Underpromise and overdeliver

The cliche about overpromising and underdelivering is an interesting business philosophy.
The message relates to limitations and accomplishments. Most business people deal in the language of "deliverables." A deliverable applied to daily life is simply, "getting things done."

Today, people are obsessed with getting things done, the laundry, cleaning the garage, the dinner party, the bills. Not getting everything done usually relates to the converse of the cliche or overpromising and underdelivering.

A few easy tips to avoid this common problem:

1. Be practical in your goal setting
2. Be aware of how much time each task takes
3. Do not overschedule
4. Allow for flex time

I reccomend to many of my clients that they make smaller daily goals in order to achieve more each day. Over time, these little accomplishments add up to big change!

The Be All and End All

Even though getting organized, managing clutter and sticking to schedules are pretty natural to me, there are times when even I need to kick back a bit.

The other day I was searching through my handbook to locate my date book, a lovely slim orange model that seems to escape into every cranny of my handbag. It took me a minute to find it, while my onlooking friend was actually cheering for the datebooks escape.

Have I become the be all and end all of organizing? The simple truth is that even organizers need to get organized at times. This is the nature of the process. Organization takes every day maintenance like every thing else. We all have to practice it to make it work in our lives.

With the planner in my hand, I began to reconsider if this pocketbook I carry is truly the right pocketbook, perhaps there is another handbag that is better? And so the process continues to find the most user friendly items and systems to help save time and confusion. After all, I am an organizer.

Have you been good?

At this time of year, when seeing a child, any child, I inevitably turn into the Santa Police.

"Hi, little Johnny, have you been good? Are you ready for Santa to visit?" I question.

It made me think that what I think about being good and what little Johnny thinks is being good are two very different, although viable definitions. Inevitably "being good" for me is the ability to suppress the urge to buy two cashmere sweaters per every holiday gift given or to scoop up Lindt truffles by the handfuls. It always involves too much shopping and too much chocolate.

Young Johnny, however is working on the basics. He is trying to be nice to his classmates, share his toys with his sister and respect his mother and father.

I will try hard to keep Johnny's definition in mind as I round up the remaining items on my list. I just hope the cashmere is not on sale!

One thing at a time, literally

The frantic pace of the holiday season is a constant reminder of how fast we move, how many tasks we manage and how much is on our collective plate. But perhaps it is just the time of year to slow down.

This week my computer failed me. For three days, I was in a frenzy trying to compensate for the loss of the most important tool for my work. Instead of typing away to friends and colleagues, I picked up the phone, wrote with a pen and took in a few good yoga classes. This breakdown allowed me to minimize my multitasking ways.

Ironically, the computer which began the multitasking craze was just the thing to make me slow my pace and to do one thing at a time. By the end of the week I was nearly caught up with the pressing tasks.

The computer and I are reunited once again and our love affair can continue. I realize now how different we are. Unlike computers, humans should only do one thing at a time and do it well.

Practice an Uncluttered Life

As a practicing yogi, I am contstantly amazed at the similarities between getting organized and the thousand year old practice. Could the ancient yogis have anticpated that modern people would be encountered with so much clutter? I like to believe that they did.

One of the most interesting aspects of the yoga practice is the notion of not wanting. Good practioners are to clear their minds entirely of their wants, ultimately reaching a place where mind and body are uncluttered. This leads to detachment of the hightest order. It leads me to believe that I probably do not need another cashmere sweater.

This concept is particularly relevant at this time of year, when the acquisition of material goods is unescapable. Even though I have only scraped the surface of my own shopping list, I am trying to be a bit more yogi-like when heading to the mall. Perhaps I can breathe deeply enough to get through the season without too much excess.

It certainly is worth a try!

Frenzied is Not Festive

In an effort to get a jump on the season,I decided to be the first kid on the block to host a holiday party. Because I am not one to scrimp on details, the planning of the menu, layout of the room, and shopping were all handled in meticulous fashion.

Even with all that planning, the day of the party, I was still feeling frenzied.

But , why?

The reason is quite simple, I don't like surprises. They make me nervous.

I was soon to realize that not eveything in life can be planned. With too much forethought, I would not have been surprised by all the wonderful housewarming gifts and the friends that traveled long distances. These kinds of surprises I can handle. And as if a Christmas miracle took over, I moved from frenzied to festive.

Afterall, the idea of the holiday get together is the get together part, isn't it?

Shopping friends

One of the most important things in my life are my friends. Not surprisingly, we surround ourselves with people that are like minded and share our interests.

A group of like minded friends and I were sharing our common interests the other day on a shopping trip to the Woodbury commons Outlet Mall. My friend Babs was as they "just along for the ride." She cautioned everyone in the car to "please do not let me buy anything!" A friend in need can be a friend indeed!

The other day, my mother in law, sister in law and I decided to get an early start on holiday shopping. My sister in law shared that she was up for the trip, but purely for the comradery, she really did not want to buy anything! "Holy willpower!"

I can only surmise that shopping perhaps does not always lead to buying. This, I must admit is a revolutionary concept for me. But more than that, I realize that shopping as bonding can be as powerful as purchase power! Both outings were fulfilling. We had time to talk and catch up on what was new in each other's lives.

In this frenzied world, I say take the time when you can, even if it is among the retail racks.

I might be hooked on a new addiction...

Old School

Much to the dismay of my family and friends, I, like a good girl scout, prefer to be prepared. At this time of year, while many people are concentrating on stocking stuffers, my thoughts leap ahead to January 1 when I can begin a brand new day planner! Flipping through the final calendar pages in December becomes more and more noticeable with each passing day making me realize that I need a new planner!

Birthdays, addresses, anniversaries will all need to be transferred, tasks that need advance planning for sure. I must start the selection process at once and I could not be more thrilled!

This love of stationery products began in grammar school with the introduction of the Trapper Keeper by Mead. This state of the art notebook forever changed the way I view all paper related products. So much so that I still reject the advice of wise speaking techies bent on converting me to a Palm or Blackberry. I remain the holdout.

Shopping for and ultimately selecting the perfect planner needs a plan of it's own, much like back to school shopping does. And since my school days are well behind me, I relish the start of a new date book as my fresh start. And so the online research begins which will eventually lead to visits at my locals: The Container Store, Filofax and Coach. Finally, at Kate's Paperie, a final choice will be made.

This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Get Organized in Minutes!

Probably the most common problem for my clients is the notion of change. No matter what the circumstance, the idea of changing one's habit represents something undesireable or even frightful.

Getting organized is always top on the list of things to do for busy people, so what does the notion of taking time to get organized cause such anxiety? The reality is just a few minutes a day can get you organized. Take 10 minutes to start your day, get your workspace organized and make a plan for the day. Your plan could simply be, return 5 phone calls and make a doctor's appointment.

And at the end of the day, do the same, take 10 minutes to leave your work space in order. You will be surprised what simply grouping tasks together will do for your peace of mind and your productivity. For example group all phone messages together, all bills together, all correspondence together.

Taking the time to make subtle changes in your schedule each day make a huge difference in yor productivity.

Pure Unadulterated Retail

Before I could even dry the last turkey platter and put away my Miles Standish figurines, it seems that it is already time to break out the jingle bells. And while I applaud the efforts to prolong the joyous season,I have my doubts. Afterall, people are not knocking themselves over at 5 am Walmart sales to share the holiday spirit. The season is pure unadulterated retail! My large family is the perfect example. Each year, we pick one name to buy for. Each person writes their name on a piece of a paper and then a few suggestions. My husband and I compared our notes later. Each of my brothers, leaving nothing to chance had asked for gift cards and a list of suggested retailers. This only gives further support to my theory that the same Lord and Taylor gift card has been making it's way through my family for the past five years. Even though it may lack imagination, everyone gets to pick the gift they want and enjoy some post holiday markdowns as well. I wonder is the gift card just another way to extend the retail season? Happy shopping!

Do you know what you have?

We talk a lot today about our problems on the job. From"my boss is working me to the bone" to "that new client is really high maintenance." to "I don't get paid enough to do this job." Some even lament over "a bad hair day," missing a bus or misplacing a cell phone.
All common complaints in our modern over stressed society. Everyone, it seems is feeling underappreciated and over worked.
As I saddled up to this year's Thanksgiving feast, I was honored to be seated across the table from a Marine returning from a tour of duty in Iraq. His job as a team leader on active duty presented it's own brand of stress including heavy gun fire and being woken in the middle of night for search and seizure missions.
As he spoke, I began to realize how easy it is to take the important aspects of life for granted. Often caught up in our own little dramas, we don't give thanks, but once a year. I don't think that is enough. My plan, give thanks everyday to my family, friends and work colleagues all of which make my life better.

It was a wake up call, I won't soon forget.

I wish I had more time to...

It occurs to me after listening to friends, family and my clients that we all have too much on our collective plates. We chat on our cell phones, listen to podcasts, text message our boss all while purchasing our Starbucks Latte.
Seems like with all this technology, we should be living more productive lives. In fact the opposite happens. The main complaint I hear over and over again is "I wish I had more time to..." There in lies the problem, the elusive, dot, dot, dot, the thing we never, no matter how much we work over time and mutlitask, can get to.

As we near the holiday season and we begin to stuff our holiday dinner plates and our holiday schedules with more than we can handle, I reccomend beginning with the dot, dot, dot.
Make the thing you love, the priority. Make an effort to find time, even if that means that something will get pushed til tomorrow.

For me, a slice of Dutch Apple pie pre-Turkey just might do the trick, for others a yoga class, even others a good read or an autumn walk. The point is to pick your priority. As we enter this busiest of seasons, start on Thanksgiving to change the schedule. Simply say "Pass the priorities, please!"

Good Morning Clutter!

Even though I pride myself on being uber organized, after all that is what I do for a living, at times, the process can be a little overwhelming!

That was the case last night, when after a long day and night of appointments, I returned home with my arms full. Reading material, items for clients, umbrella and hand bag were sufficiently drenched after battling an evening rain storm. I left all at the front door and headed to the bedroom to prepare for a much needed sleep.

As soon as I got up this morning, I faced the piles. Like a busy waitress working her section I begin to take the trips necessary to return all the items. I cannot work with all that clutter around me.
What I noticed is like that busy waitress, I never waste a trip. I take my boots back to the closet and return water glasses from the bedroom back to the kitchen. While making my bed, I put a sweater in the dresser on other side of the bed. When gathering the mail, I pop oatmeal into the oven and grab my vitamins.

I know that returning calls and emails willl occupy the morning. I also know that I cannot work in chaos. In about 15 minutes, I clear the clutter physically making way for a mentally clutter free day! As I write this blog, all of my items have been returned to their homes. And like a good waitress who serves her clients, I have made the time to feed myself as well. Morning organization takes a bit of focus and a bit of time, but the rewards are great! Try it for yourself.

EXTREME MAKEUNDER

Standing in the Starbucks in designer shoes purchasing $5 coffee while talking on my cell phone, I pondered, would it be possible to live better with less? What I discovered was that eliminating unnecessary aspects of my life would bring a more richer existence eventually leading to big time changes. I underwent an extreme make under. Month by month, I eliminated one thing in my life that I held most important, beginning in January with alcohol. Over the course of the year, I came to a deeper understanding of my wants vs. my needs as well as deprivation vs. sacrifice. Coffee, chocolate, elevators, cell phones, multitasking, dining out, newspapers, television, taxis, cursing and shopping rounded out my year of learning to live better with less. The result a book, entitled Give it Up!" which chronicles the journey which would profoundly change my life. Immediately after my year of paring down, I left my job of 14 years, started my own company, got a book deal, got married and bought my first home! Talk about less is more!
"Give it Up! My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less." is available for pre-order from Amazon and Powells now or through www.orderperiod.com.

So Much Cereal, So Little Time

It happens time and time again, you go to your closet and cannot find a thing to wear, despite the fact that there are enough outfits to last a lifetime. Perhaps you are just being offered too many choices, endless combinations of skirts and blouses to pair with the latest capri cut pants or Seven Jeans. Honestly, you could find a different runway look everyday if you put your mind to it. I have the same confusion when food shopping too where most of the trip is spent in the cereal aisle trying to take in all of the choices of flakes, squares and oats in combination. I don't know what to choose there either. Is this phenomenon strictly American? When traveling in Europe, cereal shopping is simple, you have granola and flakes. Choose one and you are out of there. Applying that philosophy to our collective closets would make getting dressed, simpler. As for me, I am off to have a bowl of granola in my tried and true Lucky Jeans and an Old Navy tshirt. Despite my shopaholic ways, my favorites always emerge. Pick out your favorites today and try on limiting your choices for size.

STORE YOUR STUFF

George Carlin has a bit about people's stuff and moving to bigger apartments, then to houses to make more room for their growing supply of "stuff." As a professional organizer, I deal with other people's stuff all the time and have found this to be true. Just the other day, while working with a client, I discovered 15 of the same exact brown handbag. Is that really a necessity? Probably not, since most of them still had the price tags on them. I am familiar with this problem, because I am a recovering shopaholic. In fact, at the height of my addiction, I was buying the same item over and over again not realizing that the same black top resided in my closet in pristine condition. Today, I offer a solution for all that stuff. If you like retail, like I love retail, then treat your own closet like a retail store. And that begins, with good old fashioned inventory. Take stock of what you have literally before heading out to the store: group like items together and start an inventory sheet. You will be surprised to find out how much you already have.

Shopping Temptation

I love to shop. I admit it. I tend to buy things just because I can; an excuse that seems less stable than my sling backs. Even when I am best intended, the universe seems to intervene.
The other day on my way to a business appointment,I found myself in the garden of eden or here on earth, Henri Bendels. Inevitably, I give in to the gravitational pull and am led astray by a handsome makeup artist named Lorenzo. Before I knew it, my entire face was done and I was charging a conspicuous amount of cosmetics irregardless of price or necessity. Just to prove that the universe has a sense of humor, I had been on the way to promote my new book, Give it Up, My Year of Learning to Live Better with Less. Perhaps, Oscar Wilde said it best, "I can resist anything but temptation!"