
Welcome to Organizing with These, where we simplify and organize our lives for the better. I'm Diana Moll, your host, here to guide you towards a more organized and enriching life. Together, let's explore practical strategies, inspiring stories, and expert advice to simplify every aspect of our lives. Are you ready to embark on this journey with ease? Let's start.
Hello, my friend. Welcome back to Organizing with Ease. I'm Diana Moll, your host, and I'm thrilled to continue our September shift series. If this is your first time tuning in, I welcome you. So so far, we focused on revamping and reorganizing your home for the fall season.
Today, we're gonna dive into actually the 3rd r, which is reignite, specifically how to reignite your productivity as we head in to the busy fall months. With fall officially starting on September 22nd, it's the perfect time to refresh your routines and get organized for the season ahead. Whether you're managing work projects, getting the kids back into school routines, or just trying to keep up with daily life. And I'm pretty sure you're probably shaking your head and saying that and this is for me. This episode is packed with strategies to help you work smarter, not harder.
So by the end of today's episode, you'll have actionable tips that you can start applying immediately to make the most of your time and energy this fall. So why is productivity why does it really matter in the fall? Well, as leaves change up in the north, 305, not so much, and the air cools, again, not so quickly in the 305, but in other areas, our routines and demands naturally shift. Fall often is a time where it's increased responsibilities, whether it's the kids heading back to school, year end projects are ramping up, or simply preparing for the upcoming holiday season. With the fall officially beginning on September 22nd, now it's ideal time to organize your time and tasks to reduce the stress and make the most of each day.
So revamping your daily routines, now is the perfect time to take a fresh look at your daily routines and make adjustments where needed. Are your tasks could they be streamlined? Could you possibly delegate them out? Are you using your peak productivity hours effectively? Fall really is an ideal time to reset these routines and set yourself up for success.
Remember, it always seems impossible until it's done by Nelson Mandela. Again, it always seems impossible until it's done. Reorganizing your workspace. A cluttered workspace can lead to a cluttered mind. Reorganizing your workspace not only makes it easier to find what you need, but it also creates a more focused and efficient environment.
According to the research, a well organized workspace can increase productivity by up to 20%. Wow. That's actually a really big boost, especially if you especially now that we're headed into one of the busiest times of the year. Wouldn't you agree? As the days get shorter and the weather cools down just a tad into 305, it's common to feel a dip of, I would say, motivation.
But with the right strategies, you can really reignite that spark and stay on track with your goals. Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out by Robert Collier. Again, success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. So by revamping your daily routine, let's start by taking a closer look at your daily routines. Even small adjustments can have a big impact on your productivity.
So you're probably saying, well, okay, that sounds really great, but how would I even consider like, what would I do to actual max to actually maximize efficiency? We'll start morning routines. Why not? So how do you start your morning? The way that you start your morning sets the tone for everything that follows.
So consider this, adding a few minutes of planning or journaling to your morning routine. This helps you prioritize your tasks and approach the day with clarity. Again, I personally do spend time in the morning again, and I review my to do list, and I prioritize my tasks at hand. This is actually a very simple habit, but I have to tell you, it helps me focus on what's important and sets me up for a productive day. You could also do batch batching of your tasks.
Grouping similar tasks together can significantly reduce the time spent switching between different types of work. For instance, you might dedicate a specific block of time to answer emails, making phone calls, text messaging, or working on creative projects. This type of a technique is known as task batching. It helps you maintain focus and efficiency. So I have a client of mine, she started batching her work tasks and she found that it was it actually significantly reduced her stress.
How about that? She it actually reduced her stress and made her more efficient throughout the day. She now dedicates 1 hour each morning handling her emails and on another block of time in the afternoon for meetings and phone calls. The result, she's less frazzled and more productive. Now if you have to go through your day, especially if you're working, and you need to answer your emails, of course the task blocking depends, but if you do set aside you could do it in the morning and then maybe do it latter part in the afternoon.
Answering those emails, you still will be productive. Now just as we do the morning, how about if we evening do evening wind downs as I can call them, another way of looking at it. Right? So just as it's important to start your day with intention, it's equally important to end it with a sense of closure. So use the last 30 minutes of your workday to prepare for tomorrow.
Clear your desk, review your schedule, set out materials that you'll need for tomorrow, the next day. This helps you start the next day with a clean slate and a clear mind. Reorganizing your workspace is one of the most important factors in your productivity. A well organized space not only supports your work, but it also enhances your focus and efficiency. So how can we make your workspace work for you?
So here we go. Are you ready? I did come up with a list of just highlighted bullets. So we're going to start off with that wonderful word that we hear a lot, but it makes a big difference, decluttering. You want to start by clearing off your desk, removing any items that don't serve a purpose.
This includes old papers, unused office supplies, and personal items that may be distracting. A clean desk is more than just visually appealing. It's a mental reset that can help you focus better. Now if you do declutter your workspace, you will see a difference. You'll see actually an immediate improvement on your focus and efficiency because why?
There's fewer distractions on your desk, and therefore, you're able to complete the tasks more quickly and with greater accuracy. You wanna organize your supplies. Keep frequently used items within reach, and you want to store less frequently used items in drawers or cabinets. This can include by setting up, you know, organizers for your pens, your papers, and any other office supplies. By keeping your workspace tidy and well organized, you create a more efficient work environment.
Now you can also simplify by doing a filing system for your paperwork. If that helps you find what you need and easier and quicker. These small changes can make and save you countless of hours that you probably spent searching for things that were right in front of you, and you didn't even know it. Your workspace should be set up for both comfort and efficiency. This might be again, this is something that I actually had to take into consideration because I wasn't quite sure why my back was not doing too well, and it was because I had an incorrect office chair.
So get a really good chair, office chair, and have it so that your chair and your desk height is really good and you're positioning your computer screen at eye level. Ensure that your workspace is well lit. Ergonomics plays a crucial role in preventing fatigue and maintaining long term productivity. So if you can invest in an ergonomic chair, it makes all the difference in the world about comfort and productivity. Not only will you be able to work longer without experiencing any discomfort and or backaches like I had in the past, but it actually will then be able to translate into a what we want, a higher quality of work, and less fatigue.
So staying motivated as the year winds down can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can keep your energy levels high and your productivity on track. You wanna set small achievable goals. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to break down your larger goals into smaller manageable tasks. This approach makes your goals less overwhelming and allows you to experience a sense of accomplishment as you check off each task. Doesn't that feel good?
I don't know about you, but I know that when I mark off a task, I feel really good about this. And how it all starts and it can start if you start weekly goals instead of monthly ones. That might work. It's not too overwhelming and it will keep you motivated and on track By focusing on what you can achieve in a week, you'll be able to maintain your momentum and make steady progress towards your larger goal. Remember, you have to incorporate breaks.
Regular breaks are really essential for maintaining productivity and preventing burnout. We definitely don't want you to burn out and get tired and just forget it all. Schedule short breaks throughout your day to rest and recharge. R and r, rest and recharge. Whether it's a 5 minute stretch, a break, a walk around the block, taking step away literally from your work can help you return with a renewed focus and energy.
So what you could do is you could take a 5 minute stretch break maybe every hour, if that helps, just to clear your mind and to stay focused. You will find out how you will be able to work much more efficiently when you return to your desk. Creating your wins. Positive reinforcement is such a powerful motivator. I cannot tell you this over and over again.
Celebrate your wins. Take time to acknowledge your accomplishment no matter how small. Celebrating your wins, whether it's finishing a big project or completing a daily task, it can help you keep you definitely motivated and work towards the next goal on your list. We are, sadly, our worst critics, so, therefore, you do need to acknowledge and give yourself a bad pat on the back. Celebrate with a glass of wine, a cup of coffee, whatever it might be.
You might actually even might have a wind jar, right, where you can write down your achievements. And then at the end of the month, you read them out. That's something different. Right? That will keep you motivated and stay and keeping you positive even through those tough days.
The fresh start pet method is a powerful tool to help you streamline your daily routines and your workspace. How it would apply would be to start by identifying the task and areas that need attention, whether it's a cluttered desk or an overwhelming to do list. I've been there. I've had, and I've given myself these overwhelming to do lists, but you need to take inventory of what needs to be done. Begin with your email inbox.
Sort through your messages, deleting and archiving those you no longer need, creating folders for the ones that require action. This simple task can help you regain control over your inbox and reduce the email related stress and not have that little red number on the side of your icon on your phone be at, like, 5,000 because that just gives you stress just looking at the number. You wanna evaluate unnecessary tasks and distractions. Focus on what truly matters and cut out anything that's not contributing to your goals. Again, if you find yourself getting distracted by social media, consider using a productivity app that limits your time on these platforms during work hours.
This might be a difficult one for most of us, but it is something that you can consider. They do have productivity apps that actually really help focus, and it allows you to better use your time. Creating systems that streamline your work. This might be including setting up a dedicated workspace, creating a daily schedule, or using productivity tools like task managers. A digital task manager, it does help.
It helps you stay organized and on top of your work, but you have to be ready to take on something new like this. But if you do have a clear system in place, this will allow you and actually will let you manage your tasks more effectively and reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed because that's what we don't want. We don't want you to be overwhelmed. If you regularly review and adjust your routines to maintain productivity by a quick weekly check-in can help ensure you staying on track and making the most of your time. And that is why I actually take on Sundays as I do my weekly review.
You can do a Friday afternoon if you would like. You can actually do Friday afternoons to assess your progress and plan for the following week. Again, I do mine on Sundays. This is just a habit. It's been a habit that has been so incredibly healthy helpful for me and to many of my clients in staying organized and focused.
Okay. So you ready? This week's challenge is all about putting these productivity tips into action. 1, we wanna revamp your daily routine by making one small change that will help you be more productive. This could be setting up a morning planning session or batching your tasks.
Number 2, reorganize your workspace to make it more efficient and supportive of your productivity. Clear off your desk, organize your supplies, and adjust your setup for comfort. Number 3, reignite your motivation by setting a small, achievable goal for the week and celebrating when you accomplish it because that's what you wanna do. You want to celebrate all of your win. Thank you for tuning in.
Don't forget to join us next week as we continue the September shift series with our next episode titled mindful fall, creating space for what matters most. We'll explore how to cultivate mindfulness in your routines and home environment as we move deeper into fall. If you have any topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, I'd love to hear from you. Just send me a message. Stay organized, stay mindful, and enjoy the beautiful fall season ahead.
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