Dump Thursday

Recently we started integrating “Dump Thursday” into our weekly schedule. I’m not referring to a weekly trip to the place where trash is taken, or a comical term for a bodily function. Instead, dumping things that no longer serve you.

There’s so much stuff. Everywhere.

It seems almost like bragging rights to have a lot of stuff. If that stuff isn’t serving you well or making you happier, then why have it? Collecting “things” seems like a commodity, but what void is it filling besides negative space in your home or work?

Take the time as frequently as you need to dump. Purge the things that no longer serve you. Does it make you happy? Does it bring you joy? Does it help you? The less stuff you have that doesn’t serve you, the more space you have to be surrounded by the things that actually do make you happier!

Here are 3 reasons of why less is more:

-More time. By decreasing and simplifying the choices you make every day, the more time you have to enjoy the things that fulfill you. Imagine getting dressed every day and choosing only from clothes that you love and fit you perfectly. Imagine knowing right where your keys are as you walk out the door.

-More money. Throwing things out might not necessarily make you money, but it will save you money. The less you have, the less you’ll lose or break things. You’ll have fewer items, but higher quality and you’ll know exactly where they are.

-More joy. If your belongings are serving you well, making you happier and making your life easier, then the extra stuff was just space fillers. See, use and enjoy everything that you own and love. When it has finished serving its purpose, it’s ok to let it go.

Be intentional about the things taking up space in your life. Be it collections, clothes or even people! Respect yourself, your own time and your own space to know what is serving you well and bringing you joy.

Re-Evaluate Your Routine

How similar is your yesterday to your today? What about last week to next week? If your days are like a playlist on repeat, you are set into a routine. While exciting lives can be fun and fulfilling, having a routine lets your body know what to expect (good or bad). This can result in a healthier sleep schedule, controlled appetite and organized schedule. If the routine is not any of these from the beginning, then you’re practically scheduling a crash and burn.

Moving can really shake up this routine. Whether moving to a new house, changing jobs or getting a new car, you only realize how much everything is muscle memory and how you’re living on autopilot if something changes.

Take advantage of this otherwise inconvenient situation to re-prioritize your life and maximize your time.

1. Allow for extra time

It’s always that darn snooze button that gets me. Does it really even make a difference? No. It might feel like it at the moment you’re pushing the button, but 9 minutes later, you’re worse than before. Use those 9 minutes to be attentive to your morning routine. Slow down, think positive thoughts and enjoy preparing for the day ahead.

2. Environment

How can this new environment serve you better? How can you use this new routine to be more efficient, organized or fulfilled? Think about the things that feel unnatural as you adjust your routine to be different. Do you have more organization in a new apartment? Maybe your new car has a remote-starter. Observe the environment and use it to your benefit.

3. Awareness

You spend time doing things you don’t even realize. How often do you reach for your phone out of habit? A friend of mine recently forgot her phone at home and after the anxiety of forgetting it subsided, the peace she felt during her day was unusual and surprising. (In her words: Two glorious hours where no one could find her.) During that time, she found herself reaching for her phone. The frequency of which was alarming and disappointing to her. Being hyper-aware of your habits can help you to be more intentional of what should and shouldn’t be habitual.

So are you in a transitional time? Or are you in the middle of a long playlist on repeat? Either way, re-evaluate your routine. Is it healthy, happy and realistic? If not, adjust accordingly for a happier playlist of life.

Chuck the Junk – Simple Ways to Stay Organized at Work

Organization is about keeping order in your life. There are many benefits to being organized; efficiency, the ability to track progress, better management skills and reduced stress. A well-organized office creates a more relaxed working environment, as opposed to a cluttered or disorganized office where you are constantly searching for items or sidestepping around piles of papers.

Chucking the junk is instantly gratifying. The simplest approach is to sort your accumulations into three categories: toss, store and action items. If something hasn’t been used within a year, it is time to let it go. If you have completed a project and will not need to use it today, file it away. If it is something that needs to be addressed, place it in a to-do pile.

For sustainable organization, a structured method is needed for tackling that to-do pile. Can’t complete that large stack of paperwork by the end of today? Prioritize what needs to be taken care of first, and separate the pile into more manageable stacks. Once a task has been completed, file it away. Now that your desk is clear, keep it that way by dealing with every piece of paper, immediately, that comes across your desk. Toss it, store it, or put it into the to-do pile.

Preserve the stickies: Use technology to your advantage by securely saving phone numbers, passwords and often-used data in your phone or computer. Use pop-up reminders to keep track of meetings and deadlines. There are many online organizers available; once you are familiar with how they work they can be very helpful.

With an established system, your office should run like a well-oiled machine. Organizational skills establish a sense of trust and professionalism in the workplace. A well-organized manager projects an image of reliability and control. This helps to more easily win the trust of clients and associates.

Clear the Mind Clutter to Increase Productivity

Clear the Mind Clutter to Increase Productivity.

Like many of us, you may have a large workload that may seem overwhelming at times. Whether you are trying to complete a simple task or complex project, you will need to organize your thoughts to be efficient. A good way to begin is to assess where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Being aware of these can help you to strategize how to overcome where you may fail at completing a task.

Consider breaking down your process, even if you do it in your mind. A large project is much more manageable if it is broken down into smaller tasks. A favorite method of mine is to create a to-do list that prioritizes the tasks in order of importance. Determine realistic expectations of how much you can accomplish, and consider if one task will facilitate the completion of another.

By categorizing your duties, you can group similar tasks together that could be completed at the same time or sequentially. This can save time from having to go back and forth between different categories, increasing the chance of making an error.

Being a team player is a great thing. However, if it means saying no to taking on additional tasks (no matter how small) so you can complete your work, I would highly recommend it. Prioritize your own duties first, and if there is time left over, you can help out with extras.

Commit your time to producing the best quality of work possible, and avoid time spent correcting mistakes later on. This will help you to manage your time and to be seen as a dependable, valuable asset to your organization.