Tips & Tricks: February 2014

Quote of the Month
“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles. It empties today of its strength.”
Corrie Ten Boom

Why Worrying is a Waste of Time
There’s nothing quite so discouraging as knowing you have a ton of things to do and not having the motivation to do them. We can blame time….and for many of us, that’s legitimate. So that means we have to dig a little deeper and admit (did you hear that part) ADMIT that we may have to revisit our priorities and how we’re spending our time.

Do we really need to check Facebook?
Do we really need to do that little favor for a friend?
Do we really need to squeeze in that meeting?
Do we really need to drive across town to drop off something to someone at that particular day and time?

Did we really need to wait until the last second to do the emissions test?
And guess what? If we answer YES to any of those questions, then we ACCEPT that we’re doing the best we can and we are CHOOSING to spend our time just the way we feel we need to spend our time.

Back to this month’s quote – if we are WORRYING about the many things on our plate, then we have another issue at hand. Worry doesn’t help anything. Worry sucks our energy dry. Worry is not useful. The antidote to worry is……..ACTION.

And here are a few recommended steps to take when worrying starts to take over your life.
1. Do a brain dump – write everything that’s on your mind on paper (or typed on your computer)
2. What has to be accomplished THIS WEEK? Highlight them.
3. What are your MUSTS? Place an asterisk by the ones that must be completed by Friday.
4. All of the others that do not have to be completed by Friday can be saved until crunch time is over.
5. Consider applying the pomodoro technique to accomplish the priority items. I just read about this technique and I like it!
6. If you are worrying about things that you cannot control, then consider ACCEPTING the situation just the way it is, for today, and trust that the outcome will be ok….but that for today, you CAN deal with it by accepting it, as is.

Another wonderful quote that a friend of mine told me recently was “You can do anything you want to do; you just can’t do EVERYTHING you want to do.” Darn.

Visit Cindy at Neha Threading
On Saturday, March 8, 2014, I will be hosting a table at Neha Threading’s Open House in honor of their one year anniversary as a Salon in Pikesville. Click here for more information. The event is scheduled from 4pm – 8 pm. There will be door prizes, refreshments, fitness demos and more. I’ll be demonstrating how to eliminate paper piles – can you imagine anything more fun than that?!

I’d love to see you there.

Invite Cindy to Speak to Your Group Members
Cindy delivers a light hearted approach to potentially stressful topics. Together, we’ll laugh at the lengths and excuses we use in order to avoid getting organized. And while the fun is happening each member will be inspired to get busy as soon as they return home.

Here is a sampling of the topics that you can choose from:
Let My Clutter Go! – learn how to muster the courage to get rid of the stuff you don’t need.
Paper Panic Prevention – eliminate paper piles and learn paper management tips & tricks.
From Castle to Condo – downsize your possessions painlessly.
For availability and booking information, click here.

“Helping Baby Boomers and their Parents Lighten their Loads.”
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your home, contact me. Together, we can transform your home into a happy, tidy place where you can feel at peace. We can also get you ready for your next move more enjoyably, faster and easier!

Cindy Bernstein, Owner and Professional Organizer
cindy@aim4order.com
410-484-8328
www.aim4order.com