Archive for balance

10 Silly Things Organizers Argue About

Signpost My Way your wayWhen professional organizers argue, it’s often just a matter of semantics. And when I say argue….well, that’s just semantics too. Disagree and misunderstand might be more accurate terms. We are, mostly, a congenial and supportive bunch! Sometimes we don’t even truly disagree, but we’re playing devil’s advocate; or exploring a new twist on an old theme for the sake of a great blog post title; or forging a new market niche by using a unique phrase.

The reason for this post is that I imagine the public, and new organizers, must sometimes feel confused. “Hey, wait a minute, this experienced organizer is saying just the opposite of what I always thought, and the opposite of what this other respected organizer said!?”

Here are some examples: (more…)

The Chinese Menu Time Management Technique

Chinese Menu Time Management fortune cookieAre you familiar with the Happy Family Chinese-American restaurant meal? Choose one item from menu Column A, one from Column B… and with six you get egg roll…?

Well, that’s how I manage my time. Allow me to explain…

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Why Am I Organized and You Aren’t?

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-why-image10879293The first thing you should know is that I am not a psychologist and this is not a scientific paper. I’m just a professional organizer sharing some personal observations. The second thing you should know is that I’m not organized in every possible way at all possible times! And my standards (what “organized” looks like, and how it works at my house) may differ from yours. But, as a rule, I’m more organized than my clients are.

So, why am I organized and you aren’t? Here are some theories, in no particular order. Which one sounds true for you? (more…)

How to Live and Work by Design, not by Default

Living and working BY DEFAULT means choosing the easiest path, either by unconsciously resorting to bad habits, or by maintaining the status quo. Sometimes we seek to avoid the conflict that can come with making a change. Sometimes we feel we have no choice in the matter. But I’m with Henry Ford, who said, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you are right.”

Those who live and work BY DESIGN notice when things aren’t going well, and make adjustments accordingly. They live more calmly, purposefully, and mindfully.

Here are some examples: (more…)

All I Really Need to Know About Organizing I Learned in Yoga

woman and yoga

As a professional organizer I have found that yoga provides a perfect metaphor for the balance we are all seeking in our lives. Balance helps us organize our space, manage our time, and improve our relationships with ourselves and others.

Here are 7 lessons I have learned from yoga class. They are all based on, but not limited to, Bikram yoga, an intense 90-minute workout consisting of 26 poses, done in 105 degrees, and 40 percent humidity. The idea behind the heat is partly to sweat toxins out of your body, but it also enables you to go deeper into the poses, getting greater benefit from each one, without hurting yourself.

2020 NOTE: This post predates the 2017 conviction of Bikram Choudhury for sexual assault and harassment. Ugh! (I totally believe the allegations.) But the principles in this blog post are timeless and universal.

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Are You Living a Balanced Life?

It’s popular these days to claim that a balanced life is impossible to achieve. So why try? I agree that it’s a waste of energy to strive for a perfect balance between your work life and personal life. And it’s certainly not going to be balanced every day, or every week. To the extent that you can integrate the two, by working at something you love and being your own boss, more power to you! But I still think there are ways to restore balance to your life when you find yourself listing to one side and going in circles.

I love this quote:

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”  — Albert Einstein

What else can bicycle riding teach us about life? Here are some lessons I’ve learned:

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