Celebrate National Simplify Your Life Week

 As we're in national "Simplify Your Life Week", what do you think it means to SIMPLIFY? Think you'll need to give up all your worldly possessions to become a hermit and live in a cave somewhere?!? Not quite... Per Dictionary.com, simplify means “to make less complex or complicated; make plainer or easier"... Cutting back on physical clutter can be part of the picture, but the emphasis is on slowing down and focusing on your true priorities. For some, this may mean working fewer hours and taking a cut in pay to have more time with friends and family. For others, this may mean buying a smaller home that is closer to work so as to lessen the daily commute while cleaning out unused items throughout the home. Meanwhile, others may take this as the opportunity to simply say "no" to more of each day's endless requests from others, saying "yes" to only those requests that fulfill personal & professional goals.

Here are some actions you can take today, over the weekend or sometime soon to simplify your life:

1. Remember that less is more when it comes to email… Less email sent means fewer replies received. Less retention folders make it easier to find what you need when you need it. Less email lists to which you subscribe lead to you getting only what information you really want.

2. Outsource, delegate, ask for help… However you word it, utilize others to double your output. Great resources can be found at Fiverr and Task Rabbit so take some time to check out which options might be best for your needs.

3. Automate bill pay… While many folks pay each bill manually when the reminder arrives via snail mail or email, how much easier would it be to have payments sent automatically from your banking account each month? Such settings can be programmed online fairly quickly.

4. Automate many of the domino effects in your daily processes… There are plenty of cause and effect relationships you can set and forget, running without ongoing efforts on your part. Investigate options via IFTTT, Zapier and PodBox for the solution to best support your processes.

5. Plan to have the tools you need nearby when needed… Do you utilize a smartphone, tablet, laptop and / or desktop computer? If you depend on tech tools, you are well aware of all the accessories needed for each, including charging cords, flash drives, headphones or earbuds and the like. Rather than depending on whether you remember to bring all the necessary accessories whenever you are working on the go, keep multiple sets of those accessories (one for office, one for bag, one for vehicle), pulling each set of accessories together with a GRID-IT.

6. Be strategic about how you organize items… Make sure what you need is conveniently located close to where you will need to use it and by grouping like with like to have those items used together stored together. Further, so you can quickly retrieve what’s needed, make sure to assign everything a specific home and return each item to its home each time you finish using that item.

7. Don’t retain the printed manual that came with any item you’ve purchased… Printed manuals are difficult to efficiently store and take up valuable space. Instead, download the corresponding PDF from the ManualsOnline.com website and store electronically.

8. Save time with forms, templates, checklists and the like… If you regularly send the same email response, create a template for that reply, tweak it a bit for each time you send it, and avoid starting from scratch each time you need to send that response. Create a packing checklist so you don’t forget anything that’s needed on each trip, customizing it for personal versus business travel, whether traveling by plane, train or automobile and for how long you’ll be gone. Design a template for grocery lists with all items you normally use, listed in order of the aisles at your regular store.

9. Convert what files you can to a searchable, digital system… Since it’s easier to find documents in an electronic form than paper, transition what you can via a fast, portable scanner, like one of the options from Doxie, Neat or Fujitsu. Then, make those documents easy to access from anywhere as well as simple to share with others by storing them in an online file repository; options for your online file repository include Box, Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive, SpiderOak, Google Drive and SugarSync. Finally, if you choose to utilize the free options on more than one of these online file repositories, avoid fragmentation by keeping all your “clouds” together via Citrix ShareFile Quick Edit for iOS devices or CloudCube for Android devices.

10. Cut back on distractions by having fewer pings and dings… When you are distracted, on average, it takes about 16 minutes to refocus upon returning to the task at hand. Therefore, turn off your notifications for emails, social media updates and new text or voice mail messages whenever possible, choosing to schedule set times for checking each instead.

11. Consolidate social media platforms into one management tool... While many enjoy the benefits of the various different social media options, it can be overwhelming to stay on top of everything for LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and more. Instead of logging into each platform individually, group as many as possible together with one login to Hootsuite, Postling, SocialOomph, Buffer or Sprout Social.

12. Practice “the power of one”… While many claim that one is a lonely number, I find it to be extremely powerful in boosting productivity. So that you can quickly find what you need, easily remember all that needs to be done, avoid duplication or things falling through the cracks and keep it all together better, it’s important to have one calendar, one running data dump of all tasks to be done, one daily  to-do list, one source for others’ contact info, one system by which all your files are structured (whether paper or electronic and with as few categories as possible) and one place for all the information you must reference and remember, such as my all-time favorite tool of Evernote, a secure suite of apps that allow users to capture typed text, video and audio files, checklists, web clippings as well as photos, including photos of handwritten notes, in a database of content created by the user or culled in from other sources which is easy to sort, edit, search and share.

Did you celebrate this "Simplify Your Life Week" by making a change to simplify your life? If not, where do you see excess and complexity? What will you change soon based off the aforementioned suggestions or your own analysis?

Why Are Americans Should-ing All Over Ourselves?

As children, we are taught “You shouldn’t talk to strangers”. Then, it often progresses to “You should look like the girls in magazines.” or “You should play football more like Peyton Manning or Russell Wilson." As adults, our shoulds can become barriers. For example, your peers might say “You should stay in your current job so you don’t lose momentum on your career path”, even though that current job is in a toxic work environment that has you severely stressed out. Or your peers might say “You should apply for this job in the next level of your career path”, even though that path is not your true passion.

How do you choose "could" or "must" over "should" daily?

Sometimes, the shoulds come from peer pressure; other times, instead, the shoulds come from within. As should plagues mankind, people tell us what we should or shouldn’t do, and we do the same thing to ourselves when that little voice in our heads tells us what society expects of us. Why are we should-ing all over ourselves?!?

In reality, there’s nothing you “should" or “shouldn’t” do. Those are a reflection of someone else’s thoughts, beliefs, values and priorities  Instead, what you must do is about what is right for your wants and needs as well as what you'll do to achieve those desires. 

There is a distinct difference between “should” and “must”. While “should” reflects how others want us to be, think, speak or act, “must” reflects our most authentic self’s basic needs, cravings, ideals and calling. Yet, it is usually not so simplistic... Choosing a “must” is often scary and a very difficult path while choosing a “should” can be much easier and involves much less risk.

Back in 2007, if I had listened to the shoulds being tossed my direction, I would’ve never opened Organize for Success, LLC  and I certainly would’ve never transitioned from the automotive industry being my full-time job. Many would highlight the stability of my Marketing Director position, wondering if I could possibly survive in this new frontier and saying that I should stay where I was successful. Instead, I took a risk, acting upon my passion for productivity, and I haven’t regretted it at all.

Recently, I came across an article discussing this “should" versus “must" predicament. As modern philosopher Joseph Campbell has said, “Follow your bliss and doors will open where there were no doors before”. Still, for those who are still searching to discover that most basic need, craving, ideal or calling, the article outlines a couple exercises to drive that conversation with yourself. First, write a press release for your future self, maybe about something you will have done, maybe about an award you will have won, maybe about a specific thing that you have created. Second, write your own obituary, elaborating on additional actions and accomplishments you will have completed throughout your life.

Instead of saying “should”, try using “could”. Watch Stefan Sagmeister’s TED talk about jobs versus careers versus callings, and internalize how they compare to each other. Examine your thoughts and beliefs to make certain they accurately reflect YOUR own beliefs, YOUR values and the fire within YOU. Then, take whatever action is right for you. Abandon the guilt! Honor your calling, take the path less traveled and commit to your “must” over any “should”. 

Do you find yourself regularly succumbing to the shoulds? How will YOU shift away from “should” today?

Lessons from the San Antonio Spurs for Your Business’ Success

While most folks are not as big of sports fanatics as I am, there are quite a few individuals worldwide that were following the past few months’ worth of playoffs action for the National Basketball Association. In fact, Nielsen ratings say that 22.4 million viewers watched Game 5 of the NBA Finals, where the San Antonio Spurs hosted the Miami Heat in a rematch of last year’s Finals. As a huge fan of the San Antonio Spurs, I was especially pleased with how things panned out for the NBA championship as the Spurs won their 5^th title in 15 years, but the implications of this year’s Finals don’t end there.

          This year’s championship run for the San Antonio Spurs basketball team is an excellent example of the parallels between sports and business.  First and foremost, like any company, a successful sports team needs strong leadership.  While I might be a tad bit biased, I believe Gregg Popovich is the absolute best NBA basketball coach, exemplified by him winning his third NBA Coach of the Year award earlier this year, and the team trusts him completely. Likewise, R. C. Buford (the General Manager for the San Antonio Spurs) was rewarded for his excellence in leadership with the 2013 – 14 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year award. Plus, there is a good deal of leadership on the court as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have been together as “the big three” for the San Antonio Spurs for the past 12 years, throughout 4 of the Spurs’ championships.

2014 NBA Champions

During the 2013 NBA Finals, having won the opening game in Miami, the San Antonio Spurs seemed to have the championship in hand as they went back to Miami for Games 6 and 7 in the “best of 7 series” with a 3-2 lead, needing only one more win to clinch the trophy. Yet, that just wasn’t to happen as the Spurs let a 5-point lead disappear over the final 28 seconds in Game 6, where the Heat pulled away to win in overtime and, subsequently, used that momentum to secure the championship in Game 7. It would have been easy for R. C. Buford to have considered the team a failure, blowing it all up and starting from scratch the next season. Instead, the Spurs’ organization used this experience to pull together, refocus and instill persistence in achieving its goals. Through this, they exhibited the definition of TEAM in that “Together, Everyone Achieves More”.

This year’s team successes for the San Antonio Spurs exhibited key traits of successful businesses. Anyone watching the Spurs play saw their approach to teamwork… Passing the ball more on each possession than any of their opponents, trusting teammates to be in the right position at the right time to fulfill their roles, communicating clearly as to what is needed of each role player and each team member dedicating himself 100% to the specific role asked of that individual. This unified team pulled together a group of stellar athletes to win the Finals series against “the best player” in the NBA.

As the NBA opens up free agency today, I find it fitting to spotlight one of the many ways in which the San Antonio Spurs set themselves up for being such a tremendous team. When Tim Duncan negotiated his most recent contract back in 2012, he went from making $21.5 million in one season to $9.65 million the next. This wasn’t because Tim Duncan couldn’t get paid more… Absolutely not! Instead, Tim Duncan approached the San Antonio Spurs’ management team with a goal of freeing money for the team to sign other free agents that could support Duncan, Parker and Ginobili as the team moved towards winning more championships, helping the Spurs avoid the NBA’s luxury tax penalty. It is with this complete team that the San Antonio Spurs are able to excel in a team sport such as basketball, empowering each member of the team to fulfill his specified role. When each team member does his own part, the combination of those roles is a winning team. Wow… What a concept!

Do you have a favorite team in collegiate or professional sports? If so, how does that team exhibit principles that make it successful similar to success in the business world? Are there things your sports team does that could benefit your company and how can you implement those tactics for your own success?

Public Schools Directly Impact Our Businesses

This afternoon, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Wake County Board of Commissioners as part of their Public Hearing on the County Manager's Recommended Budget for Fiscal Year 2014 - 2015. With the importance of this upcoming fiscal year, I'm pleased that the County Commissioners opened their meeting for public comment, just like they will do again this evening. Here is what I shared with our County Commissioners and community attendees this afternoon:

 "My name is Emily Parks. I am a Wake County business owner, and I partner with other small businesses in the area. As a product of North Carolina's public schools, I have always strongly supported our public school system. I believe wholeheartedly that much of what makes Wake County and North Carolina such a great place to live and do business is our historical support for public education.

Our schools provide local businesses with their workforces, and this human talent is vital for our community's success. Further, it is with a strong school system that Wake County can compete to bring in new businesses, big businesses, that will employ our neighbors and contribute taxes.

However, I am troubled by what I'm seeing in our community for our public school system. We absolutely must stop the exodus of our most highly qualified educators. Yes, we compete with other counties across North Carolina, but we most aggressively compete with other states for these talented teachers. Wake County's teachers deserve our respect, and the proposed pay increase is just a start but an excellent step in a right direction. 

Please support the future of our businesses and this community by voting to approve the proposed budget."

The proposed budget that I addressed in my comments provides a 3.5% pay increase for our county's teachers, those men and women who are sorely underpaid, have not had a pay increase in many years and are leaving for other areas of the country that provide more adequate compensation for their teachers or for other industries which pay more. While the Wake County Board of Commissioners' vote on this proposed budget is still a week or two away, I believe this topic is important and that related discussions should be encouraged. Are there issues impacting your business and your community about which you feel strongly? If so, how do you make your feelings about those issues known?

Manage Self, Rather Than Myth of "Time Management"

 Chances are good that you've attended a presentation about time management, read about it in books or magazines and tried to use some sort of planner or app to "manage" your time. You may ask yourself why, with all your acquired knowledge and all the related tools at your disposal, do you still struggle to get everything done. Well, I'd like to share a thought or two about this with you.

I believe that there is no such thing as time management. Yes, it's a great "buzzword" that evokes the image of someone in control and able to accomplish all that is intended for the day. However, everyone is gifted the same 24 hours in any given day, and it's not about managing that time. No one can control time; it's going to keep ticking away regardless of what you or I do. Instead, I believe getting more done is more about managing oneself as it is much more realistic to control ourselves than the hours in any given day. Manage yourself, not your time.

As we work to get more done in less time, there are specific steps we can take to manage ourselves. Here are a few of the many such steps we can take:

• Complete a weekly strategy session where you create a game plan for the upcoming week's tasks, appointments as well as opportunities for personal and professional development. Instead of prioritizing your schedule, schedule your priorities; focus on making time for what is important.

• Start each day with a written list of 3 - 5 "must do" items. Plan your work and work your plan to be more effective.

• Wrap-up each day by evaluating which action items got done versus need to be carried over to the future and, then, schedule the carryover items to be done on specific dates since "every what assigned a when is more likely to be done".

• Put a stop to procrastination and build momentum by starting on your bigger projects. Set a timer for 15 - 30 minutes and work hard for that shorter duration with a burst of energy.

• Batch tasks so you are completing "like" actions in one, lump grouping; for example, return all calls back-to-back, process all received emails together at set times and schedule errands so you complete all your running around in a single trip.

• When you block off chunks of time for completing what actions are important for achieving your goals, be sure to include buffers for travel as well as "unexpected" opportunities or hiccups.

• Be fully present for each scheduled task or appointment, focusing on the individual, group or activity in front of you rather than thinking ahead or multi-tasking... Not only will you get more out of that specific task or appointment, but you will complete things more efficiently and effectively.

• Identify and eliminate as much as you can the time stealers in your workday. Close your door to limit drop-in visitors. Send phone calls to an assistant or directly to voice mail when you are focused on a specific task at hand. Communicate your priorities clearly. Encourage planning prior to meetings, leading to better meeting management. Options are limitless!

Contrary to the connotation typically associated with "time management", the dictionary definition of "the analysis of how working hours are spent and the prioritization of tasks in order to maximize personal efficiency in the workspace" appears to be quite a bit more accurate. With the aforementioned thoughts and that definition in mind, what do you find is something you can control when working to get more done in less time? What tactics do you utilize to boost productivity and enhance efficiencies?

'Tis The Season to Shred, Shred, Shred

To Shred Or Not To Shred?
... That is the question

 Ah, yes... April 15th is just around the corner, and, with the deadline to file your 2013 tax return quickly approaching, it is a perfect time to purge outdated paper from your filing system. While paperLESS is possible, our world doesn't accommodate the concept of paperFREE, making it all the more important to shred papers discarded with confidential information, and local organizations make it easier than ever to shred what needs to be shredded with several free events coming up (see list of options below or on this site). Yet, with all the different advice available, it is difficult to know what can be recycled versus needing to be shredded. There are many different opinions about what to keep for how long, and the following is what I have found most helpful for my clients. VERY IMPORTANT... I recommend checking with your accountant about items that should be kept for the long-run as well as the BBB's Records Retention Schedule; however, here's a general reference list to get your sorting and purging started.

What to keep permanently, protected from fire and flood:
- Annual tax returns (however, tax-related receipts and bank statements can often be shredded after 7 years... Please verify your specific circumstances with your accountant.)
- Audit reports
- Business licenses
- Year-end summaries from financial service companies
- Stock and bond certificates; investment trade confirmations
- Deeds of property, auto titles and most recent documentation for insurance policies, especially related to pending claims
- Real estate and residence records, including those of paid mortgages and transfer / sale of property
- Health records / medical test results, wills, trusts, powers of attorney and estate-related documents
- Birth certificates as well as adoption and custody records
- Social Security cards and Social Security annual statements
- Current passports
- High school and college diplomas
- Military service information, including discharge papers
- Appraisals for jewelry, artwork, antiques, etc that you still own
- Marriage licenses
- Legal paperwork related to any divorces
- Pensions / retirement plan records as long as they're current
- Death certificates

Documents to keep for terms related to life events:
- Current homes' improvement and maintenance records until the homes are sold
- Receipts for major purchases while you own the appliance, furniture, electronics, jewelry, etc
- Current automobiles' maintenance and added accessories records until vehicles are sold
- Pet ownership and care records until taxes are filed for year when no longer part of your family

Documents to convert into electronic, shredding originals:
- Education records
- Current copy of your resume
- Employment records, including performance evaluations
- Copies of important work projects and volunteer records

What to shred and, as needed, related timetables:
- Any unwanted paper that contains your social security number
- Pre-approved credit card offers immediately upon receipt
- Expired credit cards and identification cards, like driver's licenses and student IDs
- Old bills unrelated to taxes or past time needed for tax records
- Out-of-date account statements
- Paycheck stubs after reconciled with W-2 or 1099 forms
- Brokerage and mutual fund statements after they've been reconciled at year-end
- Records of selling houses or stocks and annual investment statements once no longer needed for tax records
- Tax-related cancelled checks, W-2s, 1099s and receipts for tax-deductible expenses after 7 years
- Records of satisfied loans after 7 years
- ATM receipts, bank deposit slips and receipts for credit card charges after cleared on statements
- Receipts for minor purchases that are not deductible for taxes (like your normal groceries) and for items you no longer own or are no longer eligible for returns
- Property tax records once any related disputes are resolved
- Addresses of prior residences
- Outdated credit reports and credit scores
- Completed travel itineraries
- Old report cards
- Luggage tags that you are no longer using
- Anything no longer needed that has a copy of your signature
- Anything that includes your birthdate and / or prescription information alongside your name

Again, it's important to contact your accountant before shredding anything, just to verify any special circumstances unique to your situation. It's better to be cautious with things like this.

Plus, there's good news: With this being "shredding season", you are in luck. There are plenty of free events occurring soon for you to shred what documents you need to shred. While events across the state of North Carolina can be found online here, below is a list of the events local to the Triangle of NC area:
- Saturday, April 12th at 73 Hunter St, Apex --- 9am - noon (click here for details; limit of 3 small bags or boxes per person)
- Saturday, April 19th at Marrow-Pitt Ace Hardware, 1713 N. Main St, Tarboro --- 10am - 1pm
- Thursday, April 24th at University Mall, 201 S. Estes Dr, Chapel Hill --- 10am - 2pm (limit of 5 boxes per person)
- Saturday, April 26th at Oak Park Shopping Center, 6001 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh --- 8am - noon (limit of 3 boxes or bags per person)
- Saturday, April 26th at Hampton Pointe Recycling drop-off site, 625 Hampton Pointe Blvd, Hillsborough (behind Home Depot) --- 10am - 2pm (limit of 5 boxes per person)
- Saturday, May 3rd at Duke University Federal Credit Union, 2200 W. Main St --- 9am - 1pm
- Saturday, May 17th at Roxboro Savings Bank, 313 S. Main St, Roxboro --- 8am - 11am
- Saturday, May 17th at Coastal Federal Credit Union, 1000 St Albans Dr, Raleigh --- 8am - 12:30pm (click here for details; limit of 3 boxes or bags of documents to be shredded as well as up to 5 electronic devices to be recycled)
- Saturday, May 17th at Lafayette Village in front of Executive Office Suites, 8480 Honeycutt Rd, Raleigh --- 8am - 12:30pm (limit of 3 boxes or bags of documents to be shredded as well as up to 5 electronic devices to be recycled)

If you are unable to make any of the aforementioned events, no problem! Many businesses offer shredding services, like ProShred, Apex Shredding, OfficeMax, A Shred Ahead, Phoenix Resources Recycling and Iron Mountain. No matter which direction you take, though, please keep your confidential information safe, particularly since identity theft is such a growing issue for us all. How do you determine what to shred and do you shred in-house or with a vendor partner? If you take your documents somewhere to be shredded, which option do YOU prefer?

Are You Ready to "Bring The Neat" as well as Implement the "Top Tech Tools for Rocking It at Work and in Life"?

 Today kicks off a very busy week in the world of +Organize for Success, LLC, and I'd love for you to join in some of the fun... Beyond attending this morning's Bizwomen Mentoring Monday event and, then, celebrating the honorees of the Triangle Business Journal's 2014 Women in Business Awards over lunch, I'll be working with several wonderful clients, all leading up to two very special events this Friday, April 11th... Mark your calendar now to join me at either or both of Friday's events!

On Friday, you have two options to get tips and tidbits from me as well as several of my colleagues: First, WrapIt presents "Bring The Neat" Springtime Organizing Master Summit starting at 10am on a Google+ Hangout, and I am thrilled to be one of the presenters. This online event will feature 10 organizing specialists, who will share tips for getting organized and boosting your productivity this spring. While you can find the link to join us as well as the entire summit's agenda at BringTheNeat.com, I want to highlight that my portion about how to "Spring Clean Your Email & Mobile Devices" will be at 11:35am to 11:50am; here's a bit about what I'll share:

Then, I'm so very excited to be presenting an updated version of my "Top Tech Tools for Rocking It at Work and in Life" at 3:00pm to 5:00pm in the Training Room of Executive Office Suites in Lafayette Village at 8480 Honeycutt Road, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27615... Do you feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done? Might you be losing time and want to get it back? Feel like you might be treading water and all you want is to get ahead of the onslaught? Need a competitive edge?!? Well, this Friday's workshop might well offer exactly what you are seeking... Take full advantage of available software, apps and tech tools to achieve an organized office, enhanced efficiency, greater productivity and larger profitability. Adjust how you approach your work and organize for greater success so you get more done in less time, quickly find what you need when you need it and always know what must be done when. Here's what you'll take away from this presentation:

• Particular software, apps & tech tools to lower your stress and enhance work performance

• Detailed ways to use these software, apps & tech tools to achieve desired results

• How to implement suggested solutions for immediate success

Visit http://TopTechTools.eventbrite.com to register and reserve your spot. I'll do the legwork for you in finding the most up-to-date options and how you could best use each, bringing all attendees an excellent handout to be referenced later for easily adopting what software, apps and tech tools are best for your specific needs... Come ready to expand your effectiveness.

Thanks for your interest in what I'm offering for enhancing your productivity, helping you get organizing and how to include technology in your efforts for greater efficiency... I look forward to connecting with you soon, but don't hesitate to give me a holler in the meantime. Have a marvelous Monday today!

Minimize Morning Madness to Dash Out More Easily

 If the time between your early morning wake-up and the moment you're dashing out the door seems to be shrinking, it might be time to evaluate how you are getting ready to face the world.

Here are a few ways you might be able to minimize your morning madness so you are ready on time and your exit is less stressful.

Start practicing an evening routine to properly prepare for the next morning... Each night, check the next day's schedule to plan what you'll need for all activities. Verify the weather forecast and lay out your clothes for the day as well as any accessories you'll be wearing. Think through what you have for breakfast so you aren't scrambling for something to eat. Go ahead and prepare the next day's lunch; likewise, if you have a tendency to forget grabbing your pre-made lunch from the fridge, leave yourself a "remember lunch" note on the door or by your keys. Have a set place near the door for any items that need to go out the door with you, preparing your keys, work files and purse / wallet / backpack the night before; keep a morning checklist by the door to verify you have all you need. Make sure you have gas in your vehicle. Plus, ensure you don't awake groggy with low blood sugar by consuming a tablespoon of unsweetened almond butter.

Eliminate any unnecessary actions from your mornings... When the goal is getting out the door, it is important to stay focused, but it's easy to get distracted. Can you declutter the night before so there are less distractions? Can unloading the dishwasher wait until after work? Can you absorb the morning's news on your commute to the office instead of in the morning news on TV? For some, these actions are necessary to properly start the day and can put those individuals in the right mindset; however, for others, they are simply distractions that lead to tardiness in getting out the door. Determine in which of those groups you fall and respond appropriately.

Simplify how you accomplish certain parts of getting ready... Choose a hairstyle that is easy to maintain. Choose a breakfast that is easy to prepare, embracing convenience foods, like cereal, yogurt with pre-made granola or frozen waffles. Choose wrinkle-free clothing. Look at each element of your morning; there might be lots of areas to streamline.

Make the most of every available minute...
- Set your alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier than you expect needing to awake, allowing you a brief block of peace before everyone else in your home is up and giving you a buffer in your morning prep timetable.
- Get moving early, remembering that activity breeds activity. Further, our brains and bodies need oxygen to function properly; getting up and moving can open your lungs for more oxygen. I recently started using the 7 Minute Workout app and have been very pleased... It's "just enough" for me!
- Start your day by drinking a tall, cold glass of water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, which boosts your energy, promotes good digestion, boosts your immune system, detoxifies the liver, helps you lose weight, encourages better skin and kicks off your day hydrated.
- Proceed through a routine each morning so you take out the thinking, go into autopilot and ensure what's important gets completed each day. Likewise, if you live with others, knowing beforehand who gets in the shower first can be hugely helpful.
- Break each element of the routine into a "zone" so supplies for each action are grouped together and located in the area where they will be used, like tools for getting dressed, tools for prepping your face / applying your make-up, tools for preparing your coffee and tools for making breakfast.
- Use music to motivate yourself. Further, motivate your family's youngest members by making the morning routine a game, like completing set tasks within the duration of set songs.

With just a little planning, preparation and routine-building, it can be much easier to get out of the house and on to your day's activities more quickly and with less stress... Which of these action steps can you incorporate into your life to make an impact on getting ready each morning?

Were You & Your Business Prepared for Recent Winter Weather? Be Prepared For Future Emergencies

 Did last week’s winter weather catch you off guard or were you safe at home with all your supplies before a single flake fell from the sky? When Mother Nature throws us a curveball, there are many different details to be considered; in addition to physical safety, businesses must consider how to get the word out about schedule or service changes and how to fulfill commitments.

Still, it is not just weather-related issues that can be emergencies for you and your company…  An emergency is any situation posing immediate risk to life, health, property or environment, which can include computer crashes or viruses, contagious diseases, earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, ice storms, random power outages, shootings, terror alerts, theft, tornadoes, tsunamis and, even, death.

While the thought of something bad happening might be too difficult to consider, it’s vital to take simple steps to protect yourself, your team and your overall business. Here are steps to get started.

First, make a plan. What types of disasters are possible for your area? If you must evacuate, who makes that decision, what should be the exit plan and who do folks contact to check-in that they’ve made it to safety? What essential equipment must be taken from the premises as you are evacuating? How do you turn off water, gas and electricity at the main switches or valves? Where is your fire extinguisher and how do you operate it? From where can employees obtain important updates, especially when and where to return to work, particularly if there is a back-up location or if team members will be working remotely? How will you facilitate payroll in an emergency situation? Might it be helpful to keep some cash in the office, just in case you can’t get to the bank? Engage your entire team in this planning as each employee will have a different perspective and bring new ideas to the process. Further, it is important to keep these business policies and procedures in writing.

Second, prepare for communication gaps. There are many groups of individuals who will want to know what your company is doing in various circumstances. Where should employees look for necessary directives? Which team members will need to know what? What questions will arise from vendors about how business will continue? How will you notify your customers of operating plans and ways to interact with you? Will you continue to offer customers support via email, phone, online chat, eFax, snail mail or what? How soon will customers’ experiences with your company return to normal, and what should be expected in the interim? Is a press release necessary to alert the public of your business’ plans? An excellent example from this past week is how local florists were impacted by winter weather over the days leading into the Valentine’s Day holiday… If your business depends on certain dates, it may be even more important to alert consumers of your plans related to those dates. How can you utilize your website and marketing materials to communicate your emergency game plan?

Third, ensure you have the right supplies should it be unsafe to go out and you get stuck at work, at home or in your vehicle. While basics like first aid kit, matches in a waterproof container, food / water, flashlight with extra batteries, whistle, dust mask, moist towelettes, garbage bags with plastic ties, wrench, pliers and local maps from http://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit remain very important for us all, your specific needs might go beyond that list. Should you add bug repellant, sunscreen, compression stockings, small sewing kit, safety pins, pocket knife, generator, plastic sheeting / tarp with duct tape to shelter-in-place, heavy-duty work gloves, buckets, gas can with funnel, solar-powered chargers and fire escape ladders for higher stories? Plus, be sure to stock each company vehicle just as you have supplies in offices or at your home, including a flashlight, reflective vest, life hammer, flares, tire repair kit, vehicle battery booster, compass, bottled water and basic tools. 

Fourth, prepare your personal and company’s property to withstand disaster. Taking into account what hazards are likely to hit your property in each type of disaster, like flooding, extreme wind, piles of snow on your roof and electrical blackouts, what can you do to safeguard your essential business equipment? Do you utilize hosted email exchange server, hosted VoIP and cloud storage to backup messages as well as secure vital documents should your physical location be impacted by natural disasters? Further, does your building meet current safety standards to survive what disasters might strike? Should you earth or elevate equipment for its protection? If there is advance notice for any emergency, how early do you take proactive steps to prepare property?

Fifth, keep important paperwork ready for your business, just as you would for your family or yourself. Do you have your insurance policies and related contact options easily accessible? Have you scanned business licenses, permits and property deeds into the cloud so they’ll be available if you must relocate? Is there an easily accessible list of your company’s service contracts with applicable contact information as well as financial account details and their associated contacts’ details? What should be stored in the cloud? What should be stored in fire- and flood-proof safes? Are there needs specific to your industry or your location?

Sixth, keep all contact records up-to-date. While I always recommend utilizing a Customer Relationship Management Tool, in the instance of an emergency, where you are storing the information is not nearly as important as having accurate and up-to-date contact information. You’ll need to notify customers, vendors and employees alike of your plans to continue operating as usual or re-open on a specific date as well as how to communicate / interact with you during every step of the recovery process. If you don’t have their contact preferences, you cannot convey this necessary information, and that may delay getting back to normal.

Maintenance is important! Once you’ve established a solid foundation, be certain to review your plans and supplies at least every 6 months. Train each new hire immediately as he / she joins your team. Conduct fire and emergency drills regularly, scheduling regular reviews of how to operate fire extinguishers, changing smoke alarms’ batteries and conducting regular training for team members on First Aid, CPR and AED. Finally, to support ongoing success, when disaster strikes, document what worked or didn’t for future planning.

On a related note, I am a huge fan of Evernote as a tool for helping me “remember everything”. It’s not just about making notes or keeping information available in the cloud so that it’s easily accessible everywhere; it’s also about finding what I need quickly when I need it. Emergencies are an excellent example of where Evernote is useful. Whenever an emergency strikes, it’s easy to slip into a panic. Well, checklists are helpful in panic-prone situations, and Evernote is an excellent location to store those necessary checklists. Beyond that, though, many details related to your company’s tech tools, products, service contracts and accounts could be easily stored in Evernote.

Take action today… Think about all the possible issues that might face your company. Create a contingency plan so your business operates with continuity regardless of the situation and circumstances that you and your team shall face. Will you be prepared when Mother Nature strikes next or when we are faced with a terror attack? What is your game plan for your business when facing various emergencies?