Posts tagged team
When Facing Something Difficult, Do You Procrastinate or Ask for Help?

What is your tendency when you encounter something challenging? Your temperament or the circumstance will elicit different responses.

Challenges are opportunities. However, they can either motivate you to take action or cause you to be overwhelmed and paralyzed.

One of the things I admire about my virtual organizing clients is their willingness to seek help. They recognize that some challenges can be resolved quickly when they get the needed support. They usually know what result they want but need help figuring out the plan and steps. Or they may know what to do but want accountability and support while taking action.

 

When to Seek Help

When I have a challenge, I tend to go it alone first. I prefer to fix it myself, so I don’t have to bother anyone. But here’s the thing: I recognize that having agency and being able to ‘fix’ things is valuable. It’s as essential to know when to get support.

Enlist help to:

  • Bounce ideas off of someone

  • Make a plan

  • Rely on someone else’s expertise or experience

  • Delegate

  • Do things you don’t want to do

  • Have accountability

  • Get support when you are stuck

You don’t have to do everything yourself. Build your team, your go-to people, who can help you navigate the challenges you face and the goals you seek.

You don’t have to do everything yourself.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

Grateful for Help

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. They’ve included wonderful vacation time and celebrations with family, mixed with many things going sideways. Our home needed help with a water filter replacement project, a new chimney liner, a replacement water pressure valve, a damaged driveway by one of our vendors, and a leaky roof. Oh. The joys of home ownership!

My husband, Steve, and I tagged-teamed the challenges. Steve is handy but time-poor. He handled some of these things by doing the work himself or getting help from a vendor. I assisted Steve with one of the projects (the water filter replacement) and hired vendors to get the other projects done.

Identifying the tasks we could do ourselves, the ones that needed to be done quickly, and those that required an outside vendor was vital.

  

Project Sprawl

Have you ever noticed how most projects are never as simple as you think? For example, the water filter we’ve used for years stopped selling replacement filters. This should have been a simple purchase and filter replacement, but it turned into a project.

Steve researched replacement options, ordered a new unit, and was ready to install it. Unfortunately, the box didn't include all the connection pieces he needed. After several trips to Home Depot, he was prepared for installation. When I saw the old unit removed from under the kitchen sink, I wanted to replace the liner paper. That involved removing the slide-out garbage can, cleaning the area, and cutting the new liner.

It didn’t stop there. We also decided to repaint under the sink to cover up some rust stains. As I write this, the paint is drying, and everything will soon be back in place.

  

No Need to Struggle Alone

My point is that getting help is a good thing. Don’t struggle alone. If you can do the thing yourself, great! But if you’re procrastinating, stuck, and overwhelmed, reach out for help.

What area of your life needs support? What have you recently asked for help with? How did that go? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

I'm ready if you need help getting unstuck, making a plan, decluttering, or organizing. Please email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Moving forward is possible, especially with support.

 
 
How Is Chocolate Helpful with Being Motivated to Get Organized?

Combining chocolate, motivation, and organizing into one concept might seem like a giant leap. Hang in there. I will share how this connection came to be and how it can help you get motivated to accomplish your goals. The idea began with several disconnected thoughts:

I realize that not everyone loves chocolate, lacks motivation, or wants to get organized. However, the motivation concept I will share applies to many situations.


Where Did My Motivation Concept Come From?

One of the gifts I gave my husband, Steve, for our anniversary was a ‘choose your date night’ certificate. Truthfully, it was meant to be more of a daytime date, but you get the idea. I gave him a list of ten possible options to choose from. He could pick one or combine a few into a single adventure.

One of the choices on the list is visiting The Chocolate Room in Brooklyn, New York. Someone described it as a “playground for grown-up chocoholics.” Did I mention how much Steve and I love chocolate?

While reviewing the date options, Steve looked at all the websites. He found this amazing video on The Chocolate Room site, which you can watch below.

Warning: This might put you over the edge if you love chocolate.

 

 

How Did The Chocolate Room Video Make You Feel?

I don’t know about you, but after watching the video, I wanted to eat chocolate immediately. Some drool might have been involved, too. In fact, not only did I want to eat chocolate, but Steve and I were ready to hop in the car right then and drive an hour and a half to The Chocolate Room.

The way they described their chocolate experience was so compelling that my motivation to go there and taste everything on their menu was through the roof.

What effect did the video have on you?

 

 

What Is Compelling Motivation?

Let’s connect the dots with chocolate, motivation, and getting organized. The main takeaway from watching the video was this: What makes something so compelling it motivates you to do it now?

These are The Chocolate Room video elements I noticed:

  • Luscious photography: Used visuals for the desired goal

  • Sense activation: Detailed auditory descriptions of what the ‘goal’ feels/tastes like

  • Team effort: Showed passionate professionals in support of the goal

  • Essential ingredients: Described a positive environment and supplies needed to realize the goal

  • Commitment: Dedicated time to achieve the goal

What makes something so compelling it motivates you to do it now?
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

5 Essential Motivation Elements

How can you integrate the above elements when you need motivation to reach your goal? Consider these ideas:

  • Create a vision board or select images of what the completed goal will look like.

  • Write a description or record an audio clip about what the completed goal will feel like.

  • Hire your team (professional organizer, coach, or therapist) to provide support.

  • Gather tools and supplies needed.

  • Plan time and designate time blocks to accomplish your goal.

Collect the combination of ingredients to supercharge your motivation and achieve your goal. Which ingredients make motivation compelling for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

If you need help with motivation and getting organized, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Reaching your goals is possible, especially with support.

 
 
How to Be Astoundingly Mindful, Calm, and Prepared for Your New Season

Last week, I wrote about the transitions we’re experiencing as the seasons change. While fall doesn’t officially begin for several weeks, its unofficial start has happened. You’re back from summer vacation, the kiddos have returned to school, and your plate is piled high with numerous projects, goals, and activities. Your schedule is packed, and your daily patterns are changing. Do you feel calm and prepared, or anxious and not ready?

Transitions can be tricky and uncomfortable. However, intregrating mindfulness into the mix can bring calm and confidence to this next phase.

There are six ways to feel ready as you prepare for your busy season. You can use these strategies for any shift you’re experiencing, such as starting a new day, month, season, year, project, or life change.

 

 

6 Ways to Mindfully Prepare for Your New Season

1. Prepare Emotionally

Your emotional state benefits greatly when you prioritize your self-care. To fortify your energy reserves and to create a positive emotional state:

  • Get enough sleep

  • Eat healthfully

  • Hydrate

  • Move your body

  • Make time for just you

  • Engage in nourishing activities

 

2. Prepare Environment

Clutter can cause blockages in your thinking, well-being, creativity, daily flow, and routines. Make time to let go of the physical things you no longer need, want, are in your way, or are no longer relevant for this new phase. Clear the path for your new season. What can you declutter now?

  

3. Clarify Goals & Why

Did you create an ambitious list of goals at the start of this year? This change of seasons presents an excellent time to revisit and reset. Ask:

Taking the time to clarify will be valuable. The clarity will help with more effortless and less stressful decision-making when your choices align with your goals and overarching why.

Integrate mindfulness to bring calm and confidence to this next phase.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4. Gather Your Team

The busy season makes it a terrific time to gather more support. Collect your go-to peeps- family, friends, colleagues, and professionals. There is no reason to go it alone. Who will be on your team? They can help you:

 

5. Gather Your Resources

Aside from your ‘team,’ what else will help you prepare for this season? What physical supplies or products will be beneficial? What about finding resources for ideas or referrals?

As we’re in the back-to-school mode, images of sharpened pencils, blank notebooks, and boxes of new, colorful crayons fill my thoughts. While our kiddos are adults now and not in that stage, I remember when they were. Returning to school meant gathering the essential supplies, which helped them feel prepared and ready to learn. What do you need to feel prepared?

 

6. Schedule Downtime
During the fullness of this new season, plan time to stop. We aren’t designed to be constantly doing. We also need time to just be. Whether you make time daily, every week, or once a month, build breaks from the busyness. Each of us has different refueling needs. My daily mindfulness meditation practice and walks in nature keep me grounded and calm. They give me a quiet space to practice mindfulness, restore my energy, and prepare me to engage more fully after I pause.

New Podcast: Helping You Reset for the New Season

A few weeks ago, I enjoyed talking with the engaging, delightful podcast host, writer, and my new friend Kara Cutruzzula on her “Do It Today” podcast. Our conversation covered many topics, including ways to get ready for the new season. Listen to our conversation below:

If you are gathering your team and would like support from me as your Virtual Professional Organizer, let’s talk. I’d love to help as you travel on this next part of your journey. Call 914-271-5673, email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, or click here to contact me through this site.

What helps you mindfully prepare for change? How do transition times affect you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

 
Three Types of Motivation and Really Helpful Ways to Sustain Them

When you think about types of motivation, often thoughts are about internal and external motivation. Recently, I noticed another way to consider motivation and helpful strategies to sustain them.

Instead of focusing on where motivation comes from, think about how much motivation you need over a specific time. For example, the time and motivation you need to accomplish a single task like responding to an email differ from what’s required to achieve a long-term goal such as organizing an entire home.

With this in mind, let’s look at three types of motivation that are time-based and ways to help you nourish your motivation.

 



3 Types of Motivation with Helpful Ways to Sustain Them

1. Short Motivation Burst

Characteristics:

  • You can accomplish the task with a few simple steps.

  • You can complete the task in less than 30 minutes.

  • You can do the task on your own.

  • The task has few if any obstacles to entry.



Short motivation examples include:

  • Meditating

  • Taking a walk

  • Making a phone call

  • Responding to an email

  • Clearing the dishes from the kitchen sink

  • Putting your laundry in the hamper

  • Decluttering your handbag

  • Sorting today’s mail

In most cases, you need low motivation to complete these activities because they require less energy and have a high satisfaction or “done” rate. If you’re a list maker, you’ll enjoy the endorphin ping you’ll receive when you’re able to quickly check that “one and done” off of your list.

When you struggle with getting motivated, selecting a short motivation burst activity can give you the energy needed to tackle something more extensive.

 

To enhance long-term motivation, gather your support team.
— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

 

2. Medium Motivation Gallop

Characteristics:

  • You can accomplish the item with multiple steps.

  • You can complete the item over several days or months.

  • You might require help or information from someone.

  • You might encounter some obstacles before or during the process.


Medium motivation examples include:

  • Preparing tax returns

  • Developing a new workshop

  • Organizing a kitchen

  • Writing an article
    Reviewing your financials

  • Editing and re-organizing your filing system

  • Helping your kid pack for college

More motivation and energy are needed to complete these types of projects. You might encounter some emotional or physical challenges along the way or be unsure of your next step. The challenges can result in feeling deflated or de-motivated.

To sustain motivation for the medium motivation projects, spend time gathering your resources, whether physical ones like trash bags, markers, and boxes or emotional ones, like the support of friends, family members, or professional organizers like me.

 


3. Long Motivation Journey

Characteristics:

  • You can accomplish your project with a series of mini goals.

  • You can complete your project over months or a year plus.

  • You will require external support and possibly a team.

  • You will experience obstacles before and during the process.


Long motivation examples include:

Since the long motivation projects happen over an extended time, it can be especially challenging to maintain the energy and motivation needed to bring them to fruition. You will sometimes experience challenges, waning motivation levels, and energy loss.


To sustain your motivation:

  • Break the projects down into doable mini goals

  • Pace yourself, which will reduce burnout

  • Gather your support team

  • Enlist help from accountability and thought partners

  • Share with others what you are working on

  • Gather tools and resources to accomplish what you want in advance

  • Add to your toolbox along the way

  • Keep your eye on the goal, but be flexible with how you get there

As you head for the end goal, focusing on appreciating the journey and the mini successes along the way will enhance your motivation and satisfaction.


Have you considered motivation needs based on time parameters? If so, what has your experience been? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.