Enjoy the latest release (v50) of the “What’s Interesting?” series, which features my most recent finds that inform, inspire, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique time management discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

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

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Time Management Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Productivity Time

Do you or someone you know have ADHD and struggle with productivity, consistency, and punctuality? If so, you’ll love the latest book by psychologist, author, presenter, and thought-leader, Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA.

He draws on his 40,000 hours of client work to share strategies and insights on how people with ADHD can get things done.

In The ADHD Productivity Manual, Ari explores thirty-six areas that affect productivity for individuals with ADHD. Topics include:

• How ADHD makes it harder to see time

• Essentials for making the most of your brain

• Clarifying your goals

• Minimizing distractions

• Letting go of perfection

• Navigating feelings of overwhelm

Ari says, “The obvious goal of this book is to help you get more done. The less obvious, but more important goal is that I want you to feel good about yourself.” He goes on to say that “ADHD is a disorder of converting intentions into actions. This book is all about action.”

2. Interesting Article – Timeboxing

Have you ever tried timeboxing? In Rebecca Muller’s Thrive Global article, “Try This Now: ‘Timebox’ Your Tasks at Work,” she makes the case for using this visualization exercise to help you prioritize and focus on which tasks to tackle first and which can wait. This approach can be especially beneficial when you feel overwhelmed and stressed by a lengthy to-do list.

Here is one method to timebox:

• Grab a sheet of paper

• Draw a column of boxes

• Put each task in a box based on its priority level

You will quickly visualize which items require immediate attention and which are non-urgent. Muller quotes Marc Zao-Sanders in a Harvard Business Review piece. Zao-Sanders says about timeboxing, “It’s visual, intuitive, and obvious.”

In what ways could timeboxing be an effective strategy for you?

3. Interesting Product – Grounding Time

Busy schedules, excessive stress, and uncertainty can leave you feeling emotionally depleted and anxious. Does your day involve pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion? If so, it’s vital to restore your well-being by taking time to ground and calm yourself.

There are various ways to accomplish this, such as meditating, taking nature walks, journaling, talking with a loved one, slowly sipping a beverage, or gazing out the window.

Another idea is to use a time reminder for grounding. I found this adorable stress reliever made by Mindsight. The six-inch-tall Breathing Buddha helps you practice mindful breathing in short sprints. It features a simple visual soft light for guidance, pre-set breathing cycles, is rechargeable, and is portable.

What helps you feel relaxed and grounded?

“It’s vital to restore your well-being by taking time to ground and calm yourself.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4. Interesting Resource – Laugh Break Time

While life isn’t all puppies and rainbows, there’s something life-affirming about taking time for silly, joy-inducing moments. One way to do that is through laughter.

When was the last time you had a good laugh? I’m talking about full-body, uncontrollable, contagious laughter. Maybe you saw a comedian, heard a great joke, or watched a funny movie. Something tickled your giggle motor, and the laughter began.

By the way, if you haven’t seen the movie “Bad Shabbos,” I highly recommend it. I laughed so hard that my face hurt.

On a recent trip with my wonderful husband, Steve, we stopped at the Whispering Oaks Vineyard in Sunbury, PA. I gazed at the lush green landscape and sipped a delicious frozen wine slushy, which has become my new favorite drink. Then we shared this playful moment.

Steve started laughing, and I couldn’t help but join in. It makes me laugh every time I watch the video, and it reminds me of how essential laughter breaks are in life. While I recognize how personal humor can be, I hope this short clip brings a little lightness to your day.

What makes you laugh?

5. Interesting Thought – Progress Time

It’s easy to get discouraged when you are making changes or striving for a larger goal. The secret to moving forward and boosting motivation hinges on redefining progress.

Break large projects into smaller, manageable, and accomplishable parts. Celebrate the progress you are making with each action, even if that means simply acknowledging it. Keep going until you achieve the results you want.

A puzzle consists of many pieces. Each piece serves a role in creating the complete picture. Completion occurs by finding and placing one puzzle piece at a time. Likewise, achieving your goals happens through small actions that support progress.

What will you make progress on today?

Making the Most of Your Time

Each person receives the gift of 24 hours a day. It’s up to you to decide how you want to use your days, what you will prioritize, and what you will put on hold or release.

How can you manage your time better? What is one thing you could change that would make a significant and positive difference? Which of these discoveries resonates most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you want support to get unstuck, become organized, and utilize your time more effectively? I’m here to help. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – local feel with global reach.

Please email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Change is possible, especially with support.

You have arrived. The page has turned, and a new year has just begun. Do you feel the weight of last year? Are your thoughts occupied by unfinished projects or goals never reached?

Hi, friend. You are not alone. As much as you wanted to wrap up one year with a neat little bow, it wasn’t possible. You have leftovers and incompletes that are still in progress. I’m here with you.

Some things take longer or have deadlines that extend from one year to the next. While you want to move on and truly engage with a fresh start, you aren’t ready yet. However, I’ve got good news.

There is one small thing you can do to help change your energy in a positive direction during this transition time. It will lift that weight and reframe what a fresh start can be.

Reframe Your Fresh Start

Consider the “reset button,” which Glennon Doyle referred to in Untamed. Push that imaginary button to clear your mind and prepare for what’s next. This is especially useful when you feel stressed, anxious, stuck, in between, or pressured.

When you identify your preferred buttons, you can access them anytime to reset and start fresh. This viable strategy is not time-specific. You can use this simple practice today, tomorrow, or months from now.

What is the Reset Button?

As Doyle says, “My reset buttons are just little things.” Her list includes:

“Drink a glass of water.

Take a walk.

Take a bath.

Practice yoga.

Meditate.

Go to the beach and watch the waves.

Play with my dog.

Hug my wife and kids.

Hide the phone.”

As you read those, did you imagine the resets working for you? Did they spark other ‘button’ ideas?

I have most of Doyle’s buttons on my list, although I no longer have a dog to play with and prefer a hot cup of tea to a glass of water.

“My reset buttons are just little things.”

— Glennon Doyle

These additional resets also help me:

• Write in my journal.

• Talk with a friend.

• Run an errand.

• Have a snack.

• Make the bed.

• Clean the kitchen counters.

• Get a pedicure.

• Watch water flow.

• Wash and moisturize my face.

• Do something new or outside of my routine.

Your Fantastic Fresh Start

Release your worry and angst. Invite in patience and perseverance. Get out your button-pushing finger and get ready to press the reset. You can:

• Change your state of being

• Switch gears

• Create a space to move forward refreshed

What will help you facilitate a fresh start? Which ideas resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you want support organizing, planning, or making the most of this new year? I’d love to help! Virtual Organizing is an extraordinary path forward – A local feel with a global reach.

Please schedule a Discovery call, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, or call 914-271-5673. Change is possible, especially with support.

Spring is a fun time of year. It’s a welcome change from grayer winter days. I’m continually amazed by the new beautiful blooms appearing every day. The daffodils are starting to wilt as the tulips and lilacs are emerging. Growth radiates hope and possibilities as the landscape becomes greener and more colorful.

Lightening up and letting go are integral to the spring season. However, sometimes, the letting go process can feel overwhelming. You might be trying to decide what to let go of or are challenged with activating.

There are many ways to work through to the other side. One letting go strategy is so effective that I highly recommend trying it. I’ve used this myself and with clients, and it always works. I’m using this exact strategy now, which I’ll share.

Value of a Deadline

You might want to edit but are having difficulty beginning. Perhaps you want to declutter because guests will be visiting. Maybe you feel like your space is piled with stuff that you no longer want. Or, you’re thinking about downsizing and letting go of the excess. Your “why” is clear, but you’re procrastinating.

One of the best letting go strategies is to combine a deadline with accountability. For example, I have a donation pick-up scheduled this week with GreenDrop®. They are a nationwide resource that accepts donations through pick-up or drop-off locations. Knowing GreenDrop® will be here on a specific date incentivizes me to let go now. I’ve been filling bags and boxes of things I want to release. When I set the deadline, I gave myself enough time by factoring in my other commitments.

Here's the thing. Could I let go of even more? Sure! However, given the time I have to edit, I’m letting go of enough to make a difference. The good news is I can always schedule another pick-up when I’m ready to say goodbye to more.

Letting Go Questions

I often think about letting go. Sometimes, it’s about unhelpful thoughts or time challenges. Yet, right now, I’m focused more on editing the physical stuff- things like clothing, household wares, linens, books, cosmetics, or pantry items.

When decision-making, I ask letting go questions like:

• Has it overstayed its welcome?

• Does it fit?

• Do I still like it?

• Is it damaged beyond repair or even repair-worthy?

• Do I use or wear it anymore?

• Is it expired?

• Is it taking up space and no longer worth the real estate?

• Has it served its purpose?

• Is it necessary?

• Am I ready to say, “It’s been nice knowing you?”

“One of the best letting go strategies is to combine a deadline with accountability.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

Do I ever get stuck? Of course. I expect it, but I don’t let that deter me. I focus first on the less challenging items. Then, I circle back to the trickier things and make a decision. I might keep those things a little longer or let them go. It’s a low-pressure, fluid process.

Do you use deadlines to facilitate letting go? What works for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

If you need help with letting go, reach out anytime. Please email me, Linda, at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Letting go is possible, especially with support.

When it comes to doing hard things, it’s helpful to have strategies that encourage you when you’re stuck. What happens when you don’t have tools to rely on? You can become overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, paralyzed, or give up altogether. Letting go can be challenging. However, with this one easy strategy, you can become an expert at releasing those things that no longer belong. Let me share some context before I explain the strategy.

I notice things that don't belong when walking around or traveling. They catch my eye. For example, I walked along the river the other day and saw a single blue glove on the ground. Maybe it dropped out of a coat pocket. It was out of place by itself on the ground. Another time, I visited a lovely garden. An empty plastic soda bottle protruded from this beautiful ancient stone lion’s mouth. You guessed it! The bottle was in the wrong place and should have been in the recycling bin instead.

Did you see the photo of neatly stacked sweaters? Can you tell they are in the microwave? These examples cue you to notice when things are out of place, which is the first part of the letting go strategy I will share with you.

Easy Letting Go Strategy

One of the simplest ways to let go is to notice the things that don’t belong. You can do this in any room, space, container, or area. When you identify what is in the wrong place, you can change the dynamic by letting go. There are three steps:

1. Awareness – Notice what is out of place. It could be:

• Something that accidentally was put in the wrong spot by you or someone in your household

• Something that was placed without thinking about if it belonged there

• Something that ‘temporarily’ was put in the wrong spot as a holding area and then remained there indefinitely

• Something that was randomly put into a cabinet, on a shelf, or in a closet to give the illusion of being clutter-free

2. Ask– Now that you see ‘it,’ you can’t unsee it. That’s a good thing. It’s decision-making time. These questions will help you figure out what to do next. Ask:

• Does this thing belong elsewhere?

• Does it belong elsewhere, but I don’t know where it should ‘live?’

• Do I want this anymore?

• Can I let it go?

“One of the simplest ways to let go is to notice the things that don’t belong.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

 3. Act – You asked the questions, and now it’s time to take action.

• If it belongs elsewhere, route it to its home.

• If it belongs elsewhere, but you are still determining where it should go, remove it from its current spot and choose the best location to store it.

• If you no longer want it and are ready to let it go, donate, giveaway, sell, recycle, or trash it.

I hope you don’t have sweaters in your microwave or plastic bottles stored in a sculpture, but you most likely have things sitting in unhelpful spots. Quickly become a pro at letting go by noticing what’s out of place, deciding about it, and removing it from the current location.

What eases your letting go process? How can this letting go strategy work for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

If you need help letting go, I’m here to help. Please email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Letting go is possible, especially with support.