Figuring out your next step looks and feels different depending on your vantage point. Even with the best view, there are times when we get stuck. There are many ways to move forward and figure out what to do next. However, which type of next can influence the approach you choose.

When you feel unsure about your next step, choose one of these five strategies to help you move ahead.

5 Different Types of Next & How to Approach Them

1. Next for the Day

It can be the beginning, middle, or end of the day. You are ready to act, but you’re not sure what to start or stop working on next. Consider how much time you have for next. Do you have 15 minutes or several hours? Do you have time for doing a single task, or do you have hours to accomplish a larger project? What else is on your day’s agenda? What is your energy like right now? The answers become your clues to help you find your next step.

2. Next for the Project

Projects take multiple steps to complete. Some of those steps we can do ourselves. Certain steps require feedback or contributions from others before we can complete the project. Assess where you are right now. To move forward, is there a next step you can complete on your own? Do you need to reach out to someone for his or her help, input, or contribution? Do you have a to-do list? Are you keeping all the steps in your head? Will your next step be planning or action based? Getting the elements organized, so you know your timeline, what needs to be done, delegated, or researched will help you figure out your project’s next step.

3. Next for a Life Transition

Maybe you’re moving, changing jobs, having a baby, getting divorced, or becoming an empty nester. These are dramatic and stressful times. You’re going into unfamiliar territory. Your routines are turned upside down. You’re hoping to find that “new normal” soon…very soon. There are so many things to handle. Surprises appear each day. You don’t know what to do next. Take a deep breath. Exhale. Take another. Exhale again. Let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling. Acknowledge and label that emotion. Take another deep breath. Exhale. Again. Face the unknown and choose next anyway.

4. Next When Clueless

When there are too many choices, too many possible directions to go in, and not a strong sense of where to head, we might say something like, “I have no clue what I want to do next.” You might be experiencing decision fatigue, just thinking about making your next choice. Nothing is pulling you to act. You don’t know what to do. You’re drawing a blank. This happens. It’s normal. Give yourself a break. Get some air. Take a walk. Shift your focus to something fun and enjoyable. Let your thoughts percolate. Let yourself relax instead of feeling pressured to do something. Very often, the act of stepping away, activating our bodies, or getting outside can help clear our thoughts enough to find a way forward.

5. Next When Overwhelmed

Overwhelm is probably the most common type of next that my clients experience. They feel so overwhelmed by the volume of things on their to-do lists, the volume of spaces and areas they’d like to organize, and their time constraint that they get stuck with figuring out next. Next seems too big, too impossible, and too far into the future. They hear and feel the noise of the volume, which prevents them from moving forward. The key here is to think small…really small. Big is overwhelming, but small is doable. Things will move forward one small step at a time. What is the smallest action you can take? Build from there.

Have you noticed another type of next? Which of these five resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

Stephen Powers - Coney Island Is Still DreamlandEach month we focus on a different topic. For March we’ll be talking about next steps. We’ve had inspiring conversations over the last five years on this topic. I’m going to revisit some of those ideas and select my favorite ones to highlight and share with you.

Top 5 Wonderful Ideas for Figuring Out Your Next Step . . .

1. Go Small

Figuring out the next step can overwhelm us to the point of procrastination or inaction. This often happens because we’re thinking too far and too many steps ahead. One favorite strategy is to reduce “next” to the smallest possible and most doable action. This takes the scary out of the equation and supercharges the idea that, “I can do this!” For more about this concept, read my post How to Make Next Smaller and Actually Feel Wonderful. 

2. Breathe Deeply

If you’re like most of us, “busy” has become your new normal. It’s not just us, but also our children that are scheduled from morning to night. There’s little fluff time in our days. Our busy-ness can make it hard to think, plan and be effective. One of my favorite strategies to help the too busy syndrome is by taking a purposeful, mindful pause. Try some nice, slow deep breathing. To understand more about this strategy, read Why Breathing is Next?

3. Let Go

There are times when what we thought should be next, doesn’t happen. Our plan gets interrupted. Instead, if we opt to exercise our flexibility muscles, we can activate and get to next by letting go of our original plan. For more about this idea, read How to Do Next.

4. Get Comfortable
Energy gets expended when we’re working on figuring out our next step. It’s best to do that from a place of calm and restfulness. Getting back to the basics like getting a good night’s sleep and having a nutritious breakfast can help activate the brain and body to work with and not against you. To learn more, read The 7-Step Journey.

5. Ask Questions
We can become complacent, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But what happens when we’re in that place is that we stop asking questions. We stop being curious. We stop pursuing goals. Next isn’t even on the list because there is no list. We’re content with things as they are. However, if you’re looking to shift from that place and figure out next, there’s nothing like a great question to get the pump primed for action. For more about this idea, read What’s Your Next Step?

It’s your turn. Which getting to next idea makes sense to you? Or, do you have another strategy that works well. Come join the conversation and share with us! 

The latest installment (v9) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has arrived with my newest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring change-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme.  You are such a wonderfully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Positive Change

Happiness researcher and expert on positive communication, Michelle Gielan writes about the science of igniting and sustaining positive change in her book, Broadcasting Happiness. She says, “…by changing the stories we transmit, we can create positive change.” Creating a positive mindset can change your life and those around you. Current research from the neuroscience and positive psychology fields identify that “small shifts in the way we communicate internally and with others can create big ripple effects on business outcomes, including 31 percent higher productivity, 25 percent greater performance ratings, …and 23 percent lower levels of stress.”

2. Interesting Experiment – Mood Change

Have you ever wondered if certain simple daily activities can help to improve your well-being? Dr. Margaret L. Kern from the University of Pennsylvania wondered too. Her ongoing Positive Intervention Study asks, “Can you increase your own well-being through a simple activity?” I recently participated in her study and you can too. I chose two affective or emotional states to focus on- inspiration and self-confidence. After selecting my focus areas, I was asked to create a digital or paper Positivity Portfolio and spend some time every day for two weeks reviewing and savoring the photos, letters, writing, and quotes that I selected. In addition, I answered questions before creating the portfolio and at the end of the two weeks. The daily engagement with my Positivity Portfolio changed my outlook. I felt even more positive and grateful.

3. Interesting Product – Wardrobe Change

Flexibility is an essential ingredient in navigating change. I discovered a new product, which is the essence of that. The metamorphic wardrobe was created by Studiomama to “create more storage, and at the same time having a flexible room divider.” If you need to easily and quickly change a space, this metamorphic wardrobe could be the perfect solution.

4. Interesting Fact – Color Change

According to Poppin, manufacturer of happy, functional organizing products, “Color coding isn’t just efficient; it also lights up the creative side of your brain, making it easier to spark new ideas.” If you’re ready for a change, introduce color into your environment to activate your creativity. Poppin’s gorgeous color-coordinated products are an excellent source of inspiration.

5. Interesting Resource – Clutter Change

Does the clutter in your life effect your daily experience? If clutter and change are on your mind, try out the Clutter Quality of Life Scale (CQLS). This tool was created by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) to help people assess for themselves the personally felt impact that clutter has on their well-being. The scale includes 18 statements to read and respond to. After you complete the form, if you supply your email address, you’ll receive a copy of your responses along with the scale description and scoring information. Before change comes understanding. The CQLS is a great place to begin.

6. Interesting Thought – Expect Change

Wanting change and creating change are two different things. Change is possible when belief is accompanied by action.

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

We’ve all heard phrases like...

“The only thing you can count on is change,”

or

“Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.”

While we understand this intellectually, change, even though anticipated, can be challenging. Sometimes we have to work at noticing something positive in the changes that happen.

This past weekend, my husband and I spent Valentine’s Day in Brooklyn with our daughters. Talk about change. Not that long ago, on a daily basis we saw, talked with, interacted with, and watched them grow. For our family, the stage of being together daily is over. The girls are now self-sufficient adults and living on their own.

As they create their lives and establish their patterns and roots, we have less family time. This is no surprise. It’s how it often is. This is an essential part of them becoming independent. However, even though it’s what we know would happen, there are times when I miss what was and the changes that have occurred. That’s normal.

“I savor this simple, joy-infused moment.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

Instead of feeling sad for the era that's passed, I focus on embracing the changes or moments that are happening now. Our daughter Allison, who was photographing me with our daughter Cassie, captured one of these celebratory moments. In those few fleeting seconds, Allison filmed the sheer joy I felt being with my kids. There was nothing unusual about the moment. We were preparing breakfast together. It was a familiar, yet much missed moment that used to be part of my daily experience – hugging, laughing, and cooking. I savor this simple, joy-infused moment.

Change is part of the human experience. Maybe you’re in the process of making changes right now. What is your experience with change? Do you find ways to seek joy along the way? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!