With the Thanksgiving season upon us, thoughts of gratitude, family, friends, food, and love are usually the focus. While there has been some “turkey talk,” more of the conversations are politics-filled, especially because of the recent election. We are passionate human beings with varying perspectives and values. Our emotions are running high. While we wouldn’t necessarily view organizing habits and politics together, I had a conversation during a client organizing session, which made me think about the connection.

My client was telling me how much she valued working with me and then mentioned an excerpt from a recent White House Press Conference, which related to her thoughts. At the press conference, President Obama was referring to the President-Elect and talking about the importance of recognizing aspects of your temperament that will or will not serve you well as President. He said that recognizing and correcting for deficits are essential to being successful in that role.

Obama used the following example to express this idea and said, 

“…I know myself well enough to know I can’t keep track of paper. I am not well organized in that way. And so pretty quickly, after I’m getting stacks of briefing books coming in every night, I say to myself, I’ve got to figure out a system because I have bad filing, sorting and organizing habits. And I’ve got to find some people who can help me keep track of this stuff. That seems trivial, but actually it ends up being a pretty big piece of business.”

We all have strengths and challenges. Even the President needs help staying organized. Positive outcomes happen when we’re able to work from our strengths and enlist the right support for our challenges.

Uncertainty exists, especially in this tumultuous political climate. However, you can choose to embrace change with the things you have within your control. Are their habits that no longer serve you? Do you see an opening for change? What support do you need to move forward? If it’s organizing help that you desire, I’m just a phone call away. Reach out. Let me help you change your corner of the world.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

One of the greatest joys in life is spending time with your loved ones. At least it is for me. There’s nothing quite like having shared experiences and some good old human, face-to-face interaction to strengthen our relationships and understanding of each other.  I had the chance to do just that on a recent a road trip with my husband, daughter and her friend. Car time is wonderful for conversing, sharing music, and enjoying each other’s company.

On this particular trip, aside from actively participating in the conversations, I was also the driver. While I was paying attention to the speed limit, traffic patterns, and road signs, I neglected to notice the gas gauge. I was so focused on dialoguing and driving, that I ignored a very important sign until it was too late…well, almost too late.

At one point my attention shifted when I noticed the yellow “out of gas” indicator light and the “zero miles remaining before the gas ran out” gauge. Fortunately, I saw the warnings right before an exit. Despite the fact that the highway exit sign didn’t indicate gas stations available, I opted to get off the highway. I thought, as did my passengers, that it would be better to run out of gas on the exit ramp than on the highway. As the story goes, there was a gas station located at the bottom of the exit. Phew! We pulled up just in time and filled the tank.

I felt stupid and embarrassed. This could have been inconvenient, not to mention dangerous. After berating myself, I had to let it go and move on. Mistakes happen. Focus shifts. No one got hurt. Our gas tank was now full. This experience left me thinking about distractions…as in in how many things can we effectively focus on at once? As it turns out, we can’t handle too many.

The moral of the story: If you have too many distractions and competing priorities, you may find yourself running on empty.

What distractions surprise you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

“In our fast-paced, always on world, it’s not difficult to access information. It comes at you at breakneck speed. Articles, blog posts, status updates, tweets- there’s never a shortage of ideas to consider.”

— Lori Eschene, Tiny Buddha founder

We're humans living in a digital world. Having 24/7 access to our technology can make us feel overwhelmed, stressed, challenged to prioritize what’s most important, and un-motivated to move forward.

By identifying some of the sources and challenges of our digital overwhelm, and by learning how to better manage them, we can increase our sense of well-being, motivation, and focus. Some of the overwhelm sources include our digital devices like our smartphones, laptops, and desktops. The addictive nature of those devices lure us with their unlimited access to emails, texts, Internet surfing, social media communities like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. There’s no shortage of digital accessibility vying for our time and attention.

Common digital overwhelm challenges include:

• Interruptions - We can be working productively and suddenly get interrupted by our phone vibrating, an email alert dinging, or a new text message buzzing. We find it difficult to ignore these distractions. We check, we respond, we lose our focus, and it takes time to get back to what we were doing.

• Difficulty Prioritizing & Focusing – In the article “Is Modern Technology Creating a Culture of Distraction?” Mathew Ingram asks the question, “Are modern devices and digital conveniences making us more distracted and less able to concentrate?” The constant barrage of continual digital input and easy accessibility makes it increasingly difficult for us to prioritize and focus on what’s most important.

• Endless – Judith Kolberg, organizer, author and industry-futurist, writes about the concept of “endless” in her book, Getting Organized in the Era of Endless. She says that there’s an endless quantity of information, endless availability, and endless accessibility. This is juxtaposed to a finite amount of time. Choice becomes essential. Judith suggests placing parameters around endless so that we can prioritize and make better decisions.

• Addiction & Reward – Researchers from a University of Chicago study found that "tweeting or checking email may be harder to resist than alcohol,” and that “social media was ‘more addictive’ than cigarettes.” According to a post by Buttoned Up,we are rewarded with feelings of “belonging and significance” when we respond to our digital devices. Responding makes us feel good and this adds to the addictiveness.

Are these challenges familiar? If so, experiment with strategies that will reduce your overwhelm and re-focus your energy.

Solutions for managing digital overwhelm include:

• Establish Boundaries – Information and demands to engage are coming faster and in larger quantities than ever before. Be clear and selective about what you will and won’t do. Align your "yeses" with your values and priorities. Have your “no” statements prepared. For example, you might say- “No, I’m not going to text while I’m having dinner with my family.” “No, I’m not going to engage in social media until I finish my report.” “No, I’m not going to check my email every 5 minutes.” “No, I’m not going to . . ."

• “Ding Management” – Reduce the sounds, alerts and pop-ups that we’re wired to respond to and find extremely hard to resist. When you need to focus, turn off your alerts. I’ve opted to turn them off permanently. There are also apps and programs like Freedom, Focus, and Self Control that enable you to lock yourself out temporarily of "rewarding" programs like email and social media sites. Here's a recent review of Self Control to give you an idea of how these types of programs work.

• Digital Blackouts – Getting "unplugged" has become a cottage industry with detox retreats, digital diets, and unplugging-themed conferences. I've noticed that more people are taking personal digital blackouts on certain hours or days. They get a mental break to unplug and focus 100% of their energy on their friends, family, or non-tech activities. If the thought of unplugging makes you anxious, try it for a short duration and build from there. In the New York Times article, “The Risks of Parenting While Plugged In,” one mom blogger who decided to establish a personal daily email and Internet ban between 4-8pm said, “If I’m at all connected, it’s too tempting. I need to make a distinct choice.” Her kids were thrilled.

• Green Breaks - Ever-present technology is designed to constantly pull our attention that can lead to mental exhaustion, overwhelm and burnout. Scientists, like cognitive psychologist David Strayer, Ph.D., agree that nature restores mental fatigue and increases creativity. Take a walk in the woods, sit under a tree, or dip your feet in the river. Unplug from your devices, go outside, and feel the positive affects on your well-being.

• Slow Down – Don’t buy into the 24/7 busyness and access. Decide to slow down and enjoy human, face-to-face people interaction, outdoor activities or, leisurely meals with your family or friends. Take time to renew, recharge, and shift your pace. One of my favorite posts, "The Elegance of Slow" by DeeAnne White, is a wonderful reflection about the benefits of indulging in non-tech, leisurely time.

I’d love to hear about your digital overwhelm challenges and solutions. What have your noticed? If you're curious, ask me my "ding management" experiment. Come join the conversation.

The latest installment (v12) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has my newest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring possibility-thinking-related finds reflecting this month’s blog theme.

You’re 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 – Productivity Possibilities

How does productivity work? Why are some people and companies more productive than others? Why do some imagine and actualize possibilities while others struggle? Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, explores these questions in his latest book, Smarter Faster Better – The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business.

The book is “about how to recognize the choices that fuel true productivity” and “…how to succeed with less effort.” He explores eight concepts, including motivation, goal setting, and decision making, that emerged from studying experiences of highly productive people and the latest research in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics.

Dughigg says, “…productivity is about making certain choices in certain ways. The way we choose to see ourselves and frame daily decisions; the stories we tell ourselves, and the easy goals we ignore; the sense of community we build among teammates; the creative cultures we establish as leaders: These are the things that separate the merely busy from the genuinely productive.”

2. Interesting Perspective - Organized Possibilities

While many believe there is a “right” way or just “one” way to be organized, let’s dispel that myth. It’s just not true. We are different.  We have diverse needs and preferences.

For organizing strategies to be effective and useful, they have to reflect our uniqueness. So, while I might prefer to have my clothes hanging in my closet, facing the same direction on matching hangers, by clothing type and in color order, you might prefer piling your clothes on the big, comfy chair in the corner of your bedroom. And you know what? If “chairdrobe” works for you, go for it! Being organized looks and feels different to each of us. What possibilities can you imagine when you take ‘should’ out of the organizing equation?

3. Interesting Research - Feel Good Possibilities

Have you noticed that in the digital age, we tend to use our fingers or voices to type, text, and communicate? We write by hand, much less. While there’s speed and efficiency when using our digital devices, we might miss out on a few things.

Research suggests that writing by hand helps the brain remember more and can make you feel good, too. Neuroscientist and author Kelly Lambert, Ph.D., says, “The brain’s reward center is connected to one of the movement centers…so one way to activate pleasure is through physical effort.” Next time you need a boost, pick up a pen and activate the possibilities.

4. Interesting Product – Time Possibilities

A favorite product I’ve featured many times is the Time Timer®, a simple time management tool designed to display time elapsing with the movement of a red disk on the timer’s face.

The company just developed a new accessory, a dry-erase board that integrates beautifully with the timer to highlight time-sensitive messages and appointments. This wonderful combo enhances the possibilities for managing our time more effectively.

5. Interesting Thought - Unleashing Possibilities

Are you having challenges moving forward, pursuing a new idea, or accomplishing a goal? Have you considered the power of your thoughts? What messages are you telling yourself? Are your thoughts enhancing or hindering your possibilities?

As the graphic here asks, “What’s stopping you?” Focus on positive thoughts and unleash amazing possibilities.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your interesting finds? Which possibilities resonate with you?  You matter. I invite you to join the conversation!