how to be organized at work Archives

May 23

Simplify Your Schedule: 4 Tips for a Smooth Week

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Quick Organizing Tips, Time Management 2 Comments

Life can be crazy busy. It’s no secret that things can get overwhelming in the chaos of daily life! That’s why I’m here to share some valuable insights on simplifying your schedule with 4 practical tips (plus a bonus😉) to help you achieve a smooth, productive week.

With countless personal responsibilities, family demands, social obligations, and a never-ending to-do list, it’s no wonder we find ourselves questioning if 24 hours in a day are truly enough.

In the following tips, I’ll reveal the secrets to mastering a productive week, embracing effective planning techniques, and implementing essential strategies that will help you bid farewell to stress… and say hello to a more organized and fulfilling life! Get ready to simplify your life and regain control of your time.

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How to Plan a Productive Week:

1️⃣ Task Batch Your To-Do’s

At the beginning of your week, put your to-do tasks into categories. It’s easier to use blocks of time to get a bunch of similar things done than it is to bounce back and forth between unrelated tasks. This method of planning will keep you productive and on-topic through everything you do!

2️⃣ Create a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual

Integrate regular relaxation practices like yoga or mindfulness meditation into your nightly routine for a productive week. A soothing relaxation exercise or two can work wonders in calming your mind before bed and promoting quality sleep. You’ll also be practicing how to calmly manage any stress and anxiety that may come up during your week.

3️⃣ Escape the Indoors – Get Outside!

It’s too easy to keep ourselves confined indoors for the majority of our day, which only holds us back from an otherwise productive week. So whenever you have the opportunity, resist the temptation of your couch and instead make an effort to step outside and immerse yourself in nature. There are countless benefits of spending time in the great outdoors for your overall health and well-being, so take your parents’ advice and “Go play outside!“

4️⃣ Allow Yourself to Delegate

Most of us naturally want to do everything ourselves and it’s not always easy to ask for help. But don’t be afraid to ask for help or delegate tasks when possible. A productive week requires planning with and support from others, too. Recognize that you don’t have to do everything on your own and that having support from others can lighten your load.

…bonus tip! 👇🏼

5️⃣ Simplify and Declutter

Simplifying your environment and minimizing clutter will improve not only your physical spaces but your mental ones too. Make sure to go through both physical and digital clutter. Remember – a clean and organized space contributes to maintaining an aura of calm. Choose joy in the process of decluttering, organizing, and planning. Know that you’re doing great work toward a more productive week and a simplified life!

Now you can begin planning your week and seizing the full potential of each day!

It’s time for you to take action and finally embrace the opportunities that await you! Remember, these small changes and preparations will lead to BIG improvements in your daily routine. By implementing these small planning changes and dedicating some time to maintenance, you will see remarkable improvements in your daily routine and stress levels. I believe in you and I know you can do this!

It’s not easy to start, but once you do get into the swing of things, trust me, it will be even more difficult to quit! Remain focused on and dedicated to your goals so you can enjoy your free time with loved ones without worry in the back of your mind. Allow yourself “me-time” as often as you need and remember to stay committed to your new form of a productive week for continual results.

You have all the tools and capabilities to conquer your week now, so there are no excuses! Start planning the upcoming week and make each day count – you’ve got this! 👍🏼

Let us know in the comments below which tip is your favorite!

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Google Keep: Learn the Basics + Use Key Features

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Checklists, Digital Minimalism, Digital Organizing No Comments

Are you someone who makes it all the way to the grocery store before you realize you forgot your shopping list?

Or do you just like to wing it? No list at all, taking the risk of wasting money on duplicate ingredients that you already have at home?

If you fall into either of these categories or you’re just looking for ways to uplevel your grocery process… then you definitely need this time-saving, note-taking, checklist Google Keep app to simplify your life today.

Plus, I’ll be showing you how to share your shopping lists with others so that you can delegate tasks and free up your own time!

What is Google Keep used for?

If you’re anything like me, I’ll often remember while I’m out and about that I had to pick something up, but then realize I left that sticky note at home so I’m not too sure what it was. This happens so often when I’m driving by a grocery store, hardware store, or in an area of town that I know I had some errands to do in.

So I’ll let you in on my secret… I have a favorite app for shopping lists, errand reminders, and notes, all in one place.

This magical solution is called Google Keep!

I’ve used this daily and consistently for many years and have found that it saves me so much time and stress on my weekly shopping trips.

I’ve tested many other apps but they just didn’t work for me. They weren’t easy to share with others, they costed more money than I felt they were worth, and they weren’t simple enough to use on all kinds of devices.

What I love about Google Keep is that it works on iOS and Android devices, as well as the good ol’ fashioned desktop computer!

During the week when I notice I’m running low on my favorite coconut yogurt, dish soap, toilet paper, batteries, or other household items, I can simply add them to one of my Google Keep Lists.

If there’s a specific brand I like for something, I can also snap a photo and add it to the Grocery List in a pinch.

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How to use Google Keep Notes

I’m sure you shop at a few different grocery stores, so I recommend you have one running grocery list. This way, you can refer to it while you’re out at any location. Now if you decide to pick up a few items for dinner, you’ll have your handy list at your fingertips and can cross things off at the same time!

I recommend you create shopping lists for the types of stores you frequent on a regular basis.

The lists I love to have and recommend you make in your own Google Keep are the following,

Costco
Home Depot or a Hardware Store
Drug Store
Garden Center
Office Supplies
Errands

You can even add your packing lists and other notes in here too, but that’s a whole other story for another time 😉

Can you share Google Keep with others?

Now, here’s the best part of Google Keep. This feature saves me time and it’s how I’ve been able to delegate household grocery shopping to my husband so I don’t have to do it every week!

Also, when he’s at a hardware or drug store he can simply check the lists to see if there’s something specific that I need and easily see which brands I like. In turn, this saves me from having to drive to those same stores again and we don’t have to text back and forth about what I’d like him to pick up.

Inside Google Keep, you can share your created lists with family members, teenagers, your nanny, or anyone else that does errands and may help out with your shopping.

For uses in my business, I’ve even shared project lists with clients, team members working on the project, or my client’s nanny who does the grocery shopping. Then when I’m organizing an area of their home and notice that they are low on cleaning products, batteries, or pantry items, I can easily add the items to their grocery list.

It’s a time-saver for everyone involved!

This app is a great assistant for someone who’s doing grocery shopping for their elderly parents or caring for a loved one. It’s really simple to use and anyone with a phone can learn how to add an item to a list if you show them how, all they need is a Gmail address.

They don’t even necessarily need to use the Gmail email. I’ve helped set up many accounts over the years just so someone could be added to a Google Keep List!

When adding a collaborator to a Google Keep list, make sure they understand how to add items to the various lists. Then whoever is doing the shopping knows what they’re supposed to buy. This will help you avoid wasting money on the wrong printer toner or kitchen pantry items that you may already have enough of on hand.

Keep in mind, that if you want to own the Google Keep List or Note (meaning keep it on your account), the best practice would be to set up the list on your mobile device first, and then add others to it. That way you can manage who is added and deleted from each list.

You can also add Google Assistant for a voice-activated, hands-off feature. Add items to your list by saying, “Hey Google, add Almond Butter to Grocery List” then it’s totally off your mind!

Could you see this saving you time and money?

Let me know in the comments below what shopping lists you’re going to create!

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Jan 30

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Organizing Messy Cables At the Office and Home

By Sherry Borsheim Blog, Business Organizing, Home Office Organization 2 Comments

Every office needs to have their cables organized. It’s a must!

Since we’re all so busy working at work, our cords are typically a tangled mess under and on top of the desk because we “have no time” to fix them. Then there are all the extra wires and cables for charging your tablets, phones, earbuds, and so on!

In some households there are even multiple computers, 2 tablets, 5 cameras, 8 music devices and 3 or more cellphones. Which just magnifies the tangled-mess problem!

That’s a lot of wires to keep organized!

Before You Start Your Journey to Organized Cables

Before we actually begin the process of getting organized cables, turn off your computer and start to untangle the wires.

It sounds simple, but you’d be amazed at what I see as makeshift setups in offices that people use simply because they don’t take the time to organize their cables!

Next, get out your label machine and label the wires and cables according to their uses. A good place to place the labels is on or near the end you’ll plug into the electronic device. For example, I have two printers so I labeled the cables on the end that plugs into each printer. That way I can easily see which cable goes to which device!

Labeling your cords is easy with 720Pc Self-Adhesive Cable Labels. I’ve used these on many projects and actually always have them on hand in my organizing toolbox! Mac cables are already easy to identify and they typically don’t need to be labeled.

Someone was thinking over there at Apple!

Once you have all of your cables detangled and organized, use Velcro(R) One-Wrap(R) tie straps. These reusable Velcro ties are another handy organizing product you can always find in my toolbox, and ideal to wrap around cables to tie them up nicely or group specific ones together.

Start Working Towards Organized Cables

If you have cords running across a room or along a baseboard that you want to hide, check out these cord covers.

Tired of cables dropping behind your desk or on the floor? Use these small Cable Drops! They come in all different colors and will magically clean up the clutter from your desk!

My favorite cable organizer for offices, TV’s, media centers and kitchen desks is the YAMAZAKI Home Web Cable Box, available on Amazon. It comes in three colors ranging from white, brown, and grey.

This small cable box has neatly organized all the cables in our own living room – including a floor lamp, two phone chargers, and all of the stereo equipment!

It will hide away extra cable lengths, power strips, Surge Protectors, and more! You can easily tuck all cords inside the box and close the lid. It’s seriously that easy.

And, there’s one last thing that we need to organize… and that is the extra lengths of cellphone, music device, and earbud cords. I really love these cool Bobino Cord Wraps. They are perfect for organizing the aforementioned cords, plus USB cables and thicker laptop cords.

You could also use the 12pc Bobino Cord Wrap (assorted sizes) to tidy up your cellphone cord while you have it charging. You’ll love all the cool colors and never having to undo tangles!

The beauty of having your cables organized is that it makes your desk look instantly more organized. And you’ll be able to vacuum up all those dust bunnies!

Another area I get asked to organize often is the home’s charging area.

To start this, make a list of which electronics you’ll be charging here and measure the space you want to put your charging station in. Then go shopping! Make sure the charging station you buy will work with all of your devices. Sometimes you may need to purchase extra connectors if it’s a large variety.

For the true geek who has every portable device on the planet, check out this funky gadget charger – the Grass Charging Station. A compartment underneath the grass hides all of the power adapters and cables.

Who said organizing can’t be fun?!

how to be organized at work

Simplify Your Schedule: 4 Tips for a Smooth Week

Life can be crazy busy. It’s no secret that things can get overwhelming in the chaos of daily life! That’s why I’m here to share some valuable insights on simplifying your schedule with 4 practical tips (plus a bonus😉) to help you achieve a smooth, productive week.

FREE DOWNLOAD

Brain Dump Exercise

How to Plan a Productive Week:

1️⃣ Task Batch Your To-Do’s

2️⃣ Create a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual

3️⃣ Escape the Indoors – Get Outside!

4️⃣ Allow Yourself to Delegate

…bonus tip! 👇🏼

5️⃣ Simplify and Declutter

Now you can begin planning your week and seizing the full potential of each day!

You have all the tools and capabilities to conquer your week now, so there are no excuses! Start planning the upcoming week and make each day count – you’ve got this! 👍🏼

Let us know in the comments below which tip is your favorite!

Like this article?

You’ll love this one

Work-Life Balance vs. Work-Life Negotiation

Google Keep: Learn the Basics + Use Key Features

Are you someone who makes it all the way to the grocery store before you realize you forgot your shopping list?

What is Google Keep used for?

Why Wait to Spring Clean?

How to use Google Keep Notes

The lists I love to have and recommend you make in your own Google Keep are the following,

Can you share Google Keep with others?

Could you see this saving you time and money?

Let me know in the comments below what shopping lists you’re going to create!

Like this article?

You’ll love this one

Work-Life Balance vs. Work-Life Negotiation

Organizing Messy Cables At the Office and Home

Every office needs to have their cables organized. It’s a must!

That’s a lot of wires to keep organized!

Before You Start Your Journey to Organized Cables

Start Working Towards Organized Cables

The beauty of having your cables organized is that it makes your desk look instantly more organized. And you’ll be able to vacuum up all those dust bunnies!

Give these a try and let me know in the comments how the newly organized cables work for you!

Like this article?

You’ll love this one 👇🏼

10 Smart Home Organization Ideas