Our popular “Ask the Expert” interview series connects you with dynamic industry thought leaders. This year we’ve spoken with psychologist, Dr. Debbie Grove about change and author and minimalist, Joshua Becker about fresh starts. For March, I’m excited to have with us inspiring author, Todd Henry to share his insights about next steps.

I recently finished reading Todd’s latest book, Die Empty, and loved it. He encourages us to live each day purposefully and with more urgency. Die Empty is a must read.  I’m thrilled that Todd was available to join us. My gratitude goes to him for his thought-provoking responses. I know you’re going to enjoy his ideas about next steps. Before we begin, here’s more about him.

Todd Henry is the founder of Accidental Creative, a consultancy that helps people and teams to be prolific, brilliant, and healthy. He teaches companies how to be creative under pressure, collaborate more effectively, and align their activities around the work that matters most. He's also the author of two books, The Accidental Creative and Die Empty, which was named as one of Amazon’s "Best Books of 2013.” You can connect with Todd on Twitter, Facebook or website. 

Linda Samuels:  As an author, speaker, consultant and coach, you inspire individuals and teams to “generate brilliant ideas” and live fulfilled lives. How can we best prepare for “next?”

Todd Henry:  We all face uncertainty daily. It’s a fact of the new marketplace, where most of us are compensated for turning our thoughts into value each day. However, in the face of that uncertainty we are not helplessly at the whim of the workload. We can choose to build practices and structures to help position us to bring our best to what we do each day. Tomorrow’s brilliance is rooted in the soil of today’s activity.

Linda:  What if “next” isn’t obvious?

Todd:  It’s never obvious, or at least the best ideas typically aren’t. That’s why daily practice is so critical. It’s what allows you to problem find, not just problem solve. Those who see patterns, recognize opportunities, and are poised to take advantage of them when they arise are the people who win the future.

Linda:  In your book, Die Empty, you talk about the importance of “making steady, critical progress each day on the projects that matter, in all areas of life.” What is a favorite strategy for moving forward?

Todd:  The most important element of this is defining a through-line, or an outcome that you are committed to. It’s easy to get carried along by the work, or to allow the flow of life to cause you to drift from opportunity to opportunity or project to project, but when you have a specific through-line, or outcome that you are committed to it helps you contextualize all of your daily activities and measure whether they are advancing you toward your overall objectives. It’s amazing how defining what you are about suddenly brings clarity to your priorities.

Linda:  What is your most surprising discovery about figuring out “next?”

Todd:  The most surprising thing is that it’s rarely the “a-ha” that everyone seems to crave. Brilliant insights, innovations, and works of art rarely emerge in a flash of fire, but instead are a smolder over time that eventually grows into a blaze. The key is to be mindful, have practices that help you to ask better questions, and to pay attention for those little hunches, moments of insight, or seemingly irrelevant ideas that could be the foundation for something really big. In many ways, it’s learning how to listen to your inner voice even when it seems to be slightly off-topic.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around taking next steps?

Todd:  I tend to have “shiny object syndrome,” meaning that I tend to bounce from exciting new project to exciting new project. As a result, I’ve had to have other people in my life to keep me focused on the results I’m seeking and follow-through on projects until they reach their intended end. Book projects are good for me, because they are a long-arc project with a dedicated end date, and they are easy to work on in “chunks” of thought, so I get to satisfy the wandering attention span while still making steady progress on a long-arc project.

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

Todd:  The most important thing to remember is that today matters. We have a tendency to believe the lie that tells us we’ll always have tomorrow to do today’s work. We don’t. It’s important to spend your finite resources (focus, assets, time, energy) each day in a way you’ll not regret later. Engage with urgency and diligence, because those are the foundation of hustle, and hustle is the best antidote to lifelong regret.

Todd, there are so many gems here. Some ideas that resonate with me include that next often isn’t obvious, ask better questions, listen to your inner voice, enlist the help of others so that you can do your best work, and that “today matters.” What wonderful ideas to contemplate and act on.

Please join Todd and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your ideas about next steps. What are you thinking about?

Earlier this year, John Hunt interviewed me for the Smead “Keeping You Organized” series. We talked about chronic disorganization, clutter, and next steps. With winter’s thaw bringing signs of spring, hope, and change, I wanted to highlight some ideas from my conversation with John. You can watch the interview in its entirety at the bottom of this post.

Chronic Disorganization

Disorganization manifests itself in various ways, from mild to severe and from temporary to ongoing. In the early 1990s, organizing pioneer Judith Kolberg noticed that certain clients did not respond well to traditional organizing techniques. She developed the term chronic disorganization to describe this group and was the founder of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD). In 2011, NSGCD changed its name to The Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD). I’m ICD’s President-Elect, and I will become President on July 1st.  ICD is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that offers a wealth of education, research, and strategies about chronic disorganization for professionals and the public.

The definition of chronic disorganization: 

• Having a history of disorganization

• Self-help efforts to change have been unsuccessful

• Disorganization undermines the quality of life

Next Step

After reading the definition of chronic disorganization, maybe you’ve had an “ah-ha” moment and realized that you or someone you know has this challenge. Learning more is a great next step. Download several of ICD’s easy-to-read, free fact sheets.

Favorite ICD Fact Sheets:

• Are You Chronically Disorganized?

• Are You Situationally Disorganized?

• How Do I Find A Professional Organizer That’s Right For Me?          

• Readiness for Change

• Tips for Communicating With the Chronically Disorganized

• Time Management for the Chronically Disorganized

Hope

What I love most about every new season, month, or day is that auto-reset button. The natural cycle allows us to get creative and begin again (even after we’ve failed.) The reset encourages possibilities. Possibilities breed hope. So, if you’re feeling challenged by the organizing piece in your life, remember that change is possible.

• Learn more

• Reach out for help

• Discover ways of organizing that work for you

• Remain hope-filled

Linda’s Interview About Chronic Disorganization

What’s next for you? Are you or someone you know chronically disorganized? Are you ready for change? Come join the conversation and share your thoughts about disorganization, change and hope.

Next steps are the focus for March. This month winter will transition to spring. On Sunday we move our clocks forward. We’ll trade piles of snow for new blooms. With all these thoughts of transitions, change, and next, I’m excited to introduce today the new blog feature, “What’s Interesting?”

I'm sharing my latest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I look forward to your feedback, participation, and additions. Enjoy round one of fun, inspiring, and interesting finds.

What's Interesting? . . . 

1. Interesting Read - Habits

If you haven’t already read The Power of Habit – Why we do what we do and how to change by Charles Duhigg, I highly recommend it. Duhigg writes about the three-step habit process (cue, routine, reward,) and also how to alter unproductive and unhealthy habits. Identifying and changing “keystone” habits can have a positive domino effect, which automatically change other habits.  

2. Interesting Resource – Photo Organizing

One of my colleagues, Dr. April Lane Benson, recently told me about MyPublisher, a website where you can easily create high quality photo albums from your digital photos. I tried it, and was blown away by the quality, ease of use, customization options, and excellent customer service.

3. Interesting New Book – Chronic Disorganization

Just released this month, The ICD Guide to Collaborating with Professional Organizers, edited by Phyllis Floor Knerr, CPO-CD®, is an important addition to the organizing industry. It includes articles by 57 industry experts (including me) about chronic disorganization, what trained professional organizers do, building successful collaborations, and collaboration case studies. The only book like it in our industry, this is a must read for all professionals working with the chronically disorganized population.

4. Interesting Product – Planner

There are many ways to organize our time and plans. Especially for those that need a home-based system, prefer paper, are visually and tactilely oriented, thePost-it® Notes Weekly Planner could be a great addition. Color can be used to code events, people or activities. Sticky notes allow for easy movement and alterations. It’s a flexible planning system. 

5. Interesting Tech - Scent

We experience our world through our senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and scent. Our productivity can be enhanced or not by understanding how they can work with us. For example, using color can instantly help us recognize categories or brewing a pot of coffee can be the indicator that it’s time to start working. A new gadget being developed is the oPhone, which allows users to send and receive fragrances such as flowers, coffee, and fruit tarts along with their text messages. I’m curious how the oPhone will influence how we work and relax.

6. Interesting Thought - Next

We can make excuses or we can move ahead anyway. Just take one small step towards next, even if you’re not sure. Experiment. Discover. Stay curious.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you like this new feature? Would you like to see it continued? What was most interesting to you? Do you have anything you’d like to add? Come join the conversation. All feedback is welcome.

The “Ask the Expert” interview series continues to connect you with dynamic industry thought leaders. Last month, author and minimalist, Joshua Becker, talked with us about fresh starts. This month I’m thrilled to have with us psychologist, Dr. Debbie Grove to share her unique perspective and thoughts about change.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love Twitter? Through social media, one of my great joys has been connecting with amazing people like Debbie. Our paths have crossed in the virtual world where we’ve had the opportunity to get to know one another. Debbie is passionate about change, which the main focus of her therapy practice. She said, “Working on change is a rewarding experience.” My gratitude and thanks goes to Debbie for taking the time to join us. You’re going to love her ideas and practical strategies about change. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

Dr. Debbie Grove has been engaged in facilitating change for individuals, couples, and organizations for over 15 years in capacities such as manager, executive director, board of director member, and psychologist. Her career arenas have included not-for-profit organizations, municipal government, colleges and universities, employee assistance programs, and private practice. She is currently focusing on providing psychological services for depression, anxiety, relationships, marriage counseling, career transition, life coaching, health and well-being, midlife issues, self-esteem, communication, loss, and family of origin issues. Dr. Grove completed a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Calgary where she researched midlife depression, adult learning, and counseling processes. You can connect with Debbie on Twitter, LinkedIn or website.

Linda Samuels:  As a psychologist, one of your specialties is helping people navigate change. What enables us to successfully embrace change?

Dr. Debbie Grove:  The following represent my key tips for navigating change successfully:

• Be clear about what you want to change and why.
• Realize that change takes time, commitment, and effort.
• Learn to be patient and kind with yourself.
• Accept setbacks as a natural part of the change process; they are bound to happen and are not a sign of failure, rather an important part of the learning.
• Establish specific action steps.  Achieving each step helps build momentum, confidence and a positive attitude about the change process.

Linda:  What are some common challenges we encounter when seeking the changes we desire?

Debbie:  I find that people tend to take on too much change all at once. In turn, this elevates stress and anxiety as the changes become unmanageable, difficult to prioritize and overwhelming. This sometimes indicates that sufficient time to reflect, brainstorm, and plan for change has not taken place. Given that change undoubtedly has to be incorporated into every day living, one goal at a time is best. Moreover, this facilitates the capacity to focus and to stay focused on the targeted area of change.

Linda:  Do you have any strategies for managing doubt, fear, and uncertainty that often accompany transitions and change?

Debbie:  Change often involves letting go of one aspect of life in order to gain another, making sacrifices, compromising, and incorporating life adjustments. At first, the mere idea of these adjustments can generate discomfort; after all, veering away from one’s comfort zone can be a distressing proposition.  In my work as a psychologist, here are some of my primary strategies for managing the psychological components of change:

• Ongoing self-care (e.g., sleep, nutrition, exercise, social support), especially since life transitions and change tend to generate stress and deplete the immune system.
• Maintain a positive outlook about change and effectively managing unhealthy thinking patterns (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking).
• Remind yourself about the good outcomes that will result from the change process – balancing this future-orientation with staying grounded in the here-and-now. Sometimes I suggest visual cues such as a vision board that profiles images of outcomes and goals that one hopes to achieve as the result of change. Celebrate the small milestones along the way.
• Seek out supports, resources and outlets to release stress, fear, and anxiety (e.g., going to the gym, venting with a friend, and journaling).

Linda:  What is your most surprising discovery about change?

Debbie:  One of the biggest myths about change relates to motivation. Avoiding the beginning stages of change waiting for motivation to kick in can prevent people from getting started. Understandably, change might be put off as a result of fear and uncertainty. Taking a first step, or behaving one’s way toward change, is a much more effective approach. The motivation will come a bit later once a person has begun to experience some forward movement toward their goal. Once the ball gets rolling, self-efficacy starts to set in – change is then perceived as more possible and achievable.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around change?

Debbie:  When I decided to complete graduate school during my midlife years, it meant significant life changes, sacrifices, and re-establishing priorities. That period was very challenging. Being clear about my goals, facing and acting upon the needed changes, and developing realistic strategies to make the necessary life adjustments was all part of making a career dream a reality. Staying focused on the positive outcomes associated with change was very helpful for me!

Debbie, your no-nonsense approach to change is refreshing. Your emphasis on self-care, patience, singular focus, acknowledgement of “setbacks,” good support system, and positive outlook, especially resonated with me. Thank you for sharing your practical approach for embracing positive, successful change.

Please join Debbie and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your thoughts about navigating change. What resonates with you?