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Articles from Sue Becker | Selfgrowth.com
- Find More Free Time - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2012 from Sue BeckerA survey by Real Simple Magazine and the Families and Work Institute revealed that almost half of American women say they don't have enough free time. The survey defined "free time" as "time that you spend on yourself, where you can choose to do things that you enjoy." I was surprised that the ...
Views: 1014 - Get Organized for the Right Reasons - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2012 from Sue Becker“To be able to open a cabinet, drawer or closet and find what I’m looking for;” “To start my family’s day on time and on a positive note;” “To experience the joy of leisure time.” These are all reasons clients have told me they want to get organized. Although each reason supports a different ...
Views: 1029 - Organize Your Digital Photos - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2012 from Sue BeckerAre you drowning under piles of photographs and wondering how to dig yourself out? My January 2011 newsletter described how to organize photos – the physical prints that may occupy any number of bags and boxes in your home. But maybe it’s your computer rather than you that’s drowning – you may ...
Views: 1040 - Manage Mealtime Mayhem - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2012 from Sue BeckerSeveral years ago I saw a sign that said “I have a kitchen because it came with the house” in a client’s home. It’s a relief to know there’s at least one other person besides me who doesn’t like to cook. After all, with the huge number of cooking shows on TV, cooking magazines staring at me in ...
Views: 1238 - Choose the Planner That's Right for You - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2012 from Sue BeckerYou may have seen the television commercial in which a group of people are assembling in a conference room for a meeting. They make fun of the fact that one of their co-workers uses a paper and pen rather than an electronic tablet for taking notes. The shamed employee tells his colleagues to ...
Views: 983 - Partnering Can Help You Overcome Your Organizing Challenges - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2012 from Sue BeckerIt’s finally happened – the last traces of holiday candy, cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, kettle corn and other assorted holiday treats that have filled my home for the last month and a half have been consumed. At last I can continue my quest to eat more healthfully. Sure, I could have ...
Views: 985 - Now is a Great Time to Organize Your Paperwork - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2012 from Sue BeckerReady or not, here it comes – tax season will be upon us sooner than we may like. Do you remember how things went last year as you gathered your financial paperwork? Will this year be more organized? Did you have to forego some deductions you deserved last year because you couldn’t find the ...
Views: 1068 - Five Simple Steps for Getting Organized - by Submitted on Jan 03, 2012 from Sue BeckerI don’t know how it always seems to happen so quickly, but here we are welcoming in yet another new year. I often ponder how life must really zip by quickly for people who are disorganized, since they are often running late, in a frenzy looking for misplaced things, or in a panic because they ...
Views: 1107 - Finish What You Start - by Submitted on Jan 03, 2012 from Sue BeckerWhat do piles of opened mail, bags of stuff in the trunk of your car waiting to be returned to the store, and opened but unprocessed e-mails in your inbox all have in common? They are all things that have been started but not completed. Uncompleted tasks can weigh us down – rather than being ...
Views: 1134 - Lots of Choices Don’t Always Make Us Happier - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2011 from Sue BeckerWe’ve all heard the phrase “less is more” (in fact I’ve written about this concept previously), but how many of us actually practice that philosophy? It sure seems as though the world (or at least the United States) is going in the opposite direction – we’ve got supersized grocery stores with ...
Views: 1218 - Get Ready for an Organized New Year - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2011 from Sue BeckerIt seems that everywhere you look there are signs that the holidays will soon be upon us. And while we enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this special time, we know that seemingly all too soon, another year is coming to an end. Here are some ideas to help you end the year in an organized ...
Views: 1158 - Top 10 Time Taming Tips - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2011 from Sue BeckerNovember is definitely a month in which we pay attention to time: we enjoy less sunshine each day, and the end of Daylight Saving Time makes the diminished sunshine even more obvious. As we do our best to cope with seemingly shorter days, it’s a good time to work on making the most of our time. ...
Views: 1133 - Time Management for Performing Artists - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2011 from Sue BeckerTime management can often be quite tricky for visual and performing artists. Achieving success and the stability that comes with it is difficult, and unlike other occupations, that success can be fleeting. More often than not, artists are juggling the job they love with one or more other ...
Views: 945 - Quick Cures for 7 Common Challenges - by Submitted on Oct 16, 2011 from Sue BeckerHappy autumn! It’s hard to believe that summer is coming to an end. As the leaves change color, you might want to consider which habits you can change to help you be more productive and efficient, both at home and at work. To help inspire you, I’ve noted some common challenges that you may be ...
Views: 952 - Allow Time to Be on Time - by Submitted on Oct 16, 2011 from Sue BeckerDo you find yourself arriving late for appointments, meetings and social events more often than you’re on time? Do your friends and family members tell you an event is going to start a half hour earlier than it actually starts just so you have a chance of being “on time”? Here are some possible ...
Views: 1017 - Making the Most of a Busy Schedule - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2011 from Sue BeckerI recently finished working on a month-long project that had me leaving home at 7:00 a.m. and not returning until 9:30 p.m. every night. Although it would be easy to complain about working such long hours, there were plenty of positive outcomes from my experience: •I got to work on an ...
Views: 1048 - Turn Those Laundry Piles Into Smiles - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2011 from Sue BeckerDoes your summer fun in the sun turn to loathing in the laundry room when you look at the mountains of dirty clothes? Does your dog think those piles are his personal bed? Warm weather typically brings on sand, sweat, and stains that may make you feel like you can never get out from under the ...
Views: 1116 - Making the Most of a Power Outage - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2011 from Sue BeckerA recent series of rainstorms left my home without electricity for 2 days. Being without power certainly made me realize how dependent I am on it. No lights, no landline phone, no computer, and only intermittent cell phone service left me feeling as primitive as it’s possible to feel during a ...
Views: 1172 - Back to School Made Simple - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2011 from Sue BeckerAs the carefree days of summer wind down, it’s time to start thinking about sending the kids back to school (or if you’re a frazzled parent or caregiver, maybe you’ve been thinking about it for a while now!). As much as you may welcome the arrival of the school year, it can be a hectic and ...
Views: 1190 - When Just a To-Do List Isn’t Enough - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2011 from Sue BeckerI’ve written previously about the benefits of keeping a to-do list. The process of writing down everything you have to do (either on paper or electronically), prioritizing the list, and scheduling when to do each task can be an efficient and powerful way to get things done. That is, of course, ...
Views: 1066 - Planning for the Inevitable - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerIt's not a pleasant subject, which partly explains why so many people put off creating an estate plan. On top of that, estate planning requires the skill of advanced planning, something many of my clients aren't particularly good at (at least not until after they work with me!). If you don't ...
Views: 1015 - Manage Your Notes - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerWhether you take notes on scraps of paper, in your planner, or in a notebook, they can pile up quickly. Notes may result from attending a meeting, taking a class, having a phone conversation or engaging in a face-to-face conversation. No matter what the source of the notes, it’s important to ...
Views: 1009 - Own Less and Gain More - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerA recent Oprah episode included an interview with multimillionaire director Tom Shadyac, who decided to simplify his life by letting go of his mansion and many of his belongings. His former home had 17 bedrooms (although he wasn’t quite sure how many!) and 13 bathrooms. He downsized to a mobile ...
Views: 910 - Keep Your Paperwork Under Control - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerHow did your tax season go this year? Was preparing your taxes a breeze because you'd carefully organized everything throughout the year to avoid the frantic searches you'd experienced in past years? Or did you file an extension because you're hopeful that by October you'll be able to find all ...
Views: 1104(1 vote) - Time Changes How Meaningful Things Are - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerI was recently reminded of how, over time, the significance of our possessions can change as I was helping a client clean out her basement. She had lived in her house for 45 year, raised her family there, nursed her husband through a terminal illness there, and celebrated countless birthdays and ...
Views: 776 - Slow Down and Enjoy Life - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerA recent article in Real Simple Magazine about the toll that impatience can take on our enjoyment of life got me thinking about my own hurriedness. It’s a rare day that I’m not bouncing from one thing to another without taking a break. Most of my time (probably 90% of my waking hours) is spent ...
Views: 1011 - Be Prepared When Emergency Strikes - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2011 from Sue BeckerThe recent series of disasters in Japan, as well as unrest in many parts of the world, should have us all thinking a little bit more about whether or not we’re prepared for an unexpected disaster. Whether caused by Mother Nature or a human being, an emergency can throw our lives into chaos – ...
Views: 1065(1 vote) - Get Things Done to be Ready for Anything - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2011 from Sue BeckerMy crusade to make this the year to “get things done when they need to be done” paid off in many ways recently. Several events, both personal and business, came up at the last minute, and I was able to attend them without missing a beat because I was caught up on everything I’d needed to get ...
Views: 972 - How to Hold an Ineffective Meeting - by Submitted on Apr 07, 2011 from Sue BeckerWhether you work for pay, do volunteer work, or manage a household, meetings are a fact of life; unfortunately, they’re often an extremely ineffective fact of life. There are meetings for the business, social and volunteer organizations to which you belong; meetings at work; meetings with ...
Views: 1125 - A Master To-Do List Can Free Up Your Brain - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2011 from Sue BeckerHave you ever said to yourself, “I have to remember to do such and such” but then forget to do such and such? If you’re like me, the older you get, the harder it is to remember things. I recently read the book Getting Organized in the Google Era which states that our brains can only hold five to ...
Views: 893 - How Much Time Does Email Steal from Your Day? - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2011 from Sue BeckerDid you ever pay attention to how much time you spend processing email each day? I couldn’t find a decisive analysis of the subject, but various studies conclude that Americans spend anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours on average. That’s a significant amount of time, especially considering ...
Views: 1028 - The Joy of Doing Nothing - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2011 from Sue BeckerI spent this past Saturday essentially doing nothing, which is very unlike me. Well it wasn’t exactly nothing, but as far as the analytical part of my brain was concerned, it was a day of rest and relaxation. My husband and I drove 2 ½ hours each way to visit our son at college and attend his ...
Views: 879(1 vote) - Spring Clean Your Way to Organization - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2011 from Sue BeckerFor those of us who have slogged through an especially challenging winter, Spring can’t come any too soon. It’s time for nature to renew itself and bring forth new life. You, too, can experience this sense of rebirth by renewing your commitment to getting organized. Imagine how freeing it will ...
Views: 920 - Don’t Forget to Plan for Travel Time - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2011 from Sue BeckerDo you feel like you’re always running late to appointments and events no matter how hard you try to be on time? Do you frequently lose patience when caught in traffic because you’re rushing to get somewhere? Many of my clients, especially those with ADHD, experience the same frustration. One ...
Views: 970 - Eliminate Linen Closet Chaos - by Submitted on Feb 11, 2011 from Sue BeckerJumbled sheets, mountains of pillows, and towels tumbling out when you open the door - does this sound like your linen closet? Your linen closet has great potential to be a highly functional storage area. However, it's easy for things to disappear in it if you don't keep it organized. You can ...
Views: 1256 - Change and Organizing - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2011 from Sue BeckerJanuary is almost over, and so, too, may be your memories of making a New Year’s resolution to get organized. Rather than viewing your organizing aspirations as hopeless, you might consider whether you’re ready to change. If not, you’ll need to address your lack of readiness before you’ll be ...
Views: 927 - Turn Waiting Time into Productive Time - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2011 from Sue BeckerI recently was on my way to a client when she called to say she had a last-minute emergency and needed to push our start time back an hour. Since it wasn’t feasible for me to go back home, I parked near her house and spent the next hour making phone calls, writing a few thank you notes, and ...
Views: 1071 - Focus on Organizing Your Photos - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2011 from Sue BeckerHappy New Year! I hope the coming year is your best yet. If you’ve been enjoying the past month of holiday celebrations as much as I have, you probably have lots of photographs capturing the good times. The question now is what to do with all those photos. If your pictures are in digital format, ...
Views: 991 - Reduce Your Stress During the Holidays - by Submitted on Dec 23, 2010 from Sue BeckerShopping, baking, more shopping, wrapping gifts, hosting guests - this busy time of year is often more stressful than joyful. Expectations are high, crowds are plentiful, time is limited, and funds may be as well. As you may have promised yourself so many times, how about actually making this ...
Views: 1019 - Organizing and Stress Reduction - by Submitted on Dec 23, 2010 from Sue BeckerI learned about Emotional Intelligence at a conference I recently attended. As part of the session, my emotional intelligence was evaluated. One of the most surprising things I discovered about myself as a result of this process is that I have low stress tolerance. This was surprising to me ...
Views: 992 - From Disastrous to Delightful in 15 Minutes - by Submitted on Dec 23, 2010 from Sue BeckerI was recently doing a marathon baking session at my house when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a huge mess in my kitchen. There were pots and pans and all kinds of things all over the place. Some of you may be wondering what all the fuss is about, but that’s not the normal look ...
Views: 1029 - Organizing Tips for Eldercare Providers - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2010 from Sue BeckerWhile many seniors enjoy good health and are able to live on their own, some require the assistance of family members or outside caregivers, or have to move to an assisted living facility. No matter what your role is in helping a senior, even if it's to be a friend to someone caring for a ...
Views: 1377 - What Can You Do With 15 Minutes? - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2010 from Sue BeckerThe one challenge I hear most from my clients is that they don’t have enough time in their day. However, they typically take an “all or nothing” approach to getting things done. This is unrealistic, because most of us don’t have large chunks of time available to knock out big projects in one ...
Views: 1898 - How Would You “Live Like You Were Dying”? - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2010 from Sue BeckerI recently heard the song Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw on the radio, and it got me wondering what I’d do differently if I took his advice. I don’t want to sound macabre, but I found this exercise to be refreshing and eye-opening. Here are the options I pondered: •Go on a wild ...
Views: 1114 - Digging Out from an Avalanche of Mail - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2010 from Sue BeckerAlthough not as intimidating as the ten days’ worth of email l valiantly plowed through, the size of the pile of ten days’ worth of snail mail I recently faced upon return from a trip was rather impressive. Even though I’ve done my best to get off mailing lists (I’ve subscribed to ...
Views: 1097 - How to Jump Start Your Own Organizing Makeover - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2010 from Sue BeckerI’ve had the opportunity to be part of several organizing makeover shows (as the organizer, not the client, mind you) and really enjoy seeing the client’s excitement as they view their transformed space for the first time. While you may be hoping there’s a television crew about to knock on your ...
Views: 1042 - When Does Enough Become Too Much? - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2010 from Sue BeckerA few years ago I entered the produce section of my newly remodeled grocery store to purchase some tomatoes, only to discover that it was going to take quite an effort to fulfill my mission. The new and “improved” produce department was at least double the size of the old one, and it took me 5 ...
Views: 981 - Neatening Isn’t Organizing - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2010 from Sue BeckerI recently encountered a situation with my client, whom I’ll call “Ann”, which exemplifies how some people think neatening is the same thing as organizing, and how detrimental that can be. Ann has several chronic medical conditions that generate lots of paperwork, leaving her buried in piles ...
Views: 1187 - Get Organized, Small Steps Can Lead to Big Results - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2010 from Sue BeckerDoes the thought of getting organized leave you overwhelmed and uncertain how to get started? The concept of kaizen can take you from that feeling of overwhelm to one of being in control and on the path towards accomplishment. Kaizen is a term that was coined in Japan as it began to rebuild ...
Views: 1904 - When Does a Gift Become a Burden? - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2010 from Sue BeckerI celebrated my birthday last week and received some wonderful gifts from my friends and family. But the best gifts I received were their time, attention and companionship. This focus on gifts got me thinking about another source of gifts in my life – hostess gifts. I’d like your help ...
Views: 1173(1 vote)