Do you occasionally or often run late? Do you rush to get out of the door, are the last person to arrive, and frequently apologize for keeping people waiting? From personal experience and observation of clients, family, and friends, I’ve noticed one common factor that is the top cause for the time management challenge, punctuality. If you’re looking to shift your time dynamic, reduce your daily stress, and feel more in control of your day, keep reading. I have one idea for you that might be the ah-ha you need to make a change.

Have you heard of or experienced OMT, which stands for one more thing?  Very simply, this is the desire and implementation to do just one more thing beyond what should be your stopping point. By doing this extra thing, it puts you behind schedule and often results in being late to your meeting, date, or appointment. This can take many forms. Have you had one of these experiences or know someone that has? It could look like this:

Before I leave, I’m just going to  . . .

• eat a small snack

• read one more email

• return a quick phone call

• respond to one short email

• listen to voice messages

• change my clothes

• use the bathroom

• send out a message on social media

• load the dishwasher

• make a doctor’s appointment

• comment on a blog post

• research “x” on the Internet

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing any of these activities. As a matter of fact, these are routine activities that we do on most days. However, doing them beyond our stopping point, as in during the time we need to prepare to leave, is not the best moment to engage.

Ideally, you want to build a time cushion around your scheduled meetings and appointments. Consider your travel time, contingency time for the unexpected, and prep time so that you will know when you have to stop what you’re doing to get ready for next.

Setting a timer usually helps me. On occasion, when I ignore the insistent buzzing and continue doing my OMT, it makes me late. However, more often, the ding reminds me to stop what I’m doing, begin the transition activities like teeth brushing or cleaning up the breakfast dishes, and head out of the door.

The desire to do OMT can be intense. Has this happened to you? Does it influence the way you manage your time? What have you noticed? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation!

It’s that point in the year when people are wondering, “Where has the time gone?”  I’m thinking the same thing. I don’t know about you, but to me, it feels like wearing my winter coat and setting New Year’s intentions were only moments ago. Yet here we are in the first week of June. It’s delightfully warm, the spring flowers are blooming, and the time has whooshed  by. The thick layers have been stored away. My first of the year intentions have born some delicious fruit. The changes happened in what feels like the blink of an eye.

One thing that’s useful to do, especially when you’re at a midpoint, is to take a pause. It’s like a taking a breath, only with time. Use your break to look backward, look forward, and then refocus on now. With the mindfulness meditations that I practice, there is an emphasis on being here now. The idea is that if we spend too much time in the past or the future, we miss the present. While I understand that concept and strive to be more present, there are times when I find it beneficial to reflect on the past and to think about the future. It’s possible to do this in the context of living now. Drawing on your history and making plans about the future enable you to live more fully in the present.

Time includes the past, present, and future. While we live in the now, we have arrived here because of choices we’ve made and the experiences we’ve had in the past. We live in the now, yet have aspirations and hopes for the future. Those wishes influence the actions and thoughts we focus on today.

We can take a reflection pause at any time- the middle of the day, month, or year. I encourage you to take a midyear pause now. Below I provided you with some questions to get your thoughts flowing. Other ones may surface. I’d love to hear what comes up for you.

3 Time Tips for a More Powerful Pause . . .

The Past

When you think about this year so far, what stands out? What have you noticed with the intentions or goals you set? Have you been surprised by the outcomes? Do you want to keep doing what you are doing? What strengths have emerged? What habits do you want to stop? What are you grateful for? Have you experienced any challenges that were fertile ground for learning? What have you learned? 

The Future

Is there anything you want to course correct? Are there any commitments you made that you want to release from your full plate? Do you have a goal or intention that you want to revise? What change do you want to make by the end of the year? Is there something you need more of? Is there something you want less of? Is there a new habit you’d like to incorporate?

The Present

How have past decisions influenced your current experience? Where do you want to focus your attention? How do your future goals affect your daily living? Are thoughts about the past or future negatively affecting your present? What will help you live more fully in the present? What is a present day “must” or “can’t live without?”

While time doesn’t stop, we can take a deep breath in and exhale slowing as lean in for a thoughtful pause. There are times when we keep going without doing a deep dive or analysis. However, it’s beneficial to stop every so often to examine, question, continue and refocus. We look back and ahead, yet we live in the now.

Do you take pauses? When do you like to make them? What questions do you ask? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join our conversation!

The newest installment (v19) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature is here with my recent discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring time-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are such a wonderfully engaged group and I am so grateful for you. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Time to Be Present 

If you want to enhance your health and well-being and be more aware in the moment, this book is for you. In Fully Present – The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, scientist Susan Smalley, Ph.D. and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, Diana Winston explore the scientific explanation for how mindfulness affects the brain and body in a positive, powerful, and compelling way.  The authors also share tips and exercises for developing and maintaining a meditation practice. They say, “You can learn to take an ordinary experience, give it your present-moment attention, and experience it as extra-ordinary.” Modern culture tends to cultivate mindless-ness. “The dominant American culture validates virtually mindless productivity, busyness, speed, and efficiency. The last thing we want to do is just bepresent.”  Smalley and Winston present an opening for us to think about how we spend our time. “Mindfulness is a means to rebalance doing and being.”  

2. Interesting Season  – Time to Organize

OK. The truth is that every season is a great season to get organized. With summer just starting, we’re poised for a new beginning. We can reset our organizing goals, take stock of our busy schedules and time, do some decluttering, and bring order and balance back into our lives. If you want to get organized, but are feeling overwhelmed and stuck, find an organizing buddy. Your buddy can be a compassionate and non-judgmental friend, family member or professional organizer like me. You’ll be amazed with how much you will accomplish in a short amount of time when your work side-by-side with someone else. I’m ready to help and am just a phone call (914-271-5673) or email (linda@ohsoorganized.com) away.

3. Interesting Product – Time to Roll

How do you roll with managing your to dos? Check out this new product, This Week Sticky Roll Notes from Knock Knock. With 26 feet of note-taking tape, you can place this list anywhere to remind you about what’s next. Just pull, tear, and then stick the strip to any surface like your mirror, desk, refrigerator, or door.  It’s a fun and flexible product that will help you better manage your time.

4. Interesting App – Time to Connect

If you like the idea of writing personalized cards, but can never find the time to do so, you’ll love Pixinote. This app combines old school with the digital age.  In just a few minutes using your cell phone, you can easily combine three lines of personalized text with one of your photos. A printed card in an envelope will show up in your loved one's mailbox several days later. Keeping in touch was never so easy. Your friends and family will appreciate receiving “good” mail and knowing that you took the time to connect with them.

5. Interesting Thought – Time to Steer

If you’re anything like me, time appears to be moving more and more swiftly with the passing of each year. Now more than ever, being intentional with how time is being spent seems essential. After all, we have a finite amount of time. While none of us know how long we’ll be here, we are in charge of the time we do have.

What are your interesting finds? Which of these resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

For all of the overextended, cup-runneth-over, and time-poor people out there this post is for you! If your life consists of a steady flow of appointments, events, projects and responsibilities with little or no time to catch your breath, then keep reading. Even if life isn’t always hectic you’ll want to keep this one question at the ready for the periods of time that are.

Before I share the question, I’d like to give you some background. A while ago my coaching friend and colleague, Cameron Gott, shared a series of wonderful questions with me. I jotted them down and rediscovered them recently. While these questions can be used for many situations, one of his questions works beautifully as the best  time management question to ask when you are overscheduled. It is . . .

“What’s most important now?”

— Cameron Gott, PCC

I love how simple and direct it is. The question helps us to work through overwhelm and competing time demands and then focus on the present. The question is action-oriented. It helps us prioritize. We can then mindfully use our time to focus on what is most important.

In recent weeks, I found this question extremely useful as I navigated various time-intensive activities. By continually coming back to, “What’s most important now?” I was able be more mindful and engaged with the present. Simultaneously, I let go of thoughts relating to everything else that needed to be done. The question was liberating.

11 things that needed my time, focus, and presence

Time for Fixing –The washing machine broke. My computer crashed. My car needed to be replaced.

Time for Emptying –Tag sale season arrived. I prepared, edited, and let go of stuff to be ready for our June 9th and 10th tag sale.

Time for Self-Caring – Aside from tag sale season, it was also doctor appointment season. I scheduled and had my annual medical appointments. After all, if we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we take care of others?

Time for Being – This most often meant getting outside and being in nature. I spent time walking in the woods, sitting by the river, bathing in the sun, taking photos of spring blooms and bubbling brooks. 

Time for Updating –We were overdue for updating our wills and other legal documents. It was time. 

Time for Working – Organizing is one of my passions. I spent time writing, presenting, being interviewed and organizing with clients.

Time for Family – I’m acutely aware that good relationships need a time investment. I invested fully in time with our daughters, visits with my mom, and conversations with my siblings and other relatives.

Time for Nothing – As important as it was to get things done, at times I also needed to not do. I took time to just be without an agenda or pressure to accomplish something. Especially when I felt the “to do list” stress, taking a time out became even more important.

Time for Entertaining – With Memorial Day being the unofficial start of summer, we hosted a (last minute) BBQ for our friends.

Time for Meditating – I practiced. My daily mindfulness meditation helps me focus on being in the present moment.

Time for Loving – For a pre-anniversary (35 years) getaway, my husband and I went to Saratoga Springs for a long weekend. Focusing on fun, connection, and relaxation is an essential. Our time can easily be filled with everything but so it’s important to make love a priority.

So going back to where we began. What’s most important now?  What helps you manage your time when you’re feeling overwhelmed and overscheduled? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!