How I Got Unstuck

Archive Photo: Carolyn Anderson-Fermann Presenting

After our dog passed in June of 2013, I was so busy taking care of my kids, working through the CPES training program and in general keeping it all together at home. I felt pulled in so many directions, overwhelmed and stuck.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I have taken small steps to move forward in a positive way. I feel excited to get back to blogging, update my website and take on new goals.

Now, you might be wondering what the heck this all has to do with organizing and productivity. Everything! When our minds and bodies are in good shape, it is so much easier to be organized and productive. 

Here are five thing I did to get myself unstuck:

1.     Adopt a Pet---This one is not feasible for everyone and you might end up with a crazy destructive dog as I wrote about in last month's edition of Your Simply Organized Life. That being said, our pup has forced me to get outside in nature every day, several times a day. 

2.     Get Enough Sleep---Sleep is essential for me. On the days that I wake up having not gotten enough sleep, I am more impatient, short with my kids and definitely less productive. For more tips on getting enough sleep, check out this past edition of Your Simply Organized Life. 

3.     Make Time for Daily Self Care---Daily self care is different for all of us. For a new mother, it might be just taking a shower daily. For those of us with children a bit older, it can mean more. For me, it means getting up before my family to do a few stretches and sit in silence for five minutes. It also means moving my body daily. 

4.     Create a Smaller Wardrobe---Letting go of all those clothes that no longer serve me, has lightened my mornings. It is so easy to get dressed and keep up on laundry with fewer clothes. For more tips on how I approach my simple wardrobe, check out the September 2014 edition of Your Simply Organized Life. 

5.     Get Help---At the start of 2015, I decided that I really wanted to make some big steps forward and that in order to do so, I needed some help. I hired a coach, who has helped me get focused and let go of limiting beliefs that were holding me back personally and professionally.

This is not intended as medical advice, so if you think you might be in a clinical depression, please seek additional help for yourself. 

Contact Carolyn if you need help with your organization or productivity. We always start with a complementary 30 minute Discovery Session via telephone.

All my best,

Carolyn

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. To receive a free copy of Carolyn's "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" and a monthly subscription to the e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life" sign up here. 

Establishing Positive Routines

Carolyn presenting her popular seminar "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" One of my "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" (sign up here for a free copy) is having positive routines. Establishing and keeping positive routines is not always easy, but the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences.  Great routines can help you be more rested, get where you need to be on-time, keep up on household duties and achieve your personal and professional goals. I hope you will find these tips useful in evaluating your own daily routines.

Take a good hard look at your current routines:  note what is working and what is not working. Are you rushing around every morning, creating a stressful environment for everyone in your wake? Or is sleep deprivation making you a bit, shall we say it? Crabby?  Many families struggle with the morning routine, which really starts with a good evening routine and getting enough sleep. Here are some tips for establishing a stress free evening routine: Have a set bedtime on most evenings for both yourself and your children. Plan for any evening activities to finish a least an hour before your bedtime.  At that time, start winding down by planning for the next day, taking care of loose ends and getting ready for bed.  Lay out your clothing for the next day, so that it is quick and easy to get ready. Some may even want to prepare breakfast for the next morning.  We all have more to do than we can accomplish most days. Jot down those unfinished tasks on a notepad or in your calendar for another day.  ​Before evaluating your morning routine, make sure you are planning for the day ahead the night before. Then look at exactly where the morning routine could be improved up for a smoother start to your day. If you need help establishing your routines, contact Carolyn for a complementary consultation and consider purchasing the Simply Organized Life routine worksheet.  Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. To receive a free copy of Carolyn's "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life"and a monthly subscription to the e-newsletter "Your Simply Organized Life" sign up here.

Sleep Makes All the Difference

I wish every morning went as smoothly as today. Being an organizer, things are generally laid out for the morning routine; but typically someone is tired, whiny and basically uncooperative. That someone is sometimes me, which is really not how I like to start a new day. 


So what was the difference today? We all (including myself) had a good night's sleep!


In my "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" seminar and essay (sign up here to receive a copy) I talk about how getting enough sleep impacts our executive function tasks which include reasoning, planning and decision making. These are tasks that are crucial in order to organize our time and our physical surroundings. Without enough sleep, we flounder in personal organizational tasks (not to mention that it makes us really whiny). 


So, if you want your morning routine to function better, take a close look at your evening routine. On a good day, my evening routine (including getting my kids ready for bed) starts at least two hours before I go to bed myself. 


Here are some simple tips for getting a good night's sleep:

• Create a tranquil escape by eliminating clutter where you sleep. 
• Turn off all electronic devices (including the television) at least an hour before you want to sleep. 
• Prepare for the day ahead by checking your calendar, laying out clothes and preparing the next day's breakfast or lunch. 
• Stick to a consistent bed-time routine. This helps children and adults sleep better. 

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann is a public speaker, organizing expert and founder of Simply Organized Life. Carolyn will be presenting "Secrets of a Simply Organized Life" at My Urban Toddler in Saline, Michigan on May 18, 2012 (childcare is available, check with My Urban Toddler for details).