One of my great joys is writing. In addition to being a professional organizer, you might know me as a blogger, author or letter writer. For over 40 years I’ve also been a journal writer. Since I was 11 years old, I’ve filled many volumes with thoughts, feelings, observations, drawings and paintings. Journaling has helped me to clarify ideas, capture moments in time, and offer me perspective.

Aside from writing, another joy is revisiting my journals. Particularly when I’m traveling, I enjoy not only writing, but also going back to read about the past. Why go back? It helps me gain perspective, notice growth, identify themes, and discover areas for learning.

Just this past week, while taking a vacation with my husband to the lovely Delaware beach, I did some reading. I’d like to share one concept that I rediscovered. I wrote this as a way to help myself during a particularly full and challenging time. I offer it to you in the hopes that you’ll be able to access it when you need it.

When you're feeling overwhelmed and challenged, instead of saying,

“It’s so hard.”

Shift your perspective by asking,

“What can I learn?”

“What help do I need?”

How do you help yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed? What has helped you shift your perspective? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.

Letting go of stuff, negative thoughts, bad energy, and certain patterns can have the most rejuvenating effect. Recently this spring, I took some time doing just that. I let go of some things that needed releasing. If you're in need of an energy boost, maybe some of these ideas will be beneficial for you too. Peruse the list and try one.

3 Tips for Letting Go

1. Clutter Clearing:  Maybe the clutter is a small pile on the corner of your desk that feels like a mountain. Perhaps the clutter is your pile of clothes covering the bottom of your closet that makes it difficult to get dressed. Whatever and wherever the clutter is, spend some time sorting, releasing, and claiming back your space. I've had a growing pile of papers on my desk for too long. Each piece represented something to do, someone to call, a great idea to consider, or a random piece of intriguing information. When I finally decided, "Today's the day!” I filed, acted, and released. I felt so much lighter and happier. My thoughts were clearer, and so was my desk.

2. Thought Busters:  It's been an unusual and more stressful time than normal. Between losing my dad, having other family and friends in the hospital, running a business, going away for the annual NAPO conference, taking coaching classes, and working with coaching clients, I've felt overwhelmed. Things are beginning to calm down after many months of being overloaded. I finally realized how unhelpful it was to continue verbalizing the stress. It only fueled my negative thoughts. Instead, I decided to redirect my words to be more encouraging. I’ve decided to say, "I am doing my best, and that's good enough." I'm letting go of the guilt over what I'm not doing or could be doing. This is liberating.

3. Energy Boosters:  Are there people, things, or places that zap your sparkle? Is it time to let go of them? Paying attention to the things that deplete you is an important step in figuring out what to release. On the positive side, it's as important to be aware of what restores your energy. When we let go of the things that are troubling us, we make space for things that are nourishing. For me, I've been spending too much time inside. Instead of writing this post on my desktop, I went outdoors to write. I was able to enjoy the beautiful, sun-filled day. There was a slight breeze, the swooshing sound of the leaves rustling, birds chirping, and a distant woodpecker tapping. I could feel myself recharging as I sat and wrote. I let go of where I thought I should be writing and changed my environment. It made a huge difference. Be willing to move, shift and release. The outcome will surprise you.

What is your favorite letting go tip or experience? I invite you to join our conversation and share your thoughts.

Each day gives us the opportunity to use our time in a variety of ways. I just enjoyed a wonderful long weekend with plenty of time to relax and hang out with family and friends. It was a good combination of planned and unplanned time. Even though every day differs from a long weekend, we can integrate certain concepts to regularly give us a more balanced mix.

Looking at one of my typical days, I noticed that it was divided into eight segments. These groups represent how the time might be used during a given day. If you feel overworked and time-poor, try integrating some of these ideas into your day. It might result in a more comfortable balance.

8 W's of Time Management

Wake. Readying for the day sets the tone for the hours that follow. Review your morning routine. Do you give yourself enough time to prepare for your day? Instead, are you rushing and stressed from the moment you wake? What can you do to improve your start? I like to shower first thing. The water is refreshing and helps me wake up as I wash the sleepiness away. After getting dressed, I enjoy my morning cup of coffee and a small breakfast.

Work. The work begins. Do you feel ready to start? Have you looked at your calendar the night before so that you know where you need to be and when? Have you planned for travel time? Most mornings, I wake early enough to have some desk time before leaving for my clients. I use that time to catch up on emails, work on social media, papers, or calls. Then I go to work with my clients.

Waffle. You don't have to eat a waffle but eat something. Working takes energy. It's important to take a break and nourish yourself during the day. It can be tempting to eat on the run. I have been guilty of that and have eaten sandwiches while driving. That's not good for digestion or the other drivers on the road. Sitting and relaxing while you eat is beneficial and safer. Most likely, you’ll want to repeat the Waffle segment around dinnertime.

Walk. Since much of my work is indoors, getting some sunshine and fresh air is essential. Especially now, with the gorgeous spring weather, I love taking walks. It's even nicer when I'm walking with my family or friends. Not only is it great exercise, but I also get to reconnect with the people I love.

Wiggle. Add the toe-wiggling factor into your day. What do I mean by that? What makes you so joyful that your toes wiggle in delight? It's different for all of us. A simple cup of blueberry or grapefruit sorbet from our local ice cream shop, The Blue Pig, is enough to bring on the wiggle. I'm not suggesting that you eat ice cream every day. The idea is to incorporate simple things that bring you pleasure.

Write. Writing has become a regular part of my days between blogging, authoring The Other Side of Organized, emailing, social media-ing, and journaling. Using this way to reflect enriches my daily experience. Sometimes, my writing is just a sentence fragment containing a seed idea. Other days, an idea develops into a full-blown blog post. Writing in different locations is inspiring, too. One of my favorite places to write is at the Hudson River. If you don't enjoy writing, consider recording your thoughts or taking a reflection break where you don’t record but think about your day.

Wrap-Up. Days are full. Before finishing, take time for preparation and closure. Preparation might include reviewing tomorrow's schedule, clearing your desk, gathering items you'll need the next day, or selecting your clothes. I have a pull-down desk. I know I've finished my wrap-up when I clear the surface, turn off the light, and close the desk. It's my "done for the day" signal. How do you know when you’re done?

Wish. Your day is nearing the end. Give yourself time to relax, dream, and restore. Perhaps you like reading in bed, watching a movie, or lying down and doing nothing. Sleeping and dreaming will replenish your energy and get you ready for tomorrow. Each new day brings another chance to design the day with your combination of W's.

Which W’s resonate with you? Are there other W’s you’d like to include?

This was a first for me. After having tea and checking my email, I started writing this blog post on my iPad at Starbucks. I arrived too early for my client appointment and had some extra time.

I'm a frequent Starbucks customer, and while I’ve spent many hours at various locations sipping lattes and relaxing, I’ve never done any writing on the premises until today.  I find this funny because I always see other people working on their laptops and wonder how they can focus with all the noise.

My preferred time and place to write my blog has typically been at my desktop, surrounded by the quiet, privacy, and comfort of my home. Starbucks has an entirely different atmosphere. There are many sounds like continual music, steamed liquids being prepared, the buzz of many conversations, beverage requests being taken, feet shuffling, and chairs moving. To add to the activity, the Starbucks where I sat was in New York City. There was as much going on inside as there was outside.

To my surprise, I enjoyed the change of scenery from where I usually write. It breathed new life into one of my 2011 goals of writing a weekly blog post. This month, I’m writing about "Fresh Start," which corresponds to chapter one of my book, The Other Side of Organized.

Beginning again with a clean slate or a completely different slate can be enervating. It's what I experienced this morning. So, as you're setting your goals and making some changes, think about shaking things up. I accidentally stumbled upon this at Starbucks simply by changing the location where I usually write. What slight alteration can you make to bring you closer to accomplishing one of your goals?

I’d love to hear about your best goal-boosting strategies.