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Showing posts with label LIFE ORGANIZING. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LIFE ORGANIZING. Show all posts

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Change Your Habits So That Your Life Will Be More Organized and Stress Free

 

For some people living in a disorganized house doesn't faze them. But for others, it causes stress and anxiety. They know they need to change, to fix things, to get a handle on their disorganization, procrastination or lack of productivity. But where do they start? By changing their habits.


Does Replacing Bad Habits with Good Habits Work?

 

Bad habits are a frustrating and persistent part of life. They can hold you back from reaching your goals and lead to negative consequences in your personal and professional life.

 

Many people try to replace bad habits with good habits as a solution, but does this approach actually work? Let’s explore the effectiveness of this question and explain the importance of addressing the root cause of the bad habit.

 

The Importance of Finding the Root Cause

 

One factor in the success of replacing bad habits with good habits is understanding what is driving the bad habit. Whether or not you’re aware of it, bad habits often serve a specific purpose or fulfill a need.

 

The idea is that the bad habit is performed to relieve stress, boredom, or anxiety (or whatever your issue is). But it’s a problem because the bad habit tends to make the original problem worse, so you might focus on the bad habit and just stop it without understanding the root cause. If you do this, it may cause you to implement the wrong good habit to replace the bad habit, making it seem like replacing bad habits does not work.

 

The problem is that if you don't address the underlying issue causing the bad habit, you will continue to have the trigger for the habit. Due to this, you may struggle to maintain the good habit because it’s not fulfilling the original need that the bad habit alleviates.

 

To uncover what is causing your bad habit, ask yourself some questions:

 

·         What need or desire is the bad habit fulfilling?

·         What emotions or feelings do I experience before, during, and after the bad habit?

·         What situations or environments trigger the bad habit?

·         What are the consequences or costs of the bad habit?

 

Answering these questions offers insight into the root cause of your bad habit and helps you identify potential solutions.

 

Strategies to Identify and Resolve the Bad Habit

 

You can use several strategies to figure out the root cause of your bad habit and find a solution.

Let’s look at a few of them.

 

·         Keep a journal: Write down your thoughts, feelings, and actions surrounding the bad habit. This can help you identify patterns and triggers for the habit.

 

·         Seek support: Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist about your bad habit and the challenges you are facing. They may be able to offer insights and suggestions for addressing the root cause of the habit.

 

·         Experiment with different strategies: Try different approaches to addressing the bad habit and see what works best for you. This could be taking up a new hobby to relieve stress instead of smoking, or finding a healthy way to cope with boredom such as taking a walk or reading a book.

 

Replacing bad habits with good ones is challenging. But breaking free from negative patterns and creating lasting change in your life is possible. Having said that, you must understand the root cause of your bad habit and find effective strategies to address it. Doing so will set you up for success in adopting healthy, positive habits to replace bad ones.

 

Remember to be patient with yourself, and don't get discouraged if you encounter setbacks. With persistence and commitment, you can overcome your bad habits and achieve your goals.

 

 Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 


 

 


Monday, October 17, 2022

Clutter - It's more than just Stuff. Letting Go of Whatever is Cluttering Your Life.

Clutter comes in many forms. It's not just about "stuff" or "possessions". There are many types of clutter. Most people only think about clutter in terms of physical clutter. But there is so much more.


Types of Clutter:

  • Physical Clutter:           things that you have
  • Paper Clutter:               piles of paper everywhere
  • Digital Clutter:             emails & internet
  • Time Clutter:                things that you do
  • Brain Clutter:                things that you think about
  • Relationship Clutter:    people in your life that are not good for you
  • Emotional Clutter:        things that you burden yourself with

What are some things that are cluttering your life?
  
Stress  -  Work  -  To Many Things On Your To Do List   -  Guilt  -  Worrying  -  Clothes  -  Stuff  -  Obligations  -  Noise  -  Regrets  -  Jealousy  -  Failure  -  Bad Relationships  -  Paper  -  Commitments ...

Take some time to think about all of the things that are cluttering your life and try to decide what you can let go of. 
Pick one thing in each category that is cluttering your life and let it go. 
It's not easy - but if you continue to let these things clutter your life - you won't have time for the good things in your life. Or the new things in your life. 
Things and people - come and go out of our life. That doesn't mean that we didn't care about them. As we grow we all develop new and different interests. With work and family - we don't always have time for some of the activities or hobbies that we enjoyed when we were younger. Our focus changes as we age. It's not a bad thing. But we need to let go of some of the material things that are cluttering our lives to make room for our current life. And sometimes we also need to let go of  relationships that are no longer in our best interest.
Learn to embrace your current life without the clutter of a life that no longer serves in your best interest.
There are many different types of clutter. Look at each type of clutter and start letting go of some of the things that no longer make you feel fulfilled. You deserve to be happy and clutter free.

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 



Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Organize and Save Your Critical Life Information

 

Do you have a plan for your digital footprint if something were to happen to you?

We do! Let us organize and protect your critical life information in a single source.

Introducing Easeenet, a digital estate planning tool that combines a Legacy Worksheet to capture critical life details people forget to pass on.

Legacy Access wherein designated legacy contacts can be granted access during an emergency, end-of-life planning, or post-mortem; a simple, secure Password Manager, and a Digital Vault for secure document storage and sharing. 

Everything in a single, organized, secure interface across all devices, so you never have to remember a password again! 

The Best Part? Everything transfers seamlessly to your loved ones if anything happens. 

Sign up today, using KFried30 for a 30 day free trial!


 Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

How Can You Use a Professional Organizer in Your Life

A lot of people think that you can only use a Professional Organizer to organize your kitchen or garage.

I love kitchens and pantries - my favorite! But there are so many more ways that you can use the services of a Professional Organizer!

Besides helping you organize all areas of your home or office, a Professional Organizer can help you declutter and organize your home as you age. As we get older our lives change. Kids grow up and move out. You will probably not be hosting big dinners anymore - so the need for a lot of the things that you used to use - is no longer there. Rearranging your kitchen so that the things that you use are at a lower level so that you don't have to reach, is also a good idea as you age.

Most people wait until they are a lot older (70 - 80's) to start downsizing, purging, decluttering. And that is too late. People don't realize how long the process actually takes. They also don't realize the emotions that come with purging your stuff. a lifetime of memories - and they all tend to come flooding back when you start the purging process. And the number one thing that I hear kids say most often to their family is "we don't want that stuff and we will throw it out after you die". A devastating thing for a parent to hear. Because everyone thinks that their stuff is valuable and everyone should care about it. But it's not - and they don't. A hard truth to hear.

Start the organizing and purging process earlier so that your kids don't have to be traumatized and stressed out by going through your belongings. They will thank you for it!

***

If you wanted to downsize to a smaller home, an Organizer can help you purge and downsize, decide what will fit into your new home, and help you unpack and set up your new home so that you can walk in and be settled in a short period of time. Wouldn't it be great to be able to find all of your things the day after your move - instead of looking at boxes for weeks?

 ***

Another way that a Professional Organizer can help you is by sorting, purging and organizing a home or estate after a parent dies. The amount of paperwork alone is overwhelming. If you can find it that is! Most people do not realize the amount of time it takes to find and gather up all of the documents that are needed in dividing an estate. Getting all of the financial paperwork together is a daunting task. Clearing out their clothes is really hard and very emotional. Finding places to donate items, taking them to donation sites or arranging for pick up of items is something that an Organizer can help you with. 

Getting through the process is not easy, but a Professional Organizer can make the entire process more efficient and less stressful.

***

Besides physical organization - a Professional Organizer can also help you organize your schedule and your life! Time Management is one of the most important things in our life - yet it's something that is usually overlooked. 

By working with a Professional Organizer on time management and scheduling - you can eliminate a lot of stress!


Feel free to reach out with any questions on more ways that a Professional Organizer can make your home and life run smoother!

Happy Organizing!

 

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....

Monday, May 24, 2021

What Can You Use a Professional Organizer For? Lots of Things!

Professional Organizers can help you with more than just organizing your closets (though we love closets!).

Some of the things we can help with include:

Downsizing: 

   Decluttering & purging. Sorting what to move.

   Help with packing. Help with staging a home for sale (an uncluttered home sells better).

   Unpacking and setting up your new home.

We work with seniors and their families to make the transition from a home they have lived in for 40 years - to a smaller space (senior apartment or assisted living....) a stressless process.

Aging in Place:

We can help with decluttering and making your current home a safer environment for seniors. Making sure there is enough space for walkers and that things are at a lower level so that seniors don't have to reach for things (and possibly hurt themselves).

Estate Clear Outs:

   Taking an inventory of the home

   Sorting personal property & finding donation sites for unwanted items

   Locating & Organizing vital documents and important papers

   Arranging for home cleaning and housing repairs

   Working with attorneys and family to distribute belongings

Combining Households:

When households combine it takes a lot of patience and decluttering in getting rid of duplicates and making the home look like it belongs to one family - instead of two. Coming up with solutions and processes that both families can live with is the first step.

Life Management:

   Paper Management - how to process mail, bills, receipts, paying bills and more

   Time Management - making time work for you - instead of the other way around

   Work/Life Balance - finding solutions that keep your family happy and together - w/o stress

Organizing a College Student & their Dorm Room:

   There isn't much space - so having an efficient Organizing system is crucial

   Helping with Time Management & coming up with Life Organizing systems


Closets, Pantries, Garages, Attics and more...........

*** These are just some of the things that a Professional Organizer can help you with....

 

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 

 

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Organizing Quotes to Live By......

 

 

 

 

     


 

 

 

 

 

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more.... 

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

How to Gain Laser Focus in a World Full of Distractions



Our ability to focus has been reduced dramatically. We’ve never had more distractions to deal with. And as disheartening as it sounds, many of the distractions we face were engineered to be as distracting as possible.

Our brains quickly become addicted to these distractions and our ability to focus on important work suffers.

Learning how to focus is a vital skill if you want to be productive and successful.

Overcome the distractions in your life and get things done with these strategies:

    1. Single-tasking beats multitasking. Avoid fooling yourself. You’ll get more done and feel more relaxed if you focus on a single task at a time. It’s not easy for your brain to switch back and forth between different things. Set your priorities and complete them in order.

    2. Do deep focus activities early in the day. Your ability to focus deeply is greatest in the morning and decreases throughout the day. A few people also do well late at night if their day isn’t too demanding.

        ◦ Schedule your more demanding mental tasks earlier in the day. Save the simpler items for later when your focus is weaker.

    3. Practice focusing. You can’t be good at something you don’t practice. It’s harder to focus deeply than you think.

        ◦ Try setting a timer for 15 minutes and keep your attention entirely on performing a task. Notice how stray thoughts constantly interfere. Notice how strong the urge to check your email, text messages, social media becomes.

        ◦ Over time, you’ll be able to focus for longer periods of time before you need a break.

    4. Remove distractions. Make life easier for yourself by removing as many distractions as possible. Put your phone away. Turn off the TV. Block any websites that you find compelling. Close any computer tabs you don’t need. Remove any distracting sounds. Turn off the radio.

    5. Learn to be comfortable with being bored. When you’re focused and working, it can also be boring. Most of us choose to distract ourselves because we’re bored. The better you can handle boredom, the easier it is to avoid engaging in those distractions.

        ◦ When you have the urge to distract yourself, force yourself to wait 15 minutes longer. After a few days of this, try 30 minutes. Keep building on this.

    6. Plan time for your most common distractions. You don’t have to avoid your favorites distractions 100% of the time. Simply schedule time for those activities after your work has been completed for the day. Put a reasonable limit on how long you’ll spend on them.

    7. Get enough sleep. Sleep is important for focus and energy. Your brain needs at least seven hours of sleep to be at its best. Have consistent times for going to bed and waking up.

        ◦ Try sleeping for seven hours each night for a week and rate your ability to focus. The following week try 7.5 hours. If you see an improvement, try eight hours. Keep going if necessary and find the optimum amount of sleep for you.

    8. Eat healthy foods. Your body and brain function better when you eat in a healthy manner. Your focus improves with a healthy diet. Start by eliminating everything you know isn’t good for you – one at a time will work.

Life is a never-ending series of distractions. The most successful people are able to focus in spite of distractions. It takes practice to focus intently in the face of other things vying for our attention. Incorporate these tips into your daily schedule and you’ll see your ability to focus grow.

 Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life


Organizational Consulting Services
Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest
*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Getting Back on Track in this Stressful Time


The past few months have been very stressful for most people. Most stores and businesses have been shut down. Schools are closed. Routines have been disrupted.

Everyone has been in a state of flux and most people have not continued in their "normal" routines of exercise and being productive. Why? Because everyone was waiting for things to get back to "normal" - so they put everything - including their life - on hold.

Most people never dreamed that we would be isolated and quarantined for so long.

It's time to start getting back on track. It's time to get up and get dressed in something other than sweats. It's time to get back to your regular workout program. It's time to get back to healthy!

Having a "routine' is important to alleviate stress. It makes things "seem" better. By having structure we can accomplish more.

And kids - more than adults thrive on structure. So make up a daily schedule to help yourself get back on track. Be sure to add in a time slot for exercise - even if it's just going for a walk. Add in a time slot to connect with your friends or colleagues from work.

Start setting some goals for things that you want to accomplish over the next few months. Be sure to make them attainable and realistic goals.

Get your life back on track and ORGANIZED. Get your home organized and ready for summer.

Take your life off of hold and make some plans!

If you are stuck with where to start - reach out to a Life & Business Coach to help you navigate your options.

Listen to our interview on Business Talk Radio to learn more about what a Coach can do for you.



Radio Interview on Business Talk Radio


Happy Organizing !



 Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life



Organizational Consulting Services
Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Organizing - While You Have Time On Your Hands


While a lot of businesses are closed - and you aren't working and have "spare" time on your hands - it's time to start on those Organizing projects that you have been putting off.

Whether it's clearing out your clothes closet, or pantry, basement or garage - we are here to offer you any advice or ideas. * Send us an email and we will gladly offer you any suggestions.

Start by having a bag (we suggest different colored bags for donate and trash) to put things into that you no longer, need, want or is broken. Since most donation places are still closed - make sure that you have a place to store the bag until they reopen.

It's always easiest if you take everything out of the closet (or wherever you are working), clean it out, sweep or wipe it down - before you start putting anything back in. Remember - things always look worse before you are finished.

Be realistic about your "things". If you haven't used it in a while - ask yourself why you are keeping it. It's time to make that hard decision on letting it go!

*****

Another idea on what to Organize:

Your information!  Do you have a list of all of your critical information? All in ONE PLACE? For easy access in case of emergency? A list of all of your financial accounts, insurance information, medical information, household information, family contacts....

There are numerous ways to accomplish this! Whether it's a written form (book or spreadsheets) or an online form - whatever works for you. The point is - everyone should have a list of EVERYTHING - all in ONE PLACE.

This does take some initial work - but after that all you need to do is update it when your information changes.

*****

There are a lot of things that you can Organize during this downtime! If you need help with getting started or working on a project - we can help VIRTUALLY!  Email us and ask us how it all works.

Happy Organizing!

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life


Organizational Consulting Services

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Working from Home - Are You Up to the Challenge? Organizing Your Space and Your Home - Virtually


With everyone staying at home, either working from home or just "social distancing" themselves - there are a lot of things that you can do to become more successful.

If you now have to work from home - do you have a dedicated workspace? Do you have the tools that you need to be successful? Do you have a routine that can guarantee your success? Or are you cleaning your home and watching videos while you are supposed to be working?

Working at home should still be considered "work". You owe it to your employer to be as productive as if you were actually in your office - at work.

It's not as easy as most people think. There are many distractions out there that you need to consider. Especially in light of the fact that everyone else is at home also - including most kids. This adds to the noise level and can distract you from getting your work done.

Having added Virtual Organizing to our business years ago, I can help you set up your office and workspace to be more productive.

As a Life & Business Coach - I can help you get through this trying time and get you back on track and figure out how to make the transition from working outside of your home - to working from home - or even looking into your future plans. Maybe now is the time to take that leap into trying something new - something that you were too afraid to leap into when you had a job and didn't want to jeopardize it for your "dream".

Life is throwing a lot at us right now. It's how you handle it that will make a difference.

Since you're at home - why not work on those "projects" that you have been putting off all of these years! Get your home and yourself Organized!

*************************************************************

How organizing your space is accomplished Virtually:

*  Make an appointment with a Virtual Organizer - you will need email access and a phone
*  You must be motivated to do the physical work yourself
*  You must be committed to reaching your goal
*  Virtual Organizing sessions are only one (1) hour long - instead of the usual 4 hours
*  Shorter Virtual sessions are less expensive than In-Person Organizing sessions
*  We walk / talk through your space and come up with a plan
* You do the physical work yourself - with email/phone support by the Organizer

Visit the Virtual Organizing  page on our website for more information.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website - to see how a Coach can help you move forward and be successful in this trying time.



Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services
Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

Monday, August 19, 2019

Tips to Balance Your Money and Your Life


Organization is about more than having an organized living space. It’s about having your life and your finances organized and under control.

One of the biggest stressors for families is that of financial stress. When your financial house is in order, then the rest of your life falls into place much more easily.

If you are like most, financial planning was not a part of high school or college curriculum - much less balancing a checkbook or concentrating on a 401k or emergency expenditures.

Without a balance of financial issues in your life, it is very difficult to have balance in other areas of your life. Unfortunately, money controls much of our thought patterns, time, and worries.

Figure Out Your Spending Habits

Before you can sit with your partner to discuss finances, it is very important to learn about your financial patterns. Whether you are a spendthrift or a frugal financier, it is very important to identify your spending habits and where you can improve before going at it with your financial partner.

The Spendthrift

If you have no regard of where money comes from or how to manage it, you will find that money will manage you. Spending more than you earn is never a good scenario. Sit down with your finances, figure out what is coming in, what goes out, and keep the difference for yourself as spendable income. It is really that simple. Living above your means is something that you do not want to do, ever. Living above your means is never a win/win situation.

The Frugal Financier

If you find that you will not part with a penny, much less a dime, you will have a difficult time relating to anyone financially. There has got to be some wiggle room for playing hard just as much as working hard. No one is going to put up with someone that will not part with one red cent, even for fun.

Get Together with Your Financial Partner

It is very important to get together with your financial partner and put your differences to work for you instead of against you. If you are frugal and your partner is a spendthrift, come up with great and innovative ways to meet somewhere in the middle. Compromise shows up many times in a relationship, and what better way to incorporate that tool than to use it in your financial life.

Organizing your finances will allow you to live a less stressed life.

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services