National Association of Professional Organizers
Washington, DC

This year, we were fortunate to have the NAPO Conference in our own backyard. It sure made for an easy commute! A record number of NAPO-WDC chapter members attended, and we all enjoyed a few wonderful days of learning, networking and catching up with our far-away colleagues.

I always enjoy the NAPO conference and look forward to it every year. This year, we had many chapter members who attended for the first time and I wanted to hear from them. So I asked. . .

What surprised you most about conference?

“NAPO did a superb job of matching me with a conference buddy, someone of about the same age and level of experience, which greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the conference!”

Veronica Perry

Yellowbird Productivity Consulting

“What surprised and pleased me most at the conference was meeting so many organizers who have rich, accomplished professional backgrounds. I was impressed with the high level of intelligence and education of the people I met!”

Eileen LaGreca

Sensational Spaces

I appreciated “how truly inspiring the keynote speakers were,” and “how friendly and warm each fellow organizer was.”

Kimberly Gleason

Gleason Organizing and Bookkeeping

“What surprised me most was the closing note speaker! Dan Thurmon juggled and unicycled during his entire presentation and closed the conference with a bang, which, considering my energy level by the end of day four, is pretty impressive. Even more memorable was one of his metaphors that has resonated with me ever since…In order to juggle multiple things, you must let go of one to catch the other.”

Nealey Stapleton

On Track

. . . and from one of our most active and accomplished chapter members. . .

“I’m a fan of NAPO Conference and think everyone should attend.” – “There are NAPO members who are serious about their business but don’t invest in the #1 value offered for education, networking, professional development and growth! You can’t afford it? I can’t afford not to.”

Lauren Halagarda, CPO®

The Organization Connection

Thank you NAPO for another wonderful conference. See you next year in New Orleans!

The March NAPO-WDC chapter meeting was held on Monday, April 2, 2012, at Kena Shriners in Fairfax, VA.  There were 45 members in attendance and 6 guests.

Janet Schiesl welcomed everyone.  Maria White introduced our 6 guests. Susan Unger hosted the “Ask the Expert” table tonight and had 6 visitors.

Terri Fischer announced 2 guests that may become Corporate Partners: Luke Waldron from E-Haul Away and Rick Reinsch from Digital Recollections.

She then introduced CPs in attendance including Andy Reiman of Modern Image, Ron Goodes from Resale Solutions, Alonso Zamora and Dr. Dale Keenan from B-Thrifty, Alex Powers from Junk King, Linden Coyne from Junk in the Trunk, Joe Johnson from Shelf Genie, Tim from CityStash, Raea Jean Leinstee from Yuck Old Paint.

Ron Goodes from ReSale Solutions spoke about their business.  In January they expanded to accepting vintage items (clothing, electronics, accessories, furniture) for resale. They have tried to improve communication to clients by using organizers on the status of their client’s items.  Linden Coyne from Junk in the Trunk spoke about their pick-up/disposal process. Alonso Zamora from B-Thrifty spoke about their recycling program and that they are in expansion mode.

Pierrette Ashcroft then introduced the evening’s speaker: Brooks Duncan, Owner and Editor-in-Chief of DocumentSnap.com.

Brooks spoke about paperless documentation organization and focused on three areas: 1) How do you organize documents, 2) How do you find documents, and 3) How do you protect your documents.

Brooks noted that there are 2 main ways to store documents – in folders or in software.  There are pros and cons to both and many people use both.  Documents can also be stored locally on the hard drive or on the cloud.  Again, there are pros and cons to both and many people use a hybrid of the two.

File names should be consistent and descriptive.  Brooks recommends using a shallow folder system and then adding in subfolders as necessary as items are added.  It is important to remember that many times a paperless organization problem is a workflow problem.  A digital inbox can help with the workflow process, as can automation programs and apps.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) makes PDF documents (such as receipts, notes, etc.) searchable, and it is good to learn how system searches work to make your searches more effective.

Brooks emphasized the importance of backing up your hard drive and recommends an automatic back-up system to two locations (local and external).  Encryption of documents is important for protection if computer gets stolen, hacked, etc.

Brooks answered questions from the group and provided a helpful handout that included the resources he mentioned in the presentation.

Pierrette provided information on the upcoming Tribute Bash, membership survey and ballot for awards.

Susan provided information on White Elephant Sale in June.

Chapter Business Meeting
Janet provided information on new lending library borrowing time limits and Soles4Souls challenge.

Janet reviewed the calendar for the upcoming month.

Our lucky door prize winner was Tammy Laurant.

The next meeting will be the Tribute Bash at Timpano Italian Chophouse, 12021 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852 on May 7, 2012.

Do you wish you had more energy? You’re not alone. Dr. Jo offers these tips to help you keep your energy up all day long:

Treat Yourself Right

• Understand your own personal energy cycle. Complete the challenging tasks when you’re at your peak and do the routine tasks when you’re experiencing a mid-afternoon slump.
• Take care of your needs. Sure you have work to do but take a little time out for yourself every day.
• Make sleep a priority. Remind yourself you are more productive and in a better frame of mind to handle challenges when you’ve had enough sleep. Just too tired to go on? Take a ten minute powernap.
• Manage your stress. Although the release of adrenaline created in a state of panic can create a temporary “high,” it comes at a price. When things settle down, you’ll find yourself completely exhausted.
• Get regular exercise. Exercise is a great way to recharge your batteries. Can you fit in a ten minute walk outside in the fresh air?

Follow a Healthy Eating Pattern

• Eat breakfast. Food fuels our body and mind. Even if you’re not hungry, break the evening fast within the first hour of waking. In a rush? Grab a piece of fruit, a muffin, or instant oatmeal.
• Eat every three hours. Ever experience an “energy slump” after a large meal? Try eating every three hours. In between meals, snack on a piece of fruit, sugar-free yogurt, crackers and cheese, or a handful of nuts.
• Include a small amount of protein at every meal. Protein provides staying power for your energy level. For breakfast, include a glass of milk, yogurt, or eggs (or egg substitutes). At lunch and dinner, include a small portion of lean beef, chicken, fish, cheese, or soy protein.
• Limit the number of carbohydrates you have at each meal. This isn’t a low carbohydrate approach; carbs are a good source of the fuel we need to energize our body. But, too many carbohydrates at one time can drop your blood sugar if you’re sensitive. Foods rich in carbohydrates include fruit, bread, cereal, noodles, rice, potatoes, corn, peas, beans, chips, crackers.
• Restrict the concentrated amounts of sugar. There’s no need to cut out sugar completely. But don’t consume sodas, cookies, candy, and the like on an empty stomach and don’t eat large portions at one time.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant. And caffeine, after lunch time, can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.

Check with Your Healthcare Team. If the above suggestions aren’t working, check with your doctor.

• Describe your symptoms. Are you sleepy or physically weak? Does your energy wax and wane or is it constantly at a low level?
• Get tested. Conditions that can zap your energy include: depression, low testosterone, sleep apnea, diabetes and hypoglycemia, heart or lung problems, anemia, thyroid problems, cancer, or hormonal changes due to menopause.
• Ask about medications you take. Drugs to control anxiety and high blood pressure, as well as antihistamines, can drain your energy.

Dr. Jo was a keynote speaker at the 2012 national NAPO convention. She has presented 1000+ programs at conferences, groups, and company meetings. She’s a PhD nutritionist, registered dietitian, and the author of several books including How to Stay Healthy & Fit on the Road and Eat Out Healthy. Her upcoming book, Reboot – how to stay focused, energized, and more productive, will be published later this year. For more information, go to www.DrJo.com.

NAPO-WDC Arlington/Alexandria Neighborhood Group

Please join us for networking at the Arlington/Alexandria Neighborhood Group!  (All chapter members are welcome; sorry no guests)

AGENDA
- Informal Networking
- Professional Organizing Book Review (discuss our latest reads)
- Share Our Successes
- Client or Business Issues
- Favorite Products or Services

**For those who attended the NAPO meeting on Mastermind Groups, some of these topics should be familiar.**

Thursday, April 19, 7:00-9:00 pm
Whole Foods – Upstairs Seating Area
2700 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201
Across the street from The Container Store
Parking: Whole Foods lot, Garage on Clarendon Blvd (get parking ticket validated if purchase food) or street parking
3 blocks from Clarendon Metro Station

Questions? Contact Heather Cocozza, PMP, CPO® 703-276-1243 ext. 2, hcocozza@CocozzaOrgDesign.com