Category Archives: Uncategorized

Tired of being stuck at the office?

Pixabay SummerHave you been getting the most out of your summer so far?  Some of my clients don’t take advantage of the extra time with their friends and family (no school, vacations, etc.) because they aren’t organized enough to feel comfortable leaving the office.  Possibly adding some efficiency to your every day processes will help you get out of the office with a clear conscience.

Here are some quick tips to get you out the door faster:

  1.  Begin with a “to do” list.  Whether you produce your list the afternoon before, or the morning of, each day should start with a clear picture of what needs to get done.
    • Tackle the hardest things first while you are full of energy.
    • Prioritize your list.  Determine what is urgent, important and possibly just aspirational.  Chances are everything on your list may not get done. (Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Principle)
    • Work in short, concentrated spurts.  Working a solid 45 minutes, then taking a 5 minute break is generally more productive than working three hours straight.
  2. Delegate when possible.  My guess is that everything on your list doesn’t have to be done by you.  If you have the support structure available, use it.  Caution:  Make sure you can truly let the project go.  Micromanaging something you’ve delegated may take more time than doing it yourself.  When delegating, ensure the person assisting you has all the tools to do the job efficiently and correctly.
  3. Determine what is “good enough.”  Does the analysis need to come with a pie chart?  If not, let the pie chart go.  Does the budget need to be broken down into 100 categories or will 10 suffice?  Ensure that the scope of the project is covered, but determine if the extra time to go into more detail, etc. is really necessary.
  4. Be open and clear with others about your time commitments.  If you generally don’t leave the office before 6:00, changing your pattern to leaving at 4:30 without clearly communicating the change to your associates may prove to be frustrating and unproductive for them.  For example, I had a boss that was always in at 6:30 AM.  If I wanted uninterrupted time with him, I came in early. I relied on his schedule to get my work done. In addition, be respectful of your co-worker’s schedules.  Don’t schedule meetings that may extend outside of the reasonable working hours: let’s say no meetings before 8:30 or starting after 3:30.
  5. If you want to leave the office at 4:30, start the exit process early, maybe at 4:00 – 4:15.  Chances are it will take some time to shut down your computer, have those last few-minute conversations with your co-workers, clear off your desk, etc.
  6. Resist the urge to do “just one more thing” as you see your exit time approaching.  As long as the critical tasks have been completed, give yourself permission to leave the office knowing the world will continue to rotate and the tasks will happily await your attention the next day.  🙂

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify CMYK

 

www.organizetosimplify.com

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

206-707-3458

National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Area Chapter President

seattle

 

 

Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Six Certificates of Education

ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website

Have you lost your mojo?

About a month ago I lost my mojo.  You know what mojo is, right?  According to the Cambridge Dictionary it’s “a quality that attracts people to you and makes you successful and full of energy.”

2016.05.18 Harley at Library #2

Harley visited the Everett Library weekly for a Paws To Read program.

 

I can trace it back to the day we lost our 12-year old Boxer, Harley.  He was one of the best dogs we’ve ever had and his passing left a huge hole in my heart.  Nothing else seemed to matter, I just wallowed in sadness.  For those of you that aren’t close to your pets, you won’t get it; for those of you that consider pets a part of the family, you will.

 

 

Anyway, I lost my mojo.  I failed to see the importance in important things.  I lost my drive.  I started focusing on easy, non-critical tasks.  Lots of things just didn’t seem to matter.  Well, that can only go on so long before things start to fall apart and something has to change.  That trigger for change was yesterday.  I decided to acknowledge that I’d been coasting for a month and that I needed a swift kick in the rear to get back on track.

What can we do to get our mojo back when we’ve lost it?

  1.  Acknowledge and respect the event that caused the change.  Give yourself permission to have changed your behavior for a while.  We can’t be at 110% all the time.  There are times we are just tired, fed up, frustrated, sad, angry . . . whatever.  Once the trigger is identified and acknowledged, it somehow loses some of it’s power.
  2. Decide that “enough is enough.”  Most of us can’t coast forever.  Our families deserve more.  Our business can’t support it.   Take that first step toward change.
  3. Make a list of things that need to be done.  Fortunately, and most importantly, my personal life was in pretty good shape, but I was way behind with business responsibilities.  I’d not been keeping up on my weekly blogging, my newsletter hadn’t gone out, I’d missed some teleclasses that needed to be made up.  There were just some things that NEEDED to be done to get back on track.
  4. Find an accountability partner to help keep motivated.  I’m fortunate to have a fantastic coaching partner that let me talk through the process and helped me determine my next steps to get on track.  For example, today I committed to sending some personal notes and writing a blog.  When I get done with both of those things, I will be sending her an e-mail.  It’s nice to have someone, besides myself, that’s interested in my success.

Yesterday I was pretty down on myself.  Today, I feel like a new person.

Motivated.  Encouraged.  Successful.  Empowered.

It was not an easy transition, but I made it.  And if you find yourself in the very same place, you can get it back too!

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify CMYK

 

 

www.organizetosimplify.com

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

206-707-3458

National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Area Chapter President

seattle

 

 

 

Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Six Certificates of Education

ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website

 

How do you learn stuff? Process and Interaction

Pixabay BrainAs I mentioned in my blog post last week, I recently completed a year-long Coaching curriculum intended to increase the effectiveness of the organizing and consulting client work I do.  One of the things that resonated most with me was an in-depth study of how we each individually learn  and interpret our environments (learning modalities).

Denslow Brown, Master Certified Coach, breaks down learning modalities as follows:

Sense-based modalities (last week’s blog post covers these):

  • Visual
  • Auditory
  • Kinesthetic
  • Tactile
  • Taste/Smell

Other significant ways people process information and interact with their surroundings:

  • Verbal (language)
  • Emotional
  • Cognitive
  • Intuitive

Each of us probably use all of these modalities at different times.  Each of these modalities can be strong or weak within each individual, and can present as hypo-sensitive or hyper-sensitive.

Verbal (language): Involves the language center of the brain and includes both the spoken and written word.

Weak to strong indicators:  Someone may be weak in this modality if they have aphasia (loss of language) or if their brain struggles with language processing.  Alternatively, someone very gifted in the verbal modality may be an excellent teacher, linguist, or motivational speaker.

Emotional:  Impacts how we interpret our feelings and connections with people, places, and things.

Weak to strong indicators:  A person weak in the emotional modality may have difficulty perceiving, expressing, understanding, or managing emotions.  People who are strong in this modality could include therapists (tapping into and expressing client emotions) and actors who can feel and emulate emotional connections.

Cognitive:  Incorporates the processes of understanding and mental knowing.

Weak to strong indicators:  Someone weak in this modality may not have the ability to think through processes or apply logic to situations.  This could be the result of a medical condition, lack of confidence or training.  Someone strong in this modality has the ability to “think outside the box” developing new concepts (inventor) and solving complex problems (mathematician).

Intuitive:  Knowing something without proof or rationale.  “You know what you know but don’t know why.”

Weak to strong indicators: A person that is weak in this modality potentially is unaware or not tuned into things that are not based on fact or reliable knowledge.  Alternatively, a person strong in this modality may present as the person that always knows the right way to go at the fork in the road.  They don’t know why they know, they just know.

Once I learned about all the different modalities, I used that knowledge to change how I interacted with my family, friends, and clients.  I learned that I’m very much a verbal processor.  I like to talk.  Knowing that, I remind myself constantly to not interrupt or monopolize conversations.  Alternatively, if a client is highly cognitive, I know I need to give them some extra time to process what I’ve said before moving on to the next subject.  All this modality learning has allowed me to be much more in tuned to myself and others.

If this small bit of information has you curious, you may be interested in getting a copy of Denslow Brown’s Modalities Guide

Note:  If you, or someone you know, could benefit from Life/ADHD coaching, please contact me.  My passion is working with people to help them become the vision of who they want to be!

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify CMYK

www.organizetosimplify.com

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

206-707-3458

National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Area Chapter President

seattle

 

 

 

Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Six Certificates of Education

ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website

 

How do you learn stuff? Sense-Based Modalities

Pixabay BrainI recently completed a year-long Coaching curriculum (I’m so excited!).  One of the things that resonated most with me was an in-depth study of how we each individually learn things and interpret our environments (learning modalities).

Denslow Brown, Master Certified Coach, breaks down learning modalities as follows:

Sense-based modalities:

  • Visual
  • Auditory
  • Kinesthetic
  • Tactile
  • Taste/Smell

Other significant ways people process information and interact with their surroundings:

  • Verbal (language)
  • Emotional
  • Cognitive
  • Intuitive

Each of us probably use all of these modalities at different times.  Each of these modalities can be strong or weak within each individual, and can present as hypo-sensitive or hyper-sensitive.

Personally, I found myself to be very strong in visual, kinesthetic, and verbal modalities.  This partially explains why I’m pretty good with finding lost golf balls; why I have to be moving all the time; and the fact that I love to talk!

During this post, I’ll just give you a basic understanding of the sense-based modalities. The others will be covered next week.

Visual: How our eyes see things and our brain’s process the information.

Weak to strong indicators:  If someone has a visual impairment or their brain doesn’t process visual cues (can’t “see” something that’s right in front of them), this modality may be weak for them.  Alternatively, someone may present as strong in this modality if they can discern slight variations in visual cues (think artists, architects, etc.).

Auditory: How we hear and process through the brain’s auditory and language centers.

Weak to strong indicators:  Like the visual modality, an auditory weakness can be based on a physical impairment or auditory processing problems.  Conversely, someone who is strong in this modality will be able to excel in areas like music, interviewing, and psychotherapy where careful listening is required.

Kinesthetic (one of my favorites):  Moving and engaging the body and how the body interacts with space.

Weak to strong indicators: Limited use of this modality may be caused by injury or age-related conditions causing diminished muscle control and lack of coordination.  Strong kinesthetic modality will present in those that use their bodies with precision, like athletes, performance artists, etc.

Tactile: How things feel as experienced through the skin, hands, feet and tongue.

Weak to strong indicators: A person weak in this modality may have difficulty differentiating between textures, feeling hot vs cold, etc.  Alternatively, those strong in this modality will tend to be those with very refined touch abilities like surgeons, massage therapists, etc.

Taste/Smell: Responding to odor or taste through the nose, mouth, and the olfactory center of the brain.

Weak to strong indicators:  Aging and medical conditions may be the cause of missing or distorted abilities in this area.  Those strong in this modality would present in occupations such as chef, sommelier, etc.

Taking a closer look at how my family, friends, and clients learned things and interpret the world around them changed how I communicate.  For example because I’m very kinesthetic (as are some of my clients), if there is a crucial conversation that needs to take place, we will have the conversation while on a walk.  Not only does it feel good, the information is processed more effectively!

If this small bit of information has you curious, you may be interested in getting a copy of Denslow Brown’s Modalities Guide

Note:  If you, or someone you know, could benefit from Life/ADHD coaching, please contact me.  My passion is working with people to help them become the vision of who they want to be!

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify CMYK

 

www.organizetosimplify.com

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

206-707-3458

National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Area Chapter President

seattle

 

 

 

Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Six Certificates of Education

ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website

Simple Garden Tool Organization

Pixabay Garden Shed v1Well, Spring has certainly sprung around the great Pacific Northwest!  The four consecutive days over 80 degrees recently got me thinking less and less about organizing inside the house and more and more about organizing outside the house.  Specifically, organizing all the assorted lawn and garden tools and equipment tucked in various places: garage, shed, assorted outside storage nooks and crannies.

As with any organizing project, before we can get down to actual organizing, we need to know exactly what it is that we need to organize.

So, the first thing that needs to be done is to gather all your tools and equipment in the same place, putting “like-with-like.” For example, all the hand trowels need to go together, all the gloves need to be in one area, all the rakes need to be placed together.  You get the idea.

Once you’ve placed like-with-like, decide if everything needs to be kept and, therefore,  organized.  Do you have far more rakes that you could possibly use?  Can you donate a few?  Are some of the hand trowels bent and rusted and need to be thrown away?  Are there mismatched gloves that need to be thrown away?  There is no need to plan on organizing things that really don’t need to be kept.

Once all the items are together, think about the space where you plan to keep your tools and accessories.

  • Is there an option for hanging a tool rack?
  • Do you need a free-standing option?
  • Would it help if the storage were mobile?

Once you’ve determined what will be organized and where the organization will take place, the fun part begins!  How to corral everything. There are literally hundreds of storage options ranging from a simple nail in the wall to hang a trowel or a bag of gloves, all the way up to systems that cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

Here are some options that fall in between:

For hand tools:Amazon Hand Tool Storage

Free-standing option:Amazon Free Standing

Wall organizer for large and small tools:Amazon Small and Large Garden Tool Storage

Moveable storage:Amazon Moveable Garden Storage

Wearable organizers: Amazon Garden Tool Belt

5-gallon bucket organizer:Amazon Bucket Storage

Combination large/small wall organizer:Amazon Combined Garden StorageEverything is easier to do if we can find the tools we need for the job.  There are many, many options for whatever you need to organize and wherever you need to organize it.  Whatever your choice, the best advice I can give is to just get outside and enjoy this amazing place in which we live!

 

Note:  All organizing tool images: Amazon.com.

Honoring Earth Day: How to Keep Mother Earth Happy and Healthy

Pixabay Tree Earth“The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. For more information, visit www.earthday.org

The three pillars of environmental responsibility:  Reduce.  Reuse.  Recycle.

Reducing the amount of waste we create and energy we consume is the most effective, and possibly simplest, way to help Mother Earth.

A few easy suggestions:

  • Reduce the amount of mail that comes in your home by unsubscribing from mail you don’t want or need. These websites can help you with that:
  • Reduce energy consumption (a big drain on the environment) by turning down the heat, shutting lights off, carpooling when possible, lowering the temperature on the water heater, washing your clothes on the “cold” setting, etc. Every little bit helps!
  • Create a network of friends and neighbors to borrow or lend items you don’t use frequently. For example, I have a table saw.  Once I completed the project I purchased it for, I only use it a few times a year.  I’d be happy to loan it to a friend or neighbor.  What do you have in your house you could do the same with?  (Facebook is a great way to get the word out.)

Finding a way to reuse what no longer serves in its original purpose is another great way to help the environment. (If you watch Flea Market Flip or any of those types of shows, you will also hear the term “upcycle”.)

How to do that?

  • Look at any sturdy packaging you may be about to throw away.  Can it serve another purpose? Shoe boxes become drawer organizers.  Empty cottage cheese containers become food storage. Tin cans become pencil cups (you may want to decorate them up a bit.)  You get the idea.
  • Invest in reusable shopping bags.  In addition to the kind the retainers sell, there are some really fun and practical choices on Amazon.
  • Use cloth vs paper napkins.  The energy it takes to create a paper napkin is unbelievable!  If you want the stats, click here.   I would imagine the energy consumption to produce paper plates and plastic forks would be the same. Use “real” silverware and dishes whenever possible.
  • There are many, many great charities that support individuals that could really use what you don’t need.  Do some research on what’s available in your area.  Give where it feels good.

And then there’s recyclingPixabay RecyclingRecycling has been around for long enough that most of us are in the groove.  As a matter of fact, some cities are actually fining folks that don’t recycle and compost efficiently.  Mother Earth thanks those cities from the bottom of her beautiful heart.

Some thoughts on this:

  • Check your local municipality for recycling guidelines . . . I’m amazed at how much they differ!
  • Go that extra step when looking to make a purchase and look for items made out of recycled products.

At Organize To Simplify, we are dedicated to giving back to others and the environment by celebrating Earth Day every day!

“Together we can help others and the environment by reducing, re-purposing, and recycling items you no longer need to lessen the long-term impact on our environment.”

How do you celebrate Earth Day?

Cindy Jobs

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

Organize to Simplify RGBwww.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - Web   National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website   Certified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

 

 

 

Taxes are Taxing: Take Care Of Yourself!

taxes-646511_960_720It’s hard for me to believe, but the the first quarter of the year is already in the books and taxes are due next week.  Hopefully you are one of the lucky, non-procrastinators that filed their taxes long ago and have done something fun with the huge refund the I.R.S. sent you.

Then there’s the rest of us for whom I offer the following.

You are not alone.

According to TheConversation.com approximately 30% of the 2014 taxes were anticipated to be filed in the final two weeks before the deadline.  Why do we procrastinate?

  • Laziness:  We just don’t want to do it.  Who can’t see themselves in this one?
  • Thrill-Seeking:  We think we work better under pressure.  Generally we don’t.
  • Lack of Urgency:  There’s no penalty for dropping them off at the post office at 11:59 PM on April 18th.  Why hurry?
  • Availability of Extensions:  Extensions don’t mean you have more time to PAY, just more time to file.  If you are expecting money back, why extend?
  • We Don’t Expect a Refund: If you aren’t getting money back, why give Uncle Sam our money a minute earlier than we have to?

Well, whether we expect a refund or not, there is still stress and anxiety involved in filing our taxes at the last minute.  Knowing that, some additional self-care may be in order.

silhouette-1082172_960_720What the heck am I talking about?  Well, when I work with clients and they’ve completed a task that is hard, stressful, anxiety-ridden, emotionally taxing, or one they’ve procrastinated on, I suggest they spend some additional time focusing on their personal self care.

Self-care takes many forms and what works for one doesn’t always work for another, but here are some of my favorites:

  • Sleep:  Treat yourself to an extra few minutes of sleep, or even better, indulge in a nap.   According to the Mayo Clinic napping reduces fatigue, increases alertness, and improves our mood.
  • Exercise: Take a nice, long walk with a friend, join in on a fun exercise class at the gym, or even just dance around the house to your favorite song.  According to the CDC (cdc.gov) “People who are physically active for about 7 hours a week have a 40 percent lower risk of dying early than those who are active for less than 30 minutes a week.”
  • Eat something that makes you feel good:  There are physical and mental benefits of sitting down to a healthy fruit and cheese plate, a nutritional smoothie, or a nice bar of dark chocolate (it’s good for us, right?).  Indulge!
  • Meditate:   Sometimes we just need to block out our crazy world!  According to  Charles L. Raison, MD, clinical director of the Mind-Body Program at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, meditation improves both physical and emotional responses to stress.

So, whatever your tax filing situation is, know that once it’s behind you, the stress may not be.  Relax, rejuvinate, have some fun . . .  you deserve it!

Cindy Jobs

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

Organize to Simplify RGBwww.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - Web   National Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 website   Certified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

It Is Clutter Awareness Week: Can you identify clutter?

“Clutter is postponed decisions.”
— Barbara Hemphill

This is National Clutter Awareness Week.  Most of us think we can identify clutter when we see it, but can we?

Kitchen BeforeLet’s take a look at some of the items we can identify in the picture above and determine:

Clutter or Correct Place?

Stack of Ziploc bags.  Although we use Ziploc bags in the kitchen, the extra boxes probably would be better stored in the pantry.  Clutter.

Sleeping bag.  Does a sleeping bag belong in the kitchen?  No.  Clutter.

Small filing system:  The filing system may very well belong in the kitchen even though our first instinct would be that it belongs in an office.  If the kitchen is where the homeowner pays bills and does their filing, then it makes perfect sense.  Correct Place.

Pest control product:  There may very well be pests in the kitchen, but the pest control product more appropriately should be stored away from food.  Clutter.

Large slow cooker:  If this appliance is used on a regular basis, then this is the perfect place for it.  If it is only used occasionally, then it should be placed in a more out-of-the-way place.  Correct Place.

Lots and lots of plastic storage containers:  Plastic containers are certainly used in the kitchen, however, the sheer quantity of containers we see in this picture pushes them into the clutter category.  Clutter and Correct Place

There were lots and lots of decisions to be made while working with this homeowner, but she was motivated and determined to take back her kitchen.  Here’s how we left it at the end of our work together.  She’s happy to report to me (on a regular basis) that her counters are still clear and her kitchen functions more as a kitchen and less as a storage area.  I’m so proud when my clients can maintain and improve upon the work we do together!

Kitchen 4 After

Cindy Jobs

cindy@organizetosimplify.com

Organize to Simplify RGB www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

5 Tips to Survive the Time Change

spring-forward-clockI don’t know about you, but I’m not looking forward to losing an hour of sleep this weekend!  I really, really enjoy a good 7-8 hours of sleep each night and cutting it back, even an hour, really messes with me.  I hesitate to say, it may even make me a bit cranky, so I decided to do some research on how to help myself.

Here are a few simple steps that may make the transition just a bit easier for you too.

  1.  Start going to bed 15 minutes earlier in the days leading up to Saturday night.  Make every effort possible to be get plenty of sleep the week before the time change.  How much sleep is that?  The National Sleep Foundation has some guidelines on that.
  2. Maintain your regular eating and sleeping schedule.  Eating earlier or later than your body is used to will cause it additional confusion.  Maintain healthy nutrition (like we shouldn’t do that every day!) so you body isn’t trying to combat a lack of sleep and nutrition at the same time.  If you normally go to bed at 11:00 and get up at 7:00, follow that schedule on Saturday/Sunday also.  Your body’s going through enough without changing that schedule too.  Plus, if you don’t maintain your Sunday schedule, Monday will be even more difficult!
  3. Get some additional exercise a few days leading up to Saturday.  Several studies site the benefits of exercise (but not right before bed) in helping our bodies and brains wind down faster, resulting in better sleep.
  4. Go outside.   Sunlight on your SPF-protected skin will help your body’s circadian rhythm get back in sync.
  5. Resist taking a long nap on Sunday.  Although we may be tempted to get that lost hour of sleep back by taking a nice, long nap on Sunday afternoon, resist the urge.  If you do feel like a nap is in order, keep it to around 20 minutes.  Anything longer will also mess with your circadian rhythm.

Other tips from Dr. Yoseph Krespi, Director of the Center for Sleep Disorders at Lenox Hill Hospital:

  • Drink plenty of liquids, yet avoid caffeine and alcohol later in the day.
  • Make your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary: dark, quiet, and cool (somewhere in the mid to upper 60’s is perfect).
  • Don’t tackle any complex tasks right before bed.  Your brain will find it more difficult to shut down.
  • Start unwinding an hour before bed.   Have a cup of chamomile tea, take a bath, relax. If you are relaxed vs. stressed when you actually make it to bed, your body will have less to do before going to sleep.

Although I’m not looking forward to losing an hour of sleep this weekend, I am looking forward to what it means . . . . Spring is right around the corner!  Bringing with it the promise of more sun and more time enjoying the great outdoors!

Cindy Jobs

Organize to Simplify RGB www.organizetosimplify.com

Member Color - WebNational Association of Professional Organizers, Seattle Chapter President
 ICD_LogoTag_Horz_72 websiteCertified Premium Subscriber, Institute for Challenging Disorganization

 

Efficient Office Organization

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” 

Alexander Graham Bell

DTS 06.15.14 Laptop on Desk with PlantI work a lot in home offices and clients often ask me what it would take to make their space more efficient and functional.  It all boils down to  setting yourself up, physically and psychologically, for success.  Here are a few tips:

  1.  Whenever possible, select a space that fits your working style.  Do you need quiet and solitude?  Then find an out-of-the way spot or, ideally, an office with a door.  Do you need to have the hustle-and-bustle of other people?  Then find an office near high-traffic areas.  If you have a home-office, but also need hustle-and-bustle, plan part of your working day at the library or your favorite wi-fi enabled coffee shop.
  2. Define what you will be doing in the space (reading, typing, printing, filing, phone calls, etc.) and ensure that all the equipment you need to perform each task is in the same space.  It’s a big time-waster to have to leave your office to retrieve files or pick up your printing from another room.
  3. Furniture and Equipment:  Make sure your desk is at the right height, helping to ensure better posture.  Your office chair should have good support, be on wheels and swivel.  This will afford you better access to other equipment and tools you may need (printer, phone, supplies, file cabinet, etc.).  Be careful to not over-crowd the space, however.  Just because you can fit a recliner in your office for reading tasks, doesn’t mean you should.  Keep the space as open an inviting as possible.
  4. Ensure you have great lighting.  Task lighting is especially important in home offices where overhead lighting may not be placed directly above the work area.  I like OttLite products as they are both fun and functional, but choose whatever light works in your space.
  5. Invest in the right supplies in the right quantities.  Especially when we are working from home, we sometimes don’t keep the appropriate supplies on hand.  Invest in the best quality you can afford and have a back-up of critical supplies available.  There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of printing the proposal for tomorrow’s meeting and running out of ink or high-quality paper!
  6. When you walk into your office, be in the mindset that you are there to work.  Especially when we work from home, there is a tendency to co-mingle work and play time in our offices.  Although there’s nothing wrong with taking a quick break to check on your Facebook friends, give yourself a limit.  Remember, this time and space is set aside so you can be productive and achieve your goals.

When you prepare yourself and your office with efficiency and functionality in mind, success will follow!