Episoder
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Lucky! Thatās all I have to say about all the gaps in insurance I found out about recently. You see, when your insurance guy retires it forces you to look at your policies. I had an eye opening little string of insurance mishaps that will have me thoroughly going through our binders and policies this winter. These are my cautionary tales so you donāt find yourself over or underinsured.
The Retirement Party
So our State Farm agent tells us heās retiring and invites us to his party to celebrate. When I asked him what was going to happen to my 11 policies, he suggested I meet all the other agents that were there. I was bamboozled into attending so I could find a new agent. Oh no, no! I asked people that I trust who they use and found my own new State Farm agent. I had all my policies transferred over to him and asked to review the policies and make sure we were all set.
Paper Validates What You Say
You know how I always say that physical paper validates what you say when you are in the doctorās office? Well now I can share how it works with the Financial Binder, too! I actually have a business binder. So when said new agent came, he discovered I didnāt have business insurance. But I could have sworn I already had it. Once he asked me the questions to set up a new policy, I KNEW I already had it! Once I finally remembered to check the business binder at home, I found it. I showed it to the new agent. And putting two and two together, we discovered the first policy was in the business name and I had only transferred my personal policies. Now to find that missing bond. The paper validated what I said. I was able to void the second policy and that saved me $2700!
Poor Abby
I donāt know how, but in all of this reviewing of policies it was revealed that I had not added Abby as a driver to our policy. So in the event there had been an accident, the car would have been covered, but not her medical expenses. FIVE YEARS! For five years, Abby has been driving around completely uninsured! I added Joey, but total household manager fail, I did not add Abby. As the COO of this house, I missed crossing this āt.ā
2024: The Year of Overcommitting
You know we have remodeled and upgraded things around the house so much this year. Which also means we opened a few lines of credit and that led to the question, how much is our mortgage? Greg had one number and I had one $200 less! How could that be? The bank statements showed we were both right, but that made me have a lot of questions. The State Farm agent was able to explain that, ever since we purchased Joeyās condo (which was underinsured), weāve been paying escrow but we have never escrowed! So we had to get that all straightened out, too.
Even the Best Fall Down Sometimes
I discovered incorrect beneficiaries. We added Greg to all the Organize 365Ā® accounts because I was the only signer on those accounts. I mean, I had my eyes opened to so much; youāve got to listen to the full episode to hear all the things. As much as you may feel you are set for today, are you āsetā for the future? It just goes to show no one has it all together. With that being said, at the end of the day itās up to you as the household manager to dot all the āiāsā and cross the ātāsā because no one cares what you intended to do. Itās up to you to make sure the paperwork is correct. Do you know that song āCollideā by Howie Day? All I can think of is the line in that song that says āEven the best fall down sometimes.ā Did you sing it? LOL Yes, even Lisa with Organize 365Ā® can fall sometimes. But I am back up and ready to take on whatever āblessingsā life gives me.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
The Productive Home Solution
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, the Emily Kelly, my sister, is back! Itās been a minute since her raving Organize 365Ā® fans have been caught up on what Emily Kelly is up to these days. Put your surprised faces on when I tell you sheās back to being an entrepreneur. BUT she has not settled on just one and I think that is so important to spotlight. Many Americans have a 9 to 5 and a side hustle. Or many people like Emily find purpose and passion and excel in multiple areas. āA man of many talents rarely goes hungry.ā Such a valid point in todayās economy.
Emily was ready to be done at her previous employer and they were ready to part ways, too. She brought up a good point; based on my past experience, America is set up for married people. When you are single, itās scary to leave a steady position. There is no one else to fill in any financial gaps. I had the opportunity to explore what I was uniquely created to do because I had Greg, my husband, supporting our family. We discussed how, just because inflation goes crazy, doesnāt mean your salary goes up with it. I shared the gas stipend I gave to full time Organize 365Ā® employees when gas prices went so crazy in 2022. For some people, just coming to work was a huge inconvenience due to gas prices.
So she has officially fired up EMK Incorporated which is business-to-client relationships. She takes care of anything within your home. People have commented to her that itās good to see her working for herself again and I agree. Emily has a natural skill to build relationships in person. Itās a dying art. Relationships are built on trust. Trust will never be replaced with a higher commodity. Relationships are free and your long term investment of time and effort will last a lot longer than ads. And with all the relationships sheās built and maintained, she was able to get clients started and start a few businesses on the right path, too.
Cue Emilyās other company Rainmaker, a marketing agency and fractional CMO services, which is business-to-business relationships. She enjoys teaching business owners to fish rather than just giving them the fish. There are so many nuances to marketing and Emily is happy to do the work for them. But sheās just as happy to show her clients the ropes and understand how to focus on what makes their business unique and who they are targeting those messages to. Sheās helping them to look at what they have to offer in print, person, on land, and online to see what marketing makes sense for their business.
And sheās launched Rainmaker Academy! Itās a 6-week comprehensive program to really learn the ins and outs of marketing. Sheāll be offering each week individually so business owners donāt have to commit to 6 weeks and they can learn the skills they are looking for. It is a well rounded explanation of all things marketing for a business owner. She and her panel of experts are explaining things like identifying your vision, SEO, successful sales strategy, promotional items, merchandise to sell, and it all ends with a celebration!
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ® Certification Course
EMK Incorporated
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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Manglende episoder?
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Iām excited to announce that The Productive Home SolutionĀ® Certification is here! Way back when I started the company, I could foresee that the community would grow and I would not have the bandwidth to provide one-to-one or small group training that most people crave. Once I realized that organization was a learnable skill, I started honing in a way to train others online. When I saw so many MLM and Direct Marketing companies go out of business, I knew this was the time to open certification at this level. It was originally an initiative for 2025, but the market is providing the demand now. I wanted to offer a license that would allow you to offer a class or workshop where people can get to know you and then take advantage of your full range of offerings. They may attend to learn how to organize a childās room and then see you offer in-home organizing or some related services.
Win-Win-Win
In Organize 365Ā®, I always want it to be a win-win-win scenario for you, the certified organizers, and Organize 365Ā®. In this episode, I shared the evolution of my thinking and how we got to here today with this offering. You win because we have a plethora of certified organizers to help you. And if you are looking for an income opportunity, this may be a fit for you.
Certified organizers win because they get all the great products, training, and this opens the door for potential clients to get to know you because we like to do business with people we know, like, and trust. Do you think someone will just let you into their home and expose you to all their personal spaces if they donāt know you? Likely, not. You also will earn 30% off all purchases made through your affiliate link, but that is not the main avenue that we expect youāll make an income. As I shared from all my days in direct sales, most donāt make money. I want you to make money. It has also been our experience that our certified organizers get a majority of their clients through the directory. Someone has bought the product and now just needs a person to help them or motivate them.
Obviously, Organize 365Ā® wins because product is sold, but more importantly there is help for everyone. There can be one-to-one help. There is a directory that will continue to fill up with certified organizers in your area that can help you with your Sunday BasketĀ® in a way that I cannot anymore. We are excited you will get your questions answered in a timely manner. And we know for a fact that when people get organized, it frees them up to explore what they are uniquely created to do.
What Questions Do You Have?
December 20th, I will be live answering your questions. Please submit questions in advance to [email protected]. Submit them now so I can get them answered on Friday the 20th at 10:30-11:30a Eastern. Once I have finished the live Q&A, we will get replays out to the people who submitted a question.
What is the Process?
Complete the online courses through your dashboard. Take a quiz at the end to make sure you understand what we say you are certified to teach. Get HIPPA training (about a $35 fee) because after all, you are dealing with sensitive paperwork and we want you to feel comfortable with how to process it. If you decide to attend the paper organizing retreat in July, you will then be added to the Organize 365Ā® directory of certified organizers. There is a $475 annual licensing fee.
Whatās Included?
Teal Sunday Basket - including access to dashboard, course, and club
The Paper SolutionĀ® Book and 4 The Paper SolutionĀ® Binders again with access to dashboard, course, and club
Warrior Mama Binder
Slash Pockets
Paper Retreat Fee
Affiliate link for your customers and you will earn 30% off their purchase amount.
Additional Certifications: The Productive Home SolutionĀ®, Business Friday WorkboxĀ®, Launch and Kids Program, and Education Friday WorkboxĀ®
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Paper Solution CertificationĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media.
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By the end of this summer, I knew my trains were not running at full speed. But what had happened? How did I get off course? Even ultra productive people can have seasons that get the better of them. I canāt believe how much I accomplished in spite of feeling less productive. It was one of those seasons where one project led to another and no other area of life helped the situation.
2024: The Year of Overcommitting
It all started in February with Joeyās condo needing new plumbing, which led to the perfect time to redo his shower. Then Abbyās shower was suspected to have mold and that meant another bathroom remodel. And if we were opening that can of worms, then we wanted to add on an official bedroom for our giant toddler grandchild, Grayson. This kid needed a bigger bed and his own little apartment within his momās apartment. And while we were doing all of that, it just made sense to give Abby a proper kitchen, minus an oven. Which meant we needed to upgrade our electrical panel for the house. All these projects were supposed to be completed in time for Greg and Iās trip to Europe. But you know, permits and whatever, it kept getting delayed. So we decided to take care of all of Abbyās stuff when we got back. Who wants to be in contact with a contractor while on vacation? Not me!
And then there was school demanding more of my time. And a little extra pressure from my family. I had started to do school work at the office because ālittle baby Graysonā now knows that if my car is home, Lovie is home. And normally Greg wouldnāt care if I was not home because heād be golfing. But due to shoulder surgery in December, he wasnāt playing golf. Needless to say, everyone was verbal about noticing I wasnāt home as much. I also may have had 3 classes this summer instead of 2 like Iād done in the past; I want to get through this PhD already! I like when my time is at my discretion. I had this productivity debt starting to accumulate and no time to make any of it up, even at work. I could not catch a break! And believe it or not, we decided to do a little something to our own kitchen, treat Grayson to a playground set for his birthday, which obviously meant a fence, but first we had to take down a shed and a tree. And I was so excited when WOW Window Boxes were at Homearama, we got one of those, too! Like, who am I coordinating all of these projects that normally would have taken me 4 years? It felt good to take some things off the āsome day list.ā
What I Did
I give myself credit for prioritizing tasks this whole time and knowing what can wait. And nightly planning of the most important tasks that need to be accomplished the next day. I exercised planned neglect, like eating out during the kitchen āremodelingā in my kitchen. And ruthlessly going through my calendar. And once you have survived one of these challenging seasons, the trick is to reflect and realize how much stronger you are because of it. Realize the lessons.
Blessings
Upon reflection of this season, I was overwhelmed with the amount of blessings this season provided. Iām very blessed in my life and that is not lost on me. These were all blessings slowing me down and itās a season Iām happy to be coming out of so I can get back to being ultra productive.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
The Productive Home Solution
Friday WorkboxĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, I introduce you to Christine F. who lives with her daughter and their dog. Christine was listening to āThe Art of Declutteringā in May 2023 and heard me speaking about ADHD. Her daughter had just been diagnosed so Christineās ears perked up. Christine, in education for the past 26 years but currently a counselor for seniors, just kept listening, thinking āWow, thatās a lot!ā
But January 2024 was a turning point for Christine when suddenly she couldnāt get enough of the podcast because there was an episode about The Paper SolutionĀ® Binders. She had been watching her stepmother settle her fatherās estate and realized the value of the binders and how these systems helped life. How valuable it could have been if her father had the Financial Binder.
In March 2024, it really clicked as the school pilot programs were being discussed on the podcast about the Education Workboxes. She took the plunge and ordered the Sunday BasketĀ® and Teacher Friday WorkboxĀ®. Being a counselor of seniors (who were preparing to graduate and it was nearing the end of the school year) and getting ready to transition to a different teaching position, this gave her order and a system. In her desperation to survive and function, she saw the light of what the Teacher Friday WorkboxĀ® could do and that provided motivation to get so much completed so quickly. No one could see how frazzled she was on the inside, but now she had found internal organization.
Shortly thereafter, she purchased everything. Sheād always been fairly organized, but she realized sheād been missing systems. Christine is visual so itās best if things are left out so she can see them to remember to take care of them. A friend of hers even noticed a difference in Christine. She no longer had a messy desk. All of her paper had a home and it was accounted for weekly. She loves that she can grab and go. If she has an IEP meeting, she can bring just the slash pocket. And the āWaiting Forā slash pocket has been a game changer for her!
Since the other systems were proven, she decided to go to a Home Planning Day. The biggest take away for her was the number of different ways you look at your time in Home Planning Day. It was clear to her why she could never get all the Sunday tasks done. She changed the timing of some tasks and switched others to different days. Now she gets to enjoy Sunday. Itās a resetting of your time and expectations every 120 days, not the rest of your life. There are different energies at different times of the year. Christine knows sheāll accomplish nothing in August and now she wonāt even try after knowing that and planning accordingly. Now she has more time and bandwidth.
Christineās advice is, āTrust the system and just get all of it. If you can only start small, start with the Sunday BasketĀ®. But really, if you get the whole system it can literally organize your entire life.ā
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Teacher Friday WorkboxĀ®
Organize 365Ā® Home Planning Day
The Productive Home SolutionĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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Itās time for the last three planning days Organize 365Ā® will offer this year. You are probably thinking āOh, come on! How much more could we plan the holidays?ā So much more! So many layers to planning!!
Holiday Blitz Mini Planning Day
Think of the Holiday Blitz Mini Planning Day like a taste of what we do in the Planning Days for Home and the Friday WorkboxĀ®. You will download the workbook and join the webinar. I start with having you think, what do you want the holidays to look like for YOU? Why are you doing what you are doing? Do you like the things you are doing for the holidays? Are there traditions or tasks others enjoy doing that you donāt? Could they take them over? You are going to decide if you can adjust expectations, do housework less frequently during this time, how you want to spend this time during the holidays. Where do you have room to accomplish all your goals for the holidays and have fun? My words for the Holiday Blitz Mini Planning Day are Projects and Play!! And how can you monopolize on Black Friday to keep your supply chain stocked while saving money?
The Sunday BasketĀ® is a system that hopefully you have used and have seen the time savings on a weekly basis. And you know itās a replicable system to run your home and delay decision making. But by this time, your Sunday BasketĀ® is bursting at the seams so itās time to get the Holiday Blitz Bundle, a Hunter Green Sunday BasketĀ® and Sapphire Blue Sunday BasketĀ® and a set of Rainbow 1.0 Slash Pockets, to set aside paperwork for 2025 and keep holiday actionable papers at the forefront to execute the holidays the way you want to.
Friday WorkboxĀ® Planning Day
With the year winding down, all critical work should be done by November 21st because people are going to start mentally checking out. So with that in mind, no meetings are going to be terribly productive so take the time to plan 2025ā¦the first quarter, anyway. Scratch the itch to plan by attending Friday WorkboxĀ® Planning Day on December 6th. I have recorded new videos that you can start watching as soon as you get signed up to prepare for this planning day. Prep your calendars, revisit all your administration work in the green slash pockets, update any systems to start 2025 feeling prepared to be ultra productive.
Home Planning Day Prep & Home Planning Day
We will have Home Planning Day Prep on December 27th. The first hour you will process through your holiday basket which we will transition to a tax basket. And you will combine the sapphire basket back to your regular Sunday BasketĀ®. And all the archive papers will go into your The Paper SolutionĀ® Binders, keeping them up to date.
The 4 hour live webinar for Home Planning Day is on Saturday, December 28th. We will be planning the next 120 days, 4 months of your household manager responsibilities, your small business. Lots of new videos for this planning day, too! Joey even put together a playlist so you can get started watching videos and listening to the podcast just as soon as you are registered.
I try to be your economic forecaster, giving awareness to upcoming events that may catch you off guard otherwise. Each 120 days that we plan for in Home Planning Day have different energies. Think of any Golden Windows you may have coming up. Is this the time to plan on a meaty project? You will ask yourself, what are the advantages and limitations of the current season of life that you are in? We spend a lot of time analyzing your time! Breaking it down and looking at multiple ways you could be using it. You will create routines for morning, afternoon and evening for Monday through Friday and for the weekend. Our Saturday and Sunday energy is different, too!
Wonāt you join me in my maze of planning days?
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
Holiday Blitz Mini Planning Day
Holiday Blitz Bundle
Friday WorkboxĀ® Planning Day
Organize 365 Home Planning Day Prep & Home Planning Day
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, I reintroduce you to Lorie G. Lorie lives with her dad but still has her own place, too. I hope you remember previous episodes with Lorie. There were some fun things going on in her and her dadās life that I thought would be fun to share with you!
Lorie and her 95 year old dad decided to take a trip from southern California to Dallas to see family. Lorie was so prepared. She created a whole binder for the trip complete with daily itineraries, pre-selected outfits, and medical information about her father. Lorie had created a little to-go packet (small version of the The Paper SolutionĀ® Medical Binder) that was more convenient to travel with. Lorie noted that all this planning allowed her to be present on the trip. But nothing could have prepared them for all the car troubles they encountered. She was thankful they traveled with cash because that was the only way to pay the tow truck out in the middle of the desert.
In the Medical Binder, Lorie keeps a vitals check tracker sheet she made. We both agreed itās important to know what is normal for the person you help care for. Letās say she brings her dad in and his blood pressure is high. It might be high for the average person, but she has physical evidence showing a history of this being his normal. Lorie knew something was off with her dad one morning before one of his appointments. She called ahead to tell the doctor, they called ahead to the hospital, and Lorie brought his Medical Binder. Her dad asked why and she said just because she wanted to. If they needed paperwork, sheād have it. In the past they have not been able to access test results, but Lorie has had the physical copy. And thereās something to be said for a doctor to look at the paperwork and be able to carry on a conversation with you, too. But sure enough, unbeknownst to him, he needed to go to the hospital and they were already expecting him. It was a smooth transfer all because Lorie knew what was normal for her dad.
Lorie loves her dad dearly and keeping him in top shape is what sheās doing. She took a room that wasnāt being utilized well and turned it into a āfun zoneā with wellness stations to encourage him to move. Lorie put a tv in so they could do workouts together; heās got a recumbent bike, tension bands, and room to stretch.
Along with movement, Lorie makes sure she and her dad eat well. Back when she was a teacher and had an hour commute, sheād be too tired to cook when she got home. This birthed āCrazy Cooking Day.ā Much like how I like to get all my machines working for me at one time, Lorie gets her crock pot, insta-pot, stove top, and oven all working at the same time. In 4 hours, she can prep up to 60 meals for them to eat well for awhile. She makes individual servings. And she saves money by bulking up on sale items that go into those dishes. Sheās mentioned it many times in the Organize 365Ā® community app - go look for the directions. And if itās a going out night, they just scratch off a circle from the sheet Lorie made to see what restaurant they are going to! Lorie created one for field trips too so they can get movement somewhere other than just the fun zone.
Lorieās advice is, āThe Medical Binder is critical for everyone in your family.ā And I added that it may just be you who needs one. If something happens to you, then your family has all the pertinent information. If you are adopted like Lorie, itās even more valuable. Itās so important for us to know our own medical data to be more participatory with our wellness/illnesses course of action.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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Iāve stopped apologizing for my natural energy that drives me to want to be productive. And I want the same for you. Ultra productive people are so proactive that they have a plan B, C, D, and so on. They are prepared to zig, zag, and pivot at a momentās notice whenever plans change.
What Do You Do Now?
Ultra productive people capture all their ideas for a rainy day (eh hum, pink work). For me, that ārainy dayā came this year when I was supposed to have jury duty. I went through my slash pockets and planned all those tasks for the week(s) I knew I was going to have jury duty. If I didnāt get summoned, I had work to do but it didnāt need to get done. When I arrived at the courthouse, they announced there would be no case and we were absolved from the remaining two days that week. If this happened to you, what would you do? I think a lot of people sit in āI donāt know what to doā and the day gets wasted. I however, thought through my options and decided going into work and finishing some important administrative tasks was the most beneficial use of my time.
When I was still doing in home organization. I developed an A/B schedule. It never failed that a client would cancel. I wouldnāt know what to do because I had planned on working. So my day would go to waste. That is, until I came up with what I needed to do on the days I wasnāt scheduled for out of the house work and days I worked from home. If an out of the house day became a work from home day, I knew exactly what I needed to do. It was like my plan B.
Time for Everyone Including Me
Seems like the mom is always offering to help and pour into their family, but does the family ask the same to the mom? No. Itās just facts, I think. So go ahead and pour into yourself too! I am pouring into me the same way I pour into them. I think about my time A LOT! I think about tomorrow, the week, the month, the next 6 months. I look at my color coded calendar and make sure everyone I love is getting time, that I have set aside enough time for the PhD and work, and now I include ME!
Sunday BasketĀ®/Friday WorkboxĀ® Love
I have bountiful pink slash pockets. I have a lot of house projects, trips I want to take, and things I want to try/do. They are in a safe place, the Sunday BasketĀ® for my house and the Friday WorkboxĀ® for work ideas. Greg and I went to Home-A-Rama and there we saw Wow Window Boxes. I knew all about Wow Window Boxes because itās been tucked away in my Sunday BasketĀ® since 2017 when I had received an estimate. I spilled the beans that I was going to ask for it for Christmas. Much to my surprise, Greg said we could do it now. So we did it in time for Thanksgiving!!
You know when you have a plan for your day and then something takes it off track? I always struggle with how annoying it is. But then, I dig into my Sunday BasketĀ® or the Friday WorkboxĀ® and there are all my ideas and slash pockets waiting to be executed. They turn into my plan B, C, or sometimes D. I have proactively filed them away in the correct slash pocket, then I can decide how much time I have and what kind of energy I am feeling.
These are just a few ways I am unapologetically proactive so I can be ultra productive. For my family and Organize 365Ā®, I am where work comes from. I love it. I am uniquely created to help others become ultra productive, too!
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
Friday WorkboxĀ®
Podcast 10 Year Anniversary Giveaway
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, I introduce you to Mary H. who is married with two sons and a dog. Mary has always been a fairly organized person, but she was looking for productivity tips. She listened to āBest of Both Worldsā and heard about the Sunday BasketĀ®, but first invested in The Productive Home SolutionĀ®.
On her 40th birthday, she was ready to burn it all down. There was a lot of change from switching up her position at work, to the world coming out of Covid, to retiring from a side business. She decided to revisit old podcast episodes. She was looking for new ways to do things. Before, when Mary had heard about the Sunday BasketĀ®, she questioned, āWhy would you delay what you can do today?ā But after revisiting the podcast and trying new ways, she experienced the benefits. When her husband mentioned taking the boys mini golfing, she was able to help him locate the free round of golf she knew she had. It was a win-win. She could easily tell him where it was and they got to use the coupon.
When we started recording, Mary shared she was packing for a Make-A-Wish trip granted to her son. Her son has recently recovered from cancer. But we talked about that unsure time and the systems Mary had in place to keep her son comfortable and her family going. When her son was diagnosed they gave her a binder, but Mary added useful things like checklists and it took the place of a would be Medical Binder. I just had to reference one of mine the other day. How cool is it that information from 20 years ago can help us make informed decisions for today and the future?
Mary also invested in the Kids Program. She admits her kids havenāt participated so much in learning, but it has helped her understand how to facilitate them decluttering and organizing. She used the system 1) to keep the item and keep it in his room, 2) to say the child wants to keep it but not in their room, and 3) to toss or donate. Mary and her son were surprised with how much he got rid of. They were able to donate those toys to another child.
Mary is thankful for the voice of reason through the podcast to focus on the important stuff and continually be thinking of how to always be improving. Mary has always been good to take time for herself, but she can enjoy it now without guilt knowing all the things will get done. She wishes sheād valued trying things in different ways. Just because one way works doesn't mean another way could be even better and more efficient. While she admits she hasnāt used all of the products to their fullest potential, sheās found immense benefit from the items sheās purchased and all of the free content constantly offered from Organize 365Ā®.
Maryās advice is, āDonāt be afraid to invest in all of the Organize 365Ā® stuff.ā
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Productive Home SolutionĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Organize 365Ā® Kids Program
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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I recently hosted this webinar for those of you who have been displaced by a direct sales company closing their doors or anyone else looking for a new opportunity. In my years of being a household manager, a profitable direct sales team leader, and now running Organize 365Ā®, I realized how similar running a house and running a business are when it comes to the significance of systems. I know recently some direct sales companies have closed their doors or have announced they will soon. There are three ways I shop and Iām sure you do, too ... Amazon, an ad on social media recommends something, or a friend mentions a product and you order it. After Covid, we never really went back to shopping at the in-home parties. People seem to purchase directly from the company and itās collapsing the direct sales model.
Revenue
I started in Mary Kay and then tried my hand, successfully I might add, in many other direct sales companies; twenty three to be exact! In talking to my teams, it became clear they werenāt making much money and some werenāt making any. You see, you are the direct sales company customer and your customers are your customers. They market to you the consultant with all the latest and greatest products. You stock up in hopes of sales that lots of times never happen. Then you are left with last seasonās products. I started teaching my teams how to be profitable. Profitability gets your spouseās ābuy-inā and you get to keep doing the thing. Iāve explained a lot of Lisa Math or Economics to my teams, which I did in this episode too. Too much to fit in here; definitely give this a listen. You have to be profitable to call it work or a business. Not how much have you sold or what work activities you have completed. In whatever company has recently made announcements about closing their doors, were you profitable?
This coffee chat is for the consultant that is displaced and wondering whatās next? I want to say from the bottom of my heart, you are amazing. This is happening for you not to you! Second, get all the emails you can from your current clients. Get the last orders you can and continue to grow those relationships and your unique personal brand. We buy from people we like. Yes, they like the product, but they are buying from you because they like you. After the final days, just enjoy the holidays. Enjoy your family. You are going to be ok! I wanted to get this information out to help you understand the market shifts and how to make an informed decision on your next move. Iād love for you to consider gaining certification to be an organizer through Organize 365Ā®.
What do you want?
End of the year may be the perfect time to attend a planning day and get a plan in action for 2025. If you were making money in the previous company, what were those funds going to? What are you willing to do to replace that income? Clean houses? Tutor? Think of what services you could offer for $40/hour. Once you know how much you need weekly or monthly, you can figure out how many hours or services you need to complete. And then you can start to focus on what you are uniquely created to do which may not be the products you were previously selling. You can explore all of that in Planning Day.
Community
People feel lonely and isolated. We all want community and connection. This is something Organize 365Ā® can readily provide. If you know you were uniquely created to help others get organized, please consider getting certified. This is not direct sales or multi-level marketing. Itās a license you receive with affiliate commissions. We offer community through the app, others who are certified and our retreats. I loved the retreats and the women I was doing business alongside and I want that for people in Organize 365Ā®, too.
In my opinion, hands down, community is the most difficult to grow or replace. Like minded people who resonate around one product and where you can authentically be yourself. You can grow your community in groups of people with the same interest as yourself, church, or maybe the parents of the kids on your childās sports team. I canāt wait to hear what everyone does who is facing a new opportunity!
EPISODE RESOURCES:
Organize 365Ā® Home Planning Day
The Paper SolutionĀ® Certification
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media.
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Ultra productive people think about time differently and likely have kids that are older and are not totally dependent on them. When you are aware of HOW time passes, you can be very intentional and that results in productivity on a whole other level. I wanted to share how a normal person, a productive person, and an ultra productive person sees time. 42% of our lives are lived habitually. Ultra productive people audit their habits to support their goals to accomplish them faster.
One Day
A normal person has a general idea of how their day will go and theyāll try to check everything off the to-do list that never gets done. A productive person usually has a morning and night time routine that is habitual - theyāre on autopilot. They have all of their work on their calendar, too.
However, an ultra productive person will have reviewed the plans the night before and have overarching goals for each day. I shared that mine are Monday/Thursday/Saturday; I am focused on the PhD. If a little free time comes my way on one of those days, I will do something to move my studies forward. Tuesday and Wednesday are for Organize 365Ā®. Fridays are catch all to take care of loose ends or finish a task that kept getting pushed off earlier in the week. And Sundays are for family. However, if football is on I know I am off the hook and I can do something Iād like to do, like a puzzle or whatever.
One Week
Now letās look at the differences when it comes to one week. Normal people are looking for anything out of the ordinary that may be coming up. Productive people know how to accurately anticipate how long tasks will take them and schedule the work accordingly.
But next level, ultra productive people have everything on their calendars. They have reviewed the week and are prepped and ready. They know drive time, how long breakfast takes, if they have time to start a new task, where they can squeeze in a bathroom break, when they are paying bills, and things like how much time they spend with their families. This also allows flexibility because they know how long things take and what they can squeeze into small pockets of time that become available, possibly something from next week to get further faster.
One Month
Again, a normal person is going to look for anything special, out of the ordinary that they will need to plan, like birthdays, holidays, or meetings. This person also has a monthly grocery list and to-do list and chores.
An ultra productive person is aware of the energy of that time of year. Summer may not be the best time for a remodel with the kids home. Or maybe it is because you can play outside. They think ahead of ways to reduce anxiety. Are trips scheduled too close? Do you have the right balance of activities to keep your kids happy? Before amazon, Iād buy the kids things from their wish lists to avoid the stress of trying to find it at a good price during Black Friday or, heaven forbid, telling the kids the store sold out.
Two Months/Quarterly
Some months lump together. A great example is November and December. Just look at those two months like an 8-week month. Which leads me to the planning days that we do three times a year. Thatās the cycle because thatās how the energy is broken up. Three mini years, LOL. We plan for the most productive weeks and the holidays/winter being September to December, then January to April where you may plan a spring break trip or a house project, and then May to August, when the kids are out of school and itās summer. Tag youāre it, the camp counselor; hope you planned on it! But you also consider time. Does Monday to Friday look different than Saturday or Sunday? Do you need to change chores to a different day? Will you be experiencing a Golden Window? When we understand time, we can better plan to get ultra productive. And thatās why we prep planning day and have planning day.
Food for thought until next week - I got called into jury duty. Right before we were to be seated, we were notified the parties had reached a settlement and we were done for the day and actually the next two days; so basically three days. What would you do if you got all that time back?
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
Sunday BasketĀ® Weekly Planning Sheet
Rainbow Weekly Planning Sheet
Rainbow 52 Week Planner
The Productive Home SolutionĀ® Monthly Planning Sheet
2 Year Dated Planning Calendar (through 2026)
Organize 365Ā® Home Planning Day
Podcast 10 Year Anniversary Giveaway
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, I introduce you to Ashley M. who is married and has two little boys running around the house. Ashley, an executive director of a Montessori teacher education program, has always been a fairly organized person and interested in efficiency. But when she stumbled upon Organize 365Ā® in the fall of 2022, she was interested in productivity. Sheād been listening to the Best Laid Plans Podcast and had read The Paper Solution book, both of which mention the Sunday BasketĀ®. Ashley loves to read and one Organize 365Ā® product led to another; she enjoys the podcast, too!
Ashley found peace in letting the Sunday BasketĀ® be her external brain. She noted as moms, thereās constantly a lot coming at you because you are caring for a lot of heartbeats. She also has The Paper SolutionĀ® Binders which is what Ashley valued the most because again as moms, there is a lot of paperwork. She likes that with the Sunday BasketĀ® she is only dealing with actionable paperwork. She knows all of her ideas have been captured and can be revisited later. Ashley also pointed out that the Sunday BasketĀ® helps her to execute big plans as well as daily life tasks; and the fact that it grows with your family.
In 2021, they bought a larger home and then she had her second son. With the Sunday BasketĀ®, you just add a slash pocket for a new child or sport. And in the binders, you add traditions or health progress as the children grow. I also pointed out that you can do the same if you start caring for a family member. Itās customizable for the phase of life you are in. Again, thatās why we do Home Planning Day, to adjust.
And the same thing holds true for The Productive Home SolutionĀ®. Ashley has established a lunch/treat station so she doesnāt have to think so much about it when preparing lunches. With Ashleyās husband being taller, sheās placed the items he uses in the higher cabinets. And for her one year old, his sippy cups are lower, which adds to efficiency in their kitchen. Efficiency is a muscle Ashley has been growing as she has become aware of patterns and cycles. She loves that all the products together remind her when to think about what; like reminders about dentist visit times, household chores, traditions for holidays, and even a special birthday treat that sheād probably otherwise forget about.
Ashley said that if she feels at peace, then she knows she can do something for herself with any extra time. But if sheās feeling chaos creep in, she knows she can easily get back on track with a little tidying or planning. Or she can look at her calendar and decide what she wants to āput backā and tackle another time. She has so much more calm and confidence that sheās keeping track of things. Thereās more space for dreaming now that sheās out of survival mode. Sheās thankful the system just works and thereās no need for rewriting it, no improvements needed.
Ashleyās advice is, āYou can get on the other side outside of anxiety, chaos, and overwhelm with Organize 365Ā®ā
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Organize 365Ā® Home Planning Day
The Productive Home SolutionĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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Hurricanes get a lot of my attention. I think about the people affected, how I can help them, and of course praying for them. I cannot wrap my mind around rebuilding a home, a life. If Iād had the time for Helene, I would have offered child care services so parents could have a break. Instead an opportunity presented itself.
#PostANeed
Iāve been following a few people on Instagram to get first hand accounts of how the conditions are, the challenges, and how they are coping day to day. But then, in the Sunday BasketĀ® Club there was a single mom who was sharing her story. She shared how she had no cash, no stove, her SNAP card didnāt work to get food, winter is upon her and her children, no heat yet. One mom replied from one single mom to another. Everyone responded to her post asking how they could help. This is what that community is, positive, supportive, and encouraging. I mean, everyone in the Sunday BasketĀ® Club is invested in personal development and decluttering their homes. I thought, āWhat if the things we would normally donate locally, we could ship to people in need?ā
#FillANeed
She asked for a camp stove and another member replied she could get her one! She didn't have one to donate, but wanted to help, so she purchased one instead. To her surprise upon checkout, Amazon offered her $150 if she got the credit card. She did and she was able to supply three cans of gas, too! We used to call the members Sunday BasketĀ® Sisters. So weāve decided to use the #ās #postaneed #fillaneed #sundaybasketsisters #donations #hurricane
There are simple rules on how to conduct filling a wish in the Sunday BasketĀ® Club. Please note this is not just for people affected by Helene.
Please feel free to share one post to share your story about your needs, and then every single need needs to be an individual post.
In the individual post, please specify exactly what you need.
Then, if someone can fulfill that need from their storage, feel free to reply to the post and send a DM to the person who has the need.
Exchange addresses for shipping in direct messages and then go back into the post when the item is shipped to let the recipient know that you have shipped the item.
Once the item is received, please delete the post so that we only have posts of items that still need to be received.
If you find a post that already has someone fulfilling that request, you can also fill that request. Go ahead and list yourself as a secondary backup in case anything happens in the first case.
I really hope it works, but I have no idea if it will. I just know that I really want to do something meaningful, and this community of 10,000 members is so powerful.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media.
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I realized as I got older and started putting the holidays together for my family that something was off. Why didnāt I get āall the feelsā during the holiday season? I was putting up all the decorations like my mother had for years. I had all the different foods on the table for Thanksgiving. The kids had plenty of presents. In 2012, I was able to completely turn my life around until I got to November and December.
Candy! Candy! Candy!
I remember my sister and I watching the Halloween edition of Garfield and heād say āCandy! Candy! Candy!,ā then my sister and I would go around the house saying the same. I have a lot of memories of the holidays and I was doing #allthethings yet something was off.
Then it dawned on me. I was so busy trying to have everything be perfect that I didnāt realize some of the things I did, no one noticed or cared about. Not because they had hearts of stone, but it just wasnāt what made the holidays special. I finally interviewed my family to find out what made each holiday special for them which allowed me to not put some tasks on my list for that holiday. Once I did that, I found I enjoyed the holidays much more. I actually had time to enjoy them, too. And thatās what I want for you too with the Holiday Blitz.
Secret Trick
Before you have planned the Thanksgiving meal and planned out the December holiday of your choiceā¦do the blitz. Get the worksheets and watch the videos to intentionally optimize your holidays so you too can enjoy them. If they donāt see it, they donāt mention it, then you donāt have to do it!
Holiday Blitz Options
You can register now for the FREE Holiday Blitz. In the blitz, you will plan the holidays. You will interview people attending your celebrations to make sure you are spending your energy on tasks that will make them feel warm and fuzzy. You can weed out what you no longer need to do.
There are two add ons this time around. The first one is the Holiday Blitz Bundle that includes Sapphire Blue and Hunter Green Sunday BasketĀ®s and a set of 1.0 Rainbow Slash Pockets. You will use the Sapphire Sunday BasketĀ® for next year to give your regular Sunday BasketĀ® some relief. And Your Hunter Green Sunday BasketĀ® will be for all your holidays, like ideas, recipes, and receipts. The really cool thing is the slash pockets you use for the holidays will go into your Household Operations Binder until next year when you can pull it out, refresh your memory, and enjoy the holidays again.
And thereās a Mini Holiday Planning Day. I will show you how to really break it down. Youāll learn my secrets about Black Friday and how I shop it; and itās live with me! Donāt worry, there will be a replay available until January 1st! Your holidays will be so optimized and you will save money too! So tell your family and friends to join you; heck if someone with a pulse walks byā¦invite them, too! I want everyone to enjoy the holidays like our families get to.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
Holiday Blitz
Holiday Blitz Bundle
Holiday Blitz Mini Planning Day
Holiday Blitz Bundle + Holiday Blitz Mini Planning Day
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media.
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Ultra productive people act in real life how normal people act before they go on vacation. Before you go on vacation, you think about your paid work and how to set your business up for success in your absence. I know before we go on vacation, we have checklists for packing. Itās this constant anticipation of roadblocks. I shared some examples to give real life instances when anticipating roadblocks has come into play.
Roadblocks
One roadblock I have gotten used to encountering is jury duty; I have been summoned like 8-10 times. Tip: This last time I was summoned for the dates while we were supposed to be in London, but then I saw a āpick your datesā button. Once I knew the dates, I started to delay administrative tasks in anticipation of jury duty. I am careful to still fill up my calendar during jury duty possible dates, but I have the mindset that, if they get done, itās a bonus and if not, thatās ok too. I schedule things like cleaning up my inbox and admin tasks; itās kind of fun because I donāt normally have time to do those kinds of things.
Moving Without Moving
Iāve not moved from my physical address for decades, but in that time I have moved a lot. 2024 has become the year of remodeling. When your kid calls at 6:30am and says a pipe is making a hissing sound but heās going to go back to sleep, you say no! It was simply time to replace the pipes. And while we were at it, the bathroom makeover I wanted to do one day became now. I anticipated the hardwood floors getting ruined so I threw out a crazy solution and the plumber was able to execute it. I also knew it was going to take longer than quoted because it just usually does.
Then baby Grayson grew and grew and grew and now he can no longer use a toddler bed/mattress. Heās going to keep growing so we looked at our basement and reimagined the space to include a room for Grayson. The way the floor plan worked out, it lends itself to a galley kitchen. It was kind of like that movie āThe Money Pitā where one repair led to another. Next, we upgraded our electrical panel to accommodate all the new appliances. It was originally scheduled to happen before and during our trip to London; I said no way. I anticipated that if the contractor needed me, how it could cut into our vacation. Also by delaying it, Abby would be out for summer from work and weād have better weather for Grayson to play outside while their home was torn up. Now itās beautiful and will suit Abby and Grayson for years. When you remodel, you move everything out and come back to an upgraded space. Itās like you moved, but really didnāt.
Past Informs the Present
We all remember the toilet paper āshortageā during Covid. It was really just the size of the roll. And everyone panicked with the shoremen going on strike. If you understand the supply chain, you can understand when and what to panic about. I knew after everything came to a halt with Covid, that it would be 18 months to three years before we were back to ānormalā, before the backlog would be cleared. You can be concerned for stuff from China when the western ports are experiencing delays. You can be concerned for medicine, wine, sugar, and other things from Europe when the eastern ports are experiencing delays. And those products are usually here 2-3 months before we are anticipated to purchase them. But toilet paper? Thatās made right here in the US of A, baby!! No.Need.To.Panic.
Sickness Playbook
The minute I or someone in my family gets sick, I look 7-10 days out to see what needs to get accomplished. Another type of roadblock similar to this is if my mother in law would fall or if someone goes to the ER. My laundry may get a little backed up or meetings may get canceled, but I work ahead at Organize 365Ā® in anticipation of roadblocks so the necessary work is always done. Our house is fully stocked with medicine, food, and nowadays home delivery services make it even easier to get what you need. I have these wellness pills I pop the minute I think Iām getting sick. Also, my family has bought into the fact that you can talk yourself out of sickness. Itās very inconvenient for everyone; donāt be sick! LOL
Anticipating roadblocks is only possible if you understand how time passes which weāll talk about in the next episode.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
Products For Getting Organized - Source Naturals Wellness Formula
Podcast 10 Year Anniversary Giveaway
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, I introduce you to Trisha D. who sometimes has a very full house of 8 and sometimes just 4 due to her step children and when they have dad time. Trisha was a follower of Cass with Clutterbug and sheād been talking about the Sunday BasketĀ®. The way Lisa teaches and Lisaās story resonated so strongly with Trisha. With 6 kids to keep track of, the Sunday BasketĀ® really made sense to Trisha and helped with the overwhelm.
Previously Trisha had been in an abusive relationship. In Organize 365Ā® and Lisa, she found grace, encouragement, to be brave, to be transparent, progress over perfection, and to put herself first to get out of codependency. Trisha pointed out that if you have never been in a healthy organized environment, then you donāt know what that looks like. She learned what it looks like and how to accomplish it for herself through the Organize 365Ā® products.
Despite the differences in functionality of households, the Sunday BasketĀ® can help anyone really, no matter what your situation. Trisha gained so much confidence from organizing and getting control of her life. In her recovery from her past relationship, she appreciates how the systems from Organize 365Ā® can aid in a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). Which brought up the question, does the change in environment change emotion or vice versa? And is it easier to change your environment or emotions? Trisha experienced that once she started organizing, it gave her more bandwidth to focus on redefining reality and healing emotionally.
Trisha was so impressed with Lisa, this woman who was once depressed and life was a āmess,ā she started a business, went back to school, and vulnerably shared it all with her listeners. Trishaās big take away from Embrace was when Lisa said, āIf you doubt that anyone believes in you, I believe in you!ā So Trisha started a Friday WorkboxĀ®. It became apparent that her employer didnāt appreciate the effectiveness of her using it. So she started her own business! Trisha believes Organize 365Ā® is changing one person at a time, empowering them to follow their dreams. Sheās been using the Friday WorkboxĀ® and it has helped her organize and prioritize the systems of a business. Listen to hear all she has accomplished in three short years.
Trisha now has more hope, faith, time, capacity, a more full life. She truly learned how to create something from nothing. She values the Organize 365Ā® products as roadmaps to life, like the Warrior MAMA Binder, the Friday WorkboxĀ®, and Sunday BasketĀ®. Trishās advice is, āGo for it, whatever way makes sense.ā
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
Embrace Self-Guided RetreatFriday WorkboxĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ® Warrior MAMA Binder
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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Once you are habitually scheduling tasks that lead to consistency with the ability to adapt and be flexible, you may start looking at how to optimize your systems. And once you optimize one system, it becomes a little addictive. I actually became a happier person with optimization. Itās like I was competing with myself and I kept winning! I kept asking, āCan I do it faster? Make it easier? Do it on a different day?ā This is what truly productive people do, they optimize.
Reward of Optimizing
Remember the literature I shared about the Invisible Family Load? It noted three aspects: cognitive, emotional, and managerial. The emotional aspect was negative because of the stress or worry you carry by taking care of your family, but the other two were positive. Thereās a confidence that comes from being able to depend on yourself from planning, a happiness that things are getting produced, happiness from finding āme time,ā and when you are the one managing it all effectively, that is so rewarding.
You Can Make New Rules
I remember when I was trying to optimize my laundry. I tried one load a day, which wasnāt right for me. I tried to get it all done over the weekend, but then I was thinking about laundry for three whole days. THEN, I tried to get all the laundry done in one day and that was it for me! I would do laundry on Saturdays while the kids were cleaning their rooms. This worked for a long time. Then when Abby and I were sharing the machines, we worked out a schedule. Now my laundry is optimized on Saturdays again for this phase of life I am in. This is the beauty of Home Planning Day. Itās the time to look at your current phase and optimize your systems and make new rules. Greg and I are traveling more frequently; that may push me to consider a different laundry day. I will re-evaluate this during the next Home Planning Day. Kids sports, holidays, work, or summer, all these seasons of life can affect the optimization of systems.
I realized as summer was approaching this year, that Abby would be home on my normal work from home days because she works for the school system and has summers off. This is not really a problem except for the PhD and recording podcasts. I like to be home alone. This forced me to look at my systems and consider what I needed to do to keep my studying and recording optimized. I decided on a few new rulesā¦Mondays and Thursdays I wear ponytails and that shaves a few minutes off of getting ready in the morning. I ended up moving all my PhD stuff to the office and I decided to study there. All of my supplies are in one space now and all work is done at the office. That way ālittle babyā Grayson canāt distract me either.
And I will batch record episodes when possible to be 2-4 weeks ahead. I found that when I try to record any further, the energy is off. If itās January and Iām trying to record episodes about March energy and tasks, my energy is off. Iām more passionate about the message when I am in the same energy, too. I played with trying to record first thing in the morning, but that didnāt work because thatās āLisa time.ā Iām not in the right energy yet. I also found by batch recording episodes, it takes less time each episode. I am more efficient when I sit down and crank them out. I can also reference āpreviousā episodes because I just recorded them!
These are just a few examples of what I have done to optimize my systems. Decide what needs to be in balance and what can be out of balance in this phase of your life to be truly productive.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
Organize 365Ā® Podcast Resources
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Organize 365Ā® Home Planning Day
Podcast 10 Year Anniversary Giveaway
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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In this episode, I introduce you to Beatrix S. who lives alone after her husband was transferred to a nursing home where he could get care and supervision for dementia. Beatrix found Organize 365Ā® years ago when Gretchen Rubin interviewed me about the book āThe Paper Solution.ā Her first thought was, āWhat, filing cabinets to binders? Prove it!ā Beatrix had always struggled with paper. So she got the book, read it in a couple of days, and found herself joining the 100 Day Home Organization Program (which became The Productive Home SolutionĀ®) and getting a Sunday BasketĀ®. Now she says sheās hooked.
In 2003, Beatrix reflected on her study and how cluttered it had become again. Please, you need to listen to this insightful poem she shares. She was a minister and has a great way of storytelling. You can hear it in this poem. It was clear imagery of the disarray her study was in.
It took awhile for Beatrix to wrap her brain around the Sunday BasketĀ® System. Sheād not been a part of Organize 365Ā® long when she attended her first Home Planning Day. She also had a couple of unexpected life events, including her husband having a stroke and moving to a nursing home. Beatrix also thought maybe she didnāt have anything left to declutter. Itād been a couple of years since sheād followed Marie Kondoās way of decluttering her closet. I pointed out that Marie Kondo is great for decluttering and Organize 365Ā® offers great organizational systems. Beatrix had plenty to declutter and organize. Beatrix was most shocked with her bathroom and how much sheād crammed in there!
Through the years with Organize 365Ā®, Beatrix has formed a support system of friends. They meet every month and she has found them invaluable with the tough season she is in. Life is good, she acknowledged, but sheās deeply sad and fatigued with loving and caring for her husband. Her advice for others in a similar situation is to surround yourself with as many support systems as you can. Beatrix has more time now; time for friends, beautification, exercise, and planning.
She was recently diagnosed with ADHD and it explains so much. Beatrix really wishes sheād had the Friday WorkboxĀ® when she was in ministry; she always struggled to finish projects. And she wishes sheād known how to organize paper. Sheās appreciative of the replays so she can get additional takeaways and the āteacherās approachā I take with the systems Organize 365Ā® provides. We had a nice conversation about the evolution of school and how they support the ADHD brain/learning style.
Beatrixās advice is, āStart with the Sunday BasketĀ®. If that doesnāt work then just start with one drawer.ā
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Productive Home SolutionĀ®
Home Planning Day
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Friday WorkboxĀ®
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365Ā® when you share on social media!
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You are scheduled and consistent, but can you be flexible? I am not talking about all of the stuff others want you to squeeze into your week, but you.The things you deemed important to get done and you scheduled, do you have the ability to be flexible in how and where in your day they can get completed?
Flexibility in the Name of Productivity
Life is chaotic and throws lots of unexpected things at us, throwing a wrench in our perfect little plans. Are you able to overcome these obstacles or do they turn your day into a wasted day? A few ways I am flexible to still accomplish the goals of the day are ways I choose to be flexible. These unexpected changes keep me on my toes and force me to be disciplined to keep my eyes on my priorities.
You can be flexible in when. I wanted to record 4 episodes the other day until Abby needed me. Grayson came with me to the office where I knew I wasnāt going to record, but I could still be productive with a different goal of the day. Once Grayson was picked up, I could choose to count it as time with him and use my later in the day āGrayson timeā to record.
I also use āwasted daysā to be productive. If Iām out of the office and have a technician coming for one item, why not schedule a few more? The other day I had a technician come for the furnace, A/C, and a person to finish where we modified the wall by the fridge. I did stuff around the house while all these technicians were at my house.
Another example Iād like to share is if someone in our house gets sick. Iām the mom and itās nice to have mom when you are sick. And I want to be there for my family. So then I look at whatās coming up in the week. Itās all about the flexible thinking of pivoting. What has to get done, moved to next week, go back in the Sunday BasketĀ®, or scratched off the list forever?
Pat jokes that at Organize 365Ā®, we pivot so much itās like weāre dancing. Itās not so much when in the day or how it gets done, itās more about THAT it gets done! Productive people are about completing tasks thus being productive.
The To-Do List Will Never Be Done
Your Sunday BasketĀ® is the keeper of the master to-do list items, right? You go through your basket and determine what must get done in the upcoming week. We like to load up our to-do list but we are frustrated it never seems to get done. Could you be the problem? The trick is to see what can wait, must wait. Letās say you are left with three things that must get done, which is ok. Schedule those, be flexible to ensure they get completed and thenā¦itās up to you! Yes, you could say thereās more in the Sunday BasketĀ® and you want to do more.
But alternatively, what if you used that time for a hobby, relaxing, catching up with friends or family? And I have found the items I delay completing, end up getting done by someone else, are no longer relevant, or donāt need to be completed anymore. Also, I want you to think about the last time you completed the items on your to-do list. How did you feel? Like superwoman? Yes! Donāt you want that feeling more often? Take care of what must get done and the rest leave so you too have discretionary leisure time.
Being flexible in the name of productivity is a skill of truly productive people. Truly productive people are also always optimizing. Join me next week as I explain how you too can always be optimizing to be truly productive.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
Podcast 10 Year Anniversary Giveaway
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In this episode, I introduce you to Summer K who lives with her son, husband, and dog. Summer originally found Organize 365Ā® in the summer of 2020 through an ad on Instagram. She made the āmistakeā of clicking on it and then it āfollowedā her. Eventually she visited the website and put a Sunday BasketĀ® in the cart for her momā¦annnnd one for herself! She knows the systems now and doesnāt fret if a system ābreaksā because she can easily get it back up and running.
Summer now lives in Minnesota, but there were a few moves before now and when she found Organize 365Ā®. Instead of decluttering and organizing along the way, she chose to put items in storage units. With the Sunday BasketĀ®, Summer had moved away from filing cabinets. The transformation in her thinking, through implementing the Organize 365Ā® systems, also helped her trim down to one storage unit that she left behind when she moved to Minnesota. After about a year, her brother loaded it up and delivered it to her. Summer had the whole basement set up ready to process that unit in hopes of getting rid of 50% of itā¦and she did! The systems help you to keep the stuff you want and use versus a filing cabinet or storage unit that allows you to store it and forget it long after it is still relevant.
Summer is a self proclaimed binder snot. She appreciates a durable functioning binder as much as me! We laughed about how the manufacturers canāt figure out how to use quality products and allow all the products inside to function simultaneously. These are the school supplies we need for our lifeās work. She pointed out that they are a fraction of the price of a filing cabinet and do not allow you to keep outdated papers. And as I shared, I even created a binder for Grayson because while he doesnāt have an IEP, he does have OT and other paperwork that is no longer relevant in Abbyās binder or the household binder. So where do you put it? You make that person their own binder. We also discussed different binders for different properties. The binders are there, make them work for you so you donāt have to think of all the filters you need to go through to get to important paperwork you need. Reduce your cognitive load.
The Productive Home SolutionĀ® (then the 100 Day Home Organization Program) was so helpful for Summer because in the midst of her busy life, when she knew sheād have a 15 minute chunk of time, sheād just look at what she needed to complete next. Sheād do it and go back to her busy life. The Productive Home SolutionĀ® has evolved over the years to be universal so any person gets the benefits of functional organization. One of the many improvements we have made is a 120 day checklist so you can check off tasks in any order for the amount of time you have. Summer loves this aspect as well as videos that show real life applications. How are real people actually completing the checklists?
Summer finds so much value in the Sunday BasketĀ® that she gets her assistantās a Sunday BasketĀ® and even has them complete a Friday WorkboxĀ® Planning Day. It is important to her that they are talking the same language. In planning, she wants them to know sheās talking pink or connections have been made and itās now turning into purple work. Summer also realized she used to keep a very long to-do list until she started putting ideas only on one side and project tasks on the other side. Then she learned sheād separated her pink and purple work. Summer has been in the business of pink work so it was an āahaā moment when she learned about the color coding of the slash pockets. She shared at first she kept thinking her cobbled systems were better. Then she tried the suggested way and liked it better! She has found all of the systems to be very effective in work and home.
Summerās advice is, āDo 6 weeks in a row to build the muscle to see the real value.ā
EPISODE RESOURCES:
The Sunday BasketĀ®
The Productive Home SolutionĀ®
The Paper SolutionĀ®
Friday Workbox Planning Day
Sign Up for the Organize 365Ā® Newsletter
On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365ĀĀ® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. I am grateful that you are reaching out to share with me and with this community. You can see and hear transformation in action. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday.
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