submitted by NAPO Member, Sandra Wheeler

Reposted from NAPO Get Organized & Be Productive Blog

STOP and THINK

I often wake up with a good deal of energy, ready to jump out of bed and start my day. This is great however, I have learned if I STOP first and THINK, I am more efficient overall. STOP before your feet touch the floor in the morning and you get out bed. THINK about your day. What are the two things that you could accomplish today that would make you happy when you lie back down in bed tonight? Just TWO!

Choosing two objectives will often set you up for success, rather than allowing others’ interruptions and priorities to take your day and run with it. STOP before you jump in the car to run errands. THINK about what you need to accomplish. THINK about the rest of your week. Are you going right by a store on Thursday? Can this errand wait until then? Perhaps create a crude map with the errands listed. This can save you hours of darting to and fro with no real plan.

STOP before jumping in to declutter your desk. Many folks want to first take care of all the easy items to get them out of the way. Tackling the easy things first may use up all the time you have allotted and may not allow you to get to the more important and urgent items. STOP to create lists and piles as you THINK about your priorities. First tackle a big fat important task, then a few quickies. STOP often. Be mindful. Allow your body and your mind to rest. Allow down time for yourself, giving your mind a chance to THINK creatively about your priorities and provide you a more efficient day. Once a quarter I try really hard to take a day off. I pack a tote bag of papers and books and spend the day sitting in a Panera.

Time away from the house (laundry, dishes, meal prep, etc) allows me to let my mind STOP and THINK. It allows me to focus on the important priorities in my life. How is my family? How is my home? How is my business? What is working? What have I been thinking of trying? Having time to STOP and THINK renews my energy and allows me to focus. Days like these leave me feeling energized to move forward to achieve new goals.

After 20 years in the Corporate world, Sandra Wheeler found her passion and her peeps in NAPO. She has earned her Specialist Certificate in Residential Organizing, as well as Workplace Productivity. Sandra served on the NAPO-CT Board from 2008-2016 and received the Founders Award for her contributions. In 2016, Sandra earned her Feng Shui Certification from the New England School of Feng Shui.