Letting go is usually intentional. At least, it seems purposeful most of the time for my clients and me. Holding on can create stress, conflict, overwhelm, disappointment, confusion, or anxiety. The same can be said for the process of letting go. Thinking about saying ‘good-bye’ to things or situations can be its own type of challenge. However, when we finally let go, it allows for open space, growth, and relief.

I often consider letting go like a muscle that needs exercise and practice. The more you use the letting go muscle, the easier the process becomes. Decision-making goes more smoothly, too, as you set boundaries or rules around what stays or goes.

What happens when you accidentally let go? You might wonder how someone can unintentionally let go like one giant, whoops. I experienced this last week.

You are probably familiar with the term “inbox zero.” Some set a goal to have no (as in nothing, none, nil, zilch) emails in their inbox. Instead of keeping all emails visible, you route incoming emails to specific, organized locations to achieve a clear inbox. They can move to the trash, action, or archive folders along with a cue to follow through on a trusted task list.

Let’s return to my saga. With full disclosure, I can’t tell you exactly how it happened, but I remember that multitasking was involved. I couldn’t repeat the mistake if I tried. But the result was that I accidentally deleted all the emails in my inbox and couldn’t get them back. There were about 100, and I had responded to most but not all of them.

My first reaction was panic. Then I tried to undo the error. In my frenzy, I think I made things worse. So, I stopped. I took several deep breaths and asked myself, “Linda, now what?” There were several options, including getting on the phone with tech support to see if they could help retrieve the deletions. I lacked time, confidence, and patience for that option. I was also in the middle of several deadlines and needed to focus on those instead of my big mistake. I knew how quickly my day could have deteriorated with negative self-talk, paralysis, and frustration. Those weren’t good options.

“Letting go allows for open space, growth, and relief.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

I felt calmer when I recognized that some emails could be retrieved through the “sent” email box if needed. In addition, if I missed something important, the sender would hopefully resend it to me. If you sent me an email and I never responded, please resend it. Thank you.

Letting Go: Unexpected Benefits

It’s been over a week without those deleted emails, and it’s been OK as of today. I let go of a lot and discovered some things along the way.

• There is no perfect.

• I’m human and make mistakes.

• Life goes on even without a full inbox.

• The most important things were handled.

• I recognized growth in how I kept my initial panic to a minimum.

• Resilience was visible as I quickly recovered from ‘the incident.’

• Multitasking can be dangerous.

• Appreciate the improved focus with fewer emails visible.

• Be grateful for the empty inbox, even if unintentional.

• Acknowledge the available time doing fun things like planting my small vegetable garden instead of stressing over retrieving emails.

• Find the humor in the situation.

• Remember the big picture.

In the end, letting go, while unexpected, was valuable. I’ve recovered from the mishap, appreciate a less full inbox, and feel lighter and less encumbered.

Have you ever let go accidentally? If so, what happened? What did you discover? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

The newest installment (v36) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has my latest finds which inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique, inspiring, enlisting help discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme. 

You are a generous, communicative, and engaged group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Enlisting Help Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Focus Help

I’ve often said the quality of your questions profoundly influences the quality of your decisions. In The Focus Project – The Not So Simple Art of Doing Less, author and keynote speaker Erik Qualman has cultivated the art of asking great questions. Qualman asked people what led to their sustained success and what was their greatest challenge. The answers, which came from CEOs, teachers, parents, entrepreneurs, and others, responded similarly. Their key to success was “focus.” Their greatest challenge was “staying focused.”

These responses resonated with Qualman so intensely that he created The Focus Project, a yearlong journey to help himself and others “to focus on what matters most.” He selected twelve areas to explore (one per month), including Growth, Health, Relationships, Gratitude, and Mindfulness. There’s even a chapter on Time/Energy Management, which includes ideas about organizing, multitasking, and scheduling. You will love this book if you need help focusing on WIN (What’s Important Now) in an “increasingly unfocused world.” 

2. Interesting Trend – Home Office Help

While many have returned to the office, others still work from home. If you’re working from home, you might have a dedicated room as your home office. However, many do not because there is no space. Instead, they continually shift their workspace from dining room tables to couches or kitchen counters. For those who desire a dedicated office area but are tight on space, help is here.

Have you heard of the cloffice? Yes, you read it correctly. The cloffice is a closet turned into an office. If you don't have a closet that can be repurposed, consider using an alcove instead. Elements to consider incorporating are a work surface, storage space, electricity, and good lighting.

“There are times when it’s beneficial to reach out for help.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Interesting Product  – Mood Help

There are numerous strategies to shift your mood. This can be an internal job, such as working through your negative self-talk. But external ways also help improve your mood, like being in nature or creating a positive environment. One huge mood booster is introducing pleasing scents. I love to burn candles and always look for ones that smell great.

I recently discovered Anecdote Candles, which have humorous descriptions with marvelous aromas. One of my favorites is Wanderlust, with mandarin and berry notes described as “hopeful escapes and aimless destinations.” Another fun one is Coffee Break, which “smells like procrastination and inspiration.”

4. Interesting Fact – E-Clutter Help

Do you need help with e-clutter? Is your inbox inundated with spam and unread emails? The Good Planet reported in 2019 that 293.6 billion emails were sent and received every 24 hours, which included approximately 107 billion spam emails. They propose that if every person deleted 10 emails, we could collectively save 1,725,000 gigabytes of storage space and about 55.2 million kilowatts of power. They suggest unsubscribing from emails you no longer need, deleting spam emails, and deleting emails after reading them. Declutter, which will help your inbox and the planet.

5. Interesting Thought – Unstuck Help

Have you ever felt stuck? What was the circumstance? Were you unsure of your next step? Did you need more information to continue your organizing project? Were you overwhelmed? Sometimes we can wiggle our way out of feeling stuck on our own to get things flowing by walking, writing, or sleeping. But there are also times when it’s beneficial to reach out for help. Engage in a conversation with a friend or colleague. Or hire a professional organizer like me to help work through the challenge and incorporate accountability.

What are your interesting enlisting help discoveries? Which of these resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

One of the things I love about living in the northeast is experiencing the change of the four distinct seasons. Every three months, nature’s cues offer us an opportunity to rethink, reset, and regroup. With the arrival of September and fall quickly approaching, this is an ideal time of year to prepare for successful organizing outcomes and other significant goals. Combining specific actions with mindfulness perspectives can enhance your success. While there are many ways to gear up for success, I’ve compiled a short list of five useful ideas for you to experiment with. I’m excited for you and all of the success that you are about to experience. Which of these concepts will help you in the next few months?

5 Powerful Ways That Will Prep You for Organizing Success & More . . .

1. Do one thing.

When we’re in pursuit of a goal, we can quickly become overwhelmed by the enormity of what we want to accomplish. The end isn’t visible. And guess what? When overwhelm takes hold, it can stop us from moving forward. Instead, we feel stuck. We procrastinate. It’s like being immobile at the intersection, continually waiting for that red light to turn green. What’s helpful in these situations is to do one tiny, small action that will move us toward our organizing or other goals. Take your foot off of the break, go through one pile of papers, drop off the no longer needed bag of clothing at the donation center, or set-up an appointment with your professional organizer. Use that one small success to get you going and encourage more. Build from there.

2. Open up thinking.

So often when we’re in the midst of change, we desire something different, but we don't know what that will look or feel like. So instead of being open to the new, we dig in and hold on to what we know. While I understand this and believe me, I’ve had my share of digging in, being open to possibilities will lead to successful outcomes. Mindful awareness comes first. Pay attention to when you are gripping tightly to the known. Notice when you are dismissive of a new opportunity, possibility, or idea. Stop. Slow yourself down. Take a few deep breaths. As you exhale, notice your body relaxing and letting go. With each out-breath, imagine your hold loosening. Remind yourself that success often involves doing or thinking about things differently. In this more relaxed state, you will be poised and ready to consider a new perspective that will lead to unimagined success.

3. Say “yes” to now.

One of the conflicts that my organizing clients frequently encounter is the pull between the past and the present. They are deeply connected to the emotions and physical possessions from the past. At the same time, they feel burdened and weighed down by all of their stuff. They are in conflict between holding on and letting go. It can be an internal tug of war, and a painful one at that. One of the ways to ease this challenge is by focusing on the present. Use the “you are here” locator icon to decide which of your belongings support who you are and what you are doing today. Everyone has a past. While the past has created who we are, not all accouterments from previous times need to remain with us in the present. Saying, “yes” to now can encourage more successful decision-making as we organize and create the life we truly want.

4. Embrace “niksen.”

Many of you are probably familiar with the popularized Danish word, hygee, which is a mood of coziness, contentment, and well-being created by enjoying the simple things in life. There is also, lagom, the Swedish concept of approaching life with an “everything in moderation” mindset. Now there is a Dutch idea that is trending. Niksen is the act of doing nothing or being idle as a way of managing stress and burnout. It encourages an antidote to busyness. You dial things down by just hanging out, looking at your environment, or listening to music without multitasking. The idea is doing something without a purpose. So how does this relate to success?  Sometimes in the quest for our goal, we become hyper-focused at the exclusion of everything and everyone else. Our disconnectedness can lead to exhaustion, frustration, and discouragement. Adding niksen or doing nothing into the mix can rejuvenate us. After a break, we can return to goal chasing with renewed clarity and energy.

5. Acknowledge uncertainty.

When we are chasing a goal, whether that is how we edit and organize our stuff or how we select the priorities included in each day, we are shifting the status quo. While we might be uncomfortable, which is why we are pursuing something new, our shift in habits and patterns along the way, can be unsettling. We can feel unprotected like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. What will happen? Will we land in one piece? The simple acknowledgment that you are doing something unfamiliar, scary, and different is essential. It doesn’t diminish the anxiety you might feel. And I’m not suggesting that you actually jump without a chute. But acknowledgment of your circumstance can ease some of your stress. Recognize that uncertainty is key to growth and change. It’s ok to be uncomfortable. It’s ok to be unsure. In the pursuit of a fresh challenge, you can experience the confidence and satisfaction that comes with successfully reaching a goal.

Whether you take action, a break from it, open the mind to new ideas, or simply recognize the uncertainty that comes with change, you have the opportunity to prepare yourself for organizing success and more. Which ideas resonate with you? What has helped you with reaching goals? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How we use our time each day and the behaviors we choose to adopt can produce positive or negative outcomes. In Dan Harris’ book, 10% Happier, I came across a few ideas that highlighted being more intentional with how we spend our time and where we focus our attention.

Almost two decades ago, Linda Stone, a former Apple and Microsoft executive, identified a specific phenomenon and coined the term, continuous partial attention. She describes this as paying partial attention, continuously. Stone says we’re motivated to do this because we don’t want to miss anything.  When we’re always on, constantly scanning, and on high alert, it produces an “artificial sense of constant crisis.”This phenomenon has escalated because of our increased use and availability of technology.

According to Stone, some of the outcomes that can result from regularly engaging in continuous partial attention include:

• Having a stressful lifestyle

• Operating in crisis management mode

• Compromising ability to reflect, make decisions or think creatively

• Being overwhelmed or over-stimulated

• Feeling unfulfilled

• Feeling a sense of powerlessness

Stone makes a distinction between continuous partial attention and multi-tasking because of the different impulse that motivates them. She believes that multi-tasking is productivity and efficiency driven, while continuous partial attention is motivated by the desire to be connected and alert to the best opportunities.

“We have focused on managing our time. Our opportunity is to focus how we manage our attention.”

— Linda Stone

If you find that your time is being spent in the always-on mode or that your attention is continually pulled between digital devices, tasks and interactions with people, here are some strategies suggested by Linda Stone and Janice Marturano, who is founder of Institute for Mindful Leadership:

• Establish some tech free time

• Give your full attention to others during interactions (as in put away your phones, no typing on the computer keyboard while having conversations)

• Designate part of your day as “interruption-free” time

• Take a breathing break

• Do one thing at a time

• Take mindfulness breaks or “purposeful pauses”

Have you experienced continuous partial attention? Have you felt any of the symptoms associated with it? I’d love to hear your thoughts and your strategies. I invite you to join the conversation!