Organize a Successful Tailgate Party

Sports fans everywhere are studying up on their favorite teams' starting quarterbacks, injury reports and expected totals for wins as well as losses, but that's not the only conversation circling around football.

Pregame festivities are the ultimate excuse to gather with friends for cornhole, crack open a cold beverage and fire up the grill. Maybe you are an ACC fan celebrating the season for your Demon Deacons, Tar Heels, Wolfpack, Blue Devils and Clemson Tigers or you're an SEC fan excited about the prospects for this year's Gators, Bulldogs, LSU Tigers and Crimson Tide; maybe you're an NFL fan who's eagerly awaiting the start of the 100th season coming up on Thursday. No matter what logo is on your jersey, chances are good you'll be tailgating soon.

Whether you're planning a football tailgate for tomorrow, next week or next month, here are some tools to make the process of planning your pregame festivities a little easier:

• Make sure you bring the right supplies. If you know right off exactly what you and your crew need, don't rely on your unreliable brain; capture the checklist for what to prepare, pack and bring within your Evernote account. If you are an Android user, you can use the already drafted list within the Tailgating Planner app, which is easily customizable as your list evolves and syncs between all your Android devices. If you are an iPhone user, you can create food and drink menus as well as collect attendees' fees from the Tailgate Nation app, making it easy to host the party.

• Efficiently answer your friends' "What can I bring?" question. Whether you update the list built into the Thing2Bring app on your iPhone or you use an event list from SignUpGenius.com, having folks choose from a list will better ensure all elements needed are covered without too many folks bringing the same thing. Ice is important, but you don't want everyone bringing only a bag of ice, just like too many desserts won't cover all needs.

• Be weather aware before and during your tailgate. Check the weather beforehand to be sure you dress appropriately as well as take whatever accessories will be needed for what Mother Nature is sending, like tents, jackets, umbrellas and sunglasses. Then, setup alerts from your preferred weather app to be notified when there are changes or a weather system gets nearby, whether that's via the app for your local TV station, what's built into your mobile device or from The Weather Channel.

• Ensure attendees painlessly find the party. The Map My Tailgate app on Android as well as iOS allows hosts to share exactly where the tailgate is, choosing to share that with invited guests or inviting anyone with the app to come share your fun. Alternatively, if you used the Tailgate Info app to plan who will be bringing what, it includes Point to Point Navigation for easily finding your precise location. Plus, whether stars, footballs or something else, a bundle of helium balloons from Dollar Tree will last a long time, giving great visibility for those roaming the lot in search of your tailgate. 

• Avoid FOMO by staying abreast of all the other games. You could use an app like ESPN or Yahoo! Sports to get notifications of all the others' scores and important plays. Or you could setup an actual TV in your truck tailgate to broadcast what's happening elsewhere.

Going beyond these basics, make sure to checkout BuzzFeed's 41 Tailgating Tips That Are Borderline Genius. These best practices are guaranteed to take your pregaming from great to amazing in the snap of your finger, and you will certainly say "Wow!" when reading at least one.

Once you have nailed how to organize a successful tailgate party, if you are in the state of North Carolina, consider submitting your next tailgate to the David Glenn Radio Show to win big prizes as the tailgate of the week or of the year via the Big Tailgate Tour. DG will definitely bring even more excitement to your already fantastic celebration.

What's your favorite way to prepare the ultimate tailgate? Which element is essential for your most fabulous tailgate?

Top Ten Favorite Songs

Organize for Success® Turns 10 

In honor of 10 years of business for Organize for Success®, I have been posting a "top 10" list to this blog each day throughout the month of May, and this is the last in the anniversary blog series. The grand prize for celebrating Organize for Success, LLC's 10 years will be awarded tomorrow, randomly selecting from all those who commented on any of the month's "top 10" blog posts as well as those who have subscribed to my eNewsletter for a winner to receive downloads of all 5 eBooks, a pass for my Stress and Time Management online video course as well as a 60-minute, video conference productivity consultation.

I've left the most challenging of my lists to write for today, which is top 10 favorite songs. I am a huge fan of music, and my interests are far-ranging, from country to classic rock, top 40 to R&B and so many in between. Therefore, I can't really limit my favorite songs to a top 10, but here is a representative list of my favorites:

10. "Whatever It Is" by Zac Brown Band (2008) - I'm a big fan of Zac Brown Band's unique sound, particularly with this really chill song and how it excellently highlights Jimmy De Martini's fiddle skills alongside Zac's singing. Plus, this band puts on a great concert, whether in a large amphitheater or a small group of radio listeners in the Entercom Communications Greensboro studios.

9. "Only Wanna Be With You" by Hootie & The Blowfish (1994) - The entire Cracked Rear View album is outstanding from "Hold My Hand" to "Let Her Cry" to "Time" and everything in between, but "Only Wanna Be With You" is my favorite of this fabulous band's tunes. I even got to ring in 1996 with their New Year's Eve concert in downtown Winston-Salem! These days, I continue enjoying Darius Rucker's talents with songs like "Alright", "Come Back Song", "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", "Southern Style", "Wagon Wheel" and "If I Told You", the last of which has a distinctly Hootie feel to it. So many good sing-along songs!

8. "We Are The Champions" by Queen (1977) - My freshman year at East Forsyth High School, our football team won the state 4A championship, and this song became the team's celebratory anthem for the remainder of the year. Anytime I hear "We Are The Champions", I immediately flashback to the fun of that victory and all the ensuing celebrations throughout the year. Go, Eagles!

7. "Sweet Tea" by Cravin' Melon (1997) - This band out of Clemson, SC, takes me right back to my days at Wake Forest University, and, as a true southerner, this song speaks to my love of good, ol' sweet tea, especially the really sweet kind of sweet tea. It's hard to not sway and sing along as this upbeat tune plays.

6. "Hold On Loosely" by 38 Special (1981) - Although 38 Special's "Caught Up In You" follows closely behind, similarly to "Blinded by the Light" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, I couldn't have a list of favorite songs without "Hold On Loosely". There's something to be said for a classic rock song that gets you singing and grooving along from the very first beat.

5. "Carolina In My Mind" by James Taylor (1968) - The home in which I grew up had a rather large yard, and, although I'm the six of seven siblings, most of my older siblings were out of the house when I was in middle school as well as my freshman and sophomore years in high school before we moved across town; thus, it fell upon me to mow all that grass. Each week, I'd put a cassette of James Taylor's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 into my Walkman, plug in my headphones and get to driving the lawn mower around. It was great! Although every song on that record is wonderful, I'm from the state of North Carolina so "Carolina In My Mind" has a special place in my heart and tops my list of favorites from JT.

4. "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk The Moon (2014) - One of my favorite things is finding catchy songs that my youngest nephew, Lucas, will dance and sing along with me. Initially, it was "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice, which Lucas told his mom "is Aunt Happy's song", but I think this happier alternative might've superseded that. We do alter the lyrics to "Come on and dance" since we aren't supposed to say "shut up", but it's still fun.

3. "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" by The Four Seasons (1975) - I am a fan of almost anything that Frankie Valli (lead singer of The Four Seasons) performs, hence why my friend Beth and I had to go see the Jersey Boys musical when it came to Durham Performing Arts Center; however, "December, 1963" is definitely my favorite. As soon as that opening beat starts, I can't help but want to start dancing; its energy is infectious.

2. "Not a Moment Too Soon" by Tim McGraw (1994) -  Technically, I could fill this entire list with Tim McGraw songs as he's my all-time favorite musical artist, and this same album had multiple hits ("Don't Take The Girl", "Down On The Farm", "Refried Dreams", "Indian Outlaw"); yet, "Not a Moment Too Soon" truly tops my list of Tim McGraw songs, even above "Felt Good On My Lips" that he and I sang together in Las Vegas as well as "Unbroken" that he serenaded me with in Charlotte. This song is hopeful, makes it easy to sing along and was perfect cruising the curves on Hopkins Road in Kernersville when it was first released.

1. "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang (1980) - There's a party in every playing of this song! As a child, I'd run around everywhere, singing and dancing to this tune, even if the music wasn't actually playing. I love the beat, I love the lyrics, I love how easy it is to sing along to this song, and I love dancing to it!

Bonus - I'd be remiss if I didn't specifically highlight a handful of the many tunes that are perfect for belting out while driving down the road and immediately beckon me to the dance floor with the opening beats of their music, like "Dancing On The Ceiling" by Lionel Richie, "No One" by Alicia Keys, "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire or "Summertime" by Will Smith. Actually, anything by those artists is pretty amazing, but I digress.

What is your favorite type of music? Which is your favorite song? Were you unfamiliar with any that I listed here?

Music Matters

Retailers have been integrating music into marketing campaigns for years to drive behavior, boost consideration and fuel sales. There is a great deal of research about how music affects our moods while driving, particularly for teenage drivers. Researchers have found that time feels like it is moving more quickly while we listen to music, and there is even a book named The Psychology of Music, written by Diana Deutsch, which can be purchased from here. It goes without saying that, yes, music does matter!

Yet, the reach and influence of music's abilities do not stop there. Music can be a very powerful addition to your productivity toolbox. Depending on the type of music you are listening to at any given time, music can help you accomplish all of the following:

- Set the mood

- Motivate behavior

- Stop procrastination

- Drive focus and concentration

- Energize

- Fuel performance

- Calm our spirits

When you are looking to plow through a daunting task, increase the challenge of your workout or recuperate from a stressful day, turn on a song that will help you achieve your desired results. If you are seeking inspiration, Lifehack offers "30 Inspirational Songs that Keep You Motivated for Life" or you can do a quick Google search for "music to ____" and insert what you are attempting.

Is music currently one of the tools in your productivity toolbox? If not, how can you utilize music to drive results?

Have You Considered Your Digital Afterlife?

 Today’s society is increasingly dependent on technology. With this dependence comes a growing online presence as well as all the data, documents and passwords associated with those online accounts… Most folks immediately assume that means just the various social media platforms on which each of us communicate. Yes, social media is included, but it’s so much more than that. In addition to websites, there are password-protected apps on your laptops and mobile devices. This includes your emails, online banking, shopping wish lists, loyalty programs, travel-booking sites, iTunes music libraries, bill paying, web-based photo albums, online file repositories, collaboration tools and more. Our digital footprints are scattered, and the list seems endless!

 Although each individual’s growing online presence can be a bit overwhelming while we are here on earth, have you considered what happens to your digital presence when you are no longer living? I think most folks would be shocked to learn that, under current law in many states, your heirs could be committing a crime by using what passwords you left them after you have passed away. Right now, it’s a legal gray zone… The US Computer Fraud and AbuseAct, created in 1986, makes it unlawful to “intentionally access” a computer without authorization and, then, obtain information from that access. Many propose that loved ones should get access to everything online immediately after one’s death unless otherwise specified in a will. Yet, as estate-planning lawyers have started battling to change this, it’s sparked quite a debate about who owns what on the Internet, who can access what in your digital afterlife and how to plan this transition.

Amidst all the confusion, though, there is good news… The Uniform Law Commission has created (and approved on July 16, 2014) the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Acts, designed to “let relatives access the social media counts of the deceased”, per NPR. This act overrides the terms of service of Internet companies who restrict account access to only the user and requires states to define details.

Still, gone are the days when whoever you designate to handle your estate can collect your mail for a few months to see all the accounts that need to be addressed… By not specifically addressing your digital afterlife, you risk issues with online bills or financials, loss of data (including sentimental items of photos, status updates, communications and more as well as items with monetary value, like music, movies, etc) and losing control of your personal legacy. However, how can you convey that applicable data to whichever personal representative you need handling it?!? Further, should your emails, digital photo albums and online accounts die when you do or can you pass them along to heirs as you do physical items, like a house, an automobile, stocks and prized possessions? While I am certainly not a lawyer and do not have all such expertise, I see the importance of addressing my digital afterlife and have been doing some research.

Where can YOU start and what can YOU do to address this situation? 

First, I recommend creating a digital estate plan. Like estate plans in the traditional sense, this would details your wishes about what you want done with what is yours once you are no longer living. Further, within this digital estate plan, appoint a Digital Executor, who is the person you designate to execute your wises for your digital assets. You’ll need to stipulate in your will that this Digital Executor should have a copy of your death certificate as proof for websites to take action.

Using a password manager to generate, save and autofill your many passwords would make life easier for your heirs. With one of these tools, the password manager’s password is the only one you must remember, protect and make available to your heirs. Plus, by using many of these, you can store vital documents (like your will) in a vault that's part of your password manager account. Great examples of a password manager that would help are LastPass, SplashID, 1Password, Roboform and Dashlane.

If you are uncomfortable with a password manager, as an alternative, you could utilize a password-protected memory stick or flash drive; however, storage of this device could prove tricky as there is often quite a delay before heirs are legally allowed to access your safe-deposit box. Therefore, if you choose the alternative of a password-protected memory stick, you’ll want to store that in a fireproof home safe.

Victoria Blachly, an estate-planning attorney with Samuels Yoelin Kantor in Portland, OR, recommends that you put all details about your online accounts in a VAIL or Virtual Asset Instruction Letter. Your VAIL should indicate which email or social media accounts to delete, conveying your wishes to your heirs for them to take the necessary next steps. Put a copy of your VAIL on a password-protected flash drive or CD, locking both the digital and hard-copy VAIL in a safe.

Further, with the aforementioned legal battles happening, it is very important to update your Power of Attorney document to include language specifically allowing your designated heir to access emails and other electronic data. If you’re incapacitated, this gives your designated person ability to manage your financial affairs.

As another alternative, there are online afterlife companies (or digital vaults) that pledge to store and distribute postmortem your designated digital assets, such as Cirrus Legacy, DeathSwitch, DeadSocial, Eterniam, IfIDie.org, PasswordBox, LivesOn, Planned Departure and SecureSafe. An assigned “digital heir” is provided your passwords once a valid death certificate and proof of the heir’s identity are received. Basically, they allow you to specify “beneficiaries” to receive information about your accounts once death is verified. However, I am extremely wary of these due to all the legal activity currently related to individuals’ digital afterlife. It’s a fluid situation right now, and I’m not convinced of these companies’ stability. Plus, what if you depend on a company for all of your digital data, documents and passwords but that company goes out of business?!?

An interesting substitute for the aforementioned online afterlife companies is Perpetu, which is a startup that was founded by an intellectual property lawyer and banker. You sign up for Perpetu with your email, Facebook or Twitter account; once logged in, you see a list of services you can add to Perpetu, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail, Dropbox, Flickr, Instagram and GitHub. For example, you can schedule a final wall post for your Facebook profile or tell Perpetu to email a download of your Facebook photos, status updates and private message to a selected someone. You can select repositories on GitHub to make public after you die or tell Perpetu to email a download of your LinkedIn contacts to a designated person. Unlike the online afterlife companies I mentioned earlier, Perpetu doesn’t ask users for their passwords; instead, you select what information is downloaded and sent to your contacts.

Websites want to honor their privacy agreements with users. Further, thus far, the legal system has made clear that its desire is to respect the wishes of technology users; however, unless you communicate your specific wishes, the courts and society in general can only guess, assume and infer what those wishes might be.

Assuming you are able to use a password manager or password-protected device to pass along to your heirs the data, documents and passwords associated with the accounts in your online presence, there are certainly many “next steps” to consider, particularly as different sites have various approaches to resolving your digital afterlife…

• -       Facebook: In January 2014, Facebook altered its digital afterlife policy to turn a deceased person’s page into “memorial mode” and make it publicly available, but shutting down a deceased person’s Facebook account requires the user’s birth certificate, death certificate and proof the person submitting the request is the lawful representative of that deceased user.
• -       Google: Google Inactive Account Manager allows you to choose a trusted contact who will be notified by email and phone when your account has been inactive after a specified length of time and who can also be given access to the Google accounts you choose.
• -       Twitter: In its website’s support area, Twitter offers a contact form to assist in deactivating, not transferring, the deceased’s account.
• -       Yahoo: In America, Yahoo accounts are nontransferable but can be terminated after submitting a detailed request; alternatively, in Japan, Yahoo has created “Yahoo Ending” to send an email the user has prepared to as many as 200 addresses and open a “memorial space” board for people to leave condolence messages.

The legal battle related to folks’ digital assets is complicated by many details. For example, certain online accounts can be worth real money, like a popular blog’s site or a gaming avatar that acquired significant status online. Further, some individuals would prefer that their social media profiles become “memorialized” rather than deactivated or deleted. All of this confusion and “gray area” are why it’s vital to communicate your wishes for your digital assets to your loved ones, especially whoever you designate to handle legalities.

Please start by taking some time to think about these items:

• -       What do you envision for your social media content after you die?
• -       What would you like to happen to your blog when you die?
• -       Do you want your Digital Executor to make an announcement online?
• -       Where would you like your obituary posted?
• -       Would you like a guestbook activated on your website?
• -       Would you like your website, blog and / or social media presence to turn into a virtual memorial when you die?
• -       Do you have a list of all websites on which you have a presence as well as the passwords for accessing those accounts? Where is it?

Expand your thought-process to cover all you can think of. Then, once you have a good feel for your wishes, please write them down and be sure to share them.

Want to see more about the items discussed here? You can view a recent interview I did with Julie Coraccio of Clearing the Clutter Inside & Out by clicking here, and stay tuned for an edited version of the video soon.

As you proceed in addressing your digital afterlife, you might find some resources helpful… Evan Carroll and John Romano have written Your Digital Afterlife to assist, and their website of TheDigitalBeyond.com provides many different strategies you can explore. Alternatively, social media and marketing consultant Adele McAlear offers DeathAndDigitalLegacy.com for more information. Investigating the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act and how your state is moving forward on its approval will help to localize your actions. Plus, review this US Government blog post about creating a social media will. Finally, seeking advice from a lawyer in your region is most highly suggested.

Do you have a plan for your digital afterlife? Have you shared your wishes with a loved one? If not, what can you do now to prepare?

Tech Tools for Your Next Tailgate Party

Recently, I was invited by Geralin Thomas to "guest post" on the Metropolitan Organizing blog. Since tomorrow is the official kickoff for the NFL's regular season and high school / NCAA football continues this weekend, I wanted to share these helpful tips with you, the loyal readers of my Tips To Organize For Success blog... Enjoy!

As we inch towards fall, sportscasters everywhere fill reports with football updates… Who's the starting quarterback? Who's hurt from last night's game or practice? What's the coach's take on this year's schedule and how will the team perform? Meanwhile, there's an entirely different conversation happening in households across the country, and it all circles around pre-game festivities. It's the ultimate excuse to gather with friends for cornhole, crack open a couple cold beverages and fire up the grill. Whether you're an ACC fan waiting to see the Demon Deacons, Tar Heels, Wolfpack and Blue Devils take the field or you're an SEC fan excited about the prospects for this year's Gators, Bulldogs, Tigers and Crimson Tide, chances are good that there's tailgating in your future. If so, there are some tech tools that you might want to consider in making the process of planning your next tailgate party a little easier.

OurTailgate.com offers a free tool for ensuring the right amount of food, eliminating folks bringing duplicates and simplifying communications to all invitees. After creating an account, you choose whether your upcoming tailgate is a one-time or series event, assign a type (high school, college, professional, etc) as well as the associated sport and enter the event name, date, time and location. Then, you can manually enter your guest list or upload guests from a spreadsheet as an xls or csv file, sending an invitation to each email address added to the guest list. Create a sign-up sheet for who's responsible for which aspects of the event with the "Sign Up To Bring Items" link; finally, as the event nears, if there are necessary items for which no one has claimed responsibility, email a reminder to all invited guests… It's brilliant! Since the most important thing for a successful tailgate is getting everyone involved that is planning to attend, OurTailgate.com provides an ideal tool.

Making sure that all the vital elements are included is really essential to a successful tailgate. With that in mind, within its Family Matters section of checklists, ListPlanIt.com has quite a thorough list of what to bring.

Likewise, if you are an Android or iPhone user, consider downloading the Tailgate Fan app, which allows you to pull from a wide array of tasty recipes, share funny photos with friends and participate in contests to win awesome prizes. Android users can also shop Google Play for the Tailgating Planner app while iPhone users can find the Tailgating app in the Apple App Store, both of which lay out everything you may possible need so you don't forget any tailgating essentials.

On game day, step one is getting to your destination. iPhone's Stadium Finder app or Android's Football Stadiums app will let you type in the team you are going to see, and your smartphone will tell you where to go. Plus, each app offers seating charts to see exactly what kind of view you'll have once inside the stadium.

At the grill is where a tailgate party can be made or broken, but you don't have to be an expert to be successful. Whether using Android, iPhone or iPad, find new recipes and ideas with the Grill-It! app.

Upbeat tunes played in the background keep the party lively and energized. While you can always stick with the music downloaded to your smartphone, creating a "Tailgate Fun" playlist specifically for your tailgate parties, app options include TuneIn Radio Pro, Pandora and Spotify.

While you might be at your favorite team's game, you and those attending your shindig don't want to miss all the action across the league or your team's conference. Keep tabs on all the games happening at once with apps like ESPN ScoreCenter, NFL '13, Yahoo Sports and FOX Sports… You'll be the belle of the ball if you have such valuable details to share, all in the palm of your hand.

Above all else, though, I highly recommend that you "remember everything" by putting all your information in one place with Evernote. Since Evernote allows you to create a database of notes comprised of text, photos, audio blurbs, web clippings, checklists and tasks to be done, it's an excellent destination for things that pop into your head during the planning process, recipes you come across that you find tasty, decorations you see while out and about or tidbits you find in your online reading. Whatever you find useful for your next pre-game festivities can be compiled here, making the information accessible across all your devices whenever you need to act upon it.

With these tech tools and the involvement of everyone attending, your next tailgate party is guaranteed to be a huge success… Don't forget the ice, utensils, paper products and condiments, be sure to show your team spirit and have fun; hopefully, your favorite team will hold up their end of the bargain by winning and you'll have stellar weather. Regardless, here's to a great party!

March is National Caffeine Awareness Month

To celebrate National Caffeine Awareness Month, increase your productivity while combating your need for caffeine with these tactics:

1. Get enough sleep... Most adults need 7 to 8 hours a night for the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as five hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep nightly.

2. Perform some simple stretches to get your body active, including your mind, your heart, your blood flow and your metabolism. For examples of such useful stretches, visit http://bit.ly/iL72d.

3. Sit up straight and take a few deep breaths from way down in your gut. Oxygen fuels your brain, and deep breaths get even more oxygen to your brain, activating it for work all the better.

4. Soak up some fresh air and sunlight with a quick walk outdoors or around your building... The vitamin D from sunlight is great for boosting moods; plus, as you move your body, you get a little more energized.

5. Move to a different location, whether it's moving from your office to a conference room, leaving your home for a coffeehouse or just shifting from one side of the room to the other.

6. Hydrate with lots of water... Since 60% or more of your body weight comes from fluids, staying hydrated is necessary for optimum performance. And, if you need some extra flavor, just toss in a Crystal Light packet.

7. Instead of letting it slow you down, fill "down time" with smaller projects that can be done quickly. Just like the saying of "a rolling stone gathers no moss", it's easier to be active when already active... So, if you don't have time to complete a project, at least get started and leave it out for when you can pick your work back up again.

8. Eat foods that increase your energy rather than those that cause a slump an hour after eating. Eating things like whole-wheat bread, strawberries, broccoli, pork and bananas will help keep energy levels more constant and consistent.

9. Listen to some energizing music. Music is a powerful tool, particularly for affecting emotion, so handle with care but utilize it fully. As a huge fan of music, I find it to be a very effective tool, like "Celebration" by Kool & The Gang or "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland. For other examples of energizing music, visit http://bit.ly/83Hh4k.

Are any of these strategies you are using right now to re-energize? And, if you have ideas for other ways to increase your productivity without the use of caffeine, please share those in the Comments section below.