I see it every day, busy people who have added so many activities to their plates that they are overwhelmed, exhausted and not paying attention to things that matter. A client who takes over her daughter’s Brownie troupe yet doesn’t have the time to learn the rules, another who has a passion for military games so he continues to buy them despite the fact that he already has over 1,000 games. The businesswoman who wants to tackle 10 personal projects at once and wonders why she has no time left for herself or another client who thinks that she has small NYC closets yet has never worn 20% of what she owns.
We all forget to simply be in the moment. To enjoy what we have, to do a job and do it well. We instead try to perform 6 things at once and none of them particularly well. We are addicted to our Blackberries or other “stuff” that takes away our concentration from important matters such as our children, our work and even our time to rejuvenate and appreciate what we have. Can we truly say we’re happy? Do we even know what we’re doing anymore?
Being in the moment means concentrating on one thing at a time and not multi-tasking. Multi-tasking leads to jobs done part-way or even worse, our inability to care about what we’re even doing because our minds cannot process two things at once properly. We end up taking in the least important information and often disappointing others as well.
Time management means understanding how you are spending your time and knowing whether or not you can devote time to a new project. Simply because you’ve always loved photography doesn’t mean you have the time to start it now. I knew a woman who signed up for a writing course and managed to go once. Did she even get anything out of it?
How about understanding what you have in your closet and why. Are some of your belongings the result of impulse shopping when you’re having a bad day? Does a closet full of stuff you don’t like, want or need make you happy? I don’t know anyone who impulse shops who can then look at their purchases after the fact and actually feel good about it. If the activity ends up making you miserable, why continue to do it?
We need basic things to make us happy; our families, our friends, having passion in our lives yet we always seem to be pursuing materials items. We think that blouse will make us happy or we’ll buy 10 books thinking we’ll get to read them. That blouse will probably make us happy until we get it home and it sits in the closet staring at us accusingly. Those books will then sit in a corner gathering dust and every time you look at them you feel like a failure for not having the time to read them. Why not be in the moment, enjoy what you have, take on projects only when you know you can devote your time properly and always remember that yes, you CAN do anything you wish to do but you CANNOT do them all at once. Not the way they’re meant to be done and not in a way that will ever result in you being proud of a job well done.
Alison Kero, organization and productivity expert and founder of Gotham Concierge, helps business professionals develop goal achievement strategies through organizational skills. She teaches you how to stay focused in your pursuit of a goal and keep obstacles from sabotaging your efforts. Alison also helps business professionals and owners how to create the systems they need to become more organized. She teaches an easy-to-implement approach for managing your workload so you get the recognition you deserve. She arms you with the tools you need to manage your time, organize your work, and meet deadlines.
Alison Kero created Gotham Concierge in June, 2004. Alison has 15 years experience as the personal assistant to a number of high level executives in a variety of companies, trade associations, and NGOS as well as 5 years experience as a professional organizer. She understands what it means to lead a busy life, and what it takes to make things run smoothly for a busy professional. Prior to creating Gotham Concierge, Alison worked at Citigroup in International Private Banking and also worked as a freelance editor. She was notably published in the 2nd Edition of the Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy as the bibliographical researcher. Alison also appeared in the fall of 2007 with world-famous fashionista David Evangelista on the CBS Morning Show and most recently in the summer of 2008 was interviewed by NY Business TV's host Mike Ryan. Her interview can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iup99BEEjKM.
Showing posts with label organizing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organizing. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Fall Into a New Productive & Organizational Routine
A lot of opportunities tend to come our way in the fall, lot’s of school related events involving our children, networking opportunities for ourselves as well as social opportunities. How do we handle all that comes our way without completely collapsing exhausted, stressed, disorganized and unhappy?
The first way to handle all these opportunities is to remember that we can do anything, but we can’t do everything. Saying yes to everything means you’ll be unhappy and exhausted and your family will too. Pick and choose which activities to say yes to and make sure there is plenty of time for rest, relaxation and exercise. If you overexert yourself trying to do everything you’ll be rundown, highly stressed and probably working at half the capacity you’re capable of. Don’t short change yourself or your family. Take care of yourself. You’ll be setting a great example for them.
Secondly, learn to say no to opportunities you won’t enjoy, don’t have time for or just don’t want to be involved in. There are so many ways to say no in a way that doesn’t make the other party unhappy. “Thank you for offering this opportunity to me, but I unfortunately do not have the time to give this project the type of attention it deserves. I hope you think of me if another opportunity arises” is one of them. Don’t allow yourself to feel guilty for turning down an offer either it’s a time and energy waster.
Third, start a routine for your morning hours. Most of us don’t wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed, so having a routine takes a lot of the stress out of weekday morning madness. Use timers, prepare as much as you can the night before, offer less choices and have your children help as much as they are able. Not only are you teaching them to share responsibility, but you’re teaching them great organizational skills that will last them a lifetime. Often using a reward system for being on time and being organized will work. No major gifts, just something small that keeps things interesting and fun.
Be creative and use what works for you and your family. Have a happy and healthy fall.
Alison Kero, founder of Gotham Concierge, helps business professionals get organized. While she learned to master time and organizational management in her own career, she also came to recognize that many others struggled with these skills which became their career Achilles' heel.
On a mission, she launched her firm to help business people eliminate the barriers that keep them from growing in their career. She consults and trains on the skills that drive both personal and corporate productivity. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), she provides a real-world perspective on both time and organizational management and is frequently sought by the media to share her vision of this passion with others.
For more information visit: http:/www.gothamconcierge.com or you may contact Alison Kero at: info@gothamconcierge.com or on her cell at: 646-831-9625.
The first way to handle all these opportunities is to remember that we can do anything, but we can’t do everything. Saying yes to everything means you’ll be unhappy and exhausted and your family will too. Pick and choose which activities to say yes to and make sure there is plenty of time for rest, relaxation and exercise. If you overexert yourself trying to do everything you’ll be rundown, highly stressed and probably working at half the capacity you’re capable of. Don’t short change yourself or your family. Take care of yourself. You’ll be setting a great example for them.
Secondly, learn to say no to opportunities you won’t enjoy, don’t have time for or just don’t want to be involved in. There are so many ways to say no in a way that doesn’t make the other party unhappy. “Thank you for offering this opportunity to me, but I unfortunately do not have the time to give this project the type of attention it deserves. I hope you think of me if another opportunity arises” is one of them. Don’t allow yourself to feel guilty for turning down an offer either it’s a time and energy waster.
Third, start a routine for your morning hours. Most of us don’t wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed, so having a routine takes a lot of the stress out of weekday morning madness. Use timers, prepare as much as you can the night before, offer less choices and have your children help as much as they are able. Not only are you teaching them to share responsibility, but you’re teaching them great organizational skills that will last them a lifetime. Often using a reward system for being on time and being organized will work. No major gifts, just something small that keeps things interesting and fun.
Be creative and use what works for you and your family. Have a happy and healthy fall.
Alison Kero, founder of Gotham Concierge, helps business professionals get organized. While she learned to master time and organizational management in her own career, she also came to recognize that many others struggled with these skills which became their career Achilles' heel.
On a mission, she launched her firm to help business people eliminate the barriers that keep them from growing in their career. She consults and trains on the skills that drive both personal and corporate productivity. A member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), she provides a real-world perspective on both time and organizational management and is frequently sought by the media to share her vision of this passion with others.
For more information visit: http:/www.gothamconcierge.com or you may contact Alison Kero at: info@gothamconcierge.com or on her cell at: 646-831-9625.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sometimes You Just Have to Throw Stuff Out
Stuff. Everyone has plenty of it. The late comedian George Carlin had a hysterically funny bit he performed based on stuff and how we have to buy bigger homes and rent storage space just to keep up with our stuff.
There’s an amazing amount of stuff that people accumulate. Whether it’s things you buy, things you receive from attending an event, gifts people buy for you or however you got it, you’ve now got a household full of stuff.
Stuff can become overwhelming and take over your home. Last week I worked with a client to purge some of the stuff that was now threatening to take over too much space in the apartment she shares with her husband. I realized that the reasons she had kept most of the stuff were the same reasons most of us hold on to stuff. First, she didn’t know what to do with the stuff she didn’t really want or didn’t really need. Secondly, people sometimes feel that if there’s free space, it should be filled up with stuff and lastly, she kept the stuff because of environmental guilt.
So let’s tackle these problems one at a time. You don’t know what to do with your stuff. So here’s how to figure out what to do with it. Ask yourself these questions: have you used the item in the past year? No? Get rid of it. Has the stuff expired as medicines, make up, lotions, perfumes, etc? Yes? Get rid of it. Many of these items only last for a year or so and could be harmful to you. And finally, the questions you should always ask yourself when looking at what you currently own or wish to buy: do I like it and do I need it?
If you don’t like something such as jewelry given to you 20 years ago and no longer wear it, get rid of it. If you don’t need 30 pairs of shoes or 20 t-shirts, get rid of the one’s you no longer wear, look like they’re falling apart or don’t fit properly anymore.
Second problem: Filling up free space because it’s there. Free space is nice. Free space allows you to have free flowing thoughts, reduces clutter, saves time and helps you find everything quickly. Filled up space means clutter, things forgotten about, losing items, spending time finding those items, buying more items that you have because you can’t find them and on and on and on. Free space is good. Free space is what you want. Just because you have free space does not mean that you need it filled. If you allow yourself time to get used to the free space, you’ll find how beneficial it is. It’s like learning to enjoy silence, at first, it seems almost odd in a world where there seems to be noise everywhere, but once you get used to the silence, it becomes something to be cherished and held on to. Enjoy the free space.
Last problem: Environmental guilt. Okay, I made this term up myself, but I think it’s something many of my clients and me as well suffer from. Most of my clients care deeply about the environment. They recycle, they reuse and they reduce. So when they end up collecting tons of samples of items or are given gifts or start holding on to things they don’t really want, need or use, they end up feeling guilty. They could probably recycle the small sample jar of face cream, but there are several jars and there’s little time and it’s a lot of effort. Let the guilt go. Some times you just have to throw stuff out. Not everything can be recycled, reduced or reused.
If there are places to donate those items in your area, please, by all means do so. However, not everything can be donated. Sometimes there is no need for the items you don’t want or, due to laws (such as donating mattresses due to the bed bug problem) you can’t donate used items. Throw your stuff out in the garbage and while you’re at it, throw out the guilt as well.
Feeling badly because you’re tossing out items you think could be useful somewhere is waste of time. Just throw them out and think: I’m allowing myself the freedom to enjoy what I possessions I have chosen to keep. I’m allowing myself the freedom to throw things out that can’t be reused or recycled and the planet will not spiral into more peril because I did that. Guilt alone never saved anyone or anything so allowing it to control your life and your stuff is a waste of time and energy.
I hope this article has helped those of you who are beginning to feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff accumulating in your life. Whether it’s physical stuff at your home or office or even emotional stuff, there’s no room in your life to keep it all. Choose what you want to surround yourself with, who you want to surround yourself with and what makes you happy and you’ll find purging unwanted items, emotions and unhealthy relationships quickly become a thing of the past.
If you need help or support purging these items, please contact Alison Kero at: 646-831-9625 or e-mail her at: info@gothamconcierge.com to schedule an appointment. I accept in person appointments in the New York City area and I welcome all phone consultations anywhere nation wide. Good luck on purging out the negative and getting rid of unwanted stuff!
There’s an amazing amount of stuff that people accumulate. Whether it’s things you buy, things you receive from attending an event, gifts people buy for you or however you got it, you’ve now got a household full of stuff.
Stuff can become overwhelming and take over your home. Last week I worked with a client to purge some of the stuff that was now threatening to take over too much space in the apartment she shares with her husband. I realized that the reasons she had kept most of the stuff were the same reasons most of us hold on to stuff. First, she didn’t know what to do with the stuff she didn’t really want or didn’t really need. Secondly, people sometimes feel that if there’s free space, it should be filled up with stuff and lastly, she kept the stuff because of environmental guilt.
So let’s tackle these problems one at a time. You don’t know what to do with your stuff. So here’s how to figure out what to do with it. Ask yourself these questions: have you used the item in the past year? No? Get rid of it. Has the stuff expired as medicines, make up, lotions, perfumes, etc? Yes? Get rid of it. Many of these items only last for a year or so and could be harmful to you. And finally, the questions you should always ask yourself when looking at what you currently own or wish to buy: do I like it and do I need it?
If you don’t like something such as jewelry given to you 20 years ago and no longer wear it, get rid of it. If you don’t need 30 pairs of shoes or 20 t-shirts, get rid of the one’s you no longer wear, look like they’re falling apart or don’t fit properly anymore.
Second problem: Filling up free space because it’s there. Free space is nice. Free space allows you to have free flowing thoughts, reduces clutter, saves time and helps you find everything quickly. Filled up space means clutter, things forgotten about, losing items, spending time finding those items, buying more items that you have because you can’t find them and on and on and on. Free space is good. Free space is what you want. Just because you have free space does not mean that you need it filled. If you allow yourself time to get used to the free space, you’ll find how beneficial it is. It’s like learning to enjoy silence, at first, it seems almost odd in a world where there seems to be noise everywhere, but once you get used to the silence, it becomes something to be cherished and held on to. Enjoy the free space.
Last problem: Environmental guilt. Okay, I made this term up myself, but I think it’s something many of my clients and me as well suffer from. Most of my clients care deeply about the environment. They recycle, they reuse and they reduce. So when they end up collecting tons of samples of items or are given gifts or start holding on to things they don’t really want, need or use, they end up feeling guilty. They could probably recycle the small sample jar of face cream, but there are several jars and there’s little time and it’s a lot of effort. Let the guilt go. Some times you just have to throw stuff out. Not everything can be recycled, reduced or reused.
If there are places to donate those items in your area, please, by all means do so. However, not everything can be donated. Sometimes there is no need for the items you don’t want or, due to laws (such as donating mattresses due to the bed bug problem) you can’t donate used items. Throw your stuff out in the garbage and while you’re at it, throw out the guilt as well.
Feeling badly because you’re tossing out items you think could be useful somewhere is waste of time. Just throw them out and think: I’m allowing myself the freedom to enjoy what I possessions I have chosen to keep. I’m allowing myself the freedom to throw things out that can’t be reused or recycled and the planet will not spiral into more peril because I did that. Guilt alone never saved anyone or anything so allowing it to control your life and your stuff is a waste of time and energy.
I hope this article has helped those of you who are beginning to feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff accumulating in your life. Whether it’s physical stuff at your home or office or even emotional stuff, there’s no room in your life to keep it all. Choose what you want to surround yourself with, who you want to surround yourself with and what makes you happy and you’ll find purging unwanted items, emotions and unhealthy relationships quickly become a thing of the past.
If you need help or support purging these items, please contact Alison Kero at: 646-831-9625 or e-mail her at: info@gothamconcierge.com to schedule an appointment. I accept in person appointments in the New York City area and I welcome all phone consultations anywhere nation wide. Good luck on purging out the negative and getting rid of unwanted stuff!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Conquering the Influx of Mail – Paper
Mail seems to be one thing all my clients have in common. In fact, countless times, I’ve actually found checks hidden in unopened envelopes that have ranged from $1.00 to several thousand dollars. That’s money my clients didn’t know they had! Usually they like me a whole lot after that.
One of the reasons mail has become a hindrance is because there is simply too much of it. How much of your incoming paper mail is simply junk mail? Are you constantly getting mail from your financial institutions with blank checks or credit card offers? These are great if you need them, but could also be a huge liability. If your mail is stolen, you could very easily have your identity stolen. In a quick moment, you all of a sudden owe thousands of dollars that someone else spent. It’s also a great way to stop yourself from being tempted to spend money you don’t have. To easily opt out of these credit card offers once and for all visit this site to learn how: http://creditcards.lovetoknow.com/Request_Stopping_Offer_Credit_Card
Magazines are also a huge source of incoming mail. How many magazines can you truly read in 1 month? Do you find you are constantly behind on reading? Do you keep them thinking, “one day I’ll get to this?” I have one client who kept thinking he was going to get through a pile of dental magazines…. From 1985! Keep a strict limit on how many magazines you receive monthly, I limit myself to 8 for both personal and professional because I know that’s how many I can handle per month without feeling overwhelmed or getting behind. I also promptly move my magazine to the recycle bin after I receive the latest issue. If I see an article I want to keep, I tear out the article and toss the rest of the magazine, which saves a ton of space. Contact magazines you no longer read and ask them to remove you from their list. Contact companies who send you their catalogues and ask them to remove you from their list. You can almost always find their catalogue online.
Keep your shredder near the front door. If you keep the shredder far from where you place your mail, it becomes more difficult to shred unwanted mail as easily. Go through your mail immediately! Most people don’t deal with the mail right away and it grows into a large and often unmanageable pile. If you sort immediately and place all items you wish to keep in a basket, then you can immediately shred anything you know is waste. If you receive a ton of unwanted mail and wish to cut down on it, send a postcard or letter to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 15012-0643 Include your complete name, address, zip code and a request to "activate the preference service". For up to five years, this will stop mail from all member organizations that you have not specifically ordered products from.
If you are comfortable, have your financial companies send you their invoices, bills and other information via e-mail. You can then easily create a folder for that mail, set payments up automatically and quickly lower the amount of time you spend paying bills and collecting paper.
Figuring out what papers are actually important and which ones can be tossed can be stressful. What if you toss something you actually needed? What do I need and what can I part with? The easiest way to figure this out is to turn to this site: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/bank/19990714a.asp which will tell you exactly what you need to keep and toss.
Once a year, at minimum all your paper items should be weeded through and anything that is no longer needed should be tossed or shredded. You can always create different filing systems if the one you currently have in place isn’t working for you. Do colors help you remember which files are kept where? Use colors! Does the name of a file throw you? Change it to something that works better.
Constantly assess what paper is coming into your home and whether or not you truly need it. After awhile, it becomes easier to figure out what you truly need and want to look at versus what can be dropped from your list of important mail. If you place limits on yourself for what you truly need and want to read, what charities you truly want to give to (versus those who guilted you into donating money) and learn to use the word, “no”, these processes become easier and more manageable for the busy life you lead.
If you have become overwhelmed with the amount of paper you currently have in your home and have no idea on how to start, please contact Alison Kero at 646-831-9625 or info@gothamconcierge.com. You can either schedule an at-home or in-office appointment in the NYC metro area or schedule a consultation via telephone to get your time, space and life organized.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Save Time & Lower Stress by Walking Away from a Frustrating Situation
Here’s yet another time saving tip I’ve learned through experience: if you’re trying to accomplish something and it’s not working, WALK AWAY FROM IT for the time being.
I spent the better part of the day with a client last week trying to simply copy a file from NeatWorks and transfer it to another computer so I could share those files with Quickbooks. It should have been easy. “Should” being the operative word. It wasn’t.
The file was too large and would have taken 9 hours to copy and e-mail through yousenditnow.com so we decided to burn a copy to a disk and transfer it that way. This should have been even easier, but for whatever reason, after spending 20 minutes watching the disk slowly burn the information, it did not have the latest updates. Since I am trying to share the receipts I have spent hours scanning so that my client can track her expenses through Quickbooks, I was looking forward to the end result and seeing how well those two products worked together.
It didn’t work. We could not transfer that file without a tremendous amount of time being taken up. Our decision in the end was to walk away from it and try another time. In this case we were lucky since there isn’t a deadline until April 15, 2010 but even if you are on a deadline, sometimes the best thing for you to do is to walk away, even for a brief time.
Continuing to try to solve a problem may not always be the best solution. You get tired, frustrated, cranky and sometimes fidgety. Sometimes you unconsciously keep trying the same process despite the fact that it hasn’t worked. Walking away lowers your stress levels and allows you some time to process what you have done, think about why it isn’t working correctly and to maybe figure out a way to solve the issue. Either way, coming back after even a 5 minute break can be tremendously helpful. You’re eliminating the old adage of, “beating the dead horse”. I hate to think how that saying came about.
Case-in-point: yesterday I was going through a huge file folder crammed with 6 months worth of receipts for a client. I spent 1 hour going through this and organizing them into 6 different categories. After an hour I thought I was going to go nuts. First, off, it’s not like you’re busting your brain, but it is mind numbing and tedious work. Secondly, sitting and organizing receipts for an hour gets uncomfortable. You need to take small breaks in order to continue the job. I decided to simply come back next week when my mind was fresh and finish the job. However, had I needed to finish then, I would have simply taken a 5 minute break, walked around the block and then would have been able to return feeling at least slightly more refreshed.
The moral is that walking away can lower your stress levels and help you think more clearly. In the end, I find that not concentrating so hard on solving something allows your brain time to process it and in the end, can actually save you time. And it’s always all about saving time and making your life easier.
If you have a tedious project you never quite get to, try doing them in smaller increments. Set aside 10 minutes and then walk away for awhile. You do not have to get any project done in one sitting, and frankly, I find doing jobs in smaller increments much easier and less stressful. If you can’t seem to get past the mental block of the project you need to accomplish or need help getting motivated, contact me at: info@gothamconcierge.com or call on my cell at: 646-831-9625. I provide phone consultations and at-home or in-office consultations as well. Good luck with your task!
I spent the better part of the day with a client last week trying to simply copy a file from NeatWorks and transfer it to another computer so I could share those files with Quickbooks. It should have been easy. “Should” being the operative word. It wasn’t.
The file was too large and would have taken 9 hours to copy and e-mail through yousenditnow.com so we decided to burn a copy to a disk and transfer it that way. This should have been even easier, but for whatever reason, after spending 20 minutes watching the disk slowly burn the information, it did not have the latest updates. Since I am trying to share the receipts I have spent hours scanning so that my client can track her expenses through Quickbooks, I was looking forward to the end result and seeing how well those two products worked together.
It didn’t work. We could not transfer that file without a tremendous amount of time being taken up. Our decision in the end was to walk away from it and try another time. In this case we were lucky since there isn’t a deadline until April 15, 2010 but even if you are on a deadline, sometimes the best thing for you to do is to walk away, even for a brief time.
Continuing to try to solve a problem may not always be the best solution. You get tired, frustrated, cranky and sometimes fidgety. Sometimes you unconsciously keep trying the same process despite the fact that it hasn’t worked. Walking away lowers your stress levels and allows you some time to process what you have done, think about why it isn’t working correctly and to maybe figure out a way to solve the issue. Either way, coming back after even a 5 minute break can be tremendously helpful. You’re eliminating the old adage of, “beating the dead horse”. I hate to think how that saying came about.
Case-in-point: yesterday I was going through a huge file folder crammed with 6 months worth of receipts for a client. I spent 1 hour going through this and organizing them into 6 different categories. After an hour I thought I was going to go nuts. First, off, it’s not like you’re busting your brain, but it is mind numbing and tedious work. Secondly, sitting and organizing receipts for an hour gets uncomfortable. You need to take small breaks in order to continue the job. I decided to simply come back next week when my mind was fresh and finish the job. However, had I needed to finish then, I would have simply taken a 5 minute break, walked around the block and then would have been able to return feeling at least slightly more refreshed.
The moral is that walking away can lower your stress levels and help you think more clearly. In the end, I find that not concentrating so hard on solving something allows your brain time to process it and in the end, can actually save you time. And it’s always all about saving time and making your life easier.
If you have a tedious project you never quite get to, try doing them in smaller increments. Set aside 10 minutes and then walk away for awhile. You do not have to get any project done in one sitting, and frankly, I find doing jobs in smaller increments much easier and less stressful. If you can’t seem to get past the mental block of the project you need to accomplish or need help getting motivated, contact me at: info@gothamconcierge.com or call on my cell at: 646-831-9625. I provide phone consultations and at-home or in-office consultations as well. Good luck with your task!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
How to Overcome Being a Slob
Have you ever been called a slob? Do people cringe at your office space or decline invitations to your home because of the absolute mess? Have you ever wondered why you can’t seem to create a more organized environment?
I have a client I have worked with periodically over the years whom I consider to be a slob. I have found countless change, cigarette butts, dirt, hair, kitchen ware (like knives) and pieces of paper strewn about her floor. I have been unable to take even a step inside her large walk-in closet because of the many piles of things she has thrown in there which blocked the entryway. I have found birthday gifts still in their bags from her birthday that had passed a year and a half ago. I have found the mates to shoes, clothing she had been looking for, and a bathing suit inside a shoebox.
Being called a slob isn’t something anyone wants to hear about themselves. It isn’t as though you don’t care or aren’t trying, you just haven’t come up with solutions to help create a more organized and clean apartment. I want to share some tips with you today which I have suggested to my client on how to get more organized and save yourself some time.
There are usually two reasons someone becomes a slob. First, your parents were also slobs and you grew up in that environment. You may not have noticed anything was wrong until later when you realized you had never been taught any organizational skills. In this case, my client had parents who were not considered well organized and she may have learned that from them.
Second, there are underlying psychological reasons why you are living in a chaotic and often unclean mess. Since I am not a licensed psychologist, I won’t give out advice except to say perhaps talking to someone to help you feel better about yourself will help you feel you deserve to live in a clean organized environment. I wish you the best of luck. I will say that in the case of my client, who is obese, a smoker and rarely exercises but has a job where she takes care of everyone else’s needs (and I see her caretaking her friends and family constantly), this is a woman who can help everyone but herself and nothing will change until she recognizes that and slowly starts making a change to start treating herself with respect and takes care of her needs.
However, there are still tricks of the trade to help you keep your home or work place in better condition. The first is to hire a cleaning company or person to come in and clean for you! Quite obviously this is either something you do not enjoy or may not be good at. That’s okay – not everyone enjoys cleaning, but thankfully cleaning services can be pretty reasonable and you may find yourself keeping your place cleaner.
I also witnessed another client who finally had her home cleaned and it completely unnerved her and set her off. She couldn’t handle cleaning people coming in and touching anything and within a day, the home had become filthy again. Disorganization and dirt actually made this woman feel safer for whatever reason. If this is you, discovering what is inside you that won’t allow you to live in a clean, healthy environment is necessary before you can make positive changes.
My second suggestion is to use shelves and baskets to place things in. Have them near your door along with a coat rack or hooks. This makes it much easier to find items and you’re more likely to remain a bit more organized if you don’t have to walk far to place items away. Throw your shoes in a basket – at least you know where to find them. Throw your extra change into a glass jar placed on that shelf. Stick your purse on a hook or the shelf. Just make sure you periodically go through the baskets to keep them organize and free of overflow. Also, do not buy huge baskets – they aren’t useful if they are so large you can keep your entire wardrobe in them.
Respect yourself and put in a little time on your home. I’m not saying a lot of time, you are a busy person. I am asking to commit to 15 minutes a day and center on just one corner or one drawer or one cabinet to keep organized. If 15 minutes aren’t working – try 5. At least you know you have done 5 minutes. Clean an area during commercials when watching tv. That way you know you only have to for a few minutes but you’re getting stuff done. I vacuum during commercials, dust, do a few dishes. It makes the process a lot easier and kind of fun! How much can I get done during a 2 minute break?
Buy a shredder! Mail seems to be most of my client’s biggest challenge. Have a shredder near your door and as you go through your mail, toss them in the shredder if they are junk mail. Or place it in your living room and shred during a commercial break.
Set up automatic payment for your bills. Have those bills e-mailed to you instead of creating more paper. You can just keep them in your inbox, or choose to file them in a separate folder, but clicking a mouse is easier than physically pulling out a folder. Go electronic, save a tree and save yourself some time!
Make sure you take the time to reward yourself for taking the time to get yourself organized. Treat yourself even if you’ve taken 5 minutes to organize that day! Learn to respect yourself and treat yourself well. Rewarding yourself may seem foreign at first, but you deserve to treat yourself to something you like because you tried.
I wish you the best of luck on getting a bit organized and saving time. Trust me, with just these few ideas, they’ll help you to figure out where things are and will save you a ton of time when locating your items. Should you require additional organization help, I am available for phone consultations or, if you live in the NYC area, will come to your home and work with you to create a more organized, peaceful environment which you deserve to live in. Contact Alison Kero at: info@gothamconcierge.com or on her cell at: 646-831-9625. I do not judge your home or you, I am only pleased you have the courage to ask for help and take the first steps towards a more organized, harmonious life.
I have a client I have worked with periodically over the years whom I consider to be a slob. I have found countless change, cigarette butts, dirt, hair, kitchen ware (like knives) and pieces of paper strewn about her floor. I have been unable to take even a step inside her large walk-in closet because of the many piles of things she has thrown in there which blocked the entryway. I have found birthday gifts still in their bags from her birthday that had passed a year and a half ago. I have found the mates to shoes, clothing she had been looking for, and a bathing suit inside a shoebox.
Being called a slob isn’t something anyone wants to hear about themselves. It isn’t as though you don’t care or aren’t trying, you just haven’t come up with solutions to help create a more organized and clean apartment. I want to share some tips with you today which I have suggested to my client on how to get more organized and save yourself some time.
There are usually two reasons someone becomes a slob. First, your parents were also slobs and you grew up in that environment. You may not have noticed anything was wrong until later when you realized you had never been taught any organizational skills. In this case, my client had parents who were not considered well organized and she may have learned that from them.
Second, there are underlying psychological reasons why you are living in a chaotic and often unclean mess. Since I am not a licensed psychologist, I won’t give out advice except to say perhaps talking to someone to help you feel better about yourself will help you feel you deserve to live in a clean organized environment. I wish you the best of luck. I will say that in the case of my client, who is obese, a smoker and rarely exercises but has a job where she takes care of everyone else’s needs (and I see her caretaking her friends and family constantly), this is a woman who can help everyone but herself and nothing will change until she recognizes that and slowly starts making a change to start treating herself with respect and takes care of her needs.
However, there are still tricks of the trade to help you keep your home or work place in better condition. The first is to hire a cleaning company or person to come in and clean for you! Quite obviously this is either something you do not enjoy or may not be good at. That’s okay – not everyone enjoys cleaning, but thankfully cleaning services can be pretty reasonable and you may find yourself keeping your place cleaner.
I also witnessed another client who finally had her home cleaned and it completely unnerved her and set her off. She couldn’t handle cleaning people coming in and touching anything and within a day, the home had become filthy again. Disorganization and dirt actually made this woman feel safer for whatever reason. If this is you, discovering what is inside you that won’t allow you to live in a clean, healthy environment is necessary before you can make positive changes.
My second suggestion is to use shelves and baskets to place things in. Have them near your door along with a coat rack or hooks. This makes it much easier to find items and you’re more likely to remain a bit more organized if you don’t have to walk far to place items away. Throw your shoes in a basket – at least you know where to find them. Throw your extra change into a glass jar placed on that shelf. Stick your purse on a hook or the shelf. Just make sure you periodically go through the baskets to keep them organize and free of overflow. Also, do not buy huge baskets – they aren’t useful if they are so large you can keep your entire wardrobe in them.
Respect yourself and put in a little time on your home. I’m not saying a lot of time, you are a busy person. I am asking to commit to 15 minutes a day and center on just one corner or one drawer or one cabinet to keep organized. If 15 minutes aren’t working – try 5. At least you know you have done 5 minutes. Clean an area during commercials when watching tv. That way you know you only have to for a few minutes but you’re getting stuff done. I vacuum during commercials, dust, do a few dishes. It makes the process a lot easier and kind of fun! How much can I get done during a 2 minute break?
Buy a shredder! Mail seems to be most of my client’s biggest challenge. Have a shredder near your door and as you go through your mail, toss them in the shredder if they are junk mail. Or place it in your living room and shred during a commercial break.
Set up automatic payment for your bills. Have those bills e-mailed to you instead of creating more paper. You can just keep them in your inbox, or choose to file them in a separate folder, but clicking a mouse is easier than physically pulling out a folder. Go electronic, save a tree and save yourself some time!
Make sure you take the time to reward yourself for taking the time to get yourself organized. Treat yourself even if you’ve taken 5 minutes to organize that day! Learn to respect yourself and treat yourself well. Rewarding yourself may seem foreign at first, but you deserve to treat yourself to something you like because you tried.
I wish you the best of luck on getting a bit organized and saving time. Trust me, with just these few ideas, they’ll help you to figure out where things are and will save you a ton of time when locating your items. Should you require additional organization help, I am available for phone consultations or, if you live in the NYC area, will come to your home and work with you to create a more organized, peaceful environment which you deserve to live in. Contact Alison Kero at: info@gothamconcierge.com or on her cell at: 646-831-9625. I do not judge your home or you, I am only pleased you have the courage to ask for help and take the first steps towards a more organized, harmonious life.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Getting Things Done When Your Mind Wanders
There are many people who tend to start 6 projects at once because their mind tends to wander off. There are many reasons why this happens which I won't go into because I am not a psychiatrist and it really doesn't matter for this blog to be effective.
First, it's important to recognize this may be a habit you have. I know I can do this if I'm not paying attention to the task at hand. Once I got so excited after a feng shui for the bedroom course I took, I managed to start changing 4 different areas in my bedroom and hallway and managed to block the entryway. That was when I realized I had to stick to one corner/one task and then continue on to the next one or I would continue to get in my own way. Having a glass of wine while working on this project may have contributed to my blocking my entryway and starting too many projects at once, but it was a nice glass of wine and I don't regret it.
Many people find it difficult to concentrate on one task for a long period of time. Again, there are various reasons I won't get into, but to make sure you actually do get your work done and accomplish the goals you have set for yourself, there are tricks to help you stay on task.
1. Use a timer. Set it for 15 minutes or 30 minutes and do only one thing for that time period. You may not finish your task, but you will have a least gotten some of it done. Then you can start on something else or choose to continue with the task you started.
2. If even 15 minutes is too hard at first, try 5 minutes. The whole point is to start to work on something - even if it's 5 minutes of research for a paper or 5 minutes of sorting your mail, you've done at least 5 minutes!
3. Take baby steps - no one is expecting perfection right from the start and neither should you. If we all did things perfectly the first time out it would be boring and who likes boring?
4. Put it on your calendar! Make a date with yourself. If you put it on your calendar for a scheduled time you are making a promise to yourself you will do it. To do lists are great, but only if you actually do them. If you are one of those people who put things on to do lists thinking, "One day..." STOP using to do lists! They don't work for you. They probably just represent a lot of stuff you feel you failed at accomplishing and it's counterproductive. Use your calendar and make a date with yourself.
5. Always remember you can do anything, but you can't do everything. Have realistic goals, create a plan of action and then do it!
And if you're reading this and think: "I should totally try this" actually do try it. I have so many clients and friends who ask for advice and then don't actually take it. If you really want to make a positive change in your life you have to actually start making the change. Change isn't always comfortable at first, but believe me, the outcome is always worth it.
Good luck! Contact me at: 646-831-9625 if you'd like to schedule a one-on-one private professional organizing or time management session by phone. You can make a difference in the way you're living your life by getting organized! If you live in the NYC area, you can schedule an at-home session with me. Good luck either way!
First, it's important to recognize this may be a habit you have. I know I can do this if I'm not paying attention to the task at hand. Once I got so excited after a feng shui for the bedroom course I took, I managed to start changing 4 different areas in my bedroom and hallway and managed to block the entryway. That was when I realized I had to stick to one corner/one task and then continue on to the next one or I would continue to get in my own way. Having a glass of wine while working on this project may have contributed to my blocking my entryway and starting too many projects at once, but it was a nice glass of wine and I don't regret it.
Many people find it difficult to concentrate on one task for a long period of time. Again, there are various reasons I won't get into, but to make sure you actually do get your work done and accomplish the goals you have set for yourself, there are tricks to help you stay on task.
1. Use a timer. Set it for 15 minutes or 30 minutes and do only one thing for that time period. You may not finish your task, but you will have a least gotten some of it done. Then you can start on something else or choose to continue with the task you started.
2. If even 15 minutes is too hard at first, try 5 minutes. The whole point is to start to work on something - even if it's 5 minutes of research for a paper or 5 minutes of sorting your mail, you've done at least 5 minutes!
3. Take baby steps - no one is expecting perfection right from the start and neither should you. If we all did things perfectly the first time out it would be boring and who likes boring?
4. Put it on your calendar! Make a date with yourself. If you put it on your calendar for a scheduled time you are making a promise to yourself you will do it. To do lists are great, but only if you actually do them. If you are one of those people who put things on to do lists thinking, "One day..." STOP using to do lists! They don't work for you. They probably just represent a lot of stuff you feel you failed at accomplishing and it's counterproductive. Use your calendar and make a date with yourself.
5. Always remember you can do anything, but you can't do everything. Have realistic goals, create a plan of action and then do it!
And if you're reading this and think: "I should totally try this" actually do try it. I have so many clients and friends who ask for advice and then don't actually take it. If you really want to make a positive change in your life you have to actually start making the change. Change isn't always comfortable at first, but believe me, the outcome is always worth it.
Good luck! Contact me at: 646-831-9625 if you'd like to schedule a one-on-one private professional organizing or time management session by phone. You can make a difference in the way you're living your life by getting organized! If you live in the NYC area, you can schedule an at-home session with me. Good luck either way!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Suitcase Packing for Summer Months
Headed on a vacation? Good for you! So many Americans don't take their vacation times and get away. I happen to be one of them. I thought owning my own business would mean more vacation time and it so hasn't happened that way. It's terrible. So I applaud those who do take their allotted vacation times.
However, traveling has not become as enjoyable as it used to be. At least not for me. The last time I traveled it was to ski in Utah and I had to pay to check my regular luggage AND my skis. On the way back they tried to charge me extra because the bag was too heavy- (ski boots) so I ended up packing my ski boots in my carry-on and then literally put on every shirt and sweater I owned until my luggage weight 50 pounds or less. It was the principle of the moment - Delta airlines had royally screwed up my flight and the woman "helping me" was being as unhelpful as she possibly could be.
Luckily summer months are upon us, which means a lot less stuff we have to bring with us. This is great news for us! Some friends are on their way to Italy and I was suggesting a few ideas for them to maximize their trip without taking everything with them. I thought I'd share those tips with all of you.
#1 - If you can avoid checking your luggage - do so! It saves money and you won't be worried the airlines will lose your luggage - since clothing is much less bulky in the summer time, there's a good chance if you pack wisely you can just use your carry-on. This also saves a ton of time checking in at the airport and then you don't have to wait at baggage claim either. Trust me, I did this when I traveled to Berlin, Germany for a wedding last year and it was fabulous.
#2 - Roll your clothing. This takes up much less room than simply folding your clothing. If you are worried about wrinkles, check to make sure your hotel room has an iron prior to leaving or pack a small one. Or bring stuff that de-wrinkles easily or doesn't wrinkle at all. I avoid linen for this very reason.
#3 - Shoes. Unless you travel like Paris Hilton 3 pairs of shoes should be fine. One pair for walking, one pair casual pair and one dressy pair.
#4 - You don't need a whole new outfit every day. Bring clothing that you can mix and match.
#5 - Wear your clothing more than once. If you are going for a week bring 2 pair of jeans, 2-3 pair of shorts, 2 skirts, 4 shirts and a light jacket and possibly a bathing suit. If you run out of room - wear your jacket on the plane. It gets cold on those flights and you may want it anyway. If not, you can take it off and store it above you. Wear your bulkiest shoes for travel as well. You can always take them off on the flight.
#6 - Exercise your right to have a carry-on AND a purse by bringing another bag with you. I use a knapsack as my "purse" and that way I can pack much more stuff.
#7 - Buy travel sized toiletries. This helps you get through security with the 3 ounce rule plus it's much easier to carry. You can always refill the bottle with your favorite shampoo which means you can help save the environment!
#8 - If possible, buy certain things you need there. If you are going to the beach - wait until you go to buy your sunscreen. If you apply correctly and are there for a week - chances are you'll actually go through the whole bottle anyway- but you didn't need to carry it with you on the plane.
I hope these 8 tips will help everyone have an enjoyable flight this summer wherever you are traveling. To learn more about my business, Gotham Concierge, visit my website at: http://www.gothamconcierge.com or ask to be added on to my monthly newsletter which shares more information on how to organize your time, space and life. Or become a client - we handle everything you don't want to from errand running, bill payment, personal assistance, professional organizing and time management. To learn more about our Time Management seminar, contact Alison Kero at: 646-831-9625 or e-mail me at: info@gothamconcierge.com.
However, traveling has not become as enjoyable as it used to be. At least not for me. The last time I traveled it was to ski in Utah and I had to pay to check my regular luggage AND my skis. On the way back they tried to charge me extra because the bag was too heavy- (ski boots) so I ended up packing my ski boots in my carry-on and then literally put on every shirt and sweater I owned until my luggage weight 50 pounds or less. It was the principle of the moment - Delta airlines had royally screwed up my flight and the woman "helping me" was being as unhelpful as she possibly could be.
Luckily summer months are upon us, which means a lot less stuff we have to bring with us. This is great news for us! Some friends are on their way to Italy and I was suggesting a few ideas for them to maximize their trip without taking everything with them. I thought I'd share those tips with all of you.
#1 - If you can avoid checking your luggage - do so! It saves money and you won't be worried the airlines will lose your luggage - since clothing is much less bulky in the summer time, there's a good chance if you pack wisely you can just use your carry-on. This also saves a ton of time checking in at the airport and then you don't have to wait at baggage claim either. Trust me, I did this when I traveled to Berlin, Germany for a wedding last year and it was fabulous.
#2 - Roll your clothing. This takes up much less room than simply folding your clothing. If you are worried about wrinkles, check to make sure your hotel room has an iron prior to leaving or pack a small one. Or bring stuff that de-wrinkles easily or doesn't wrinkle at all. I avoid linen for this very reason.
#3 - Shoes. Unless you travel like Paris Hilton 3 pairs of shoes should be fine. One pair for walking, one pair casual pair and one dressy pair.
#4 - You don't need a whole new outfit every day. Bring clothing that you can mix and match.
#5 - Wear your clothing more than once. If you are going for a week bring 2 pair of jeans, 2-3 pair of shorts, 2 skirts, 4 shirts and a light jacket and possibly a bathing suit. If you run out of room - wear your jacket on the plane. It gets cold on those flights and you may want it anyway. If not, you can take it off and store it above you. Wear your bulkiest shoes for travel as well. You can always take them off on the flight.
#6 - Exercise your right to have a carry-on AND a purse by bringing another bag with you. I use a knapsack as my "purse" and that way I can pack much more stuff.
#7 - Buy travel sized toiletries. This helps you get through security with the 3 ounce rule plus it's much easier to carry. You can always refill the bottle with your favorite shampoo which means you can help save the environment!
#8 - If possible, buy certain things you need there. If you are going to the beach - wait until you go to buy your sunscreen. If you apply correctly and are there for a week - chances are you'll actually go through the whole bottle anyway- but you didn't need to carry it with you on the plane.
I hope these 8 tips will help everyone have an enjoyable flight this summer wherever you are traveling. To learn more about my business, Gotham Concierge, visit my website at: http://www.gothamconcierge.com or ask to be added on to my monthly newsletter which shares more information on how to organize your time, space and life. Or become a client - we handle everything you don't want to from errand running, bill payment, personal assistance, professional organizing and time management. To learn more about our Time Management seminar, contact Alison Kero at: 646-831-9625 or e-mail me at: info@gothamconcierge.com.
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