It’s been a while since I’ve put together Seana’s Sampler, a roundup of tips, thoughts, and resources. This month I’m sharing a few terrific discoveries from people with whom I have recently crossed paths in the organizing and productivity industry. I hope you’ll enjoy perusing this content and come away with something you like!
Podcasts to Get Organized and Improve Productivity…
Do you listen to podcasts? I find they are an easy way to learn something new without much effort. If you want to improve your productivity, check out this wonderful podcast from fellow organizers and productivity experts Deb Lee and Cris Sgrott called “Productivity Lovers Podcast.” Recent episodes have covered “Hot Potato Productivity,” “Productivity Avoidance,” and “Productive, Not Perfect.” Couldn’t we all use a little help with getting things done in a way that doesn’t stress us out?
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Two other friends, Angie Hyche and Liana George, have just launched a podcast called “Uncluttered: Shaping Your Heart and Home for What Matters Most.”This podcast comes from a Christian viewpoint, and has recently addressed “Dirty Words of Organizing,” “Is Disorganization a Sin?” and “Clutter 101.” Each podcast is about 15-20 minutes long and is full of understanding and encouragement.
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Two Effective Organizing Tools…
Do you want to get organized but never seem to have a block of time you can dedicate to the task? Only have ten minutes? Two sweet friends have developed a powerhouse tool for decluttering and getting organized in small snippets of time. It is called “Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time,” and comes in the form of a deck of cards. Each card suggests four to six simple steps you can take to organize a category or space in only ten minutes. They even note which cards are child friendly, so you can get the whole family involved.
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My friend and author Hazel Thornton is back with a new tool that will be a gem for anyone who struggles with decision-making. Entitled, “Go With the Flow!: The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook.” The beauty of Hazel’s approach is that she breaks down what might feel like large, overwhelming projects into bite-sized decisions, and then guides you through making each one. This book includes a flow chart for 17 rooms, including the kitchen, closet, garage, office paper, to-do, photo, ancestry, keepsake, holidays, kids’ paper, and more. She even has a chart to help you figure out where to start! If you’ve been feeling stuck, this might be the perfect way to jumpstart your progress.
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Help for Getting Laundry Done…
I had the pleasure of collaborating with a bunch of friends on “Mastering the Art of Laundry: How to Sort, Wash, and Organize Your Clothes for Optimal Care” over on Porch.com.This article is full of tips for various aspects of the laundry process, a chore that many struggle with on a daily basis. Why not pop over and see if there are any tips that might make doing laundry easier and more pleasant?
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A TEDx Talk to Boost Your Communication…
Part of living an organized and productive life stems from how well we communicate with others. For instance, we can have a great plan for keeping our home organized, but if no one else “folds in,” we can become quickly frustrated. Similarly, we might have a great strategy for a project, event, or assignment, but if we fail to communicate well with relevant parties, we may struggle to succeed.
The National Association for Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) recently launched a virtual leadership discussion group to help us successfully serve our clients. I particularly enjoyed listening to the TEDx Talk entitled, “How to Have a Good Conversation” with Celeste Headlee. I have found myself thinking about her advice ever since watching. Having tried out a few of the techniques she suggested, I think almost anyone can benefit from giving them a try. Can you think of a relationship where a different approach might be helpful?
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A Motivating Video…
This month my friends, fellow organizers, and organizing business partners from NAPO-CT were lucky enough to welcome speaker Larry Janesky, CEO and Founder, Contractor Nation, American businessman, entrepreneur, author and trainer. Larry shared lots of valuable information with us during the meeting, some of which I captured in my notes.
Prioritization is the master skill of high achievers. What is most important to you NOW? This changes all the time, so we need to keep asking the question. It is important to spend most of our time on what is most important now, not only what screams the loudest or appears to be urgent. Sometimes the right decision is to leave something undone so that you can do something else that is more important.
- Use your talent and contribute. All of us have unique abilities and gifts. Rather than envying the ones we perceive we lack, we will feel more satisfied and joyful if we focus on using and sharing our strengths.
- If you’re in a rut, bored, depressed, or feeling aimless, learn something new. Change your perspective. Keep it fresh. There is so much out there!
- Remember that dissatisfaction is most likely when your expectations don’t align with reality. Sometimes the quickest path to feeling good about our efforts starts by setting realistic expectations before we even begin.
- Be very clear about where you are and where you want to go. Nobody can be clearer about your life than you. What does your ideal life look like? Are you living it today?
- In many situations, it is not sufficient quantity of information that we struggle with, but rather execution of what we know. If you are having a hard time making progress, focus on what action you can take.
Larry has a compelling and inspiring personal story that we were invited to watch before the meeting. If you could use a dose of motivation, I encourage you to watch.
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What a joy for me to be surrounded by great people and wonderful resources. Did any of these resonate with you? I’d love to know!
A great list of resources here, Seana. And quite a mix. I am going to go over and check out the collab post on laundry right now!
Jessica recently posted…15 Best Travel Journals for Travelers – Guide to Choosing the Perfect Travel Journal
We can always use a little help on laundry, right?
What a wonderful group of resources! I love how you named it the “Friends” edition. One of the things that stood out was how several of your resources evolved from collaborations between organizers like Deb and Cris, Diane and Jonda, or even the Porch article where you and your colleagues were featured. This collective knowledge and strong relationships make the organizing industry so wonderful. I’m going to circle back to watch the two videos. They look inspiring!
Collaboration makes all of us better, right Linda? What a joy!
I hope you enjoy the videos. I had great food for thought from both of them.
Love that Diane and I were included as your friends. There is so much diverse inspiration here. This will need more time to go back and see some of the videos. Thanks for sharing!
Fun to include your terrific product, Jonda! Hope you enjoy the videos. They both gave me thoughts to chew on.
Very cool, Seana! I have to check out these podcasts. I am a fan of podcasts and am always looking for new ones. Thanks.
Sabrina Quairoli recently posted…How to Organize Socks Once and For All {Sock Organization Options}
I hope you enjoy them, Sabrina!
Thank you for including our deck of cards here, Seana. I am book marking the two podcasts, they sound great. And, I will circle back to watch the videos you included. Great list!
Diane N Quintana recently posted…Use Life Hacks To Begin Creating Better Home Maintenance Routines
I know it takes time to listen and watch, but I hope you find them all helpful. I know the videos have given me food for thought for a couple of weeks now.
My goodness you are in good company in this world! I am newly into podcasts – how helpful they are for me lately. And the deck of cards seems crucial for my ever-overwhelmed family of six.
Tamara recently posted…Will IBS Ever Go Away? What the Science Says
I’m sort of getting into podcasts myself. They are such a great way to learn – feels effortless!
Wow, Seana, what a fabulous mix of resources. I agree about Cris & Deb’s podcast, Jonda & Diane’s card deck, and Hazel’s book — I recommend them, too. And that was such a fun laundry article, and I was amazed how we all had such disparate thoughts. I’m sure Angie and Liana’s podcast will be intriguing for those interested in organizing from a Christian perspective (and even those who are curious).
I’m conflicted regarding Celeste Headlee’s excellent TED Talk. On the one hand, it’s stellar advice; on the other, I’m dubious that most humans (myself, included) have the capacity to actually implement some of those pieces of advice. It’s hard (but easier) to say “I don’t know,” to being willing to talk to someone who believes that you (or people you love) don’t have a right to even exist. But it would be an amazing thing if we COULD actually do all of these things.
Finally, Larry Janesky’s points are really on-point. My favorite part was about learning something new when you’re feeling down. Learning and laughing are the only things that transform my mood, so I definitely agree!
Julie Bestry recently posted…Surprising Productivity Advice & the 2023 Task Management & Time Blocking Summit
A lot of what Celeste shared is common for those training to be good listeners in ministry. We can always aim to give our full attention and listen as well as possible. #goals
Larry’s video really motivated me, as did his in-person talk to our group. He’s had ups and downs, but impressively has continued to dream, grow, and give. I find that inspiring!
Julie, I hear what you are saying about the TEDx talk, but also keep in mind that it was from 2015. I wonder if Celeste would have any new advice for 2023?
Hazel Thornton recently posted…Selecting a Family Tree Template
Thrilled to be included in your “Friends Edition,” Seana! Thank you! 💛 All the resources you shared are awesome. I’m really intrigued by Larry’s video and this resonated with me: “Be very clear about where you are and where you want to go.” Such simple but impactful advice.
Deb Lee recently posted…Brilliant Books for Business Owners (Yes, Audiobooks, Too)
Glad to include your terrific podcast, Deb! Larry’s video had my whole family chatting. I resonated with that question as well!
I’m so glad you found my new “Go With the Flow!” workbook to be a “terrific discovery”! I also enjoy being your friend and colleague!
Hazel Thornton recently posted…Selecting a Family Tree Template
It’s a pleasure, Hazel! One of the best parts of starting my business has been meeting all the wonderful people in this field. 🙂