Organizing and productivity

Apr 08

Ways to Help Your Teenager Get Organized

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Home Organizing, Time Management No Comments

The teenage years can be challenging – no doubt about that. How to help your teenager get organized for school, college or university requires asking questions and considering what works for them, what doesn’t work, when their high energy cycles are and understanding how they work best. For some teens dealing with all the change that are being thrown at them can be difficult, and if they don’t have the skills needed to keep things organized, they can get overwhelmed pretty quickly. If you’re a parent and looking to help your older child navigate the chaotic world, here are a few things that you can do.

It is important to remember that the teenage years is a time of discovery, self-growth and realization. In other words, your teen will push you away and will most likely refuse any help that you offer. It’s the nature of the beast. Just like you did, they are trying to figure out who they are, and what their place is in the world.

Be An Example for Getting Organized

Instead of telling them how to organize their busy schedule, as a parent you need to set an example and some basic boundaries. Make sure they know what is expected of them, and the consequences of their actions. Then take a step back and allow them to get things done in their own way. One example is to give your child a list of chores that need to be done by a certain day each week. Let him or her know that if the chores are not done in a timely manner, than something they enjoy will become temporarily unavailable – such as a particular video game, or access to the internet. Then take the difficult step of stepping back and allowing them to organize their time and efforts as they see fit. Could it end disastrously? Yes. Could things go undone? Of course they could. The important thing is to allow your teen to face the consequences of their action or lack thereof.

Create a Schedule

Of course, your teen is still watching you and seeing what you do even while they are pushing you away. Therefore it’s important to set a good example. Make a schedule, make it known, and keep to your deadlines. If you miss one – make sure there are consequences to your actions, one that your teenager can see and understand. For example, if one of your projects was to cut the grass by Friday and Sunday rolls around and the grass is still waist high, tell your teen to take your golf clubs. There will be no golfing for you until the grass it cut.

Every so often, your teen may ask for help, or accept an offer for help. Once you’ve gotten over your fainting spell, make sure you approach the situation practically and without blame. Again, give suggestions – things such as having a specific place on their desk for homework, or scheduling an hour each day for piano practice. The important thing here is to allow them to create their own techniques, to let them find what works best for them.

Mar 05

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3 Tips for an Efficient Work Schedule

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management No Comments

While having an organized office is essential for keeping things running smoothly, making sure you spend your time well is also vital to a successful work day.

Here are 3 tips for an efficient work schedule to help you make sure that your time is spent wisely:

Tip # 1: Start Your Day with a Plan

One of the biggest time wasters for most people is figuring out what to do, and when, during the day. Minutes are often wasted trying to determine the difference between what is more important and what can be shelved for a later time. Why not take a few minutes at the beginning of your day and write out a loose schedule or “to-do” list? By setting a schedule, you’ll be able to quickly see what is important, what can be delegated, and if you have the ability to deal with “surprises” that will undoubtedly come up during the day.

Full Focus Planner – Linen

Tip # 2: Designate Time for Email and Phone

One of the biggest setbacks for time efficiency when running a home office is multi-tasking. Taking a break every few moments to check emails or phone messages often eats up valuable time that could be spent perfecting your next service or project. Instead of jumping at every notification bell or dashing off to make that phone call to a client, designate specific times during your work day to communicate with the outside world. Not only will you get more accomplished by focusing on communication for those 15 minutes or so, but your clients will note that you took the time to respond to them, and that you made sure that there was enough time to address their needs.

Tip # 3: Take Breaks

Despite what you may have thought, working a straight eight hours without a break doesn’t make you more dedicated, more productive, or a better business owner. The only thing that working without a break accomplishes is making you tired, irritable, and actually less productive. So in your daily schedule make sure you schedule a few moments to get up, walk around, stretch, and take a break. It only has to be a few minutes at a time, and you’ll be surprised at the effect it has on your day!

Tip #4: Break the Project Down

If you’re working on a big project for a client, it is often better to break it down into a number of mini-projects that lead to the overall goal. Not only does this make it easier to handle, but it helps to keep you on track when distractions come your way. Think of it this way – you wouldn’t try to make a four-course meal all at the same time, would you? No, you’d concentrate on each individual part, and then bring them together at the time of serving. Use the same idea when you’re tackling that project.

What do you struggle with most when it comes to keeping productive on a workday? Comment below!

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Dec 29

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Seven Things To-Do Today to Become a More Effective Employee or Business Owner

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Free Articles, Time Management No Comments

On the cusp of a new year we all want to be the most effective employee we can be. Having effective business organizing skills is a great place to start. So what are the tricks and tips of business organizing? What do all highly effective people have in common? If you can incorporate these seven elements into your work life you will be an effective employee or business owner in 2012.

Have a Plan

When you have a plan you can focus on the priorities in your day. Have you heard the 80/20 rule? Simply put 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your efforts. Put your effort into things that are ACTUALLY important, and watch the results.

Plan Your Day, Week, and Month

Let your calendar be a huge stress reducer for you. Your calendar will keep you on time with your plans. Set appointments with yourself during the day to work on projects. Setting aside time and honoring that time will help you get your time sensitive work done on time.

Invest time in High-Payoff Tasks

This brings you back to the 80/20 rule. That 20 percent is where you want to focus your real energy. Ask yourself what can I do that will have the biggest impact today? These high-payoff tasks should get a priority spot on your calendar. That means if you are the most productive in the morning you should schedule your work time for the morning hours on these activities.

Use their time wisely

When it comes to business organizing highly effective employees have procrastination beat! It is a habit that you need to break. Find the source of your procrastination and diligently work on it whether it is perfectionism or too many distractions.

Batch your work to make the best use of your time. Set aside time to make phone calls, return emails, ect. throughout your day. Making 5 phone calls in a row will go faster than if you stop what you are working on to make 5 phone calls throughout your day.

Limit Interruptions

Unnecessary interruptions can become a HUGE timewaster in your day. Create a work environment where it is not easy to become distracted at the drop of a hat. If other people are the problem consider making a “off limits” time in your office while you work on your high-payoff projects. This is time scheduled in your calendar so it should be easier to make it “quiet time” in your office.

Lead a Balanced Life

Go on vacation. It is important to keep yourself fresh and excited. In order to do that, you need down time.

Schedule 24-48 hours of “unplugged time”. No work, tv, computer, phone app.s you may find your brain and family and friends thank you!

Do not live in the “urgent” Reactive Mode

Being an effective employee means you have a plan every day. Keeping to that plan means your time sensitive work gets done. This puts a break on the panicked urgent mode that rules many people’s days.

You will still be interrupted by “urgent crises”. It is up to you to determine how urgent they are. Sometimes things are important, but not urgent. This is where planning comes in to play. Planning out this important work makes sure that by its due date the work is complete.

Assess whether this urgent work can be delegated, or wait. Remember there are consequences to saying “Yes”. By working on the new project you will be putting off work you had previously scheduled, so make certain you rework your calendar.

Being an Effective Employee or Business Owner

Being an effective employee for 2012 is a great goal. Business organizing can get you there. Make a plan for your day, week, month, and year. Working with a calendar and a plan will help make this your year!

Time Management