Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Summer Solstice

Tomorrow, June 21st, is the Summer Solstice. This is also known as the day in the Northern Hemisphere with the longest amount of daylight. With the warm weather finally upon us here in Michigan, this is the time of year that we spend more time outside and less inside. In particular, less time inside keeping our spaces organized and in order.

I am the same. These days I like to spend most evenings outside checking to see how all my flowers are coming along. The orange lilies in my garden (pictured above) are now in bloom. They are always the first to bloom, before the yellows and pinks and my favorite, the fragrant Star Gazers that the deer so like to eat.

Some things will fall by the wayside in summer, but in order to stay organized it is important to prioritize and schedule those tasks that are absolutely necessary. Tasks like this include bill paying, preparing meals and keeping the laundry in check. At this busy time of year, it is more important than ever to plan time for the necessesities. This will allow you time to "stop and smell the roses" (sometimes literally) for the rest of summer without stress.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Book Review

I recently finished reading Organizing for Your Brain Type by Lanna Nakone. At my first NAPO conference in San Diego in April 2005, I attended Lanna's conference session on corporate organizing and was very much impressed by her intelligence, confidence and professionalism that she brings to this industry.

Although I am not one to go up and talk to speakers after the session, I (among others) followed Lanna into the hall to speak with her in person. When I told her as an MBA I was surprised she didn't have an MBA herself (she has an MA in religious studies) she hugged me. Here is a bright, perhaps overconfident, woman who is also very approachable.

Organizing for Your Brain Type did not disappoint me. At roughly 200 pages, the book is full of practical information backed up by extensive research, something that is hard to find in most organizing books.

The thing is, Lanna gets it.

She says in the preface of her book, "Organizing is so much more than putting things into a box labeled 'Christmas Decorations'". So true.

In addition to the four unique styles of organizing that Lanna calls "Brain Styles" the book also talks about the overconsumption in American society today. She, like myself, is a true believer in the fact that you do not need to rush out and buy more stuff to get organized.

Organizing for Your Brain Type has helped me understand my organizing style and better help my clients too.