship of the hands on the clock may be more effective for a person who needs more visual cues in organizing or managing time.

Consider where clocks are placed throughout the workplace and home. Are the clocks in the right places to serve as a reminder of time?

What happens when you become more aware of types of clocks and where they are placed in relation to your needs?

Two Minute Tasks

• Try Two Minute Tasks for several days to see what you can accomplish. Here is how it works: at work or at home don't put tasks that can be done in two minutes or les on a To Do list. Do those two minute (or less) tasks right now.

First, get used to what two minutes feels like. Ask someone to set a timer or check a watch for two minutes. When you feel like two minutes have elapsed, announce it. Were you on the mark? When we become more conscious of time, two minutes can be a long time!

Then, become aware of small tasks that take very little time to accomplish. They may be tasks that never make it to the To Do list, or they may be little things that we have a hard time finding time to do. Focus on using two minutes or less to accomplish small tasks.

What tasks can you take care of in two minutes? Here are some ideas: