Dr. Shannon Reece

Dr. Shannon Reece, Reece International LLCIt’s time again for the newest edition of our popular “Ask the Expert” feature on The Other Side of Organized blog.  We’ve enjoyed wonderful conversations about time management with Julie Morgenstern, clutter with Lorie Marrero, letting go with Geralin Thomas, next steps with Yota Schneider, and change with John Ryan. As we shift our focus this month, I’m excited to bring you the vibrant psychologist and peak performance coach, Dr. Shannon Reece to share her wisdom about motivation.

Shannon and I met through our social media channels about a year ago. Since then, I’ve become a huge fan of hers. She is an incredible social engager, and fabulous sharer of information and resources. I continue to learn from her about business, success, social media and more. My deepest gratitude and thanks goes to her for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about Shannon.

Dr. Shannon Reece is a sport psychologist, peak performance expert, and former competitive athlete. She teaches women entrepreneurs and competitive athletes how to leverage their unique assets, and minimize their weaknesses to achieve peak performance. Her websites, educational products and speaking engagements are built around the fundamentals for success which include, putting yourself at the top of your list of highest priorities without guilt, transforming your fear from a liability into an asset, and understanding that being competitive is not about conforming to the status quo. You can connect with Shannon on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blog, or website.

Linda:  You’re an expert on helping women entrepreneurs achieve business success. How does motivation relate to any type of success?

Shannon:  Without getting involved in the psychological theories on motivation, what I’ve found working with successful competitive athletes and entrepreneurs is that the core of their motivation most often flows from the desire to experience their fullest potential.

Elite performers are those who are never satisfied with good, but strive for greatness. They don’t envision limits to what they can do, but apply constant dedication and discipline to the development of their greatest strengths to see all that they can be. Many people rarely tap into the gifts with which they were born, being too afraid to see where they might lead. Success is available to everyone. It’s just a matter of pushing past the fear of the “what ifs” to see who you were meant to become. And the motivation to take that leap is often discovered when a person’s dissatisfaction with the status quo of life pushes them beyond the excuses they’ve allowed to hold them back.

Linda:  What are your favorite techniques for getting motivated?

Shannon:  I teach my clients that garbage in is garbage out. If you eat junk food, don’t rest your body, and fill your mind with completely worthless information you can’t expect to produce your best physically, mentally or emotionally. Getting motivated begins when you make the right choices to enrich your life. For me that means reading things that inspire the right thinking (books, powerful quotes, select newsletters and blog posts), reconnecting daily with my planned purpose (the big WHY I do what I do, and how my actions today get me a few steps closer to my dream), exercise (to get my blood flowing, sweat out toxins, and unlock my creativity), and getting enough rest (when you are exhausted, it’s hard to stay focused and productive).

Linda:  It can be challenging to stay motivated. What suggestions do you have if motivation diminishes?

Shannon:  When it comes to maintaining motivation day in and day out, you have to keep your eyes focused on the “prize” that is most meaningful for you. For every person this is something different. I challenge my clients to identify their 5 highest priorities – the values that are non-negotiable when it comes to their ideal life. When your daily goals are in alignment with your highest priorities, and you have created a map to keep you on track each week, there’s never a question about what needs to be done next. It’s much easier to maintain your motivation to push through even the toughest business to-dos when they are tied into everything that is important to you.

Linda:  Motivation can be internal, external, positive, or negative. Are there pros and cons for each?

Shannon:  Focusing on external rewards can lead to disappointment, because outcomes are not always within your direct control. For example, if you are waiting for a lot of sales to motivate you to take the next step in business, and the sales don’t meet your expectations, does that hold you back from focusing on other ways to grow your business? You can’t control who, when, and how people buy. But you can fine-tune the marketing process to give yourself the best opportunity to be successful.

The best kind of motivation is internal and positive. Your motivation needs to start inside and be directly tied to your dreams and your highest priorities. The impetus for ongoing motivation can’t always rest on results, but should focus on the value of the process. There is reward in failure as much as there is in success, and sometimes more. Therefore the ups and downs you experience in the process, the growing pains, and the victories should be examined for the value that lies within. I challenge clients to always look for the silver lining, even in the darkest hours. An opportunistic mindset focused on the process enables you to see what the reactive, outcome-focused business owner cannot, thus putting you ahead of the pack in your niche.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal motivation challenge?

Shannon:  The biggest motivational challenge I’ve faced in business has been establishing the right habits and systems, in the right places to reduce the daily load of working in my business, freeing me up to work on the growth of my business. As a one-woman-show, running a business can be overwhelming at times. The more you can create systems to streamline everything you touch, and discipline yourself by developing the right habits in your daily activities, the greater freedom and joy you will experience in the work you do. Your greatness doesn’t lie in the mundane tasks, but in the higher-level thinking that changes the world one life at a time. The sooner you can shift your mindset and operating style to match that challenge, the more you will be motivated to see just how high you can soar.

Thank you, Shannon for your unique perspective and strategies about motivation. Your “garbage in is garbage out” concept resonates with me. This idea emphasizes how the right environment affects our ability to stay motivated and achieve success. Another concept that I love is your idea that ongoing motivation is most successful when it focuses on the value of the process, rather than only on the results.

I invite all of you to join Shannon and me as we continue the conversation. What are your motivation successes or challenges?

The conversation continues with our popular “Ask the Expert” feature on The Other Side of Organized blog.  So far this year, we enjoyed great dialogues about clutter with Lorie Marrero, letting go with Geralin Thomas, next steps with Yota Schneider, and change with John Ryan. This month, I’m excited to bring you prolific author and organizing guru Julie Morgenstern to share her wisdom about time management.

Julie and I met almost twenty years ago when I attended a NAPO-NY chapter professional development workshop she organized on closet design. Since then, Julie’s become an internationally recognized expert in the organizing field and authored many books that have become industry “must reads.” My deep appreciation and thanks go to her for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s more about Julie.

Julie Morgenstern, dubbed the “queen of putting people’s lives in order” by USA Today, is an organizing and time management expert, business productivity consultant, and speaker. A New York Times bestselling author, Julie’s five books are timeless reference guides that are insightful and jam-packed with innovative strategies. She has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, and Business Week. Julie has made frequent appearances on national television and radio programs, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and NPR’s Fresh Air.  You can connect with Julie on Twitter, Facebook, blog, or website. Check out Julie's line of planners and notebooks on Levenger, part of the Circa notebook series.

Linda:  You are internationally known as the “organizing and time management guru” What are your best strategies for successful time management?

Julie:

• Capture all your to-dos in one place. The biggest mistake people make in managing their time is often quite mechanical—including the habit of scattering their to-dos and appointments among a variety of systems. Decide on one planning system (paper or electronic) and keep it with you wherever you go. Record 100% of your calls, appointments, and to-dos. This reduces pressure to remember, and enables wise choices when prioritizing.

• Schedule “when” you will do things. A to-do not connected to a “when” simply doesn’t get done. Schedule tasks into your planner on the specific day you intend to do them. Add a time estimate next to each item to ensure do-able days.

• Use the 4D’s to lighten your load. Good time management means focusing on the highest and best use of your time. Proactively streamline your workload (at work and at home) by applying the 4 D’s: Delete (discard tasks), Delay (reschedule for a more appropriate time), Diminish (create a shortcut), and Delegate (give to someone who can do it better, faster or good enough).

• Group similar tasks. Batching tasks boosts efficiency, and minimizes the time and energy lost when constantly switching gears. Group DO’s separate from CALLS— separate WORK tasks from PERSONAL ones. Identify the core activities you are juggling your time between (e.g. client service, strategic planning, sales, administration), and create a Time Map that designates regular time for each of those roles—and you’ll find that you will get significantly more done, in less time, at a much higher quality of output.

• Plan tomorrow +2 at theend of each day. People who plan their day find that time stretches—they get much more done, feel less stressed, and avoid getting caught up in unnecessary crisis. Close-out each day by spending 15 minutes reviewing what you completed and your schedule for tomorrow plus 2 days beyond that. A 3-day arc gives you the necessary perspective to adjust your balance as needed and mentally prepare for the upcoming days.

Linda:  Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Why do some of us have so much difficulty managing our time?

Julie:  The single most common obstacle people face in managing their days lies in their very perception of it. Most people think of time as intangible.  Unlike space, time is completely invisible. You can’t see it or hold it in your hands. It’s not something that piles up or that you can physically move around. Time is something you feel, and it feels utterly amorphous. Some days go whizzing by while others crawl painfully along. Even your tasks seem hard to measure—infinite and endless in both quantity and duration. As long as time remains slippery, elusive, and hard to conceptualize, you will have difficulty managing your days. You need to change your perception of time and develop a more tangible view of it. You need to learn to see time in more visual, measurable terms.

Once you understand that time has boundaries, you begin to look at your to-dos much differently. Tasks are the objects that you must fit into your space. Each one has a size, and arranging them in your day becomes a mathematical equation. As you evaluate what you need to do, you begin to calculate the size of each task and whether you can fit it into the space. When you start seeing time as having borders, just as a space does, you will become much more realistic about what you can accomplish, and much more motivated to master various time-management tools and techniques to help you make the most of your time.

Linda:  What has been your toughest personal time management challenge?

Julie:  As a creative person, I tend to be someone who hyper-focuses on whatever I am doing, and sometimes, as a result, I lose all sense of time, as I am so engaged with whatever problem I am solving.  This can happen when I am writing, or designing, or am highly engaged in a meeting with someone.  The good news is people and projects get my undivided attention.  The challenge is it’s hard for my staff to interrupt me when I am in the middle of something.  I employ a variety of techniques to stay on track—planning everyday at the end of the day before—and making sure I define the outcome of every working session before I start—so that I stay focused on just the primary goal of that time commitment.

Linda:  If you found yourself with an unexpected extra hour on a particular day, how would you spend that time?

Julie:  Probably for something fun and relationship oriented—call or get together with a friend, go for a walk, stop by a museum, go to the park.   

Linda:  Is there anything you’d like to share that I haven’t asked?

Julie:  Just that mastering time management is not a static process—it is a lifelong skill, dynamic, changing as your own life, circumstances and interests evolve.  You can also tackle your learning in phases and stages.  There’s freshman time management and graduate time management. Everyone, at every point in their lives can benefit from stopping to reflect on their relationship to time, the choices they are making, and what they can do differently to create more meaningful and satisfying days.   

Thank you, Julie for your wonderful insights and strategies about time management. I’m sure many people will appreciate your concept that time management is not a static process. This brings hope, particularly to the time-challenged. I invite all of you to join Julie and me as we continue the conversation. What are your time management challenges? What works or doesn’t work for you?

Lorie Marrero, Clutter DietThe excitement continues with our recently launched “Ask the Expert” feature on The Other Side of Organized blog.  In the past few months, we talked about change with John Ryan of The Life Change Network, next steps with Yota Schneider of Open for Success, and letting go with Geralin Thomas of Metropolitan Organizing. This month, I’m thrilled to introduce you to the energetic author and organizing expert, Lorie Marrero to share her wisdom about clutter.

Lorie is wonderful colleague and industry dynamo. I remember a conversation we had together many years ago at a NAPO conference when she was about to launch her unique Clutter Diet concept. It’s incredible to see how much she’s accomplished and given to the professional organizing industry in such a short time. My appreciation and thanks goes to her for taking the time to join us. Before we begin, here’s some background about Lorie.

Lorie Marrero is the author of The Clutter Diet book and the creator of ClutterDiet.com, an innovative program allowing anyone to get expert help at an affordable price. Lorie serves as the spokesperson for Goodwill Industries International, and she is a sought-after expert for national media. She writes regularly as an organizing expert for GoodHousekeeping.com and lives in Austin, TX with her dog, two sons, and spouse and her 30,000 bee daughters. You can connect with Lorie on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blog or website.

Linda:  You’re an expert on helping others manage their clutter. What are your favorite clutter management tips?

Lorie:  When you’re creating an organizing system, whether a closet or pantry or garage, assume that laziness is the norm. Nobody wants to take extra steps, use more than one hand, or take a long time to put something away. Make things as visible, easy, and obvious as possible so that other people can help maintain the space. Labeling and grouping really help, and products like hooks and open baskets are easier and work with our “lazy” tendencies.

Just like weight loss, getting organized is really about Prevention (cutting the clutter calories coming into the house), Reduction (working off the accumulation you already have), and Maintenance (creating a pattern of habits to maintain your good work). Most people focus on the Reduction part, meaning doing projects like organizing their closets or garages, but they forget to think about Prevention and Maintenance, so their spaces soon revert back to being cluttered.

We have lots of resources at www.clutterdiet.com/freetips, including our popular Clutter Prevention Wallet Reminder Sleeves, which you can print out and use to store your favorite credit or debit card. On them are the five questions you should ask before buying anything!

Linda:  Why are we so clutter obsessed?

Lorie:  In North America we have innovated and worked hard as a culture to raise our standards of living, and we’ve reached an unprecedented level of abundance. We are faced daily with hundreds of advertising messages that insist we still don’t have enough, or that what we have is no longer in fashion, so we keep acquiring.

Linda:  Is there such a thing as “good clutter?”

Lorie:  If you realize your clutter is a result of your fortunate abundance, you can look at it as a great problem to have. I would rather have this problem than having no clean water or war in the streets, which is what many in the world live with each day. Also, one person’s clutter is another person’s treasure, so perspective is everything!

Linda:  Do you have a philosophy about clutter?

Lorie:  One of my personal missions is to remind people that this “problem” of clutter is a result of our abundant lives. I believe we should activate our gratitude for this abundance by being responsible donors. Donating household goods IS philanthropy, so always be aware of how your donations will be used. Latest numbers from Goodwill® show that 82% of your donations’ collective revenue goes directly to their mission of helping people find work. This message is very important to me! It’s why I am the ambassador of Goodwill’s Donate Movement, and it’s also why at the end of my YouTube videos, I always say, “May you always be happy and grateful for having more than enough.”

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal clutter challenge?

Lorie:  My kids! Definitely. I have two teenage boys, and they are naturally not as conscious of keeping their parents’ house as tidy as they probably will be with their own homes.  In various ages and stages we’ve had different challenges with different kinds of toys. Right now it’s clothing and school papers that are their biggest clutter problems.

Linda:  Is there anything you’d like to share about clutter that I haven’t asked?

Lorie:  Fear is a huge factor in this topic of clutter and organizing that I feel needs addressing. I hear a lot of fear out there:  fear of waste, fear of loss, fear of offending someone, fear of not doing it perfectly right, and fear of missing out or not keeping up.  Fear is there to keep us safe, certainly, but it’s also there to challenge us, and its presence makes our victories sweeter. We have to push past it confidently to get clutter out of way so we can do the important things that really matter!

What inspiring thoughts, Lorie! I’m grateful that you shared your insightful, clear ideas about clutter, fear and abundance with us. I invite all of you to join Lorie and me as we continue the conversation. What are your clutter challenges, successes and stories? 

Geralin Thomas, Metropolitan OrganizingWe’ve had a tremendously positive response to our “Ask the Expert” feature on The Other Side of Organized blog. In February, John Ryan of The Life Change Network talked about change. In March, Yota Schneider of Open for Success spoke about next steps. This month, I’m excited to introduce you to the vivacious professional organizer, Geralin Thomas to share her wisdom with you about letting go.

Geralin is a wonderful friend and colleague with tremendous energy, style, and grace. My gratitude and thanks goes to her for taking the time to join us.

Geralin Thomas is a professional organizer that trains new professional organizers, provides residential organizing services, and works with hoarding clients. She is founder of Metropolitan Organizing and has been featured on A&E’s Hoarders, The Nate Berkus Show and Today. Geralin is a wife, mother, gardener, painter, documentary lover, and has a passion for fashion. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, blog or website.

Linda:  You are a professional organizer helping clients transform their homes from chaos to calm. You also specialize in working with people that hoard. Why is letting go so challenging for some?

Geralin:  Some folks are sentimental savers. They might say, “Oh, my son made this macaroni necklace for me when he was in 1^st grade; I’ve gotta keep it.” Others are utilitarian savers. They could say, “The reason I hang onto all these old tuna cans is because I plan on welding them together to make a lamp for my dog’s house.” A person with a hoarding disorder has these same exact struggles, but they are much more intense. They over-accumulate and find it extremely difficult to let go of things they’ve acquired.

Linda:  If someone is struggling with letting go, what do you suggest?

Geralin: When someone is struggling with letting go, I encourage them to read a blog post I wrote related to this topic, “The 4 Personalities that Save Stuff.” It’s been useful for many of my clients. In addition, I’ve heard from several therapists and social workers that shared it with their clients say it was helpful for them as well.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around letting go?

Geralin: Oh, I always dread this question because I’m not a sentimental person and our culture seems to believe that women are supposed to be sentimental.  For me, letting go isn’t a challenge. I don’t save cards, awards, certificates, photos, trophies  – none of that stuff matters to me; it’s just stuff.  Same for projects – I’m very aware of how much or little time I have for projects so typically, all those DIY projects look and sound great but at this point in my life, I don’t have time for them so I don’t accumulate a lot of task-related stuff.  I’d rather spend my time painting or gardening.

Linda:  Do you have a letting go philosophy?

Geralin: I ask someone struggling with clutter if they want to surround themselves with meaningful things. If they answer in the affirmative, I ask, “Is this [thing] beautiful? Useful? Helpful? Does it resonate with who you are right this moment?”  Sometimes people hang onto things that represent who they used to be. Examples include “special occasion” serving dishes or “trophy” sizes of clothes.

Linda:  Is there anything you’d like to share that I haven’t asked?

Geralin: How about I share one of my challenges?  We all have our challenges and mine is packing a suitcase. Let’s just say that if you are stuck on a runway for three hours, you want to sit next to me because I’ll have nuts, chocolates, reading material, manicure supplies, dental floss, tissues, etc.

Warmest thanks, Geralin for taking the time to share your insightful, clear thoughts about letting go. I invite all of you to join Geralin and me as we continue the conversation. What are your thoughts, experiences or questions about letting go?