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Terri Stephens

Terri Stephens, CPO, CRTS

Certified Professional Organizer�
Certified Relocation & Transition Specialist�

(678) 513-6585

 

[email protected]

www.therealorder.com

Check out our new website!

 
IN THIS ISSUE
Do It Now
Ways We Can Help
Tips for Using Time Wisely at Work
The Right Tools - Product Recommendations
Learn from the Experts - Resources
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DO IT NOW

If you struggle with procrastination, put up signs that say DO IT NOW. You don't always have to follow them, and sometimes you shouldn't - a healthy lifestyle maintains balance between enjoying the present and preparing for the future. But with the signs up, you'll find yourself "doing it now" more often. Ask the people you live with to say "Do It Now" - but that's all - when they see you putting off something that could easily be done now rather than later.

Man with Clock

WAYS WE CAN HELP

You can save money. You'll know what you already own, eliminating the need to buy duplicate items. A professional organizer can help you find the perfect organizing products for your space and lifestyle, so you stop wasting money on things you don't need or won't work.

 

You can become more productive and efficient. A professional organizer can create order and structure out of chaos. You'll receive systems that work for your dominant learning style, your lifestyle, your needs, your challenges, and your dreams.

 

You'll have a positive self-image and ditch the shame. Once your home or office is neat and tidy, you won't feel embarrassed to have guests visit. The guilt will fade away as you take pride in your surroundings.

 

You'll have a healthier environment. Physical and emotional clutter obscures your surroundings. An organized home and office is more easily cleaned. Lose the clutter and cut down on time spent moving piles of paper and stuff around.

 

Your stress level will decrease dramatically. When you can find what you need, are on top of your to-dos, and arrive on time, you'll feel calmer and have more peace of mind. No more feeling overwhelmed by life -- you'll be the one in control.

 

You'll discover more time for yourself. When you're organized, your days go as planned, and you get a lot more done. That leaves more time to indulge in a little "me time."

 

Your energy will shine. Clutter is a mask and a professional organizer can help you take off that mask. Once the clutter is removed, you can showcase your talents, skills, and personality and have the life you deserve.

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July 2011

Greetings!

I think the majority of people struggle with managing their time and getting things done - it's just a matter of degree. There's nothing more frustrating than being busy, busy, busy ... yet feeling as though you're spinning your wheels and not getting anything done. Have you ever wondered why some people are able to accomplish so much more in the same amount of time than others? They still manage to have a normal life and have a smile on their face.

 

Rather than "managing time," which is an illusion, try to think in terms of managing your focus instead. Focus management is about accomplishing your most important goals rather than fitting the most activities into the smallest amount of time. I hope this month's newsletter will inspire you to do just that.

 

On another note, I am so excited that my revamped website is now live! It's been a lot of work to get to this point and I hope you'll take a look and let me know what you think. I had to really battle with the perfectionist in me to let this baby fly.

 

As a special offer, if you book a session by July 31st, you'll receive a $25 gift card to Red Lobster or Olive Garden. Don't forget that you also receive a $25 gift card for any referrals you send my way that result in business.

  
Until next time,
Terri Signature
Terri Stephens, CPO, CRTS
Real Order Professional Organizing, LLC
(678) 513-6585
  
SIMPLE TIPS FOR USING TIME WISELY AT WORK
 

Time spent planning is time well spent.

Establish the habit of taking a few minutes at the end of each work day to plan the following day. Go over your schedule, your appointments, write out your task list for the day. This will allow you to hit the ground running in the morning.

 

Work on what's most important first.

Establish in your mind and on paper your most important goal of the day. It will help you stay focused and resist distractions.

 

Manage e-mail rather than allowing it to manage you.

Resist the temptation of opening e-mail for at least the first 30 minutes each morning. Instead, get out your plan for the day, choose a high priority task, and begin working on it. After a minimum of 30 minutes of focused, productive work, sift through your e-mail, delete the spam, and respond to what you need to immediately. Then, turn off your e-mail or disable the new mail alert sound and get back to work.

 

Group similar activities together.

Group all your phone calls, all your paperwork, and your reading into one time block. This will help you stay focused rather than shifting your attention from one thing to another throughout the day.

 

Save ideas and present them all at once.

If you work closely with a co-worker or assistant, resist getting up often to talk to that person. Instead, keep notes and schedule a meeting to cover everything on your list at one time.

 

Take control of meetings.

To avoid wasting time, be sure there is an agenda in place for all meetings and that it is followed. Begin and end meetings on time - nothing will kill productivity faster than meetings than go on forever.

 

Use every five minutes of every day.

The truth is it's not easy to find a large chunk of time to get a big task accomplished. Become aware of and begin using small chunks of time at every opportunity - you'll get more done in a day than you ever imagined possible.

 

Handle decisions as quickly as possible.

When you decide quickly, you get the item out of your head and off your plate. Delaying decisions only adds one more thing to think about and you'll have to handle it at some point anyway, so why put it off?

 

Delegate or outsource non-core tasks.

Focus on your strengths and delegate to others what they can do faster or more efficiently than you can. This frees your time to use your expertise and energy on the work that is most important to you and your company.

 

Carve out time for maintenance each week.

Maintenance is the most important thing you can do to improve your organization at work. The more you get into the habit of maintaining your systems, the fewer backlogs you will experience.

 

Build flexibility into your schedule.

Allow more time than you think is necessary for each appointment or task you schedule. If you build some buffer time into your day, inevitable delays won't ruin your schedule - or your mood!

THE RIGHT TOOLS
There are lots of Time Management products available and sometimes it takes a little trial and error to find those that work just right for you. Here are a few of my favorites:
  

Planner PadPlanner Pad - This is the organizer I've used for four years now ... it really helps me keep track of tasks and commitments.

  

 

 

 

  

Time TimerTime Timer - Visual time management tool helps you be more productive and easily transition from task to task. Great for adults and kids.

 

 

  

 

 

CardScanCardScan - Save time by letting CardScan do the work for you.

LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS

Like products, you'll find plenty of books and articles on how to better manage your time. Here are some that I highly recommend:

 

How to Create More Time in Your Life to Do The Things you WANT to Do! by Dr. Mercola (PDF download)

 

It's About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them by Dr. Linda Sapadin

 

Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern

 

 

The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.

 

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

REFER A FRIEND & DINE OUT ON US 

DiningMost of us recommend restaurants, movies or mechanics to our family and friends. When you recommend Real Order for professional organizing, we want to thank you with a $25 gift card to Red Lobster or Olive Garden - it's your choice. A minimum of four hours of organizing services must be purchased to qualify. To redeem your gift card, simply notify us of the family or friend you are referring to us. Bon appetit!

 

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